6 Traditional Foods Served During Eid al-Fitr

This traditional sweet dessert likely originated in Persia and is popular in India, Pakistan and Afghanistan. It’s a rich and creamy pudding with vermicelli, milk, dates and sugar. Some preparations include nuts and other dried fruits. “Sweet dishes are traditional [on Eid] because the Prophet Muhammad encouraged breaking fast with something sweet,” Lakhani says. Some Muslims make sheer khurma the night before Eid and serve it to family and guests as part of the first meal of the day. Dates, with which Muhammad directed Muslims to break their fasts, are the key ingredient in this sweet treat.

Maamoul, or ma’amoul, is an ancient shortbread cookie stuffed with date paste, chopped walnuts or pistachios and dusted with powdered sugar. The dough is made with semolina flour (as is traditional), wheat flour or both. It’s then pressed into special molds made of wood or resin and baked until golden.

Palestinian-Jordanian food blogger Sawsan Abu Farha told NPR every home has maamoul during Eid, whether or not they’re homemade. “Some say the cookies are meant to remind you that though fasting is hard, within it is a sweet reward, exactly like maamoul’s outer shell is bland but the core is sweet,” she explained. The Middle Eastern dessert is also popular among Christians on Easter and Jews on Purim.

Biryani is an aromatic rice dish that originated in Persia and evolved across India, Pakistan and Bangladesh. The shareable meal is made with basmati rice, meat (halal chicken, lamb or goat), spices (often including saffron) and ghee. The complex flavor profile is achieved by marinating the meat in yogurt to tenderize it, parcooking the rice with spices and ghee then slowly steaming it all together. Muslims serve biryani to symbolize abundance and hospitality, and it’s often a centerpiece of the Eid festival setting.

Another favorite Eid al-Fitr dish popular throughout the Middle East is haleem. This thick stew is slow-cooked for hours with halal lamb or beef, lentils, barley and spices until it has a porridge-like consistency. It’s usually served with naan and condiments like lemon wedges, fried onions, fresh ginger, mint and chilies. Haleem is hearty and nutritious, and in many Muslim-majority countries, it’s prepared in large quantities and shared with the poor and marginalized during Eid al-Fitr as a symbol of the festival’s spirit of giving.

Rendang is a culturally important curry dish from Indonesia that’s also popular in neighboring Malaysia and Singapore. Its rich flavor comes from slowly simmering halal beef in coconut milk with a mixture of spices and chilies until it’s tender. Beef rendang has become an Eid al-Fitr favorite, because it’s a symbol of abundance and celebration.

Thought to have been invented in the Assyrian Empire during the eighth century B.C. or the Ottoman Empire in the 15th century A.D., Baklava isn’t just beloved by cultures throughout the Middle East. This sticky, flaky, layered pastry is also a mainstay food served during Ramadan; most Muslims eat baklava after iftar, the meal consumed after sunset, because it provides them a quick burst of energy. It’s also a favorite sweet treat during Eid al-Fitr, because baklava is considered a sign of hospitality and generosity in the Islamic faith. Baklava recipes vary, but its main ingredients remain the same: thin phyllo pastry layered with chopped nuts and sweet syrup or honey.