On TikTok, you're only ever one swipe away from discovering something new. From a recipe that end up becoming family favourite, to a simple home hack that leads to a complete room renovation. On TikTok there is a thriving community of creators and businesses to inspire you.

Throughout January, we've been spotlighting some amazing creators that are encouraging their communities to explore new interests. This week, we were delighted to catch up with Zubda Malik, also known as @kitchen_diaries_by_zubda!

@kitchen_diaries_by_zubda

Zubda is a culinary and cuisine artist who has been developing and sharing her favourite recipes with her community of over 515,000 followers. Her motto: 'Chase the Flavours' encapsulates her mission to help everyone achieve restaurant style food from the comfort of their home. She shares South Asian dishes, her original takes on traditional English cuisine, as well as quick fix meals, such as her Phirni / Firni under 30 minutes.

We caught up with Zubda on all things TikTok, including why she wants to inspire others, the joys of spreading positivity, and the #FoodTok creators she loves...

If you could inspire someone to start something new this year, what would it be?

I would encourage them to create a page dedicated to promoting positivity and mental well-being. By spreading positivity and uplifting messages on TikTok, they can make a positive impact on the lives of their viewers and create a supportive and empowering community - showcasing personal experiences, self-care practices, mindfulness exercises, offering practical advice for managing stress and tips for maintaining a healthy mindset.

Why did you decide to start sharing cooking content on TikTok?

TikTok has a large and diverse audience which can potentially get me recognition and opportunities for growth as a content creator. As a food content creator on TikTok, I believe I can motivate others to get creative in their own kitchen and at the same time build a supportive and interactive community with people from all over the world who share a passion for food.

What other creators do you follow on TikTok?

I find it tough to pick just a few because there are so many content creators who inspire me on a daily basis. Moribyan, The Golden Balance, Mxriyum, and Samofrais are a few TikTok creators that I find to be my favourites.

What is your goal on TikTok?

My main goal would be to inspire and encourage my TikTok community to explore new flavours and food trends by creating engaging and visually appealing content on my page - and reach millions of followers.

What is your favourite TikTok you have made to date and why?

That’s a tough one, I would like to choose them all but if it would be one for now, recently I shared a famous dessert from Multan, Pakistan ’Sohan Halwa’. I have accumulated a lot of childhood memories because my mother used to make them during winter. Preparing the ingredients from scratch took me days and required a lot of patience. Finally, I completed it to perfection and received a great deal of recognition from my followers and family.

@kitchen_diaries_by_zubda Multani Sohan Halwa (Winter Food Series Episode 13 ) 1/4 cup Sprouted Wheat flour/ Angoori/Samnak 1/2 plain Flour /maida 3 cup milk + 1.5 litres whole milk (use golden top ones) 1/2 tbsp Citric Acid / tartaric acid or 2 tbsp lemon juice 1 tbsp Alum/ fatakdi 1/2 litres water 1/4 tsp brown food colour 350 g Glucose syrup 1 cup granulated Sugar 1/4 cup ghee + 3 tbsp 1/2 cup Walnuts 1/4 cup cashews 1/4 cup almond 1/4 cup pistachios For garnish as per choice 1- soak the whole wheat for 24 to 36 hours. 2- drain and add in a dry large bowl. Cover with wet towel for 2-3 days until wheat is sprouted (soak towel again in water if dries) 3- take out and spread on tray to dry. It will depend on weather. 1 or 2 days 4- coarsely grind the wheat. 5- in a heavy bottom pan, Add Samnak, plain flour and gradually pour milk and keep whisking until no lump. Add more milk to dilute. 6- pour 1.5 litres of milk and bring to boil, stirring occasionally to make sure that the Samnak and flour don’t stick to the bottom. 7- in a glass combine, water, citric acid & alum. Dissolve completely 8- once boil , turn off the heat , slowly add the mixture and gently stir it. (you might not need to add all i only used half of it) 9-Once you notice, milk has curdled and water spreads, turn on the heat again. 10- Turn the flame to medium high, add brown colour, sugar, glucose, & ghee. And cook until all water dries up. Stirring occasionally. 11- when all water dries up , Keep stirring continuously and cooking until the halwa leaves sides and you will see the strings of sugar and glucose. 12- remove from the heat and cold down for 20 minutes 13- add dry fruits and 3 tbsp ghee. Mix and add in a mould.Now spread some dry fruits on bottom of mould and add the SOHAN Halwa over it. Press down in an even layer. 14- cool down completely for 6-7 hours. Slice and serve. #sohanhalwa #halwa #wintervibes #winterishere #comfortfood #diwalispecial #indianfood #pakistanifood #sohanhalwamultan #sohanhalwarecipe #halwarecipe ♬ Pehli Bhi Main - Ananto

Finally, what else is on your For You feed?!

I like to see a variety of different trends and styles. Some are creative ideas of organisation, home improvement and sometimes I come across videos showcasing, beautiful destinations and travel experiences.

New to TikTok and want to discover a new hobby? Getting involved couldn't be easier, simply download the app for free via the Apple App Store, Google Play or Amazon.