Friday, October 18, 2024

Marble Cake Recipe

Swirled of butter batter and cocoa batter, as swirl cake.
Marble cake, also known as swirl cake or butter cocoa cake, is a hybrid of half butter cake and half chocolate (cocoa) cake. This is a pretty easy recipe. You can even use a regular butter cake recipe, split the batter into two, and fold cocoa powder into one portion, making sure there are no lumps (BUTTER CAKE RECIPE). 

If you like, add a little extra cocoa powder. The slight bitterness blends well with the sweetness of the buttery cake batter.

Sleep Struggles for Women in Midlife: Yoga Solutions

Author

Ms. Krishnan N, a Zen entrepreneur in her 60s, founded Nava's Zen at 58. With 22 years as a lecturer, including 13 years in the Curtin University of Technology Perth, Australia Degree Twinning Program, she is now a certified yoga instructor, coach, and counselor. Her expertise enriches her current work.

Abstract
This article investigates the sleep struggles faced by women in midlife, particularly those in their forties and beyond, and emphasizes the role of yoga as a holistic solution. As women in this age group encounter various challenges - such as emotional fatigue, physical inactivity, and disruptions in circadian rhythms - these factors significantly contribute to poor sleep quality. The research highlights how the practice of yoga can address these issues by enhancing physical, emotional, and mental well-being. By incorporating yoga into their daily routines, women can cultivate mindfulness, reduce stress, and foster a deeper sense of tranquility, which are essential for reclaiming restful sleep.

Wednesday, October 16, 2024

Sarawak Laksa Recipe

Bowl of spicy coconut milk, herbs and prawn broth gravy, with noodles, tofu pok, fried prawns and coriander leaves.

Fragrant, spicy, and creamy Sarawak-style noodle soup with a rich prawn-coconut broth layered in tangy, aromatic flavors. The famous Sarawak Laksa or laksa made in Sarawak. Though spices like coriander seeds, cumin seeds and fennel seeds are roasted before adding into the making of Sarawak Laksa Paste, for easy cooking, store-bought already grounded ones make it easier.

 

The Laksa paste is what determines the delicious of laksa, which also be said as curry or laksa gravy. Once this has been made, the rest of the cooking technique is rather straightforward (PRAWN CURRY LAKSA). 

Mutton Dalcha Recipe

Top view of mutton cooked with lentils, turmeric powder, spices, tomato, onion, ginger, garlic, yogurt, curry leaves and coriander leaves.
When mutton is cooked with lentils and spices, it becomes a thick, spicy curry with tender meat. A vibrant yellow hue, soft lentils and meat, tasty Indian-style Mutton Dalcha.

What makes this Mutton Dalcha, or Mutton with Lentils Curry, stand out? It’s the cooking technique. Pressure-cooking the mutton softens the tough meat. The flavor is enhanced by store-bought spice powders instead of making masala from scratch.

 

Add the creamy richness of natural yogurt and the aromatic touch of curry leaves and coriander, and the curry is full of depth and aroma (INDIAN LAMB SOUP).

Tuesday, October 15, 2024

Tofu Stir Fry: Indian Style

Cubed fried tofu, stir fried with spices, chili powder, coriander leaves and ginger.
Tofu, the protein-packed ingredient made from soybeans, is suited for both vegetarians and non-vegetarians. These days, it comes in different tyoes. from traditional blocks to sofu and even organic varieties (VEGETARIAN NASI LEMAK). 

For this Indian-style stir fry, firm tofu works best. Otherwise, tofu will crumble apart, unless you’re after a softer, scrambled texture.

NIVEA Rose Care Micellar Wash Gel with Organic Rose Water

Front view of NIVEA Rose Care Micellar Wash Gel tube featuring organic rose water
As a woman in my 60s, I’ve long avoided traditional face soaps and powder-based cleansers, regardless of how promising their ingredients sound. These products tend to strip my skin of its natural oils, leaving it dry and tight - exactly the opposite of what mature skin, in need of moisture and hydration, requires. I usually stick with milk cleansers, but when I came across the NIVEA Rose Care Micellar Wash Gel with Organic Rose Water, I was intrigued enough to make an exception (WARDAH UV SHIELD ESSENTIAL GEL).

First Impressions
The packaging caught my eye immediately - a tube in a delicate pink shade with a convenient flip-top lid. Its simplicity and elegance appealed to me, but what really drew me in was the product description. This micellar wash gel promises to gently remove waterproof makeup and deeply cleanse the skin without drying it out, all while being infused with organic rose water. It also claims to purify the skin, control sebum, and leave it feeling moisturized for 24 hours (FOOT CREAMS: DRY SKIN & CRACKED HEELS).

Saturday, October 12, 2024

Easy Chocolate Cake Recipe: Italian Genoise

chocolate cake, made with cocoa powder, sugar, eggs, butter and flour.
This Easy Chocolate Cake: Italian Genoise is light, tender, slightly dense, and soft yet crumbly, all the way through a chocolaty delight. With just six simple ingredients, it’s amazing how such a minimalist recipe can create a cake that melts in your mouth (BUTTER CAKE). 

Baking this cake requires the boiler method, where eggs and sugar are whisked over simmering water until foamy, then whisked off the heat to reach the ribbon stage. Folding in the flour carefully is equally important.

 

Fold in one direction and avoid lumps to keep the cake airy and light (CHOCOLATE COFFEE CAKE). 

Warung Mak Dara Corner (Jalan Kebun): Taste of Malay Heritage

Warung Mak Dara corner main entrance with its signboard prominently displayed
Living just 10 minutes from Jalan Kebun via Kemuning Greenville, I’ve yet to explore the eateries in Jalan Kebun. However, being a true lover of Malay cuisine, I’ve already indulged in every Malay eatery within Kemuning Greenville, where Nava's Zen is located as well. This time, for a casual lunch with my dining companion, we decided to venture into Jalan Kebun. Though I initially had another spot in mind, my lunch partner suggested Warung Mak Dara Corner (Kampung Jln Kebun), and we arrived around 11:30 am on a Sunday.

Parking was a breeze - being both Sunday and an early lunch hour. By the time we arrived, a few patrons were already enjoying their meals. While they offer breakfast and noodle dishes (likely served later in the day), the main attraction for lunch is Nasi Campur.

Thursday, October 10, 2024

Ghee Mutton Roast Recipe

Cooked with spices, ghee, curry leaves, and mixes spices curry paste, Ghee Mutton Roast.
A really thick-gravy South Indian mutton curry with a tadbit of masala around tender mutton. This popular Ghee Mutton Roast is cooked in ghee with aromatic spices for spiced-up flavour profile and aroma (MUTTON RENDANG). 

Though the name may sound exclusive, making this easy spicy mutton recipe is surprisingly simple. Using a pressure cooker helps tenderize the mutton quickly, and the rest follows easy, step-by-step cooking.

Sweet Lotus Seed Soup Recipe: Leng Chee Kang

A bowl of Chinese sweet dessert, made with lotus seeds, red dates, longan, bean curd sheet, rock sugar, pandan leaves and water.
A bowl of refreshing Chinese dessert, served hot, at room temperature, or chilled with ice. This healthy sweet lotus seed soup is nourishing and naturally sweet from dried Chinese ingredients, enhanced by fragrant Malaysian pandan leaves (TEA GOJI BERRY JELLY). 

Leng Chee Kang, also known as sweet lotus seed soup, can be found at Chinese dessert stalls in coffee shops or from roadside vendors. Each version may vary slightly, but the flavors are always comforting.

 

Making a homemade Leng Chee Kang recipe is simple and flexible, allowing you to adjust dried fruits and other ingredients to your taste. Instead of white sugar, this dessert typically uses rock sugar, cane sugar, or lump sugar (MOIST BANANA CHOCOLATE CAKE). 

Papaya Salad Recipe

Crunchy, fresh, crisp, spicy, and tangy papaya salad. Truly an appetizing dish that wakes up your taste buds instantly. Whether as a healthy...