KATIRA DRINK

Beat the heat with this cool Katira Drink. This fabulous drink sweetened with sugar syrup will inspire guests to linger for one more glass. It  is  available only  during  the fasting month  from Ramadan bazaar throughout the South East Asian  countries.

You'll be amazed at the pleasing flavors that pop out when you combined  katira (gond katira), basil seed, kembang semangkok (malva nuts) with  evaporated milk.

This drink is made to drive away the heat inside the human body, cure sore throat, to counteract toxicity also has positive medicinal  effects on human bodies.

Before assembling the drink you need to soak the katira, kembang semangkok overnight until they expand and  prepare the sugar syrup by boiling the sugar and water  until the sugar is dissolved. Let cool to room temperature. Also soak the basil seed in cold boiled water until it swells then drain.

Add a sweet twist to this basic katira drink by adding  chopped dates/sweet corn,   one or two drops of yellow, red or green food coloring to it. With added color makes it look  festive and more enjoyable to drink.

EGGLESS LEMON TART

The intense lemon flavor and delicate texture of this Eggless  Lemon Tart make it a perfect ending for any meal. Made from scratch, the crust contains less fat than a regular recipe.

Since I really wanted something easy to make that was sweet and bursting with tangy  lemon flavors, I settled on this Eggless  Lemon Tart. It is also an egg free recipe for the filling as well as  for the pastry.

I tried it, my family tried it. We all agreed that it came out pretty darn tasty. It had zing. The only thing that it did not have was a lot of colors for that I have used one or two drops of yellow food coloring in the filling.

So this is my low fat and  Eggless Lemon Tart recipe. I hope you will enjoy it as much as we do.

FRUITY JELLO

My son has been asking  jelly for quite some time now. I prefer to make my own instead of buying simply to avoid a ton of sugar, artificial flavors and coloring from those ready made ones.

Prepare this Fruity Jello before bed or while you are making dinner for a fast and filling breakfast the next day.  Using mixture of dried fruit. rolled oat and dragon fruit, this jelly is refreshingly fabulous.

You can use this recipe to make just about any kind of jelly. Which fruit to use is totally up to you, feel free to create your own combo of dried fruit and fresh fruit that suits your taste  also make use of unique mold that your kid would love.

*CORIANDER CHICKEN*

Coriander Chicken is one of the tastiest and most unusual  dishes I have ever tried. This recipe combined both the coriander seeds and coriander  leaves for an amazing blend of flavor.

The only down side is that once you start cooking, you're pretty much tied to the stove. It requires a lot of stirring, checking and adding things and so on.  Still don't let it put you off, it is absolutely fabulous. Seriously it has to be tried!

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*DATE OATMEAL BARS*

Date Oatmeal Bars are a wonderful treat anytime of the day.  Sweet and soft dates are sandwiched between not so buttery oat and flour mixture. They are easy to make, everyone will love them.

Since most of us eat way too much sugar in our diet, I try to use less sugar and more nutritious ingredients such as fruits, nuts and oat. My date bar recipe has these characteristics.  It  is a very nice alternative to have an easy  breakfast or snack instead of going into a fast food restaurant.

This dessert encourages us to prepare a simple meals from basic ingredients instead of expensive and less nutritious processed foods .I have tweaked the recipe as per my preference by omitting sugar in the filling and reduced the amount of butter used.  Really surprised to see that these bars were a great hit with my family.

I hope you will get to try these bars and enjoy them over and over again,

*PUMPKIN BANANA BREAD*

Easy to make Pumpkin Banana Bread gets an extra flavor and beautiful color with addition of the pumpkin. The pumpkin not only adds flavor but also it adds fiber and allowing the bread to call for less oil while still maintaining the perfect, most texture.

I had used homemade pumpkin puree but canned pumpkin should work too. This bread turned out great. For best result, slice when it is completely cooled or  refrigerated the bread overnight wraps in plastic wrap.

It was delicious on its own but with frosting it creates a beautiful treat!

*SABUDANA VADA/SAGO CUTLET*

This crispy savory snack recipe is made with soaked sago pearls and mashed potato. Sabudana Vada is one of  popular Indian food served during fasting. There are various combination to prepare it. In this case, mine was  prepared without peanut but using semolina instead.

After combining all the ingredients, it was shaped into small  round cutlet. It can be shallow or deep fried but I prefer shallow frying since it uses least oil.

FRYING TIPS
Choose a healthy oil with higher smoke point such as canola, safflower or peanut oil.

Make sure the oil was fully heated before adding any food. To check whether it is ready, drop a small piece of  bread, it should be golden brown in 60 seconds.

Do not crowd the pan. Work in small batches. The temperature of the oil decreases as soon as you add food to it.

Heavy bottomed  cookware is best for frying. It allows to keep the temperature of the oil steady. A thicker bottom guarantees the heat will slowly warm up the oil.

Discard  your used oil if it smells rancid, strong  discoloration or excessive foaming around the frying food. Be sure to cool your used oil completely before disposing

*EGG FREE CHOCOLATE BROWNIES*

The easiest brownies ever. Makes up in a 7 x 11 in tin. Egg Free Chocolate  Brownies are soft like a cake with crunchy almond. These are wonderful and exactly what I was trying to create, in my opinion they have  the perfect texture and  used much lesser sugar than regular brownies.

There are many ways you can enjoy this favorite by replacing almond with cashew, pecan or walnut, Omit the nuts to include dried cranberries, apricot or cherries. You can even add white chocolate or dark chocolate pieces in the batter.

*DRY FRUIT SCONES*

Dry Fruit Scones are far from plain, they are lightly sweetened,  thick but soft and delicious.  Made with plain flour, butter, milk  with baking powder as a leavening agent, it is pretty quick to prepare.

Had dry fruit mix in my pantry so I  incorporated them in this recipe. These tender, buttery scones are nicely moist. It is almost the same method as preparing the pie crust. You can add pretty much anything to this basic recipe. Savory, sweet, fruity or rich, you name it, it would probably work in scones.

The key to a perfect scone is to make sure you don't overwork the dough, otherwise the result will be a hard doughy scone. They're good enough to eat on their own!

OATMEAL BANANA CAKE

A cake  for oatmeal lovers. This Oatmeal Banana Cake is super simple to prepare. It is slightly different from others you might have came across because my method requires no soaking of the oat.

With this cake I was able to avoid other desserts that had more sugar and  this cake requires no frosting too. I have sprinkled it with black sesame seeds but this is optional

By adding oat in your diet may help contribute to:

Reducing the risk of diabetes
Lowering cholesterol levels as part of healthy diet
Reducing risk of cardiovascular disease
Stabilizing blood sugar

HOT & SPICY CHICKEN MASALA

One of my family's  favorite dish is this  Hot & Spicy Chicken Masala.   When I cooked a special rice, this  was little spicy since I have used bird's eye chili in it but this is optional, you may omit if you can't stand the heat but trust me this tiny chili adds  a special punch to the dish.

Looks complicated  but actually it was easy to prepare. What you need is a blender/food processor to process the ingredients until smooth but I prefer to use my pestle and mortar to do the job.

Make sure to remove the skin and trim the excess fat from the chicken.  If possible, blend the spices without water since the juice from  tomato will aid the process. Hope you'll enjoy this  Hot & Spicy Chicken Masala as much as we do!

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BANANA OAT CHOCOLATE SMOOTHIE

Banana Oat Chocolate Smoothies is fabulous when you want something sweet and chocolaty but very healthy too. A homemade smoothies is a great breakfast or as afternoon snack. It is full of vitamins and nutrients.

They are fast and easy to prepare. Smoothies are endlessly versatile and much cheaper than store bought, letting you use whatever fruit is in season or on offer.

I had used banana, oat and chocolate milk this time but if you're ellergic to milk, substitute it with fruit juice or non dairy milk.

Try this filling and guilt free treat to start the day!

BACK OF THE BAG OATMEAL ROLLS

I'm so inspired to bake my own bread after seeing those fluffy and wonderful bread on the net.

You know, how much I love rolled oat in baking. So decided to give these  Back of the Bag Oatmeal Rolls  a try. The dough is enough to make 16  moist, nutty flavored rolls or one delicious loaf of bread.

The honey in the dough adds a nice richness but you don;t actually taste it. As you can see, they turned  out awesome. My boy gobbled 3 of Back of the Bag Oatmeal Rolls  as soon as they were out of the oven.

STIR FRIED CABBAGE

A meal isn't complete without a side dish especially vegetable.  My family prefer a simple and non spicy version of vegetable.

Here is a quick delicious recipe that you could serve with rice or as a stuffing for flat bread. This is a basic stir fry but feel free to substitute with other veggies or add shredded chicken or meat if desired.

If you have delicate palate, this is a perfect choice and isn't spicy. I like my veggies with some crunch but if you prefer a softer one,  cook it a bit longer.

STIR FRIED CABBAGE

A meal isn't complete without a side dish especially vegetable.  My family prefer a simple and non spicy version of vegetable.

Here is a quick delicious recipe that you could serve with rice or as a stuffing for flat bread. This is a basic stir fry but feel free to substitute with other veggies or add shredded chicken or meat if desired.

If you have delicate palate, this is a perfect choice and isn't spicy. I like my veggies with some crunch but if you prefer a softer one,  cook it a bit longer.

BANANA CRUMB CAKE

Baked this Egg Free Banana Crumb Cake for brunch or as a dessert.  I had some overly ripe bananas sitting on my kitchen counter.

This recipe is a perfect way to clear those bananas. It isn't a fancy cake but a moist and crumbly cake, full of flavor. This Banana Crumb Cake was lighter  than a typical banana cake. What makes this cake so special was the addition of  luscious crumb topping.

This cake was  perfect for a small gathering, it was easily completed in one sitting!

BLACK BREAD ROLLS

I bake this lighter and flavorful  Black Bread Rolls made with unsweetened cocoa, honey and instant coffee

This Black Bread  Rolls gets its color from cocoa and coffee. While it was a straight forward method but it takes a longer time to rise, mine took 2 hours to double in size. Anyway it worth to wait since this produces a remarkably pleasing roll.

Instead of having a regular loaf, I turned it into sliced rolls after brushing some butter over the dough then sprinkle sugar over the butter. It was rolled into a log then slice equally about an inch thick.

MY TIPS

Use your bread machine, it will be super easy. just put everything in the BM to prepare the dough.

Add more sugar since this recipe did not turn out very sweet, incorporate additional sugar for a bit extra sweetness

You can use other filling too, cream cheese, coconut, chopped nut are great alternatives.

BLACK BREAD ROLLS
Yield    :    10 rolls

2 cups all purpose flour
1/4 cup honey
1 tsp instant coffee
1/2 tablespoon cocoa
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/4 tsp instant yeast
2 tablespoon melted butter
1 medium banana mashed
less than 1/2 cup warm water
2-3 tablespoon softened  butter to brush over dough
2-3 tablespoon white/brown sugar to sprinkle

METHOD

Place flour, instant coffee, cocoa and instant yeast in a mixing bowl.

In another bowl, combine melted butter, banana, salt, honey and warm water.

Add in honey mixture to the dry ingredients.

Mix well and forms into soft dough. Knead on floured board until elastic and smooth.

Transfer into greased and covered bowl, let rise until double for 1.5 to 2 hours.

Punch dough down, roll out dough into rectangle about 10 x 12 in.

Brush 2-3 tablespoon of softened butter over the top of the dough. Sprinkle sugar over the butter on the prepared dough.

Starting with long edge, roll up dough, pinch seams to seal.  Using sharp knife,  equally  cut into  1 in  thick slice.

Place cut side up in a prepared pan, flattening them slightly. Let sit for 45 minutes, towards the end of rising time, heat the oven @ 190 C.

Bake for 15 minutes, transfer onto rack to cool.

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KOFTA (MEATBALL) CURRY

These spicy meatballs are served in a mildly hot gravy, seasoned with onion, ginger, garlic and some spices. These koftas are fried before cooking. If you're health conscious, avoid frying, you can simply  drop the meatballs in the gravy and let them simmered until it was cooked through or another option was to bake them..

It can be made from ground beef, lamb or chicken. The corn flour acts as a binding agent so you will get  a smooth and beautifully shaped balls.

This low fat version of kofta curry without coconut milk, yogurt or cream had just the right amount of heat and spice.

BAKED YEAST DOUGHNUTS

I really love baking doughnuts because I can easily avoid some calories and fat. This is a great make ahead  recipe. You can get the dough mixed up the night before and let it rise overnight in the refrigerator.

The Baked Yeast Doughnuts make from ingredients you probably already have. Using yeast dough these little treat involve no deep frying but still taste delicious.

Make them more exciting and fun with variable glazes/toppings, such as chocolate, nuts and sprinkles, vanilla, caramel or maple. They are such a delight for the whole family!

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CHANA (GARBANZO) MASALA

Chickpeas (garbanzo beans)  add lots of flavor and protein to all kind of  dishes.  These are a staple in Middle Eastern cooking. Chickpeas are common ingredient in soups, salads and stews.

Here is a recipe for delicious chickpeas simmered in  fragrantly spiced  and slightly tangy gravy. It can be easily adjusted to suit your palate.

Readily available in a can but I had used the dried garbanzo beans that require soaking overnight. They are then rinsed and boiled until soft before you can proceed in  making any dishes.

Chana (Garbanzo) Masala  always make a popular side dish and a regular on our table.

MINI APPLE LATTICE CROSTATA

This free form pie is simply the easiest you'll ever make. It consists of a buttery  pastry and filling.

I have made my pastry completely  by hand but you can also obtain a good result using a food processor.

The filling was even easier - no cooking required, just combine the sliced apples with sugar, lemon juice and all purpose flour.  Keep the sliced apples separately, it will produce more juice if kept longer. When you have rolled out the pastry, combine the apple (without the juice) with the rest of the ingredients except the butter and mound them on your pastry. This will often take care of the problem of soggy base.

I have given my crostata a makeover by topping the apple mixture with pastry strips rather than weaving a traditional  lattice but it can be done without it.

DRY FRUIT NAAN

This flat bread needs no introduction. It was a popular bread served in an Indian restaurant. Normally made using clay oven or tandoor but  it can easily prepared in your kitchen by baking them in a oven or  on stove top.

Naan was a regular fare in our home since my son was a great fan of this naan stuffed with dry fruit. Am using ready made mixture of sultanas, glaced cherries and mixed peel as its stuffing.

I had successfully pan fried these naan without oil and it doesn't  stick to my cast iron pan at all.  To get a perfect result, make sure the pan was  fully  heated  before placing the naan and cook them using medium heat.

BINGKA PISANG

There are over riped bananas laying on my kitchen counter so I'd decided to  bake the traditional cake with them.  Banana is a versatile fruit, either eat them on their own,   add them in smoothies, cake, pudding, bread, ice cream or even cereal.

This  traditional cake was made with  mashed banana.   If possible, use fully ripe banana, it is much sweeter and you only need to add lesser amount of sugar in your cake..

Most of traditional recipe does not require any baking powder nor mixer, just simple mix and bake method but the end result  was far better and healthier.

BINGKA PISANG
Yield  :   8 in  loaf

1 cup all purpose flour
2 tablespoon cornflour
1 1/4 cup mashed banana
1/2 cup whole milk
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1 tablespoon oil

DIRECTION

Preheat oven @ 180 C and grease 8 in cake pan.

Place flour, cornflour and salt in a mixing bowl.

In a separate bowl, whisk together milk, sugar, oil and mashed banana.

Now add wet ingredients into  flour mixture, stir until well combined

Pour mixture onto prepared pan, bake for 45-50 minutes or until a skewer inserted comes out clean.

Cool in pan 20 minutes, transfer onto rack to cool.

When completely cool, slice to serve.

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SEMOLINA AND OATMEAL PANCAKE

When your everyday oatmeal breakfast becomes boring, mix it up with these  pancake!  You'll certainly love this savory pancake, packed with the nutrition of a bowl of oat  and semolina

Made with semolina and rolled oat, flavored with chopped onion, cilantro and sliced green/red chili, these pancake are easy to make, scrumptious to eat and a little healthier twist to a standard breakfast recipe.