The following recipes are from my new book, The Ramadan Cookbook . They can be used throughout Ramadan –from suhoor to iftar –including the celebration of Eid. The recipes are so versatile, though, that you and your family can enjoy the everyday meals in this book any time of year. Brush your pan with clarified butter/ghee and lay down your first sheet of filo. Butter this sheet and place another filo on top. Repeat 5-7 times so that there are 6-8 sheets on the bottom level.

The Ramadan Cookbook, her first book, was written to give others the skills to prepare home-made festive meals for suhoor, iftar and Eid, and when celebrating at other times of the year. The book brings together the traditional recipes Karolia grew up with and dishes regularly requested by her family at home, as well as contemporary adaptations of foods commonly served during Ramadan. For the rose milk, mix all the ingredients together in a jug. Use a skewer to poke holes all over the cake, then slowly pour most of the milk mixture over the top, reserving a little for serving. Refrigerate for a few hours or overnight to allow the cake to soak up the milk. And there you have it, 10 Eid recipes that you can easily put together in the kitchen, use everyday staple ingredients that you will have on hand, and won’t have you unnecessarily running to the supermarket. Heat the oil for deep frying in a large saucepan on a medium-high heat until it reaches 180°C. Fry the samosas in batches for 1 minute on each side until golden all over, then drain on kitchen paper. These are best eaten fresh on the day they are cooked.

What Ramadan means to me: For me, Ramadan is a time to reflect and reset. There is a focus on the tangible aspects of fasting and being more diligent in your prayers, for it’s a time to try and live by the values of your faith under trying conditions, being the best version of yourself (taking time for prayer and meditation, actively being kind to others, not getting angry) all while not having access to food and water. As individuals, we all find different aspects of the month of Ramadan challenging but at the end of the day, when you break your fast with family and friends you have a sense of solidarity and support that makes this month really special.It’s also a great reminder to be grateful for what you have and appreciate the plight of others less fortunate than you – particularly when we live in a society that is all about the next achievement to strive for.

Begin prepping your fillings by rolling them into macadamia nut-sized balls and refrigerate until ready to use Fancy some fall-off-the-bone nihari with all the trimmings – yes, ginger, chillies, and coriander too – but don’t have a clue where to start? You won’t need to visit mum’s for your fix as a) you’re keeping her safe by socially distancing and b) you can just follow this simplistic recipe from Cook with Benazir – it will be like having mum in your own kitchen! Also known as rose and pistachio tres leches or three-milk cake, this is the perfect dessert to pretty up your table. Trust me, it’s so easy, tastes absolutely heavenly and looks so good. This is an incredibly indulgent, sophisticated and moreish dessert and you just can’t say no to it!Mix flour, powdered sugar, sesame seeds, baking powder, instant yeast, salt, kahk essence and vanilla powder until well combined Preheat the oven to 180°C (gas mark 4) and line a 28 x 18cm shallow heatproof dish with baking paper.