Saturday, March 5, 2016

Ennai Kathirikai Kuzhambu (Brinjal Curry)

Ennai Kathirikai Kuzhambu! In layman's terms, Ennai Kathirikai Kuzhambu is a kind of brinjal curry. Simply as that and let's keep it that way instead of complicating our food cooking matter. And when I speak about brinjal or even aubergine on the whole, pretty much quite a regularity in my house. Brinjal can be considered as our favourite and any which way it is cooked (Thai Style EggplantJapanese Saute Eggplant, Eggplant Tikka & Brinjal Stir Fry), we love it. But seemingly, its like a habit of mine in adding brinjal into curries or gravies (Nadan Meen Curry, Goan Prawn Curry & Vegetable Kurma). Of course, the stir fried styles (Terong Balado, Bengali Begun Bhaja & Baingan Bharta) does come into our food picture as well. Today, obviously, brinjal in curry. A vegetarian curry. Overall, a spicy, tangy, attractive, vibrant and exciting to your palates curry. 

Sunday, February 28, 2016

Cape Town - South Africa (Day 1)

Another love rekindling travel of ours, trust me, I didn't expect South Africa will be where I will be landing (Copenhagen & Bergen). Never, not at all in my slightest moment I would have imagined I will be stepping foot in South Africa. Oh-my! What a joy. A joy which kept playing on my mind for the last one year or so, ever since we started planning for here we are coming to get you South Africa (Rome & Verona/Milan). By the way, lemme tell you that exploring South Africa was not bestowed because we knocked on heaven's door. Knocking on heaven's door may have gotten to god's ears, but without us relentlessly working our butts out, South Africa most probably would have remained unshaken forever as our life long travelling mission. Basically, we saved as much as we could. Saving and not by fluke shot for this rather pricey South Africa 10 days 7 nights holiday. 

Tuesday, February 16, 2016

The Golden Triangle Boat Ride (Chiang Rai - Thailand)

Myanmar (Myanmar Across The Border Of Mae Sai) literally ran over me like a big hot furnest bulldozer. Massive traffic in all directions between the cluttered roads, motorbikes and cycles, dust flying all over and weather really got to me. Sweat dripping soaking wet within the few hours, no, no, don't get me wrong. I am not sulking nor complaining. After all, what is travelling if you can't put up with expecting the expected or unexpected? There's by the way no guarantee to none while travelling, I guess we have to make do with it for the best or worst which in return does do a whole lot of good by exposing us to seeing and understanding how different parts of the world is functioning differently than ours. But if by any chance you are not someone who is apt for exploring the not nice context of travelling, I suggest you sit at home Chiang Rai, Chiang Mai Day 2 & Chiang Mai Day 1) and grow old as a grumpy pot. 

Saturday, February 13, 2016

Pulut Inti (Glutinous Rice With Sweet Coconut)

It is one thing for cooking, the other is whether you must have all the ingredients? What then? What happens when you can't get certain specific ingredients? You are going to ditched aside the idea of making the dish? Or my question is, are you still going to go ahead by making do? Making do basically meaning, are we going to go ahead with the dish. If you are asking me, I am quite a good cooking runner. I always make do. Take this pulut inti for an example. By right, you need banana leaves, then again? So what? What about re-looking at how can we still make without the leaves. I definitely did fine. My pyrex showed me the way and I hand-crafted Pulut Inti for the serving style. See, I already told you? Nothing is absolute and you can still be a food hero in your own way. What is Pulut Inti? Clue already given. Glutinous rice with sweet coconut which must placed alongside our kuih-muih or local delicacies (Chrysanthemum Goji Jelly, Kuih Kosui & Malaysian Sago Pudding). Our Kuih-muih (Bingka Pisang, Bubur Chacha & Honeydew Sago Dessert)? The treasures of Malaysia and will forever remain as our propelling sweet treat, sweet delight and our sweet moment  (Wajik PulutKuih Buah MelakaKuih Sagu Kukus & Pumpkin Sago Dessert).

Saturday, February 6, 2016

Myanmar - Across the Border From Mae Sai

Pretty much an effortless crossing over to Myanmar from the border of Mae Sai. Thanks to our adorable tour guide, we paid her I think RM200.00 and she did the rest. Pass for crossing over and where and where we should head to for the next few hours, all of it sorted out by this lady. While she got moving to getting the pass, we waited, and within the next less than 1/2 an hour, we walked from the arch that separates Chiang Mai and Myanmar (Chiang Rai, Chiang Mai Day 2 & Chiang Mai Day 1). My-my, what a interesting travelling moment. Crossing over to another country by walking. Hundreds of others were also walking from and across the border, I hardly noticed any tourists though, subsequently, we hopped into our van and there we were already on the busy and quite a messy any way is your traffic way in Tachilek, Myanmar. Weather on this particular day lemme tell was killer heat. Really really hot. Literally unbearable and the dust simply flying at its whims and fancy made it even worst. 

Monday, January 18, 2016

Chiang Mai (Day 2) - Thailand

What a start for the day. Couldn't have been any better (Chiang Mai Day One). No better in fact for a traveller like me who love nature all things nice, our first stop for the day in Bai Orchid And Butterfly Farm was akin Nava K tinkle bell nature. Awesomeness. Utterly. Still memorable till this day. Rows and rows of colorful and different species orchids which were in my imagination smiling and greeting me naturally brightly. Though, honestly, I have never so far had any luck in growing orchids. Orchids I grow eventually depart to heaven happily or sadly. Strange that for someone like me who is into some serious stuff of gardening in my tiny plot of garden, I am yet to horn my orchid growing skills. I suppose its one of those things you still can't gasp despite trying over and over, until I think I have given up on growing orchids. Therefore, this trip of ours to Bai Orchid And Butterfly Farm sincerely was a fantastic eye opener to propagating orchids and what else you can do with the orchids flowers you have lovingly cultivated. Those hair clips and accessories you can buy indeed caught up on me until I couldn't resist picking up a few pieces for remembrance as well.   




  
Butterfly farm in Bai Orchid too was another interesting nature discovery, but it wasn't something totally new to me (Malacca Butterfly & Reptile Sanctuary). Having said that, nature splendour is still an appreciated splendour wherever it may be. Departing from Bai Orchid & Butterfly Farm, we then arrived in Chiang Mai Karen Hilltop Long Neck Village. I can't tell you if there's other long neck villages in Chiang Mai or if this is the only one, maybe yes, maybe no, I really can't confirm though, what became a tiny bit of question mark in Karen Hilltop Long Neck Village is paying RM50.00 as the unofficial entrance fee. Didn't make sense, honestly, I wasn't expecting it, then again for the benefit of the doubt, considering that its a source of income for the people, we didn't mind paying. After all, tourism is a big money chunking business in Thailand, additionally, nothing is free when you travel? Karen Hilltop Long Neck Village by the way I must admit was quite an intriguing culture of discovery the moment we started walking right to the further end. Not really a big area though, but definitely the ladies and young girls donning the long heavy gold metal piece on their necks I reckon are the spoken must do attraction in Chiang Mai. Of course, you are allowed to picture alongside them, and the scarfs and handicrafts are a buying pleasure of yours.   



An hour most to most in Karen Hilltop Long Neck Village, actually more than ample time, next on our itinerary was Maetaeng Elephant Park. Elephants bathing, elephants that won't stop eating bananas you feed them and elephant playing football and painting. Marvelous. We enjoyed every bit of our visit to Maetaeng Elephant Park, for the first time ever I tried the elephant ride which of course no doubt trilled and excited me, but stopping you every now and then for buying sugar cane and bananas for feeding I thought was corny money ripping. Subsequently, we browsed through the products in the souvenir shop, we had lunch in one of the restaurants and off we left for Chiang Mai Snake & Monkey show.   




Monkey show and snake show I believe will be included if you are in a tour, but honestly, since I have done it before (Krabi, Thailand), my enthusiasm while watching the monkey tricks and man to snakes wrestling didn't pierce right into my travelling heart neither mind. If you have not done it before, I suppose you won't stop being impressed.    

Two more stops for the day, touristy stops I must say. Silver and royal jelly and birds nest cottage industry visits. Pressure to buying was not so bad in the silver outlet, but at the latter, royal jelly and birds nest both in one outlet, the young doll sales staff was quite a forceful smiling humble thing until my guy friend didn't mind paying a couple of hundreds. Anyway I am in no way disputing the health power of royal jelly or birds nest. Go ahead, buy all you want, pay a couple of hundreds for healthy is wealth attraction in Chiang Mai. 
  

Day 2 in Chiang Mai ended with dinner and back to the hotel. Quite a fun-fantastic day I must say. In store for us tomorrow is Chiang Rai here we are coming to get you. 

To be continued................









Tuesday, January 12, 2016

Chiang Mai (Thailand)

I suppose nothing comes easy our way. Literally none. Ask me and I will tell you, but I can't speak on behalf of any of you. I won't and I choose not to anyway because to each our own bundle of life stories. My story without a doubt have been a roller coaster ride and yo-yo string up and down for as long as I remember. Years of struggling for settling in a career I am passionate about, one marriage failure after 16 years and the rest is more and more pain and misery history until my Indian hero came by. Honestly, if you asking me, he is god send for rescuing me. Whether you agree or not, I really believe there's a soul mate out there for each of us. I met mine when I was dangling in many question marks at 37 years old. The rest is history in making whereby we together worked our butts out for a comfortable life (more at Verona & Milan). Additionally, unlike the current generation, the lucky generation who are showered with lotsa money by their parents for travelling, I had to save. Thanks also to my other half-half for kick starting me hard towards my first ever heroic solo travel (Bangkok Thailand - Through My Canon). Thereafter, I did my solo tour group travel to Vietnam & Cambodia, followed by all expenses paid for knowledge thirsting in Perth and next was another solo travel by way of cruising (Krabi & Perth). 

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