Halal Travel Guide: Beijing Ramadan Diary - Week Three Mosques and Iftar
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Summary: Halal Travel Guide: Beijing Ramadan Diary - Week Three Mosques and Iftar is presented here as a firsthand travel account in clear, natural English. The account focuses on Beijing Ramadan, Mosques, Halal Food while preserving the names, places, food, photos, and historical details from the Chinese source.
Day 15, Ramadan is halfway through! We broke our fast at Balizhuang Mosque with fermented mung bean milk (douzhi) again; it was very sour and refreshing! Many elders (xianglao) went back for a second bowl. The fast-breaking meal (zhaifan) included stir-fried tripe with cilantro (yanbao dusi), yam with meatballs, and braised eggplant. I met more friends (dosti) at Balizhuang today; everyone is welcome to visit the mosque more often during Ramadan.
Day 16, Elder Li at Balizhuang Mosque made yellow rice cake (huangmi qiegao) and Elder Fu made fried vegetable meatballs; both were delicious. Every elder at Balizhuang Mosque has a special hidden talent. For the fast-breaking meal, we had noodles with shredded chicken sauce and noodles with diced eggplant sauce, featuring both wheat noodles and oat noodles (youmian) from Zhangjiakou. The noodle toppings included blanched cabbage, blanched cowpeas, blanched bean sprouts, shredded cucumber, and shredded radish, making for a very rich texture.
Day 17, Balizhuang Mosque continued to break the fast with fermented mung bean milk. The meal included large steamed buns (baozi) with cowpea and fennel fillings, which were impossible to stop eating when paired with rice porridge.
I received camel milk soap given as charity (chusan) by an elder at Balizhuang Mosque; may it bring reward (thawab).
In the evening, I met up with friends (dosti) to pray Tarawih at the Sudanese Embassy. The Sudanese Embassy is right next to Tuanjiehu subway station. We arrived at 7:50 and were able to enter after showing our ID cards at the intersection. The call to prayer (adhan) was at 8:05, and the prayer started at 8:30. There were friends (dosti) from all over the world in the hall, with people of all skin colors standing in rows; it really felt like being abroad. The imam for Tarawih was a young hafiz from Libya whose recitation was melodic, pleasant, and very moving. We prayed eight units (rak'ah) of Tarawih, with a greeting (salam) every four units. The final Witr prayer consisted of two units with a salam, followed by one single unit. This is quite different from the traditional prayer methods of the Gedimu Hui Muslims.
My Ramadan collection includes a teacup fired in Jingdezhen in the 1980s, featuring a traditional calligraphy style common in southern China. The lid is inscribed with gratitude, blessings, mercy, and worship, while the cup body reads, 'Mercy draws near to those who do good' and 'The stingy cannot enter paradise, even if they are people who worship Allah.'
On the 18th day, a friend (dosti) from Hunan invited us to break our fast at Nanxiapo Mosque, where we had a very delicious meal of stewed meat with rice. I met many new friends during this time; Ramadan is truly a great opportunity for everyone to gather together.
On the 19th day, I went to the Carthage Arabic Restaurant on Dongzhimen Outer Street for the iftar buffet. It is a new spot opened by Adel, the head chef of La Medina, in the breakfast area on the first floor of the Atour X Hotel in Sanlitun Taikoo Li, still focusing on Tunisian flavors. Since it has not been open long, it is mostly frequented by foreign friends (dosti) from the nearby embassy district, so there is no need to wait in line.
Because Adel is in charge, the dishes are similar to those at La Medina, though the variety is slightly smaller. Appetizers include chickpea dip (hummus), parsley salad (tabbouleh), and the Tunisian-style roasted eggplant salad (mechouia). Besides roasted eggplant, the roasted eggplant salad (mechouia) contains tomatoes, chili peppers, onions, and olive oil, making it very healthy.
The main course features North African sausage (merguez), made from lamb and beef mixed with cumin, harissa, chili, and various other spices. It appeared as early as the 12th century in Andalusia and later spread throughout North Africa.
They also serve the classic North African Maghreb tomato and chili poached egg dish (shakshouka). The tomato and chili poached egg dish (shakshouka) originated in North Africa under Ottoman rule in the 16th century, when tomatoes and chili peppers were introduced to North Africa from the Americas and then became part of the local diet.
They also have the Arabic version of fried triangular pastries (sambousek), which is a classic Ramadan snack for Arabs. The fried triangular pastry (sambousek) originated in Iran and entered the Arab diet after the 10th century, later spreading to India, China, Indonesia, and Africa. In some parts of eastern China, Hui Muslims still use its Persian name, 'sanmosan'.
On the 20th day, two-thirds of Ramadan has passed. At Balizhuang Mosque, they freshly made sugar-rolled fruit (tangjuanguo) and fried crispy dough (zhagezhi). I continued to break my fast with mung bean milk (douzhi), ate stir-fried green beans with meat and braised meatballs (huisongrou) for the meal, and thirteen elders joined in the opening prayer (kaijing). Breaking the fast at the mosque brings richness to both the spirit and the body.
Ramadan collection. I received a traditional late Qing Dynasty Tianjin-style pine wood dua plaque made by teacher Wang Qifei, which reads, 'O Allah!' Grant Your forgiveness and mercy to those who live in this house and to the believers who enter it!'
On the twenty-first day, the elders at Balizhuang Mosque gathered to make dumplings (jiaozi) with carrot and cabbage fillings. Nothing really beats the taste of dumplings! After eating, I felt full of energy and ready for the Taraweeh prayers.
Summary: Halal Travel Guide: Beijing Ramadan Diary - Week Three Mosques and Iftar is presented here as a firsthand travel account in clear, natural English. The account focuses on Beijing Ramadan, Mosques, Halal Food while preserving the names, places, food, photos, and historical details from the Chinese source.
Day 15, Ramadan is halfway through! We broke our fast at Balizhuang Mosque with fermented mung bean milk (douzhi) again; it was very sour and refreshing! Many elders (xianglao) went back for a second bowl. The fast-breaking meal (zhaifan) included stir-fried tripe with cilantro (yanbao dusi), yam with meatballs, and braised eggplant. I met more friends (dosti) at Balizhuang today; everyone is welcome to visit the mosque more often during Ramadan.
Day 16, Elder Li at Balizhuang Mosque made yellow rice cake (huangmi qiegao) and Elder Fu made fried vegetable meatballs; both were delicious. Every elder at Balizhuang Mosque has a special hidden talent. For the fast-breaking meal, we had noodles with shredded chicken sauce and noodles with diced eggplant sauce, featuring both wheat noodles and oat noodles (youmian) from Zhangjiakou. The noodle toppings included blanched cabbage, blanched cowpeas, blanched bean sprouts, shredded cucumber, and shredded radish, making for a very rich texture.
Day 17, Balizhuang Mosque continued to break the fast with fermented mung bean milk. The meal included large steamed buns (baozi) with cowpea and fennel fillings, which were impossible to stop eating when paired with rice porridge.
I received camel milk soap given as charity (chusan) by an elder at Balizhuang Mosque; may it bring reward (thawab).
In the evening, I met up with friends (dosti) to pray Tarawih at the Sudanese Embassy. The Sudanese Embassy is right next to Tuanjiehu subway station. We arrived at 7:50 and were able to enter after showing our ID cards at the intersection. The call to prayer (adhan) was at 8:05, and the prayer started at 8:30. There were friends (dosti) from all over the world in the hall, with people of all skin colors standing in rows; it really felt like being abroad. The imam for Tarawih was a young hafiz from Libya whose recitation was melodic, pleasant, and very moving. We prayed eight units (rak'ah) of Tarawih, with a greeting (salam) every four units. The final Witr prayer consisted of two units with a salam, followed by one single unit. This is quite different from the traditional prayer methods of the Gedimu Hui Muslims.
My Ramadan collection includes a teacup fired in Jingdezhen in the 1980s, featuring a traditional calligraphy style common in southern China. The lid is inscribed with gratitude, blessings, mercy, and worship, while the cup body reads, 'Mercy draws near to those who do good' and 'The stingy cannot enter paradise, even if they are people who worship Allah.'
On the 18th day, a friend (dosti) from Hunan invited us to break our fast at Nanxiapo Mosque, where we had a very delicious meal of stewed meat with rice. I met many new friends during this time; Ramadan is truly a great opportunity for everyone to gather together.
On the 19th day, I went to the Carthage Arabic Restaurant on Dongzhimen Outer Street for the iftar buffet. It is a new spot opened by Adel, the head chef of La Medina, in the breakfast area on the first floor of the Atour X Hotel in Sanlitun Taikoo Li, still focusing on Tunisian flavors. Since it has not been open long, it is mostly frequented by foreign friends (dosti) from the nearby embassy district, so there is no need to wait in line.
Because Adel is in charge, the dishes are similar to those at La Medina, though the variety is slightly smaller. Appetizers include chickpea dip (hummus), parsley salad (tabbouleh), and the Tunisian-style roasted eggplant salad (mechouia). Besides roasted eggplant, the roasted eggplant salad (mechouia) contains tomatoes, chili peppers, onions, and olive oil, making it very healthy.
The main course features North African sausage (merguez), made from lamb and beef mixed with cumin, harissa, chili, and various other spices. It appeared as early as the 12th century in Andalusia and later spread throughout North Africa.
They also serve the classic North African Maghreb tomato and chili poached egg dish (shakshouka). The tomato and chili poached egg dish (shakshouka) originated in North Africa under Ottoman rule in the 16th century, when tomatoes and chili peppers were introduced to North Africa from the Americas and then became part of the local diet.
They also have the Arabic version of fried triangular pastries (sambousek), which is a classic Ramadan snack for Arabs. The fried triangular pastry (sambousek) originated in Iran and entered the Arab diet after the 10th century, later spreading to India, China, Indonesia, and Africa. In some parts of eastern China, Hui Muslims still use its Persian name, 'sanmosan'.
On the 20th day, two-thirds of Ramadan has passed. At Balizhuang Mosque, they freshly made sugar-rolled fruit (tangjuanguo) and fried crispy dough (zhagezhi). I continued to break my fast with mung bean milk (douzhi), ate stir-fried green beans with meat and braised meatballs (huisongrou) for the meal, and thirteen elders joined in the opening prayer (kaijing). Breaking the fast at the mosque brings richness to both the spirit and the body.
Ramadan collection. I received a traditional late Qing Dynasty Tianjin-style pine wood dua plaque made by teacher Wang Qifei, which reads, 'O Allah!' Grant Your forgiveness and mercy to those who live in this house and to the believers who enter it!'
On the twenty-first day, the elders at Balizhuang Mosque gathered to make dumplings (jiaozi) with carrot and cabbage fillings. Nothing really beats the taste of dumplings! After eating, I felt full of energy and ready for the Taraweeh prayers.
