Ramadan cooking made effortless

The holy month of Ramadan is a time of reflection, prayer, and togetherness. However, for many families, it also brings the added responsibility of preparing elaborate suhoor and iftar meals daily. Balancing work, household chores, children, and fasting can quickly become exhausting, especially when hours are spent chopping, grinding, and sautéing in the kitchen.

To make daily cooking more manageable, a simple yet highly effective kitchen hack is gaining popularity — using ice cube trays to store pre-prepared essentials. This practical approach helps cut down cooking time significantly and ensures that meals can be prepared quickly without compromising on flavour.

Why Ice Cube Trays Work So Well

Ice cube trays are not just for freezing water. They are perfectly portioned, compact, and ideal for storing small quantities of frequently used ingredients. By preparing and freezing basic cooking components in advance, you can avoid repetitive prep work every day.

The best part? These frozen cubes can be added directly to hot pans without thawing, making the cooking process seamless and stress-free.

Lemon Juice Cubes For Instant Freshness

Lemon juice is a staple in many households during Ramadan, whether for refreshing drinks, salads, marinades, or curries. Instead of squeezing lemons every day, you can extract juice from 10 to 12 fresh lemons at once and pour it into ice cube trays.

Once frozen, these cubes can be stored in airtight containers in the freezer. Whenever needed, simply drop a cube into your lemonade, curry, or dressing. It saves time and ensures you always have fresh lemon flavour ready to use.

Ginger-Garlic Paste Ready In Seconds

Ginger and garlic form the base of countless Indian and Middle Eastern dishes. Peeling, chopping, and grinding them daily can be time-consuming, particularly during fasting hours.

A convenient solution is to blend ginger and garlic into a smooth paste with a small amount of olive oil. The oil helps preserve the paste and maintain its texture. Pour the mixture into an ice cube tray and freeze. These ready-to-use cubes can instantly enhance curries, gravies, stir-fries, and marinades.

Flavour Boosters For Curries And Kebabs

To elevate everyday dishes, you can prepare a flavour-packed mixture using Thai chillies, mint, and cilantro. Blend them into a smooth paste and freeze in small portions. This vibrant mix works beautifully in curries, kebabs, chutneys, and even as a quick marinade base.

Having these flavour cubes prepared in advance eliminates the need to wash and grind herbs daily, making meal prep far more efficient.

Tomato Base Without The Hassle

Tomatoes are another essential ingredient used in gravies and masalas. Instead of cooking them from scratch each day, you can prepare a thick tomato paste in advance by cooking fresh tomatoes over medium heat until they break down.

Once cooled, pour the paste into ice cube trays and freeze. These cubes can be added straight to hot oil while preparing curries or rice dishes, cutting down preparation time significantly.

Golden Fried Onions For Instant Biryani

Sautéing onions until perfectly golden brown requires patience and constant attention. During Ramadan, when energy levels may dip, this task can feel especially demanding.

By frying a large batch of sliced onions in advance and freezing them in cubes, you can save valuable time. These cubes are ideal for biryani, gravies, and festive dishes often prepared during Ramadan gatherings.

More Time For What Truly Matters

This simple freezer hack transforms daily cooking into a quicker, more organised process. Instead of spending long hours in the kitchen, you can focus on prayers, family time, and rest.

While this method is especially helpful during Ramadan, it can be adopted throughout the year for efficient meal planning. A few hours of preparation can save countless minutes every day — making cooking less stressful and far more enjoyable.