Marhaba Grill chef shares ‘What’s for Iftar’ on the first day of Ramadan

CATHY WURZER: Today is the first day of Ramadan. For the next 30 days, Muslims in the state will focus more deeply on their faith by fasting during the day and breaking the fast with a meal called Iftar at sunset. We want to tweak our What's for Lunch series today in recognition of Muslim Minnesotans fasting right now. Instead, Mohamed Shehata is here. He's one of many chefs hard at work across the state, preparing a big meal for when the sun sets this evening. Mohamed is a chef at Marhaba Mediterranean Grill in Minneapolis. Mohamed, thanks for taking time to talk with us.

MOHAMED SHEHATA: Thank you. I'm here for you, yes.

CATHY WURZER: Oh, how very kind. Thank you. Say, tell me, what foods are you preparing for Iftar this evening?

MOHAMED SHEHATA: We make a lot of things. We start with the roasted lamb. We have lamb, salmon. Of course, the [INAUDIBLE] dish of Ramadan, we have samosa, like samosa and different kind of chicken, like roasted chicken. We have roasted beef, salmon, shrimp.

We have okra. We have different kind of desserts, one kind of dessert called qatayaf. This is the famous one Ramadan. We'll have baklava. We'll have many kind of gelato. We have big salad bar too, like tabouli, a lot like watermelon, a lot of fruit. And when you have a different kind of soup too. We have gyro meat, kebab.

CATHY WURZER: Wow.

MOHAMED SHEHATA: We have a lot of things. Yes.

CATHY WURZER: Oh my gosh, that is a lot, lamb, chicken, oh my gosh. That sounds like a huge buffet. Is this pretty much a classic Iftar meal that you're preparing?

MOHAMED SHEHATA: Yes, every day, yes, yes, for Ramadan. We have it special. It starts for Ramadan, yes, every day.

CATHY WURZER: How many people are you expecting this evening?

MOHAMED SHEHATA: A lot. I make a tent outside, close to thousand people. We have a lot of people. We have a big tent outside. We have [INAUDIBLE], yeah, some thousand people, it can be.

CATHY WURZER: I have to ask you a question about your favorite part of the Iftar. Is there something that's special for you?

MOHAMED SHEHATA: For me, I like quail a lot, yes. I like quail. I like the roasted lamb too. We have lamb chops too on Ramadan, yes.

CATHY WURZER: Wow. So how did you get started as a chef? I'm curious.

MOHAMED SHEHATA: I learned it here. I went back home. I'm here like 15 years. I studied here. And it's back home, and I have my wife with me too. My wife is just like that. She's a chef. She's focused. My wife, she's the one, yeah, like home cooked, yes.

CATHY WURZER: Quite a pair. Say, a final question for you. I don't know-- because I know you're fasting. Is it hard to have to prepare all this food? And you are fasting yourself. And you'll break that fast at Iftar, as well as all the other individuals, right?

MOHAMED SHEHATA: Yes. We're used to-- yeah, it is hard. But we're used to that, yes. And you have a lot of people, other helpers, to help with that. Yeah, but we used to before. But right now, it is not enough. Summer, when you get in the winter, I think it's more easier in the winter the fasting.

CATHY WURZER: Well, I know you're busy, Mohamed. Thank you so much for taking the time.

MOHAMED SHEHATA: Thank you, Cathy. Thank you so much. Thank you.

CATHY WURZER: And have a blessed Ramadan. Mohamed Shehata is a cook at Marhaba Mediterranean Grill in Minneapolis.