The week before Ramadan is usually the busiest shopping week of the year, and prices climb fastest on exactly the items everyone needs — dates, chola, and besan chief among them. Buying a little early avoids both the crowd and the markup.
For iftar, keep dates, chickpeas, and a good besan on hand for piyaju and beguni, plus mustard oil for frying. A jar of tamarind pulp makes quick work of a proper tetul-er sherbet.
For sehri, lean on things that reheat well — rice, dal, and a stocked spice shelf matter more here than anything elaborate. A simple vegetable curry from the night before is often the easiest sehri there is.
A short list written out in advance, covering both iftar and sehri for the first week, is worth more than trying to remember everything at the shop.
