While discussions about mental well-being are more common than ever, there may be those who quietly struggle under daily pressures. Yoga offers a natural and accessible way to restore balance, cultivate inner calm, and improve focus, helping anyone navigate life’s challenges with greater ease (5 TOP MINDFULNESS TIPS).
What to eat in Indonesia isn’t complicated. The
country offers food for everyone, depending on your preferences. Vegetarians,
vegans, and those who need gluten-free options will find choices available (SURAKARTA TRAVEL GUIDE).
Dish names are usually listed on menus or visible at street stalls, but
ingredients aren’t always clear.
In such instances, it’s best to ask whether a dish contains animal products, dairy, or ingredients that may cause allergies.
Crunchy,
fresh, crisp, spicy, and tangy papaya salad. Truly an appetizing dish that
wakes up your taste buds instantly. Whether as a healthy salad for nibbling or
paired with rice as an Asian meal, this green papaya salad is versatile. Known
as Som Tum in Thailand, Bok Lahong in Cambodia (ANGKOR WAT CAMBODIA), Kerabu Betik in Malaysia, and Gỏi
đu đủ in Vietnam, it can be made with unripe or semi-ripe papaya.
The best thing about this no-cook papaya salad recipe is there’s nothing to heat on the stove. While traditional preparation may involve pounding ingredients, thinly sliced or chopped papaya work just as well.
Sweet, grassy, slightly nutty with a hint of
coconut, that’s the essence of pandan leaves, also known as screwpine leaves or
pandanus leaves. Comparable to vanilla beans or vanilla essence, pandan leaves
are long, vibrant green, and naturally sharp along the edges. Recognized as a
top Southeast Asian culinary and medicinal herb, pandan leaves are a source of
pride across the region (TORCH GINGER/BUNGA KANTAN).
In Western countries, fresh pandan leaves are often expensive and hard to source, with substitutes like pandan extract or pandan flavoring used instead. In contrast, they grow effortlessly in Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, the Philippines, and Vietnam, and can also be found in Sri Lanka and parts of southern India, though they are not widely used there.
Following the traditional pho style from Vietnamese street stalls, the dish features an aromatic and flavorful lamb bone soup, poured over blanched rice noodles or bee hoon. The broth is simmered with essential spices, as in Vietnamese pho - cinnamon, star anise, cloves, and coriander seeds, which are also common in Indian cooking.
The ambiance is nothing fancy - long tables with chairs or benches. Menus may be a single laminated sheet or a wall listing in unassuming eateries, while at street stalls, menus are usually displayed somewhere on the cart.
Yet, despite its popularity and countless conversations, mindfulness practice remains a challenge - more a concept than a consistent habit.
Unlike ginger, galangal has a sharper, citrusy, pine-like flavor that makes it a unique spice in soups, curries, and sauces. In its raw form, it gives off a bright aroma with citrus and woody notes, stronger and spicier than ginger.
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.
Green Cincau Jelly (Cincau Hijau) is a
two ingredient homemade jelly that is soft, wobbly, and naturally cooling. In
its natural form, this no-cook jelly carries a fresh, grassy, and lightly
earthy flavor with a hint of bitterness. It’s an acquired taste, and not
everyone can digest it easily.
But sure,
as a sweet dessert, as an Asian dessert, it can be anything more than coconut
milk and palm sugar/Gula Melaka syrup. Or, to convert to a Western style
dessert, honey, a scoop of ice cream, or even pancake.
A top notch healthy dessert, Green Cincau made from Cencau Perdu leaves (Premna oblongifolia or Cyclea barbata), is valued for its chlorophyll, natural cooling effect, gentle digestion, hydration, and antioxidants.
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.
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.
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.
Easy,
quick, and made with pantry-friendly ingredients, this spicy and delicious
chicken curry is a must-try. These days, for an easy chicken curry or instant
chicken curry, store-bought curry paste, or even dry spice blends, can do the
job (CHICKEN CURRY WITH COCONUT MILK).
Still, nothing beats this homemade chicken curry, made with aromatic spices, curry leaves, and store-bought chili powder.
Healthy,
spicy superfood. Petai Sambal with prawns, or stink beans cooked in a Malay
spicy gravy, is a classic Malaysian seafood recipe. Petai is an acquired taste,
not for the faint-hearted due to its strong smell, but beloved by Malaysians (SARDINE SAMBAL/SAMBAL SARDIN).
Packed with health benefits, it contains a list of nutrients. Petai can also be eaten raw as a salad or ulam, dipped in sambal belacan, and paired with fresh vegetables like cucumber and salad leaves.
Light, mildly umami, and subtly sweet-savory broth with cooked-to-the-right-texture lotus root, black fungus, white tofu, and leek. The arom...
