Fasting from the break of dawn to dusk can be a tiring experience. There is no doubt that it will leave you craving for food—but what do you intend to eat, that’s the BIG question, no? That’s why we have this edition for you, breaking the fast with quick and easy recipes.
Ramadan (also known as Ramadhan or Ramzan) is the ninth month in the Islamic calendar. It is a time when Muslims around the world focus on prayer, fasting, giving to charity, and religious devotion. Having said that, Ramadan becomes a very special time in Malaysia. And it’s common to see people sharing their moments when breaking their fast with “berbuka puasa” with their loved ones online.
Keeping that in mind, we have thought about our Muslim readers who have supported us in a long while. To our valuable readers, here’s a read on breaking the fast with quick and easy recipes. We hope you will love what we have to share with you.
These featured dishes are suitable for everyday meals and come with our assurance that they will not take much trouble to prepare at all. With a combination of traditional and new recipes, we can assure you that the recipes are very easy to follow even if you are a beginner. These meals can be ready within minutes once you have your ingredients well prepped. You will be much excited by what you can serve for your ‘berbuka puasa’ moments.
Rendang Ayam
Beautiful is too basic a word to describe the Rendang Ayam (Chicken Rendang). Hilarious enough, this was the dish that united the Southeast Asian countries. In case you were missing out on the controversy, here is what happened: A Malaysian contestant Zaleha Kadir Olpin had prepared her version of a delicious chicken rendang on a British MasterChef Reality Show, in which judge Gregg Wallace declared wasn’t the chicken skin wasn’t ‘crispy’ enough and couldn’t possibly be eaten. That sure wrecked a huge debate. That said, don’t worry, there is nothing crispy about this Rendang Ayam!
This all-time favorite dish is an unctuous, slow-cooked dish of meat with coconut and spices. One could simply describe rendang in many ways (some more poetic than the other)—rich, spicy, melt-in-the-mouth, a punch of flavors—but we can all confidently say and agree in unison that it is definitely, most certainly, not crispy.
Is there much question to ask why Ayam Rendang is included in this list? There’s a reason why this dish is a Malaysian favorite. Tender chicken stewed with robust spices and coconut milk, it’s just flavorsome and oh-so-good with rice or bread. In our collaboration with The Foodie Hub, this version of the Rendang Ayam we have used Rich’s Double Cream (by yours truly) and The Foodie Hub Pes Kari Ayam to give you the richest and most aromatic rendang sauce you can ever ask for.
The best part about this recipe? You just need to have all the ingredients as listed and mix them at the right time. It is adequate if you want something tasty with minimal effort and still enjoy the familiar taste of what you would expect from a rendang. If you are not a fan of chicken, you can consider substituting it with beef.
Just take note that the time to cook might vary depending on the amount of meat you have and the temperature you have on to let the rendang simmer. Enjoy this recipe with its intense aroma tickling your nose and whetting your appetite!
Rich’s Double Cream is a multi-purpose dairy blend that is versatile—it can be used for culinary, pastry, and beverage applications. It has an excellent fresh cream taste, a thick consistency (which means shorter reduction time for your sauces), a great acid tolerance (sauces and soups will not separate and split), and heat stability that is good. Learn more about Rich’s Double Cream here.
Nasi Kari Ayam Masak Merah
When you dive into this Nasi Kari Ayam Masak Merah, prepare yourself to fully embrace the aroma and all their flavor transferring glory! Eating plain rice can get boring. Thankfully, this recipe is anything but boring! Spice it up like this Nasi Kari, then pair it with Ayam Masak Merah. This meal will hit the spot—and in all the right places too.
‘Nasi Kari translates to ‘curry rice’ while ‘Ayam Masak Merah loosely translates to ‘chicken cooked in red’. While the former seems understandable being rice that’s cooked in aromatic curry spices, the latter is a chicken dish that’s cooked in a spicy tomato sauce (though some variations are not as spicy). Regardless, this combo of a Nasi Kari and Ayam Masak Merah is sure to knock the socks off anyone. Because both dishes pack a full punch and depth of flavors, you will want to be sure that there is enough for everyone to ask for an extra serving!
Although the Ayam Masak Merah shares basic similar spices to the familiar Kari Ayam (chicken curry). It is different, both in texture and the flavours in the sauce. And if you mention Ayam Masak Merah to a Kedahan (Kedah is a state in the far North of Malaysia), it will immediately evoke memories of “traditional Malay weddings” and Hari Raya or Eid Celebration. Surprised? Apparently, it turns out the dish is not an everyday affair in a typical household in Kedah. Who knew?
Follow through with our recipe, you will enjoy its unique flavors. With touches of cinnamon, star anise, cardamom, curry leaves, and other spices that make this dish so wonderful, it’s also extra rich thanks to Rich’s Double Cream. Not only does it make the sauce smooth and creamy, but it also tenderizes the chicken pieces giving them a great texture when you bite into them. This recipe certainly makes up for a very satisfying moment to break the fast. Just, delicious! Be sure to give this one a go and cool down with a refreshing Mango Bandung or ABC Smoothie.
Laksa Johor
While there are many variations of laksa such as the Sarawak Laksa, Assam Laksa, Curry Laksa, and such, we wanted to shine the spotlight on the Laksa Johor (Johor Laksa) in this article. To say that Johor laksa is an intriguing culinary prospect would be underplaying its unique flavors. In fact, we think compared to all the other laksas in Malaysia, the Laksa Johor deserves its recognition. While Johor laksa is made up of your typical ingredients and garnish, the noodles used are spaghetti noodles. Bold move, wouldn’t you say? (Sorry, Italians. We promise it’s great.)
This could possibly be traced back to the first Malay ruler who had visited Europe, Sultan Abu Bakar. There, he fell in love with the taste of spaghetti and decided to bring that part of Europe and incorporate it to the local dishes. Thus, Johor’s unique fusion of laksa and spaghetti came about.
This Laksa Johor we have over here focuses on the bold and flavorsome gravy (or broth) using fried coconut paste, lemongrass, ginger, galangal, asam gelugur, and ikan tenggiri (Spanish mackerel), and a couple of other stuff that makes it memorable. Again, you know we just had to use Rich’s Double Cream which gives the broth a creamier texture. Of course, we don’t make the rules here, if you aren’t feeling up for spaghetti noodles, you could always still go for the Asian-esque noodles. For a wholesome meal and easy weeknight dinner, we truly recommend the following recipes… before we move on to dessert.
Pengat Pisang
Nothing could be more satisfying and luscious than a delicious Pengat Pisang. A well-loved traditional Malay dessert, we really wanted to add in this dish to this list because of how special it is to us. For the peranakans (Straits Chinese or Straits–born Chinese) in Malacca and Singapore, the dish is almost always cooked with palm sugar while in some communities in northern Malaysia, white sugar is mostly favoured, and sago is often added for textural contrast.
And in case you have no idea what Pengat Pisang is, it is a dessert where bananas are in a sweetened coconut milk. So, while the Thai people have their mango and sticky rice, we have this Pengat Pisang that is sweet (but not too sweet) and addictive! It’s sweet, it’s comforting, and just makes you feel good about yourself. Another fuss-free dessert that you can whip up in no time and really brings out the sweetness of bananas.
The ingredients for this may not look much, but don’t be fooled. We think it is safe to say that it is not hard to develop a fondness for this dessert. And believe us, you will want a lot of bananas for this. We really hope that you would enjoy the sweet aroma while making this at home, and may you share its sweetness with your loved ones as you break the fast.
Psst, we have included something of ours to make this Pengat Pisang smooth and creamy, and if you are thinking it’s Rich’s Double Cream… Wrong! It’s our Rich’s Non-Dairy Creamer. For a quick intro, it is a multi-purpose creamer that provides a smooth and creamy mouthfeel to desserts, or even beverages, for that matter. Most of us become uneasy from time to time trying to find the perfect non-dairy creamer, and when we are uneasy, we don’t venture. But buckle up because you will discover a new taste adventure with Rich’s Non-Dairy Creamer. Just a few drops, won’t be enough. Read on to know why it will leave you wanting more.
We wish you well!
There’s no better way to break the fast with your loved ones than with dishes that are appetising and comforting. We hope you would try one of these dishes, or better yet, all of them, and share the joyful moments with your friends and family. Remember, nothing brings people together like good food. We would like to end this write-up that you stay safe and healthy!
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