Observing Ramadan with East Village Loves NYC

Photos and reporting by Stacie Joy 

During the holy month of Ramadan, East Village Loves NYC, the volunteer group that provides meals to people in need, invited a group of chefs into their kitchen at the Sixth Street Community Center.

The chefs from Guinea created West African dishes to cook a series of iftars (the evening communal meal during Ramadan) alongside EV Love NYC volunteers. The chefs included Asmiou Sidibé, Alpha Orimar Barry, Ibrahim Diamy Bah, Amadou Konka Sow and Ismaila Barry. 

The chefs prepared an array of dishes, including Tigua Degué, also known as Mafé, a very spicy chicken dish in peanut sauce. They also cooked Fouti Lafidi, a flavorful eggplant stew, and for dessert, they served Bouillie de Mil, a rice pudding made with millet flour and peanut butter. 

The group also provided Ramadan to-go packs with pears, dates, walnuts, water and electrolytes, plus naan or pita bread.

Read more about how you can help East Village Loves NYC here.