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Every family has different Ramazan traditions and unique dishes they love to eat during the month and Images is no different. This Ramazan, we wanted to share with you some recipes that are close to our hearts.

For me, the warmth of childhood and happy family memories are all brought to the fore as soon as I sip my mother's special kahva, a cinnamon-spiced concoction that she's perfected with every brew made over the years.

It's the first thing her family and friends request her to make as soon as they visit our home, a request that my mother more than happily obliges. Her Cinnamon Kahva is the first thing she makes on rainy days when we want to wrap our hands around a warm cuppa. It's also the first thing that comes my way when I'm feeling a little unwell. Nothing like a hot tea packed with the goodness of cinnamon and ajwain to help lift up your health, and of course, your spirits.

For the family, my mother's Cinnamon Kahva is also one of the joys of Ramazan. A treat for the tummy and senses after we've gobbled down our iftaris and dinner. it is a light, flavourful drink that feels especially calming to have after a heavy meal. Come to our house post 10pm and you'll usually find us huddled together in the drawing room, sipping our kahvas as we jump from one hearty conversation to another.

In case you're looking to ditch those over-the-counter green tea bags for a more healthier brew, look no further. This is my mother's "secret recipe" and it took quite a bit of convincing before she finally let me in on how to make it, a conversation that included promises of her becoming famous in the kahva culinary world.

Ingredients

Serves 1

2 glasses of water

1 cinnamon stick

1 teaspoon of green tea leaves

A pinch of ajwain

A pinch of black tea (optional)

Brown sugar as per your liking

How to make it

Preparation time: Approximately 30 minutes

Start by adding two glasses of water and one cinnamon stick to a pot. Bring the water to a boil over medium-high heat and let it simmer until the water level goes down to approximately one glass of water, which is half the initial amount poured in. The boiling liquid should be a rich brown colour by then.

Turn the heat down to low. Add a pinch of ajwain and let the liquid brew for another five minutes. Next, add one teaspoon of green tea leaves. You can also add a pinch of black tea for a stronger flavour as an optional step, but not too much because it will overpower the cinnamon and green tea. Let the liquid continue to simmer on low heat for three to five minutes.

At the end, add as much brown sugar as you like. My mother usually adds one teaspoon. However, you can add more if you like your kahva on the sweeter side,

Use a sieve to separate the kahva from the dregs in the pot and pour into a mug.

Voilà! You're all done.

This story is part of a four-part series on recipes close to our hearts at Images