Whole Story

The Official Whole Foods Market® Blog

What is this Halal About?

By Allison Burch, July 31, 2011  |  Meet the Blogger  |  More Posts by Allison Burch
CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR WINNERS KERI FROM AUSTIN, TX, SUDHA FROM MINNEAPOLIS, MN, MICHELE FROM LOUISVILLE, KY, CHARLOTTE FROM EUCLID, OH AND JESSICA FROM HALETHROPE, MD.  THANKS FOR ALL OF YOUR COMMENTS! Have you heard of halal? If so, you can skip ahead to the end and enter to win coupons for some tasty, convenient halal-certified prepared foods from Saffron Road. But if you’re scratching your head and asking, “What is this halal about?” Read on! Halal is Islamic dietary law that applies, among other things, to meat and poultry, specifically prescribing certain slaughtering and processing practices. Like some other religious dietary practice, halal prohibits pork and alcohol consumption. In order to provide more options to people following a halal diet, Saffron Road has created the first line of certified halal frozen entrees and they’re currently only available here at Whole Foods Market. Saffron Road features ethnic foods with Indian, Asian and Middle Eastern flavors, as well as chicken nuggets and tenders. All of their products are made with lamb and chicken raised on vegetarian diets, with no added hormones or antibiotics. Plus, all of their products are certified halal by the Islamic Food and Nutrition Council of America (IFANCA). Whether you eat halal because of your religious dietary guidelines or you simply prefer to choose food that’s made with high-quality, responsibly farmed ingredients, then Saffron Road has some tasty offerings for you. Take a look:

Lemongrass Basil Chicken

Roasted white-meat chicken simmered in a lemongrass and basil green curry with green peppers and onions.

Chicken Tikka Masala

Prepared with tender, boneless, chicken, and baked according to authentic traditions with freshly-ground tandoori spices simmered in a savory yogurt and tomato sauce.

Chicken Biryani

Traditionally prepared by cooking Basmati rice with succulent chunks of chicken, cashews and raisins infused with an unmistakable blend of enticing spices, aromas and flavors, including a pinch of saffron salt.

Moroccan Stew

Tender cubes of lamb slowly simmered with sweet potatoes, coriander, cumin, cinnamon and ginger until every drop is perfection. Since it tops delicious couscous, no drop is wasted.

Lamb Saag

Australian lamb slow-simmered with a blend of Indian spices, ginger and yogurt and served on a thick bed of savory Saag, a traditional spinach dish.

Lamb Vindaloo

A spicy Portuguese-Indian curry dish dating back to the 16th century. Australian lamb marinated in an exotic tamarind-infused curry sauce, cumin, hot Indian spices and yogurt, then slow simmered for hours until tender and tangy and served with Basmati rice.

Chicken Pad Thai

A delightful version of the Thai favorite featuring wide flat rice noodles topped with roasted white-meat chicken and simmered with carrots and scallions in an exotic peanut sauce.

Lamb Koftis

Lamb marinated in a secret recipe of the most classic spices, and then formed into traditional koftis, or meatballs. The finishing touch? It's served on a bed of aromatic long grain white rice.

Chicken Nuggets, Chicken Tenders, Chicken Bites and Tandoori Seasoned Chicken Nuggets

Made from the meat of chickens raised on a vegetarian diet and never given antibiotics, ever!

What a line up! Are you ready to try some Saffron Road? Good, because we're ready to give some away. We’ll pick five winners at random to receive five coupons for free Saffron Road entrees. To enter, leave a comment below by August 11 and tell us which of the entrees you’d try first and why.

 

291 Comments

Comments

Maryam Reimer says ...
It's a hard choice but I would probably go for the Lamb Stew or the chicken Pad Thai or the Koftis. If you want me to choose just one, then it's the Chicken Pad Thai! Really, it depends upon which entrees don't contain things I'm allergic to--all dairy, soy and oats. I thought that all of their entrees were vegetarian, I so grateful to learn that they offer ones with meat!
08/21/2011 7:43:03 AM CDT
Susan says ...
Dear Whole Foods, I just want to say that I am saddened and dismayed that you are now backtracking on recognition of Ramadan because of the actions of a few extremist protestors, who surely do not represent the majority of your consumers. according to an internal email that the Houston Press obtained recently. "It is probably best that we don't specifically call out or 'promote' Ramadan," reads a portion of that email. "We should not highlight Ramadan in signage in our stores as that could be considered 'Celebrating or promoting' Ramadan." http://blogs.houstonpress.com/eating/2011/08/whole_foods_we_should_not_high.php Now I am torn between supporting Saffron Roads, which I believe is a great product, and shopping at a store that cowardly compromises its so-called ideals because of the threats of a few hate bloggers. At the very least I will not be buying any other products from your store.
08/09/2011 1:10:26 PM CDT
Carmen says ...
For those who have not tried Halal food, Try it! Halal meat tastes a lot better than regular meat and it is a lot healthier (if you are a meat eater that is). I haven't tried this frozen Halal food but since it is very difficult to find fresh Halal meat around here I'm thrilled and ready to try it. I'll let you all know if it tastes as good. Have a nice day and be healthy and happy! :)
08/06/2011 12:59:17 PM CDT
Khadijah says ...
This was a great idea, Whole Foods! You have just gained another loyal customor by launching this halal line! I would try both the chicken tikka masala and the chicken biryani. I love Indian food, I am trying to learn to cook it myself, God willing. I have made the chicken tikka masala and it was pretty good, alhamdulillah, but I have been intimidated to try the chicken biryani. I would like to see what the saffron road versions of these dishes taste like.
08/09/2011 6:35:13 AM CDT
Cameron says ...
I just want to applaud the respect that Whole Foods shows to all cultures. This is a big step and I hope to see other chain stores adopt a similar approach.
08/06/2011 2:47:57 PM CDT
Radeyah says ...
I would drive 2 hours away to try all of the new saffron halal entrees. I just wish they would go on sale so I can buy more at a time. I love the fact that they are expanding this line of foods cause it always great to try something new & halal is an added bonus!
08/06/2011 4:20:40 PM CDT
Sincerria says ...
I am interested in trying Saffron Road Halal meat products because I am a muslim and it is difficult to find diet restricted foods in the market place and also because it is Ramadan and the prepared food makes it easy on the households to prepare the evening meal which is at the end of long days of fasting.
08/06/2011 6:11:57 PM CDT
Azhar Bashir says ...
I would love to try the Chicken Pad Thai. A combination between chicken and rice noodles is always amazing!
08/08/2011 3:05:49 PM CDT
Sally O says ...
The Lemongrass Basil Chicken - green curry is one of my favorite foods!
08/07/2011 10:10:59 PM CDT
Fahad says ...
I went to my local store, bought few of each Pad Thai, Lemongrass Basil Chicken and Tikka Nuggets. The Pad-Thai was not juicy enough for me. But Lemongrass and nuggets were tasty beyond my imagination. I am going back there this weekend to buy more of nuggets and try other items.
08/23/2011 2:13:39 PM CDT
Sandy Fiataruolo says ...
Just tried the Lamb Saag, it was great. The cooking directions were a little long for a new microwave. But I knew before I cooked it and so shortened the timie. My next lunch to try will be the Chicken Tike Masala because I really enjoy it at my local Indian restaurant. I have high hopes it will be as tasty as the Lamb Saag.
08/08/2011 12:30:13 PM CDT
josh says ...
http://gawker.com/5829109/whole-foods-caves-to-wingnuts-will-not-celebrate-or-promote-ramadan
08/09/2011 12:03:26 PM CDT
Tamur says ...
Wow whole foods is probably my main grocery choice now. I can't wait to try all of them but Lamb Koftis sounds especially delicious. Bring me them couponssssss.
08/10/2011 8:53:32 AM CDT
Younus says ...
Thank you so much for introducing this during Ramadhan. I would definitely want to try Lemongrass Basil Chicken.
08/10/2011 9:06:13 AM CDT
Saideh says ...
Lemongrass Basil Chicken sounds GREAT, definitely first on my list! I can't wait, there's a WHOLE FOODS opening soon within 5 miles of my house. No longer have to drive 30 minutes to get there! Love the fact that you're carrying something that's Halal, natural, made in the USA, but most of all... convenient all in one!
08/10/2011 9:27:30 AM CDT
Abdullah says ...
I would try the pad thai because its so hard to find halal pad thai and i havent had it in years!
08/10/2011 9:41:16 AM CDT
Adnan says ...
I would love to try the Lamb Vindaloo - I've never eaten Portugese and I love lamb! Plus that description makes it sounds pretty sweet!
08/10/2011 9:50:00 AM CDT
Naseeha says ...
I'd try the Lemongrass Basil Chicken for the mix of basil and chicken.
08/10/2011 9:56:25 AM CDT
Zoheb says ...
I'd really love the Chicken Pad Thai. I'm a huge fan of Thai food, so having it readily available and made with high-quality, halal, ingredients would be fantastic.
08/10/2011 1:09:00 PM CDT
Loretta brewer says ...
I am Muslim. I would try the Moroccan stew. My husband is from Morocco and I have not eaten that in 20years.
08/10/2011 6:33:27 PM CDT
k says ...
definitely the chicken tenders. ooh and the pad thai. thanks
08/10/2011 4:51:39 PM CDT
Zoya Ahmad says ...
Well done Whole Foods! I'm proud of you for standing your ground while the right-wingers make their baseless comments, and I will definitely be shopping at Whole Foods this Ramadan and the next :)
08/10/2011 4:19:45 PM CDT
carolyn says ...
Yum these new food sound good
08/10/2011 5:02:21 PM CDT
ZM says ...
Finally... Looks good too. Gives me a reason to try whole foods.
08/10/2011 4:42:51 PM CDT
Ahtesham Ahmed says ...
You guys are awesome for bringing us more choice in food. I have never been to wholefoods but I cant wait to become a customer. As a local Houston resident, I have tried all the basic Halal items such as the indian and pakistani dishes. Having variety of other types of food including asian, the lemongrass, nuggests is more enticing to me. Let the sky be your limit here. Differentiate!
08/10/2011 7:18:05 PM CDT

Pages