Monday, October 7, 2024

Vegetable Pulao Recipe

A bowl of rice dish, made from spices, green chilies, saffron, nuts, dark raisins, green peas, coriander leaves and coconut milk.
Vegetable biryani and vegetable pulao are both flavorful rice dishes, yet they differ. Biryani is layered and cooked slowly for a bold, spicy taste, while pulao is cooked in one pot, giving it a milder, comforting flavor. Biryani is popular in India, Pakistan, and the Middle East, whereas pulao is across South Asia as a home-style dish (VEGETABLE BIRYANI). 

Both use fresh vegetables and aromatic spices like cardamom, cloves, cinnamon, and bay leaf, often with onion, tomato, ginger, and garlic.

Sunday, October 6, 2024

Prawn Curry Laksa

Thin rice noodles with thick spicy coconut milk prawn curry gravy, prawns, green chilies, red chilies and lime wedge.

One of the most enticing Prawn Curry Laksa, sure to trigger your appetite. Also known as curry mee, it’s purely prawn-based with room for your own twist (VEGETARIAN CURRY MEE). 

 

The flavor comes from a simple prawn stock: lightly fry prawn heads, add water, simmer, and strain. The rempah paste or homemade laksa paste combines dried red chillies, fish powder, and belacan (shrimp paste) to lift the taste.

Saturday, October 5, 2024

Things to Do in Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Indian lady lifting a red scarf behind her neck at the brown sand, sand dunes, during sunset in Dubai Safari.

Dubai, a world-famous cosmopolitan city in the United Arab Emirates, amazes visitors with its wide six-lane roads, modern highways, and towering skyscrapers. This busy city is home to people from many ethnic backgrounds, including locals, foreign workers from various industries, and numerous tourists. 


Dubai offers a mix of modern and traditional attractions, making it a top destination for things to do in Dubai. While it is not a cheap city for travelers, Dubai International Airport (DXB) serves as a major transit hub, connecting flights to cities across the globe (WHAT TO DO IN FLORENCE ITALY).

Friday, October 4, 2024

Vegetarian Noodle Soup

Wheat rolled noodles, with vegetarian soup, straw mushrooms, salad leaves and dried wolfberries.
A complete, wholesome meal. Chinese-style vegetarian noodle soup that’s easy and delicious. What makes a vegetarian noodle (VEGETARIAN CURRY MEE) soup, or any vegetarian soup, stand out? The stock.

Use a homemade vegetable stock made from onions, carrots, celery, and herbs, or store-bought stock - granules, cubes, or ready-made. For how to make vegetable broth or stock, click these links: Vegetable Stock and Vegetable Broth, from our YouTube channel.

 

Some dried wolfberries added to the stock bring natural sweetness and health benefits. The vegetables are simple. Straw mushrooms and salad leaves, but you can add more of your choice.

Foot Creams Review: Dry Skin & Cracked Heels

Lady showing her foot, highlighting areas needing care
How are your feet doing? Mine have already become rough, tough, and full of character, with lines and wrinkles forming a natural pattern. Honestly, I don't mind the wrinkling - people rarely notice my feet. Well, maybe they do when I’m conducting yoga sessions, but even then, I embrace the lines and wrinkles. What I do struggle with, though, is the rough, dry skin. At times, I can feel the skin flaking under my fingers. Being an urban gardener and taking care of household chores that involve frequent contact with water makes this almost inevitable.

The real concern for me is if the dry, flaky skin will start peeling and expose raw skin underneath  -  thankfully, that hasn’t happened yet. For some, dry feet can lead to cracked heels, which can be quite painful. Once the cracks deepen, they can bleed, making every step excruciating. Luckily, this hasn’t been my issue, but I’m always mindful of it.

Wednesday, October 2, 2024

Semperit Cookies Recipe: Biskut Dahlia

Long square cookies, made with custard flour, corn flour, butter, egg yolk and sugar, colorful sugar sprinkles atop.
Whether baked as long stripes or shaped like Dahlia flowers, these are yellow golden custard cookies that melt in the mouth. Some call them Kuih Semperit or Kuih Dahlia. They are Malay heritage traditional cookies (PINEAPPLE TARTS). 

The crumbly texture comes from corn flour and custard flour. Visually appealing and a delight to eat. Still popular for Hari Raya festive seasons, along with other Malay cookies.

 

The difference in making these custard cookies lies in the mould. Use either the stringent like metal long mould or a flower-shaped cookie cutter. Otherwise, the ingredients are the same (BUTTER COOKIES).

Tuesday, October 1, 2024

Singapore Laksa

A bowl of rice noodles, with coconut milk spiced thick fish gravy, pineapple, cucumber, red chilies and red onion.
Coconut milk, homemade spice paste, fish stock, and fish pieces, all lifted by the aroma of Vietnamese coriander (daun kesum). This is the vibrant, absolutely delicious laksa.

Is there much difference between Malaysian Laksa and Singapore Laksa? Not really. Some ingredients are the same, while others vary slightly. This laksa is also a blend of Asam Laksa and Curry Laksa.

 

The recipe is simple, with no lengthy ingredients list. It’s all about convenient home cooking. Unlike hawker stalls, food courts, or restaurants, it can be easily replicated at home -affordable, straightforward, and fuss-free (PRAWN MEE).

Cempedak Goreng Recipe

Crispy batter and black sesame seeds coated cempedak, with yellow orange fruit inside.
Crunchy outer batter coating, and soft, yellow-orange cempedak fruit inside. For Malaysians, or even those in Indonesia, Thailand, and Singapore, cempedak needs no introduction. But for the rest of the world? Cempedak is a tropical fruit, similar to jackfruit, and can be eaten fresh. It’s especially delicious when fried as a snack or sweet dessert (KUIH KASWI RECIPE). 

Cleaning cempedak can be messy due to its sticky sap, like jackfruit. Sometimes it’s easiest to buy from fruit traders who have already prepared the fruit.

Wardah UV Shield Essential Gel Sunscreen

Front view of Wardah UV Shield Essential Gel Sunscreen tube showcasing its packaging
How many of you actively defend your skin against the sun? It's crucial to acknowledge that indoor lighting, as well as the light from laptops and smartphones, emits rays that can harm your skin. Today, I want to focus specifically on facial skin.

Neglecting to shield your skin from sun exposure and indoor light sources can lead to several adverse consequences:

Accelerated Skin Aging
Prolonged exposure to UV rays can result in fine lines, wrinkles, and hyperpigmentation.

Increased Risk of Skin Cancers
UV radiation can damage the DNA in skin cells, raising the risk of skin cancers, including melanoma.

Skin Inflammation
The blue light emitted from electronic devices is linked to various skin issues, potentially causing inflammation and contributing to conditions like acne and pigmentation disorders.

Monday, September 30, 2024

Nyonya Lam Mee

Close view of yellow noodles in thick eggy prawn gravy, with seafood and Chinese broccoli.
Thick, gooey gravy made from egg, soy sauce, oyster sauce, and prawn gravy clings to yellow noodles, seafood and Chinese broccoli (kailan), served with sambal belacan (spicy shrimp paste dip). This is what makes Nyonya Lam Mee a beloved Malaysian Nyonya-style noodle dish and a traditional homemade noodle recipe.

Bursting with flavor, this noodle dish instantly awakens your taste buds. While it may sound like a complicated recipe, it’s actually simple: the prawn stock (PRAWN FRIED MEE) and the rest are common Chinese ingredients.

Climate Change and Mental Health: A Call to Action

Author
Ms. Krishnan N, a Zen entrepreneur in her 60s, founded Nava's Zen at the age of 58. With 22 years of experience 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 vast expertise enriches her current work, where she blends wellness practices with personal development. She is also the urban gardener of Nava's Zen, passionately incorporating sustainable living principles into her holistic lifestyle and business approach.

Abstract
This article explores the multifaceted impacts of climate change, emphasizing the interconnectedness of individual actions, leadership accountability, and mental health repercussions. It highlights the significant role of food choices in exacerbating climate issues, particularly the wastefulness associated with leftover consumption and the environmental toll of processed foods and single-use plastics. Additionally, the article scrutinizes the effectiveness of leaders and politicians in promoting sustainable practices, questioning their commitment amidst lavish lifestyles that contradict their public advocacy.

Saturday, September 28, 2024

Indian Masala Chicken Curry

Top view of chicken curry, made with homemade curry spice paste, spices and curry leaves.
Not your usual Indian chicken curry, this is Masala Chicken Curry. It uses a homemade masala paste and a mix of spices for a thick, tasty curry with tender chicken. Potatoes are included in the curry for extra substance.

Spices are the backbone of Indian cooking, and in this curry, they bring depth, aroma, and authentic flavor. The recipe starts with making the masala paste. For natural thickness and creaminess, cashew nuts are added. The rest uses common kitchen staples and a straightforward cooking method (CHICKEN RENDANG).

Friday, September 27, 2024

Vegetarian Curry Mee Recipe

A bowl of blanched thin rice noodles, with coconut milk spicy curry, topped with fried brown tofu, soy sheets, oyster mushrooms and mint leaves.
Whether it’s called curry mee or curry laksa, this Malaysian favourite is a comforting bowl of noodles drenched in thick, coconut milk–based curry. The name depends on where you are, in Penang and northern Malaysia, it’s curry mee, while in Kuala Lumpur, Selangor, and the south, it’s known as curry laksa. Either way, both names refer to the same delicious dish (SIAMESE LAKSA LEMAK).

Curry mee ranges from pork broth to seafood or chicken-based versions, each with its own choice of toppings. For a vegetarian version (VEGETARIAN NASI LEMAK), the broth or stock is key. It lifts the flavours and prevents the curry from tasting flat. You can keep it simple with common kitchen staples and store-bought ingredients, or make your own curry paste by blending fresh ingredients.

Thursday, September 26, 2024

Butter Cookies Recipe: Eggless

Butter cookies on a glass cover and a few decked, made from vanilla, butter, flour and milk.
Crumbly, buttery, and with a gentle milky flavor, these cookies carry the irresistible aroma of vanilla. An eggless version, and vegetarian cookies too. Unlike other types of butter cookies, these vanilla butter cookies stand out for their pale milky hue and incredibly soft texture (CHOCOLATE COOKIES EGGLESS). 

One bite, and they melt effortlessly in the mouth.

 

This is also an easy butter cookies recipe. What’s the secret to their crumbly, crunchy yet soft bite? Corn flour. The dough will be sticky, which is why it needs to be set in the fridge. The result? Absolutely one of the best homemade cookies (PEANUT COOKIES).

Must-Visit Sights in Turkey

A white huge hot-air balloon on the ground, with faint view of the people in charge, getting ready for it to be drifted up on the sky, Turkey. it up to Cappadocia
For travelers, a well-rounded trip to experience the best things to do in Turkey typically lasts 8 nights and 10 days. This timeframe includes road travel, domestic flights, and airport transits, whether arriving in Turkey or connecting through hubs like Dubai. There’s also time set aside for shopping for local Turkish products and sampling authentic Turkish food.

Turkey is (BEST PLACES TO VISIT IN TURKEY) undoubtedly world-renowned for its iconic sights that you won’t want to miss due to their popularity and cultural significance. While visiting these top attractions, you may also discover lesser-known, but equally significant spots, some of which might already be part of your tour.

Tuesday, September 24, 2024

Chocolate Cookies Recipe: Eggless

Round bakes chocolate cookies, made from cocoa powder, butter, sugar, flour and cayenne pepper.
Eggless chocolate cookies - the mild bitterness of cocoa powder, when paired with sugar and butter, creates a crumbly delight that melts on the tastebuds. But wait, add a touch of spiciness from cayenne pepper, and the flavor takes on another dimension (CHOCOLATE COFFEE CAKE EGGLESS). 

Cayenne pepper is the classic choice, but you can also use chili flakes or any other type of chili powder. Once all the ingredients are combined, the dough will be sticky. That’s why it needs to rest in the fridge first. After chilling, pinch the dough into small balls and flatten with a fork.

Pandan Leaves: Screwpine Leaves

Sweet, grassy, slightly nutty with a hint of coconut, that’s the essence of pandan leaves, also known as screwpine leaves or pandanus leaves...