“I will find time, no matter what!” exclaims busy TV personality Nur Affizza Azmi as she, and the rest of the Muslim population around the world, ushers in the holy month of Ramadan. Her full schedule as TV news presenter, host, and part-time model means that this petite 31-year-old doesn’t really have the luxury of time, especially time to spend with the family.
However, she confides that Ramadan is the perfect time to remedy that as she’ll be able to sit down and bond with the family during sahur (pre-dawn meal) and berbuka time (opening of fast at sunset). “I love cooking for my family, especially for my two-year-old son who’s started eating solid food now,” begins the young mother who’s here at the Royal Chulan Hotel in Kuala Lumpur as a special guest at an event called Puas-Puas Puasa, organised by the non-profit organisation, Raisin Administrative Committee, an advocate for the raisin industry.
The organisation is here to promote California Raisins and inform the public on how this humble snack can make for an ideal Ramadan companion, shedding light on its wholesome goodness and sharing creative yet easy recipe ideas to serve up for sahur and berbuka times.
Busy people no longer need to compromise on health and nutrition, especially during this fasting month, and raisins are the ideal ingredients to use when you need to prepare quick, energy-boosting and nutritious meals.
With Nur Affizza being a busy working mother herself, it seems rather apt that she was chosen for this event. “When California raisins approached me, I didn’t think twice about coming on-board. Their target audience is working mums, so I happily agreed to be a part of it. It’s also quite interesting to incorporate raisins in dishes other than desserts,” she shares, smiling.
EASY RECIPES
For this showcase, Nur Affizza came up with three recipes that use raisins as the main ingredient. “Before this, I only used raisins in drinks and as a snack, not knowing that it can be used in so many recipes. For this event, I’ve opted to cook pasta but with a Malaysian touch. Instead of tomato sauce, I’m using tom yam paste mixed with raisins, and will also use raisins as the topping. The sourness of the tom yam paste and the sweetness of the raisins really complement each other,” she explains.
And for drinks? The lively presenter has concocted a smoothie, using a blend of the high quality dried grapes produced in the valley of San Joaquin, California together with avocado, honey and milk.
The menu that she has created is ideal as it doesn’t require lengthy slaving over the stove. The pasta, she assures, only takes 20 minutes to prepare while the smoothie, only 10 minutes. The third item that she concocted is sweet and sour healthy doughnuts, with raisins used as the topping. “I just love raisins,” remarks Nur Affizza as she takes a bite of some raisin-laden desserts served by the hotel.
Even when she was pregnant with her son, Luth, raisins, confides Nur Affiza, were her favourite choice of snack in addition to dates and goat’s milk to keep herself healthy and energised. It has since become a habit whenever she feels a little peckish and wants something that’s naturally sweet.
Raisins are not only great for snacking on. Boston nutrition expert Liz Ward in her research mentioned that raisins are full of fibre, potassium and antioxidants. “They’re great energy boosters and may help with weight control,” wrote Ward.
Meanwhile, a research carried out by James W. Anderson, MD, a professor of Medicine and Clinical Nutrition from the University of Kentucky, US, suggested that raisins may improve glucose levels and systolic blood pressure among people with type 2 diabetes mellitus.
This is something that Rushda Adiba Ismail, a dietitian from KPJ Damansara Specialist, who’s also present at the event, concurs with. Rushda Adiba says that simple carbohydrates are needed during berbuka time to increase blood sugar level loss during the day. Raisins, she adds, are the best choice besides fresh fruits and dates.
“I suggest you eat 1 or 2 tablespoons of raisins first once it’s berbuka time. After that maybe you can perform Maghrib prayer first before taking your main meal,” she advises.
WORK-LIFE BALANCE
What’s your Ramadan routine like, I ask Nur Affizza, a journalism graduate from University of South Australia, Adelaide. Smiling, she replies: “I usually cook for my family even though I stay with my parents. I won’t say that I’m a chef; I usually cook something simple but nutritious. We hardly eat rice or buy outside food.”
For sahur, Nur Affizza will opt for noodles, soup or bread. “I have no favourite or specific food that I like to eat during Ramadan. I eat everything as long as it’s nutritious and can keep me energised throughout the day,” shares Nur Affizza, adding that it has been a hectic few weeks at work, especially with the recently concluded GE14.
Despite her busy schedule, Nur Affizza, who has been in the media line for seven years, can still find time to juggle many things. She confides that before she got married, she was even busier working as a news reporter who was always on the move. After giving birth to Luth, she continued her work in the production line.
It’s not easy to balance work and family, especially when one has a young child to care for, she concedes. “That’s why I need to eat right to stay energised. I read the news almost every day, or sometimes I do hosting, emceeing and modelling jobs. On my off days, I spend time with my son. There’s no more ‘me time’ now that I’m a mother. The ‘me time’ is actually my work time. I love spending whatever free time I have with my son, watching him play or teaching him how to read,” confides the KL-born TV personality.
Despite the challenges, Nur Affizza believes that it’s not an impossible feat to find that elusive balance. “It’s all in the mind. Don’t give excuses that you’re too tired from work that you can’t cook for your family or spend time with them. If you set your mind to it, you can do anything,” she advises.
She also believes that those, especially women, who can find that balance, will be more successful and more respected. “You can’t just limit yourself to one thing only. Be a successful woman at work, and at home. Time won’t find you, so you have to find it,” concludes Nur Affizza, smiling contentedly.
CALIFORNIA RAISIN TOM YAM CHICKEN AND ANGEL HAIR PASTA
INGREDIENTS:
1 small box of California Raisins
1 packet of angel hair pasta
200g minced chicken breast
5 crabstick
5 prawns
3 garlic (chopped)
1 onion (diced)
1 packet of tom yam paste
Warm water
Two tablespoons of virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper
Basil leaves (for garnish)
METHODS:
1. Boil the pasta in a pot for about 12 minutes until al dente. Set aside.
2. To prepare the sauce, pound raisins with mortar and pestle. Mix it with tom yam paste and add warm water.
3. Stir fry onion and garlic in a pan until fragrant. Add in minced chicken, crab sticks and prawns. Stir the raisins and tom yum mixture and continue stirring until the ingredients are cooked.
4. Dish pasta onto the plate and top generously with the sauce.
5. Garnish with basil leaves and serve.
CALIFORNIA RAISINS PUAS-PUAS SMOOTHIE
INGREDIENTS:
3 tbsp of California Raisins
1 fully ripened avocado
1 cup of cold milk
Honey
Ice cubes
Stalks of lemongrass (for garnish)
METHODS:
1. Scoop out the avocado and put into a blender. Add cold milk and raisins.
2. Blend the mixture. Add ice cubes and continue to blend. Add a little honey if desired.
3. Pour out the contents into a glass and garnish with a stalk of lemongrass.
CALIFORNIA RAISIN SWEET & SOUR HEALTHY DOUGHNUTS
INGREDIENTS:
1 cup of California Raisins
2 pieces of kiwi (diced)
1 punnet of strawberries (diced)
2 pieces of plain doughnuts
2 pieces of small, ripe bananas
1 bowl of evaporated milk
Chocolate sprinkles
METHODS:
1. Half the doughnuts and set them aside.
2. Mash up bananas in a cooking bowl. Pour the milk and mix to form a creamy mixture.
3. Spoon the mixture onto each piece of halved-doughnut and spread on chocolate sprinkles.
4. Top each doughnut with generous amount of raisins, kiwi and strawberries.
5. Press the doughnut halves together and serve.