Ilhan

Oh my gosh!! This happened yesterday! I got to see my book “The Ramadan Kitchen” all together for the first time. Surreal! Holding the book and signing copies made it feel real in a completely new way. The book itself is just so beautiful, and seeing it in print was incredibly special. Thank you so much to everyone who has preordered the book so far and supported me throughout this journey. Your support genuinely means the world to me. As a Black Muslim woman, preorders matter more than many people realise. They help determine how many copies are printed, where the book is stocked, and how visible it is in bookshops and online. Preorders also play a key role in bestseller lists, which can have a huge impact on opportunities and long-term visibility. I am so grateful to everyone who has already preordered, and to those planning to. Thank you for helping bring this book into the world. Book is available globally! Link in my bio. Ilhan x

I can’t quite believe I get to say this… I’ve written my debut cookbook 🥹 It’s called ✨ The Ramadan Kitchen ✨and it’s coming out this January 27th 2026. I’ve been working on this for a little over a year now, and it has truly been the hardest secret to keep! Given how many people around the world observe Ramadan, there are still so few cookbooks that capture its essence and that’s why I wanted to create this one. Though rooted in Ramadan, The Ramadan Kitchen is for EVERYONE. It’s filled with 80 delicious and nourishing recipes that reflect the flavours and spirit of Ramadan. You can preorder it now and the best part is, you won’t be charged until it ships in January 💛 Preorders are SO important; the more preorders, the more likely this book will reach new readers and communities around the world. If you’ve been part of my journey online, this is the best way to support me and help this book reach more kitchens. What started as cooking from my kitchen while working a corporate job has grown into something I could have only dreamed of. THANK YOU for being part of this journey, for every message, every meal cooked along with me, and every Ramadan we’ve shared together. This book wouldn’t exist without you. A huge thank you to everyone at @pavilionbooks , @lcs_editor for bringing this dream to life, @haahaphotography for the most incredible photos, and @flossy.mcaslan for the beautiful food styling with the help of @susiecococooks The Ramadan Kitchen will be published worldwide on 27th January 2026. Thank you, thank you, thank you. 💛

Homemade Coco Pops Saw this a year ago on YouTube and I now have a 4 year old who wants cereals when we go to the supermarkets. But mama has it home! 🥰 4 cups puffed rice 2–3 tbsp maple syrup 1–2 tbsp cocoa powder Small pinch of salt optional In a bowl add all the ingredients and mix well to coat Spread onto a lined baking tray in a thin layer. Bake at 150°C fan for about 10mins, stirring halfway, until dry and crisp. Leave to cool fully, they crisp up more as they cool. Store in an airtight container. #cereal #homemade #cereal #recipe

Chocolate Swirl Banana Bread 4 bananas 2 eggs ½ cup butter, at room temperature ½ cup light brown sugar ½ cup granulated white sugar ½ tsp vanilla bean paste or 1 tsp vanilla extract 1 tsp agave syrup or honey 1 tsp cinnamon 1 tsp baking soda 1½ cups plain flour 2 tbsp cocoa powder 1–2 tbsp milk, if needed 50g dark chocolate, crushed (optional) Handful semi-sweet mini chocolate chips (optional) Start with 4 bananas. Preheat the oven to 180°C. If your bananas are not fully ripe, place them on a baking tray and bake for 10 minutes until softened and darkened. Remove from the oven but keep the oven on. Peel the bananas and mash them in a large bowl until smooth. Add ½ cup butter, at room temperature, and mix well. Add 2 eggs, ½ cup light brown sugar, ½ cup granulated white sugar, ½ tsp vanilla bean paste or 1 tsp vanilla extract, and 1 tsp agave syrup or honey. Whisk until smooth and combined. Add 1 tsp cinnamon, 1 tsp baking soda and 1½ cups plain flour. Fold gently until just combined. Fold 50g crushed dark chocolate or chips into the batter. Divide the batter evenly between two bowls. Into one half, sift 2 tbsp cocoa powder and gently fold through until smooth. This amount gives enough chocolate flavour without drying the cake out. If the mixture feels thicker than the plain batter, add 1–2 tbsp milk to loosen slightly. Grease and line a loaf tin. Alternate spoonfuls of the plain banana batter and chocolate batter into the tin until all the mixture has been used. If you like you can use a skewer or knife to gently swirl through the batter a few times to create a marble effect. Sprinkle with mini chocolate chips if using. Bake for around 55 minutes to 1 hour at 180°C, or until golden on top and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out mostly clean. Leave to cool before slicing. Serve and enjoy. #recipe #bananabread #baking #chocolate #cake

Barely Any Effort Dinners Ep.2 Roasted Beef, Tomato and Garlic Traybake 350g diced beef, diced very small 1 cup cherry tomatoes 1 bulb garlic 1 tbsp beef seasoning 1/2 tsp cumin 1/2 cup stock Salt to taste Coriander garnish Preheat oven to 190c. In an oven dish add the beef, seasoning and mix well to coat. Add the tomatoes. Cut the bottom of the garlic and place it cut side up in the tray and drizzle with olive oil. Cover with foil and place in oven for 40-50mins and then remove foil and cook for 5-10minutes. If needed add more stock before cooking with no foil. Serve with fresh rice or bread #easydinner #easycooking #somalifood #beef #familyrecipe

Rosti Shepherds Pie 🥧 1 large potato 2 carrots 1 parsnip 500g beef mince 1 onion, diced 3-4 cloves garlic, sliced 1 can finely chopped tomatoes 1 tsp tamarind paste 1 tsp cumin 1 tsp paprika 1 tsp vegetable stock powder 1 tsp Somali xawash (substitute with cumin and coriander) Salt to taste Oil for frying Slice the veg into thin strips and fry until golden. Brown the beef in an ovenproof pan, then sauté with onion and garlic. Add oil if needed. Stir in the spices and tamarind. Add the tomatoes, then simmer covered until thick. Remove from the heat and top with the vegetable chips, cover, and bake at 190°C for 20 minutes. #pie #british #recipe #dinner #family

Dips just make sense right now. Roasted tomatoes, soft garlic, salted yoghurt and @citizensofsoil Smoky Red Pepper oil on top… simple but so good. I’ve got 10 bottles to give away with Citizens of Soil, all you have to do is comment how you’d use it and I’ll pick the first 10! Enjoy! Ad. Recipe 1. Preheat oven to @200c . In an oven proof dish add cherry tomatoes and garlic with skin on. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt. Place in oven and cook for 30mins. 2. In a mixing bowl add some thick Greek yoghurt and season with salt to your preference. Mix until smooth. 3. Spoon on to a serving dish, place the tomatoes on top, squeeze the garlic in and spoon over any remaining juice from the tomatoes. 4. Liberally drizzle over the red pepper olive oil and garlic with fresh basil. Serve with some warm pitta

3 Ingredient Chocolate Crunch Bars 1 cup puffed rice 1.5 cups dark chocolate, melted 1 tbsp almond butter Optional: mixed seeds Add all ingredients to a bowl and mix. Pour into a lined loaf dish and refrigerate until set. Cut into desired shape. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up 2 weeks. #snack #lunchbox #crunch #chocolate #healthy

No Knead Bread Ingredients: 3 cups bread, strong white or plain flour Tbsp yeast Tsp salt 1.5 cups warm water (ensure it’s not too hot) Method: Add all the ingredients to a bowl and mix until you have a wet, sticky dough. Cover the bowl with a tea towel and leave to rise for 1 hour. It should now have doubled in size with bubbles on the surface. You can leave it longer if you wish. Using a spoon bring the edges in until it roughly forms a large ball. Then dust a surface with some flour and scrap the dough on to the surface. Using your hands, spoon or bread scraper, gently form a ball. Do not over fold and do not knead. You want the dough to be slightly loose so do not add more flour. Place some parchment paper in a bowl and place the dough inside and cover. Leave to rest for a further 15mins on the countertop. Meanwhile preheat the oven to 230c. Place a dutch oven, an oven proof pan or a bread tin in the oven and leave to heat up for 10mins. Remove the pot from the oven and place the parchment paper and dough inside. Dust the dough with some flour and score how you like but you don’t have to. Now cover. This is important. Try to cover with an oven save lid or another bowl on top rather than foil. Even a baking sheet will work. Bake for 30mins. Now remove the lid and continue to bake for 10mins. Remove from oven, leave to rest until its no longer too hot before you cut it. This will prevent it going gummy! Enjoy! #bread #homemadebread #ʜᴏᴍᴇʙᴀᴋɪɴɢ #nokneadbread #easybaking

Day 1 Chicken, Creamy Mushroom and Mash Serves 3-4 5-6 chicken thighs, skinless & boneless 2 tbsp pomegranate molasses (can use balsamic glaze or sweet tamarind sauce as subs) Tbsp olive oil (for chicken) 2 tbsp chicken seasoning of your choice (for chicken) 250g chopped mushrooms 200ml single cream (use more if you like it saucy) Handful chopped parsley Salt, pepper, paprika and Worcestershire sauce (for the sauce) 2 kgs potato 1 cup milk or single cream 1/3 cup butter Salt, pepper and garlic powder to taste Mash Potatoes 1. Peel and chop your potatoes. Place in a pot and add cold water. Cook for 30mins or under a fork can go through. Drain. 2. Add half the milk and begin to mash. And slowly continue to add until you’ve finished the milk. Add your seasoning to taste. Chicken & Mushroom Sauce 1. In a large bowl, add your chicken, seasoning and olive oil. Mix well. 2. Heat up some oil in a skillet and add your chicken. Leave each side to cook for 5-6mins or until brown and cooked through. 3. Remove the chicken from the pan and place to a side. 4. In the same pan, add your diced garlic and mushrooms. Mix around so all the flavour from the chicken is removed from the bottom of the pan. Once the mushrooms start to soften add your seasoning and cream. 5. Once the cream starts to simmer and bubble add your chopped parsley and remove from pan. 6. Plate up and serve! #budget #recipe #cheap #chicken #moneysavingtips

Somali Tres Leches (No Bake) This comes together so easy! You can find the recipe in my new cookbook the Ramadan Kitchen. Link in my bio or you’ll find it in all good bookshops 📕 #recipe #eid #cake #milkcake

My Original No Knead No Touch Bread Ingredients: 3 cups bread, strong white or plain flour Tbsp yeast Tsp salt 1.5 cups warm water (ensure it’s not too hot) Method: Add all the ingredients to a bowl and mix until you have a wet, sticky dough. Cover the bowl with a tea towel and leave to rise for 1 hour. To help fasten this heat your oven to 50c whilst you mix then turn off and place the bowl inside the oven. It should now have doubled in size with bubbles on the surface. You can leave it longer if you wish. Preheat the oven to 230c. Using two spoons grab some of the dough and place it on to a parchment paper on a baking sheet. Repeat this to make 6 leaving a small space between them. If they touch it’s ok. Sprinkle on some flour and chia seeds. Add nuts or herbs too if you. Make a water bath by adding water to oven proof bowl or dish and place it on the lower shelf of the oven and place the baking sheet on the middle rack. Bake for 25mins or until nice and golden brown. These can be stored in a bag, bread bin, in the freezer! Enjoy #breadmaking #nokneadbread #bread #baking #ramadan