Tuesday, August 19, 2025

Simple Yoga Poses for Relaxation

Indian lady yoga instructor, in yoga outfit, performing yoga pose with one leg bends, both arms lifted up, in garden setting.
Feeling overwhelmed by daily stress? Modern life moves so fast that finding calm can seem impossible. These simple yoga poses can help you slow down, relax, and restore balance. Although the universe rotates at its own pace, everything around us seems to move very fast.

Today’s lifestyle is about rushing and juggling multiple tasks, leaving people constantly trying to keep up. Several factors contribute to this fast-paced environment.

Saturday, August 16, 2025

How to Make Jelly: Natural Green Jelly Recipe

White bowl with, made with green leaves sliced jellies, atop with coconut milk and palm sugar syrup.

Green Cincau Jelly, also called Cincau Hijau in Malaysia, is a healthy, all-natural jelly made from just two ingredients: Cincau leaves and water. This green jelly has a mild grassy flavour and is often enjoyed plain or with coconut milk, Gula Melaka, or honey. Packed with nutrients, it’s a simple and wholesome Malaysian dessert.

Tuesday, August 12, 2025

How To Grow Calamansi Lime

On the front side of a palm, three calamansi limes, in nature surrounding.
The little citrus-scented green balls with dark skin and orangey flesh filled with seeds when sliced, these are calamansi limes. A popular ingredient in Southeast Asian cooking, especially in Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, and the Philippines, calamansi adds that essential sourness or tangy lift that brightens up dishes.

Calamansi lime has a unique tangy-sweet flavour, somewhat like a cross between lime and mandarin orange. Compared to the regular green lime commonly used in Asian cooking (HOW TO GROW TORCH GINGER/BUNGA KANTAN), which is sharper and more acidic, calamansi is milder and slightly sweeter.

Saturday, August 9, 2025

How to Make Easy Overnight Oats

Overnight Oats In a Bottle - rolled oats, milk, chia seeds, blueberries and walnuts.
Breakfast on the go doesn’t have to mean sacrificing nutrition. Overnight oats are a quick, no-cook option, ideal even for grab-and-go mornings. Just assemble the ingredients and refrigerate. This make-ahead breakfast is not only convenient but also nutritious and delicious (EASY VEGETARIAN BREAD PUDDING).

You can prep overnight oats 2 to 3 days in advance, but food safety is key, a healthy (PUMPKIN BARLEY DESSERT) breakfast shouldn't cause an upset stomach. Follow these simple hygiene tips to keep your oats fresh.

Tuesday, August 5, 2025

Penang Food: Indian-Muslim Food (Seberang Perai)

Indian Muslim man making fluffy, crispy flat breads, at the food counter, Penang, Malaysia.
Indian-Muslim food, or Mamak food, is a key part of what to eat in Penang (BEST THINGS TO DO IN PENANG) Whether bold or subtly spiced, these flavours reflect generations of Indian-Muslim heritage, still alive in every dish.

The Indian-Muslim community came to Penang during the spice trade era as traders, cooks, and labourers. They settled, built communities, and opened eateries that blended Indian spices with Malay and local Penang influences, becoming a food segment of Malaysian food.

Saturday, August 2, 2025

Easy Chicken Curry Recipe: Indian Style

Medium size Indian pot with Indian chicken curry, cooked with spices, green chilies, curry leaves, tomatoes, shallots, water & salt.
Tired of chicken curry recipes with long ingredient lists and complicated steps? If you’re short on time, this quick and easy Indian-style chicken curry is perfect for you (BEST INDIAN CHICKEN SOUP).

With just a few pantry staples, anyone, even beginners, can make this tasty home-style chicken curry at home. You can also use ready-made chicken curry paste to save even more time.

 

Make Ahead and Freeze for Convenience

Here’s a tip: cook a big batch and freeze individual portions. It’s a convenient way to enjoy homemade chicken curry whenever you want. You can also make it a day ahead for gatherings, the flavors get even better as the curry soaks into the chicken (CHICKEN RENDANG RECIPE).

Monday, July 28, 2025

Spicy Prawn with Beans Recipe: Sambal Petai Udang

A bowl of prawns cooked with stink beans, red chili paste, shallots, tomato, lemongrass, shrimp paste and lime juice.

Petai, also known as stink beans, may not be everyone’s favourite, but they are much loved in Malaysia and Indonesia. Packed with health benefits, petai is often eaten raw as ulam (Malay-style raw salad). In traditional Malaysian cooking, petai is commonly prepared as sambal (SAMBAL TELUR/EGG SAMBAL), a spicy gravy or sauce, cooked with seafood like prawns, dried anchovies (ikan bilis), or squid (sotong).

 

This easy prawn sambal recipe is one of the best ways to enjoy petai at home. It’s a classic Malaysian sambal dish made with simple, pantry-friendly ingredients (STIR-FRIED WINGED BEANS). For extra aroma and flavour, don’t skip the much-loved Asian herbs like lemongrass. In today’s version of Petai Prawn Sambal, turmeric leaves and fresh turmeric are added to enhance the earthy taste.

Thursday, July 24, 2025

Sanur Festival: Celebrate Bali’s Coastal Culture in Style

Sanur isn’t just about sunrise walks and calm beaches (though I love those too, don’t get me wrong). This chill seaside town knows how to throw a good party while keeping things breezy, and the upcoming Sanur festival lineup proves it. If you’re looking for fun, color, and a peek into the actual local culture, here’s your cheat sheet for what’s coming next. Mark your calendar, gather your friends, and get ready to swap your Bintang for coconut water (or hey, have both) because these events in Bali will keep your Sanur days anything but boring!

 

Pica Fest (24 – 27 July 2025) at Lapangan Niti Mandala, Denpasar

Monday, July 21, 2025

Indian Food Review: Annapurna Restaurant (Rimbayu)

Social media platforms have become the go-to for discovering where to dine, what to eat, and which restaurants to try. That’s how I came across Annapurna Restaurant, a well rated Indian restaurant in Bandar Rimbayu, Selangor, Malaysia (16 G, Jalan Flora 1/1, 42500 Telok Panglima Garang). Their tagline, “Spices That Speak,” promises authentic Indian flavours, a tempting offer (EASIEST VEGETARIAN NASI LEMAK).

 

(Watch the full Indian dining experience at Annapurna Restaurant Rimbayu in Selangor on our YouTube channel)

Thursday, July 17, 2025

Travelling as a Path to Mental Well-Being and Joy of Life

Man standing at the beach during sunset with arms raised halfway, facing the sea, partially visible in silhouette.
It is a well-established fact that globetrotters don't simply escape their daily routines; rather, they enter an unknown, magical world full of surprises and discoveries. Everyone who leaves their comfort zone is exposed to unusual experiences, diverse cultures, languages, and customs.  This self-discovery not only broadens their horizons but also positively affects physical and emotional well-being, leading to greater life satisfaction levels. Let's take a closer look at the mental health perks of travel. 

 

Nourishing Your Brain 
Psychologists have long noticed that travel stimulates blissful emotions and has a beneficial effect on the human psyche. When we venture to a spot we have never been before, or even just change the environment, our brains are supposed to adapt to novel conditions. 

Tuesday, July 15, 2025

Indonesia Food Guide

Varieties of raw sliced Indonesian salads, in two rattan trays, for a buffet meal.
Indonesia is a large country both in size and population. With an estimated population of over 277 million people (as of 2025), it is the fourth most populous country in the world. Geographically, Indonesia is the largest archipelago, made up of over 17,000 islands, and ranks as the 14th largest country by land area (MOUNT MERAPI INDONESIA TOUR). 

With such diversity across its regions, Indonesia’s food culture is just as wide-ranging. In every city or town, food is part of daily life, and eating out is common. You might also come across Indonesian food outside the country, as some Indonesians living abroad have introduced it through small eateries or food ventures (IKAN BALADO RECIPE).

Saturday, July 12, 2025

Stir-Fried Winged Beans: Kacang Botol Goreng Belacan

Stir-fried winged beans/kacang botol with pounded chillies, garlic, shallots, and shrimp paste, seasoned with lime, salt, and palm sugar.
Winged beans - also known as four-angled beans, four-winged beans, or kacang botol in Bahasa Malaysia, are a popular vegetable in Malaysian kitchens (SARDINE SAMBAL/SAMBAL SARDIN). I've been trying to grow them, but with no luck so far. Honestly, I don’t know why!

Winged beans can be eaten raw, dipped into sambal belacan (SAMBAL BELACAN RECIPES), or cooked into one of our Malaysian favourites - spicy stir-fried winged beans, known as kacang botol goreng belacan. You can find this dish in Malay eateries (MALAY VEGETABLE STEW/SAYUR LODEH) and Chinese restaurants across the country 

Wednesday, July 9, 2025

Yoga for your pre-wedding planning process: Why is it a great way to manage the stress of this period and be Zen?

A wedding is among the most important days in your life, and particularly because of its significance, this event can bring considerable stress. This is why you must look for other ways that can help you alleviate some of the anxiety and stress of this period. It can be easy to get caught up in your wedding planning, but this process can also leave you feeling exhausted. This occurs because you have a long list of tasks to accomplish, and among the most important ones are finding your bride's dress, organizing the guest list, selecting the right venue, and searching for suitable vendors, among others.


So, when you want to be Zen and alleviate some of the stress, you can try yoga, which is one of the best ways to relax, spend time focusing on yourself, and also keep you in great shape. In this article, we will explore why incorporating yoga into your pre-wedding planning is a great idea. Keep reading to learn more.  

Tuesday, July 8, 2025

Asian Travel Food Guide: What to Eat in Vietnam

Steamed Vietnamese fish in sauce with onions and herbs.
Vietnamese food stands out as one of Asia’s most vibrant and flavor-packed cuisines. With big, bold tastes and distinct character, it holds its own alongside Cambodian, Thai, Malaysian, and Indonesian food (SPICY LEMONGRASS FISH). When it comes to Asian flavours, it’s all about elevating the taste experience, and Vietnam delivers that through a unique mix of fresh ingredients and local cooking styles.

 

Whether you’re a meat lover or vegetarian, there’s something for everyone. Vietnamese food strikes a balance between subtlety and richness - dishes that gently light up the tastebuds without overpowering. So, what should you eat in Vietnam? The options are endless, from street stalls and roadside carts to restaurants and even high-end eateries (THINGS TO DO IN VIETNAM).

Saturday, July 5, 2025

Sun Protection: Biore UV Perfect Protect Milk Review

Outer packaging of Biore UV Perfect Protect Milk SPF50+ PA+++ sunscreen; yellow bottle, white cap, dark blue text.
How important is sun protection? In my opinion, it’s not just important, it’s non-negotiable for anyone serious about maintaining healthy skin. Regular use of sunscreen helps reduce the risk of wrinkles, pigmentation, and premature aging (PALMER'S SKIN THERAPY OIL). While the term “sunblock” still appears in casual conversations, it’s outdated in the skincare world. Sunscreens like Biore UV Perfect Protect Milk SPF50+ PA+++ offer reliable, broad-spectrum protection without claiming to block 100% of UV rays.

(A quick look at Biore UV Perfect Protect Milk SPF50+ PA+++ — lightweight texture, smooth application, and sun protection in action.)

Mee Siam Goreng Recipe

Springy rice vermicelli (bee hoon), stir-fried to the right texture, coated in a spicy, mildly salty rempah with taucheo (fermented soybean ...