As the cannonball blasts off to announce the commencement of Iftar, thousands of people in Bahrain break their fast and the selection of destinations available is staggering.

One of the most mouth-watering offerings is being dished up at The Diplomat Radisson BLU Hotel Residence and Spa in Manama.

In keeping with the spirit of the Holy Month the hotel is once more allowing the big-hearted members of the Helping Hands Organisation to provide low income labourers with a nourishing meal each day as part of its 'responsible business programme'.

Coordinator, Denise Al Meer said: "This month is recognised as a time when all of us need to remember and help those less fortunate then we are.

"Each evening after the close of the Iftar buffet for guests, our chefs prepare food parcels which are then collected and distributed to labour camps and accommodation in areas such as Manama, Riffa and many other areas of Bahrain.

"Helping Hands do fantastic work all year round and we are very happy to be able to assist them once more this year.

"The feedback we have received has been very gratifying. All of the workers who have received the food so far have been very appreciative as many face extreme hardships on a daily basis."

Preparing the menu each day during the Holy Month is the aptly-named Sous Chef Younis Ramadan and Executive Chef Pramod Pillai.

Bahraini Chef Younis, 27, from Aldrar, has 10 years of culinary experience at a number of five-star properties including three years at the Diplomat.

The layout for this year's Iftar has a variety of traditional, conventional as well as fusion dishes. Chef Younis said: "It's very important to have some popular dishes like harrees, thareed, whole ouzi, freshly marinated Bahraini kebab with different spices from the local market and also good dates.

"Beverages such as jelleb, thamarandi, rose milk and karkada are a must to break the fast.

"We prepare all these dishes daily at the hotel alongside some ethnic dishes that I learned from my mother."

Chef Younis explained that preparing for Iftar brings back fond memories of growing up in the kingdom. He said: "I remember my mother's excellent cooking and with those memories of my childhood I make every dish from the bottom of my heart."

For newcomers to Bahrain, he suggested that they tempt their taste-buds with the traditional foods of the kingdom. He said: "I can assure them that it will be an all new and memorable experience."

The Iftar rates at the hotel are BD14 net per person and BD7 for children every day from 6pm until 8pm.

Chef Younis shares one of his favouirite recipes with GulfWeekly readers.

Ouzi

Ingredients:

1 kg for 5 pax

Whole lamb 1 small

Melted butter 250gm

Mixed Arab spices 100gm

(Cumin, coriander, cardamom, cinnamon)

Garlic, finely diced and crushed with sea salt 10 cloves

Bay leaves

Rice stuffing:

Basmati rice 1kg

Butter 250gm

Whole almonds 1 cup

Cinnamon 2 tbsp

Minced meat 100gm

Nutmeg 2 tbsp

Direction:

To marinate the lamb:

Brush the lamb with butter. Rub with salt and Arabic spice inside and out, dust liberally with cinnamon and the diced, salted garlic. Allow to marinate, overnight if possible.

For the rice stuffing:

Melt the butter and add the nuts and spice add mince meat. Add the rice which has been soaked for half an hour in salted water before being partially cooked.

Fill the cavity of the lamb and sew it up. Cover with a few bay leaves and place in a hot oven (225 degrees) for about one hour per kilo or until the lamb is tender.