With Hari Raya approaching, I’m sure those celebrating are very busy hunting for new clothes, spring cleaning, stocking up on traditional snacks, and much more. So much to do, yet so little time to get the house ready to welcome guests. And especially during Hari Raya, there will definitely be many who will be caught off-guard by guests who come over on short notice. And no one wants hungry guests right?
Don’t worry, we got your back! These are fast recipes that you can make with leftover ingredients from the kitchen. We cover main courses, desserts and even beverages for you to ensure that your Hari Raya guests are well taken care of for food and drinks. So let’s check them out.
Main Course
Curry Laksa
Laksa is iconic in Singapore and Malaysia. With its rich and spicy broth and creamy coconut base, it definitely is a dish loved by many. But while it may contain complex flavours, it is something that can be easily made during Hari Raya visiting!
This delicious and hassle-free laksa recipe serves three people and only takes 30 minutes to prepare; it will have your guests coming back for more! Plus, you can add additional toppings such as shrimp, boiled eggs and fish cakes to give that extra burst of flavour!
Ingredients:
- 3 tablespoons cooking oil
- 1/2 pack Malaysian instant curry paste
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 2 cups water
- 2 stalks lemongrass white part only, pounded
- 10 tofu puffs cut into pieces
- 1/2 cup evaporated milk
- 1/2 cup coconut milk
- Salt
- Noodles
- Bean sprouts
- 10 shrimp peeled, deveined and cooked
- 3 hard-boiled eggs cut into halves
- Fish cakes cut into pieces
Directions:
- In a stockpot, add the oil and sauté the instant curry paste until aromatic.
- Add the chicken broth, water, lemongrass, and tofu puffs and bring the soup to a boil.
- Lower the heat to simmer and add the coconut milk and evaporated milk.
- Add salt to taste. Keep the stock on a simmer.
- Rinse the yellow noodles and bean sprouts separately, drain and set aside.
- Bring to boil some yellow noodles and a handful of bean sprouts.
- Drain the noodles and bean sprouts and transfer them to a serving bowl.
- Top the noodles with extra ingredients (shrimp, fish cakes, hard-boiled egg)
Buttermilk Chicken
Juicy chicken coated in mouthwatering gravy made with evaporated milk and spices, producing an enticing combination of creamy and spicy. Sounds like heaven doesn’t it? Your guests’ taste buds will be the same as well when you serve them this.
The creamy buttermilk chicken recipe by Malaysian TikTok sensation Khairul Amin will guarantee a mouthwatering taste and full stomach, and it is remarkably easy to make as well with common ingredients. Try it out yourself this Hari Raya!
Ingredients:
- 500g chicken
- One egg
- Two tablespoons of butter
- One onion
- Four red/green chillies
- Two stalks of curry leaves
- ¾ can of evaporated milk
- One to two cheese slices
- Flour
- Salt
Directions:
- Marinate chicken with salt
- Coat the chicken with beaten egg and flour before frying
- Once golden brown, set chicken aside
- Add two tablespoons of butter to the pan and stir-fry the chopped onions until translucent
- Add red/green chillies and curry leaves to the mix and fry for a few minutes
- Add evaporated milk and cheese slices
- When sauce is thickened, add fried chicken and stir until evenly coated
Fried Macaroni
Macaroni might be thought of as an ingredient for Western dishes, but this Malay-style Fried Macaroni adds an Asian twist that will surely have your mouth watering. It is sweet, salty, and also spicy as well — all the best parts of a good meal!
For a more child-friendly option, add less dried chilli paste or simply do not add it in. Vegetables and additional toppings such as scrambled eggs are optional but bring some extra goodness to the meal.
Ingredients:
- Oil
- two tablespoons of dried chilli paste
- ½ a bulb of onions
- two to three cloves of minced garlic
- Meat (Sausages/minced beef/lamb)
- Two to three tablespoons of tomato paste
- One tablespoon of oyster sauce
- One tablespoon of dark sweet soy sauce
Directions:
- Pour oil onto pan and heat it
- When heated, add in dried chilli paste (add accordingly to how spicy you want it to be)
- Chop the onions and toss it in along with the minced garlic before mixing it to a deep red
- Add protein of choice, ensuring it is coated well
- Add tomato paste, oyster sauce, and dark sweet soy sauce
- Mix and cook for 5 minutes before serving
Desserts
Peach Crumble
There’s always room for dessert no matter how stuffed you are. Presenting the peach crumble, a dessert with peachy goodness will definitely be a hit for all the sweet tooths out there!
Not only is it sweet, there is bite in it which adds extra texture to the meal, which makes it a potential hit for any guests that arrive.
Ingredients:
- One can of peaches
- ⅓ cup of sugar
- Cinnamon powder
- Baking powder
- ½ cup of cornstarch water
- One cup of wheat flour
- One cup of oats
- One cup of brown sugar
- ½ a stick of salted butter
Directions:
- Pour the can of peaches together with water into a pan
- Add the sugar inside
- Sprinkle a pinch of cinnamon powder and mix till the liquid has evaporated a little
- Pour in the cornstarch water, mix and set aside.
- Prepare the topping by adding wheat flour into a bowl with oats and brown sugar
- Add a pinch of cinnamon and baking powder and then mix
- Throw in the halved stick of butter and mix till appropriate consistency
- Add the finished topping on the peaches in a tray
- Cook at 180℃ for 12 minutes in the air fryer
Chocolate Chip Cookies
Everybody loves cookies and this viral TikTok recipe is going to blow your mind with how easy it is to make some. In just 10 minutes you’ll be able to savour soft and chewy chocolate chip cookies that everyone will be able to enjoy.
Ingredients:
- 110g of unsalted melted butter
- 150g of light brown sugar
- 115g of granulated sugar
- One large egg
- One teaspoon of vanilla extract
- 200g of plain flour
- ½ teaspoon of baking soda
- ½ teaspoon of salt
- 200g of chocolate chips
Directions:
- Whisk unsalted melted butter, light brown sugar, and granulated sugar together until fully combined.
- Add the large egg and vanilla extract. Whisk until fully combined.
- Add plain flour, baking soda, and salt
- Mix to form the dough
- Add the chocolate chips and fold.
- Roll out the dough into small pieces and place on a baking sheetx
- Bake at 190℃/170℃ for five to six minutes.
- Allow cookies to cool before consuming.
Churros
While not as common as cookies, churros are also widely beloved so this will make a nice surprise for your guests! These thin and crisp fried desserts provide a nice sweet snack to bite on as you and your guests get together for Hari Raya; one that will surely be a hit dish.
If you’re a chocolate lover, you can make the dish more atas by simply poking a hole through each churro using a straw to create room for some chocolate filling.
Ingredients:
- One cup of warm water
- Two teaspoons of sugar
- Two tablespoons of canola oil
- One cup of flour
- Two eggs
- Piping bag with a star-shaped tip
- Cinnamon sugar
Directions:
- Mix the warm water, sugar, and canola oil together in a saucepan
- Bring to a boil then remove from heat
- Add the flour and stir until the mixture forms a smooth paste
- Combine in the eggs and stir until the mixture becomes smooth
- Place the dough into a piping bag and pipe strips onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper
- Place in the freezer for 45 minutes.
- Heat oil in a large pot to 350˚F (180˚C).
- Fry the churros until golden brown
- Drain on paper towels.
- Coat with cinnamon sugar
Optional:
- Using a straw, poke a hole through each churro
- Spoon chocolate hazelnut spread into a piping bag
- Pipe filling
Beverages
Bandung Lychee
Bandung or rose syrup with milk is definitely a classic beverage in Singapore. But you can also easily make your own Bandung with only a few ingredients. For our version, we added lychee for some extra sweetness that will surely “sweeten” up your guest’s day!
Ingredients:
- One can of lychee
- One can of evaporated creamer
- Rose syrup
Directions:
- Blend most of the lychee with the evaporated creamer and lychee water till the texture is creamy
- Pour into a jug or cup of ice
- Add some rose syrup to the top and some lychee fruits
- Mix to serve
Ribena Lychee
You can’t go wrong with Ribena, but you can make it even better. Our concoction is a Ribena Lychee drink that again uses lychee to bring out another side of sweetness to the familiar blackcurrant taste. It is a slightly different take on a popular drink and one you can easily whip up at home. Measure accordingly according to your desired number of servings and taste.
Ingredients:
- Ribena or blackcurrant syrup
- Mineral water
- Lychees
Directions:
- Add Ribena or blackcurrant syrup to a jug of ice. Mix with mineral water to desired sweetness
- Add lychees
- Top it off with ice
Strawberry Lemonade
Not only is this strawberry lemonade drink a looker in terms of aesthetics, it is a great accompaniment to guests when they house-visit! The combination of the sweet strawberries, sourness from the lemon, and fizz from the sparkling water makes this a refreshing drink to have, especially in hot and humid Singapore.
Ingredients:
- 225g of strawberries
- One cup lemon juice
- ½ a cup of honey
- Sparkling water
Directions:
- Add a few spoons of lemon juice, chopped strawberries, and and honey to a blender
- Blend until smooth.
- Pour four cups of sparkling water and the strawberry puree into a pitcher and stir.
- Serve over ice.
During this coming Hari Raya, give these fast recipes a try to save you heaps of trouble as they don’t take up too much time or require much effort. Don’t forget to share your results with us on Facebook, Instagram and TikTok.
Photos by Leo Chia of the DANAMIC Team. Additional visuals courtesy of mandimelanie, dilja96, joyfulcaptures and foodieflavours via Unsplash.
