Air Katira

Ingredients

To soak

• 2 tspgum tragacanth, katira, in 500 ml water
• 2 tbspbasil seeds, selasih, in 300 ml water
• 4malva nuts, kembang semangkuk, in 500 ml water

Drink

• 600 mlevaporated milk
• 600 mlcold water
• 150 gsugar, or to taste
• 3 tbsprose syrup, optional
• 1 tsprose water, optional

Sometimes

• sago pearls, cooked
• grass jelly, cubed
• chopped nuts

To serve

• very cold, at iftar during Ramadan

Directions

1. Put the crystals in a generous quantity of water and leave them for at least four hours, and overnight is better. Use far more water than looks necessary, since the gum expands dramatically. It swells into a soft, translucent, jelly-like mass, and it should have no hard core left at all.
2. Break it up with your fingers and check for any firm pieces, discarding anything still solid. Rinse it and drain it before adding it to the drink.
3. Soak them in water for twenty to thirty minutes. They are ready when every seed has a visible clear halo and none look dry and hard. Drain off any excess soaking water. Now the malva nuts, soaked in hot water.
4. Soak them in hot water for about an hour. Now the important part: the seed and the tough skin inside must be removed and discarded. Pull the flesh away, rinse it thoroughly and shred it.
5. Mix the evaporated milk, water and sugar until the sugar has completely dissolved. Dissolve the sugar in a little warm water first, since granulated sugar will not dissolve in a cold drink. Use it sparingly, since too much rose becomes soapy and overwhelming. Stir the drained gum, basil seeds and shredded malva nut flesh into the milk base.
6. Stir gently, since the soaked gum breaks up if handled roughly. The mixture should be visibly thick with suspended pieces rather than smooth. Stir it well before pouring, since everything settles.
7. Serve it in glasses or in the plastic bags with straws that bazaar stalls use. It keeps two days refrigerated and it thickens further as it stands, so loosen it with cold water.

Technique

• All three thickeners swell enormously and must be fully soaked before drinking.
• The hard inner seed of the malva nut is discarded and not eaten.
• The ingredients give texture rather than flavour.

Substitutions

• Chia seeds in place of basil seeds, which behave similarly.
• Sago pearls for extra texture.

Variations

• Flavoured with pandan rather than rose.
• With sago pearls and grass jelly added.
• Made with condensed milk, which is sweeter.

History

A Ramadan bazaar speciality in Brunei and Johor, drunk at iftar for its cooling, slightly gelatinous texture.

Frequently asked questions

What is Air Katira?

Air Katira is a drink from Brunei: milk drink thickened with gum tragacanth, basil seeds and malva nuts. A Ramadan bazaar speciality in Brunei and Johor, drunk at iftar for its cooling, slightly gelatinous texture.

How long does Air Katira take to make?

Air Katira takes 15 min plus 4 hr soaking of preparation and none of cooking. The recipe makes 6 glasses. It is rated easy to make.

What can I substitute in Air Katira?

Yes, within limits. Chia seeds in place of basil seeds, which behave similarly. Sago pearls for extra texture.

What is the most important thing to get right in Air Katira?

Soak them in hot water for about an hour. Now the important part: the seed and the tough skin inside must be removed and discarded. Pull the flesh away, rinse it thoroughly and shred it.