Saturday, August 24, 2024

Wajik Pulut: Glutinous Rice Cake Recipe

Sticky rice cakes, made with steamed white glutinous rice, palm sugar, coconut milk and pandan leaves.
Wajik Pulut is a traditional Malay dessert made with glutinous rice, coconut milk, palm sugar, and pandan leaves. This sticky rice cake is part of Malay kuih-muih, or sweet treats (PULUT INTI/GLUTINOUS SWEET COCONUT), often served during celebrations. Traditionally, making Wajik Pulut takes hours, as the rice needs constant stirring.

This easy homemade Wajik Pulut recipe is lighter and faster. You can reduce sugar and coconut milk for a healthier version. The rice is steamed until soft, then stirred into a thick coconut palm sugar mixture, cutting down on cooking time. 


Basically, stirring a couple of times until it becomes a sticky rice dough. 

Friday, August 23, 2024

What to Eat in Penang, Malaysia: Chinese Food

Bowl of shaved ice, with corn, green jelly, red sugar syrup, coconut milk and red beans.
One of the best things to do in Penang? Eat. Food is a major draw for tourists, locals, and visitors alike. In fact, foodies even travel to Penang (BEST THINGS TO DO IN PENANG) just for the food. Among the many food options, Chinese food is one of the top picks. From high-end restaurants and family-run eateries to food courts and hawker stalls, Chinese food pulls in the crowds.

Why Chinese Food is a Must in Penang

Chinese food is rooted in Penang due to early Chinese settlers, mainly Hokkien, Cantonese, Teochew, and Hainanese. They brought their food traditions and modified them using local ingredients and methods. Over time, their dishes became distinct to Penang while still preserving the original cooking heritage. Passed down through generations, these foods continue to attract food lovers from around the world.

 

It’s literally impossible to list every single dish, as each stands out in its own right. Still, there are those regarded as top picks, though, as always, taste is subjective (SEBERANG PERAI FOOD GUIDE).

Asam Pedas Ikan Bawal

Fish gravy, made with blended red chilies and Malay herbs, cherry tomatoes, tamarind, and ginger torch flower.
Asam Pedas, absolutely fragrant and reddish in hue, oozes with popular Malaysian Malay herbs. This is the Malay-style spicy gravy, cooked with a variety of local herbs and the tang of tamarind pieces.

 

The herbs blended as a rempah (spice paste) are packed with numerous health benefits, adding nutrients to the dish. Fish, such as black pomfret (ikan bawal hitam), provides protein, making Asam Pedas one of the healthiest Malay foods (EGG SAMBAL/SAMBAL TELUR). 

 

You can also choose not to fry the spice paste, which is then called Asam Pedas Rebus, but frying enhances the fragrance and flavour profile of the herbs.

Thursday, August 22, 2024

Mango Pickle Recipe

Skin on mango cubes, in a chili powder, Indian dry spices and curry leaves.
One of those dishes you can make ahead, bottle, and store in the fridge. Mango pickle(Aam ka Achar) is tangy, spicy, and aromatic, filled with the fragrance of curry leaves and spices (TOMATO CHUTNEY). 

Making it is simple, with a straightforward recipe and easy cooking style. It doesn’t need to be loud or overpowering. Everyday Indian spices, along with the beloved curry leaves, come together.

 

Once cooked, the mango cubes coated in chili powder and spices make the chutney irresistible, almost impossible to wait to pair with a meal (POTATO SAMBAL VEGETARIAN). 

Wednesday, August 21, 2024

Tanni Saar (Sweet Leaf In Dhal Gravy)

Sweet leaves cooked with dhal, coconut milk, garlic, chilies, cumin seeds and curry leaves.
Sweet leaves, known as Tauchimurangai in Tamil and Cekur Manis in Malay, are cooked with dhal and light coconut milk. When scented with spices and curry leaves, they make Tanni Saar (Sweet Leaf In Dhal Gravy). A traditional, authentic Indian dish. It’s a dish you will yearn for at least once a month.

 

For those intending to grow Tauchimurangai keerai, there is little to do. Simply poke the stems into the soil after plucking the leaves. Buying a bunch of sweet leaves is also inexpensive, which you can use for stir-fried sweet leaves.

Prawn Mee Recipe

A bowl of rice noodles, with prawn soup, chili dip, boiled egg, water spinach, spring onion and fried shallots.
Prawn mee is a mouthwatering Chinese noodle dish made with prawn stock, noodles, and  toppings, served with a spicy dip. There are a few varieties, including the Penang version, Hae Mee, and another called Mee Yoke. Whatever the style, the heart of prawn mee is the prawn stock (PRAWN FRIED MEE).

How to make prawn stock
Simmer prawn heads and shells in water to extract flavor.
You can also lightly fry the heads and shells in oil first.
Pour water, add salt, and simmer to extract the prawny stock.
Strain to discard the heads and shells.

Sunday, August 18, 2024

Aging Faster Today: Yoga as a Natural Anti-Aging Therapy

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 paper explores the profound benefits of yoga as a natural remedy for anti-aging, contrasting it with contemporary quick-fix solutions and aesthetic treatments. Yoga is presented not merely as a physical exercise but as a holistic approach that nurtures the breath, body, mind, and soul, offering significant advantages for maintaining a youthful appearance and overall vitality. The paper highlights how yoga fosters genuine skin nourishment and rejuvenation, reducing the reliance on heavy makeup and superficial enhancements. However, it also cautions against overdoing yoga, as excessive practice can lead to fatigue, injury, and may paradoxically accelerate the aging process.

Saturday, August 17, 2024

Tomato Chutney Recipe: Indian Style

spicy chutney made with tomatoes, dried chilies, spices, curry leaves, and tamarind juice.
An accompaniment, a side dish, or even a spread for sandwiches and burgers. Indian-style tomato chutney is like a thick tomato sauce that is spicy, sweet, tangy, and aromatic.

There are two common cooking styles. One is chopping the tomatoes and cooking them with the rest of the ingredients after sautéing until the tomatoes turn soft and mushy. The other is blanching the tomatoes, mashing them, and then adding them to the sautéed ingredients along with curry leaves (SPINACH DAL RECIPE). 

Sponge Cake Recipe: Classic Genoise

Loaf baked cake, made with eggs, corn flour, cake flour, eggs, butter and sugar.
Spongy, crumbly, light and airy buttery cake. The classic genoise sponge cake, a traditional European-style sponge cake, is loved for its delicate texture. There are only five ingredients for this sponge cake recipe, and the measurement given is for a small loaf cake pan (BUTTER CAKE RECIPE). 

It’s a pretty straightforward recipe, but there are stages in making and it requires plenty of patience without rushing, as each step is essential for the outcome of the sponginess.

Thursday, August 15, 2024

Sunny Lamb Traditional Apam Balik: A Street Food Delight

While out buying groceries, I stumbled upon Sunny Lamb Traditional Apam Balik. Intrigued, I approached the van stall to explore this concept further. The menu offered a captivating array of apam balik varieties and these are vegan friendly. After considering my options, I chose the ori kelapa parut (original coconut) and jagung cheese/corn cheese. The other varieties were equally tempting, but I decided that three pieces of these Malaysian (EFFORTLESS MALAY DESSERTS) traditional pancakes would be enough to start with. Perhaps next time, I will try the other varieties.

Chinese Ginseng Chicken Soup Recipe

A small Chinese bowl with chicken soup, made with ginseng, garlic, ginger, dried wolfberries and longan,  pepper and salt, water and spring onion.
Warm, nourishing, and aromatic, this traditional Chinese Ginseng Chicken Soup is an ideal  one-pot meal for rainy days, chilly evenings, or anytime you crave comfort. Tender chicken pieces simmer with ginseng, dried wolfberries (kei chi), and longans, creating a mildly sweet, wholesome soup.

Truly delicious on its own or pair it with rice for a complete (PORK CHOPS CHINESE STYLE), immune-boosting meal the whole family will love.

 

Making authentic Chinese chicken soup is easier than you think. Using store-bought ginseng along with garlic, ginger, and dried herbs, all it takes is a gentle simmer to let the flavors meld.

Wednesday, August 14, 2024

Mental Health and Productivity: The Case for Corporate Yoga

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
Corporate wellness programs are increasingly emphasizing mindfulness, mental health, and work-life balance, yet yoga often remains sidelined. This abstract examines the integration of yoga into corporate wellness initiatives and the benefits it offers. Despite the growing popularity of mindfulness practices such as meditation and breathwork, which originate from yoga philosophy, many organizations overlook yoga's comprehensive benefits. This study explores the disconnect between the promotion of wellness practices and the actual incorporation of yoga into corporate programs. It highlights the extensive benefits of corporate yoga, including improved mental clarity, stress reduction, physical health, and enhanced workplace morale.

Monday, August 12, 2024

Pulut Inti: Glutinous Rice with Sweet Coconut

Steamed white glutinous rice scented with pandan leaves, into mounts, atop with palm sugar sweet coconut.
Pulut Inti (Pulut Inti Manis) is a classic Malaysian kuih-muih (sweet delicacy) made with pandan-scented white glutinous rice topped with grated coconut cooked in palm sugar (gula melaka).

Traditionally, the rice and coconut are neatly folded or wrapped in banana leaves, but don’t worry if you don’t have them. Pulut Inti can still be made and tasted without the leaves (STEAMED SAGO CAKES/SAGU KUKUS). 

Egg Sambal Recipe (Sambal Telur)

Boiled eggs in a spicy red chilies, fresh turmeric and dried shrimps gravy, scented with basil leaves.
Sambal is always a favourite and a must on the Malaysian food list. No sambal, spicy chili gravy, means a Malaysian meal isn’t complete.

When boiled eggs are added, it becomes egg sambal, or sambal telur. This recipe is special because it includes dried shrimp (udang kering), adding a rich umami depth on top of roasted shrimp paste (belacan), all mellowed with fresh turmeric (MUTTON RENDANG/RENDANG KAMBING). 

Sunday, August 11, 2024

Reviving Minds: Yoga’s Impact on Mental Health

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
Yoga, an ancient practice combining breathwork, physical postures, and mindfulness, has emerged as a potent tool for improving mental health. This article investigates the therapeutic benefits of yoga in addressing stress, anxiety, and depression. It reviews recent academic studies to highlight how yoga's integrative approach - through breath regulation, mindful movement, and relaxation - enhances emotional resilience and mental clarity. The paper contrasts yoga with conventional mental health interventions and emphasizes its role as a complementary therapy. By examining current evidence and theoretical perspectives, the study advocates for the integration of yoga into mental health practices, underscoring its potential to rejuvenate and stabilize the mind amidst the demands of modern life.

Keywords: Yoga, Mental Health, Stress Relief, Anxiety Management, Depression, Breathwork, Mindfulness, Emotional Resilience, Complementary Therapy.

Vietnamese Noodles: Lamb Pho

Inspired by Vietnamese pho, here is a tweaked version of the classic noodle soup, Lamb Pho. While it may not be the exact version of Vietnam...