Greek-Cypriot Easter (Forty days of fasting): Fagita Nistisima

It is time for the 40 day fast in Greek culture. It began on Monday and runs through until Easter. This is the first time I am fasting, more as a tribute to my grandparents and my heritage. When I was younger, I remember my 'great' yiayia (my dad's yiayia) fasting. She was a very special woman who lived a long, healthy and pure life; if I could strive to be like anyone then it would be her. 


So, it is no dairy and no meat or fish; the exception is that all shellfish are okay to eat. Over the next weeks I will be sharing some nice recipes that can be made whilst fasting. Sometimes it is difficult to know what to make and at first it seems like a mammoth chore, however there is an abundance of food available to you. In many ways, I use this as an opportunity to explore new recipes :) 


It is important to eat properly and ensure that you are still getting a good supply of protein and fat. Not all of these recipes will be Greek-Cypriot. They will be varied, to make fasting fun ;) 


On Tuesday it was my birthday and so it was interesting to try and find a delicious meal to cook for the celebrations. Indian cuisine is perfect for fasting in my opinion as they use a lot of coconut milk, lentils and filo pastry. Thus, please enjoy some prawn curry with chickpea rice, dahl and samosas...mmmmm.


Chickpea rice:


Fry 1 onion in a pan on a medium heat for around 5 minutes. Then add the rice (2 small handfuls per person) and fry for 1 minute. Now add around a litre of stock, one half first and then the rest as the rice absorbs it. Cook for 10 minutes until the water is all absorbed, drain and add the chickpeas and then put the lid on and leave aside. 


Dahl:


In a pan place 2 cups of mixed lentils (I use green and yellow but there are also dahl mixes available to buy). Add about a litre of water and boil rapidly for 5 minutes. Remove any scum from the surface and then turn the heat down to medium. Simmer for around 30-40 minutes until the lentils are soft and the water has been absorbed.


Peel and chop a tomato and wash and chop some spinach finely. Add them to the lentils along with 2 tsp cumin, 2 tsp turmeric and a teaspoon of stock powder. To serve, drizzle with a little olive oil, add a haldful of fresh chopped coriander and a little salt and pepper.


Cigar samosas:

Finely chop an onion, a carrot and a potato. Fry them in a pan with 2 tsp cumin, 1 tsp coriander seeds 1 tsp turmeric and some a hanful of frozen peas. When the vegetables have softened they are ready to be placed in some filo pastry. Lay out the filo sheet and add a spoon of the vegetables. Now fold the filo either into triangle shapes or long cigars. Brush with olive oil and bake in the oven at 220°C for around 20-30 minutes.

Lay everything on the table and enjoy this food with others. Enjoy the wonderful flavours!