Unexpected Surprise

Tristan, my travel buddy and I were seated in the local bus impatiently waiting to escape the beautiful city of Amritsar in Punjab. The only reason we were there was to visit the  Golden Temple. True enough, the amazing piece of architecture was no let down. Some even say it breathes more life than the over-visited Taj Mahal.

However, the town was just plain filthy and the hotel we stayed in was damp and infused with a funky stench. I would normally look forward to a cool and refreshing shower after spending an entire day out. But this time, the water was no beckon of comfort for the weary soul. Instead, it only left us with a sticky residue  and odour that only made me wish I had bathed in my own sweat.

Back in the bus...

The sweltering heat was beyond comprehension. I fish out my towel (already saturated with sweat) and attempt to wipe my dripping forehead. Tristan exclaims, "But you're from Malaysia!". I reply, almost apologetically, "Ummm...yeah I know. I just have big pores."

A man clad in a long-sleeved shirt and grey pants comes up on the stationary bus. He has a wooden box (like a toolbox) slung across his neck. He hollers something in Hindi and glances from left to right to see if there are any takers. A boy sitting diagonally behind me raises his hand and calls out to the 'Toolbox' peddler. 'Toolbox Peddler' opens the box and with a knife-like contraption, starts scraping and carving a white block. He pulls out a piece of leaf and swiftly places the scrapings on it and hands it to the boy. Tristan and I look on curiously. "What do you think it is, Tristan?", I ask. Tristan looks puzzled and guesses, "I think maybe cheese...it smells like cheese." 

'Toolbox Peddler' smiles at me and without a word carves a piece and places it on the leaf. He nods and puts the sample on my hand and urges me to taste it. I take it suspiciously and ask Tristan if he wants to try it. The boy behind looks at us in amusement and tries to promote the 'cheese'. "It's good. It's good!" he proclaims.

Tristan turns down my offer. I decide to go for it. I close my eyes and take a small bite...

Woo Hoo!!! Party in my mouth! Ice Cream!!! This homemade concoction was a sweet explosion of milk, cardamom and raisins complemented with the aroma of crunchy almonds. Creamy, refreshing treat in the unforgiving Indian heat. Yes, may I have one please!

K-Horror Goes Yoga

YOGA (2009)

Prepare to be yogily horrified! Already released in Korea, but after checking the latest cinema listings, don't think it's gonna make the local scene anytime soon. Maybe I should visit the friendly neighbourhood store soon :-)

King of Rock 'n' Roll yoga-ing

Certainly not one of the Elvis' finest but I found this hilarious!
'Yoga Is, As Yoga Does' from the 1967 film 'Easy Come Easy Go'.

Well I can see that you and yoga will never do

Yoga is as yoga does there's no in-between
You're either with it on the ball or you've blown the scene
I can see lookin' at you, you just can't get settled
How can I even move, twistin' like a pretzel

(Yoga is, yoga does)
(There's no in-between)
(Your either with it all the way) Or you've blown the scene
(Or you've blown the scene)

Come on come on, untwist my legs
Pull my arms a lot
How did I get so tied up
In this yoga knot
You tell me just how I can take this yoga serious
When all it ever gives to me is a pain in my posteriors

(Yoga is, yoga does)
(There's no in-between)
(Your either with it all the way) Or you've blown the scene
(Or you've blown the scene)

Stand upside down on your head, feet against the wall
A simple yoga exercise done by one and all
Now cross your eyes and hold your breath, look just like a clown
Yoga's sure to catch you if you come falling down

(Yoga is, yoga does)
(There's no in-between)
(Your either with it all the way) Or you've blown the scene
(Or you've blown the scene)

(Yoga is, yoga does)
(There's no in-between)
(Your either with it all the way) Or you've blown the scene
(Or you've blown the scene)

Cheese Packed Punch!

Easy, fast, healthy and delicious!

Best of all, there is no kneading required.

Introducing the wholemeal cheese bread (my adapted version).

This recipe makes 6 large muffin-sized bread, perfect for packed lunches or as a hearty tea time snack.

Ingredients:

220g wholemeal flour

4 tablespoon instant oats

1 teaspoon yeast

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 small egg

150g grated cheese (any hard cheese will do)

1 tablespoon dried thyme (fresh coriander or parsley will do too)

1 tablespoon sesame seed

300 - 350 ml lukewarm water (measurement varies with the type of flour you use)

1. Mix flour, oats, yeast, salt together in a large bowl.

2. Finely grate the cheese into the mixture, add dried thyme, sesame seed and lightly stir.

3. Make a hole in the center of the mixture and slowly pour the beaten egg and water while mixing with a wooden spoon. Add just enough water so that the consistency of your mixture is moist and a little sticky.

4. Pour into non-stick muffin pan (lightly butter/oil the pan if not non-stick) and leave in a dry and warm place for approximately 1 hour to rise.

5. Preheat oven to 220 degree Celcius.

6. Place pan into the oven and bake for approximately 15-20 minutes.

7. Leave to cool on a wire rack.

Serving suggestion:

Great just eaten on its own or with generous chunks of garlic butter....yummmy!!!!

"Hi my name is Alice and I'm a Flexitarian"

There used to be only of two types of people when it came to nutritional grouping. Vegetarians and Non-Vegetarians. Didn't life use to be so simple then? Easy for the restaurants, easy for the party planners, easy for the wedding caterers. Nowadays you will find so many different terminologies and exclusions that society has imposed on their eating preferences, which can be somewhat confusing to the non food-snob.

Vegetarian

Vegetarians are people who do not eat any form of animal product. However, depending on which variance you belong to, there are those who refrain from vegetable roots, mushrooms, milk, cheese or eggs. However, the only thing that bothers me up till today is the introduction of mock meat within the realm of vegetarian food. Why bother calling yourself a Vegetarian if you still find delight in fantasizing that the morsel of tofu you had just put into your mouth was a succulent piece of chicken?

Vegan

Vegans are people who do not eat any form of animal product including diary products an eggs. Being a vegan in Malaysia can be quite a challenge as there aren't many restaurants that are vegan friendly. Happy Cow is one of the most comprehensive guides to eating out for the compassionate soul.

Flexitarian

Flexitarians are semi-vegetarians. Their diet consists of mainly vegetables with the occasional slab of meat. Driven mainly by health and environmental reasons, this group of people identify themselves as Vegetarians but are highly criticized by the true Vegetarians who resent the fact that the pureness of the term 'Vegetarian' has been compromised.

Pescetarian

As the names suggests, fish is the only form of meat that a Pescetarian eats. For some, it may also include other forms of seafood such as shellfish and crustaceans. I first decided to become a Pescatarian based on compassionate reasons. But through my experience, I noticed subtle but delightful changes within myself. Goodbye to sluggishness and lethargy!

Polpescetarian

A mouthful to pronounce and merely a fancy name for those who abstain from consuming red meat.

Fruitarian

Frutarians are those who only consume raw fruits and seeds. Years ago, intrigued by the word, I did a search on the internet and came across this story behind the fruitarian cause. Fruitarians believe that like animals, vegetables are living organisms with a consciousness and in the light of non-violence, are not meant for consumption. Plants serve a specific purpose on our planet, which is to convert carbon dioxide to oxygen. Fruit, on the other hand is the gift of God and plays an important role in the process of germination. Their vibrant colours and fragrant scents exist not out of sheer coincidence, but in fact serve to entice birds, insects and other animals as seed dispersal agents. Frutarians would cringe reading 'The Sound Machine' by Roald Dahl that tells the tale of an eccentric man who invented a machine that could pick up sounds out of the human ear's range. He brought the machine out for a trial run in his garden and picked up little screams as his neighbour sets about pruning her rose bush.

There are different schools of thought, each with an entire list of benefits and why one is better than the other. Experiment with the various diets to find out which is suitable and keeps you in tune with your body and consciousness. There is no harm in biting into that juicy piece of steak if your body tells you it needs a protein fix. But chances are, if you wake up the next day regretting the Big Mac you had for dinner, then it probably was a weak moment in the evil face of craving.

Dog Yoga Anyone?

Malaysians are a bunch of dog lovers. Just browsing through a pet shop would give you a general idea of how much we love our canine counterparts. From grooming services, diet supplements, herbal shampoo, homeopathy remedies, dental care, fancy apparel to savoury treats. And mind you, they don't come cheap!

But of course we are a far cry from our buddies over in the West who would not bat an eyelash  when it comes to spending on their pets. According to the American Pets Product Association (APPA), it is estimated that in 2009, the U.S. expenditure on pets will be 45.4 billion, a whopping 2.2 billion up from last year.

How far are you willing to take this craze? Would you consider registering Max in the next Vinyasa Flow class? Let me know because I am thinking of cashing in on that trend!