Light dishes for breaking the fast

JAKARTA (JP): These two traditional recipes are suitable to be served at the coffee table for breaking the fast before consuming heavier meals. They are easy to make and will be familiar to Indonesian Muslims from Ramadhan fasting months of the past.

Bubur Sumsum

* 100 gr rice flour * 100 ml coconut milk * 350 ml water * 2 fresh kaffir lime leaves, bruised * a dash of salt * a drop of pandanus essence

Brown sugar syrup

* 300 gr brown sugar * 150 ml water * 1 pandanus leaf

(Makes five servings)

1. Put rice flour in a pan, gradually add coconut milk and kaffir lime leaves. Stir well with a spoon until it becomes smooth.

2. Put the pan over medium heat, pour in water and salt, keep stirring until the batter thickens and cooks. Color half of the porridge with a drop of pandanus essence, mix well. Set aside.

3. Meanwhile, put brown sugar, water and pandanus leaf in a pan and cook over medium heat until sugar dissolves.

4. Serve a tablespoonful of each green and white porridge in a serving glass and drizzle with brown sugar syrup. Serve warm or cold.

Kolak

* 100 gr sweet potato, peeled, diced * 100 gr banana, peeled, sliced * 50 gr kolang-kaling (fruit of the sugar palm) * 150 gr young coconut flesh * 2 pandanus leaves * 2 cinnamon sticks, broken * a dash of salt * 75 gr sugar * 250 gr brown sugar * 650 ml water * 200 ml coconut milk

(Makes five to six servings)

1. Boil water with salt, sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon sticks, pandanus leaves and kolang-kaling until half cooked, about 15 minutes.

2. Add in diced sweet potato, let simmer for another 10 minutes, add in sliced banana and coconut flesh. Let boil for another 10 minutes. Set aside. Serve warm or cold.