Gula Melaka Sheera with Caramelised Banana Topping Recipe

Hello dear readers. I am back. Sorry for being out for so long without so much as a word. My health took a bit of a tumble because of the weather. A cold and throat infection got to me! I was completely keeping away from any electronic devices. I just was not in the mood to type. Trust me, I have had quite an earful from quite a few people about being so offline!

Gula Melaka Sheera with Caramelised Banana Topping Recipe

During this last week, my one hubby has been by my side constantly. He was amazingly caring, kind and supportive. He took such great care of me, my doctor's appointments, medicines and my moods. I have known my husband since we were young 20 year old undergraduates and in this week I saw how mature my best friend has become. And how he has lovingly taken on the role of a husband.

Gula Melaka Sheera with Caramelised Banana Topping Recipe

When I got better (thanks to his loving care), I wanted to thank him in my own way. So I created a dish, trying to put together things he'd love. First it HAD to be sweet. My husband has the proverbial sweet tooth. One of his most favourite sweets is sheera... so I thought why not make sheera for him with a twist. The twist comes by sweetening it with gula melaka which I still have in stock and which he likes! He also likes the bananas his grandma puts in the sheera we make as a prasad for Satyanarayan Pooja. I thought, why not add in a element of this. So I said lets add in some caramelised bananas on top for a lovely take on bananas in sheera. Thus was born my recipe of Gula Melaka Sheera with Caramelised Banana Topping.

Gula Melaka Sheera with Caramelised Banana Topping Recipe

Well, here's my warm and sweet thank you to my hubby. It was a big hit with him! The smile on his face was amazing! And this Diwali, I had a new recipe to make for the family too!

Gula Melaka Sheera with Caramelised Banana Topping Recipe

Preparation Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 15 minutes
Serves: 4

Ingredients:

1 cup rawa
3 tbsps ghee
1 cup grated gula melaka or any other jaggery will do
3 cups heated  milk
1 tbsp butter
1 banana cut into chunks
3 tbsps sugar

Method

In a pan heat ghee. Add in the rawa and roast till brownish.

Add in the milk and let the sheera cook for about 7-8 minutes.

When it is almost done, add in the gula melaka/ jaggery and cook for anther 3-4 minutes.

In a shallow frying pan, melt butter.

Add in the banana and fry for about 30 seconds.

Pour in the sugar and let it caramelise on low heat for 3-4 minutes.

Arrange the caramelised bananas over the prepared sheera and serve hot.

Lemongrass-Gula Melaka Refresher Recipe

More alchemy happened in the kitchen yesterday. I was wondering what to do next with the gula melaka syrup (recipe here) lying around (yes, it's still good to use!) when I remembered that there is some lemongrass left at home too.

I thought since both are South East Asian ingredients, they should pretty much go together. We also have the omnipresent summer. So I made a light and refreshing drink of these two.  Presenting a new beverage straight from my kitchen: Lemongrass Gula Melaka Refresher!

Lemongrass-Gula Melaka Refresher Recipe

This drink is very light in it's flavours. Lemongrass gives it a subtle and fresh lemony fragrance without the sourness. Gula melaka adds a lovely maltiness to the drink. These flavours compliment each other beautifully.

Lemongrass-Gula Melaka Refresher Recipe

Preparation Time: 5 minutes
Making Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 10 minutes

Serves: 2

Ingredients

1 cup water
2 cups cold water
6 leaves of lemongrass (gavati chaha)
2 tbsps gula melaka syrup
3 cups cold water
5-6 ice cubes

Method:

Cut the lemongrass leaves into small pieces.

Put them in the water and bring to a boil. After it comes to a boil, let it simmer on low gas for about 3 minutes.

Add in the cold water to the lemongrass water.

Take ice cubes in a glass. Pour the gula melaka syrup into it.

Gula Melaka Syrup on Ice

Then pour the lemongrass mixture on top in a thin trickle along the side of a spoon. You'll get two lovely layers.

Serve with a stirrer.

Enjoy! 

Tip: You can always substitute the gula melaka syrup with sugar syrup. Lemongrass goes just as well with both.

Gula Melaka Syrup Recipe

It must have been so thankful to see the light of the day. It's been lying in the refrigerator since I got it from Singapore almost a year back. Oh, I am talking about gula melaka.

Gula Melaka

Gula melaka is a palm sugar made from the sap of coconut trees. Gula melaka has a beautiful rich, malty taste with notes of butterscotch flavour. It is a regular ingredient of South East Asian cooking, especially desserts. It is served over shaved ice in a kechang, poured over sago in a sago pudding, put into falooda-like drinks with sago, coconut milk and fresh tropical fruits. To every dish, it brings a uniquely sweet flavour that you will crave.

Think of innovative ways to use this syrup. I am coming up with some in the next few days!!

Gula Melaka Syrup Recipe

It is very easy to make a syrup of this sugar. It takes 2 ingredients and 10 minutes. The results, however, are priceless!

Gula Melaka Syrup Recipe

Preparation Time: 5 minutes
Cooking Time: 10 minutes

Ingredients:

150 gms gula melaka chopped
60 ml water

Method

Chop the gula melaka into small pieces.

Heat a small pan and add the water and gula melaka.

After the water warms a little, lower the flame.

Keep stirring till the gula melaka melts gently into the water. Do not put it on high flame, or it will burn the sugar.

Remove from heat, and pour it in another cold vessel.

Let it cool completely into a thick golden syrup before you store.