Je Mange. Donc, Je Suis.

Sunday 27 April 2014

Local Thai Ice Pop & Get Lucky

My locally nostalgic ice-pop 
@5.-Baht/stick, made of fresh ingredients (free from artificial coloring agents & preservatives) e.g. pandan, sweet corn, coconut cream, sala syrup with milk, durian, etc... available in my province, Phang Nga...
   
There is another version of local ice-pop a.k.a " i-tim-tud" or "i-tim sabu", literally translated as "soap ice-pop"... (Note* "i-tim" is ice-cream, "tud" means cut and "sabu" is soap, in Thai) 

Q: Why is it called soap ice-pop?
A: Because it comes in boxes 'n' long blocks (equivalent to the sizes of 2 bars of red bricks) with parchment paper cover...(just like "Potong" ice-cream, in Malaysia and Singapore)
Potong" means “cut” in Malay, referring to rectangular popsicles that are cut into portions from a bigger block...sold by hawkers from pushcarts.
Potong is made of coconut milk, skimmed milk, corn starch and sugar as basic ingredients, with exotic flavours such as yam, durian, sweet corn and the most popular, red bean...to be served either between wafers or rolled up in white bread.
{source: remembering Potong Ice-cream --Makansutra}
Then the ice-cream vendors will dig those boxes/blocks out of their portable carts...using a butcher knife to slice right through it...(so you'll get an ice-cream bar, which looks exactly like a bar of soap!) 
A bamboo skewer or a skewer made from the midribs of coconut leaf will be inserted in centre of ice-cream as final process. It costs only 10.-Baht/bar!!!!
"This ice-pop is too hot for sub-zero temperature here in Thailand, darling! It will burn your hand if you hold it for too long!"
Well, I'd better listen more often to that nagging little feeling that says it is long past time I had some fun...that's my inner child speaking--well, yelling, perhaps! ;) ...It feels good to let the child in me come out and play from time to time...

<<Just how long has it been since you indulged in a big helping of your favorite guilty pleasure, Anne? .. Even grownups are entitled to indulge in the pleasure of youth from time to time, aren't they? >>
Inside each of us lives a child, appreciative of life,
and curious towards change. One who trusts fully,
loves fearlessly, and is able to show emotions,
both good and bad. Happiness can be found here.
Choose to let this child live each and every day.
~Doe Zantamata
Life is meant to contain equal amount of fun and enjoyment.
All relationships benefit from a bit of devilish, positive, mischievous, playful and fun approach.
We don't have to be a grown-up and take life too seriously too much of the time.
Come to life again and be light in the heart & mind.
Let's have a permission to let the good times roll.
Relax.
Let's give ourselves a permission to be fully alive,
to fall in love with ourselves,
to feel everything...
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Monday 14 April 2014

Thai New Year's Greetings


Happy Songkran 2014!
...
"Songkran" is a Thai word derived from Sanskrit saṅkrānti (or, more specifically, meṣa saṅkrānti) which means "move" or "change place" as it is the day when the sun transits the constellation of Aries, the first astrological sign in the Zodiac. It is also known as the "Water Festival" as it is believed that water will wash away bad luck and negative energy. 
The Songkran festival is celebrated for 3 days: April 13 (Water Festival & National Day for the Elderly), April 14 (National Family Day) and April 15 (Commencement of the New Year), which are also Thailand's public holidays.
On the first day of Songkran festival, it begins with merit-making and alms-giving to the Buddhist monks early in the morning....followed by a bathing rite for Buddha images. During this auspicious day, caged birds and animals kept will  be set free...as a good omen. 
Songkran is not only a significant occasion for family reunion... but also for making amends, apologies and forgiveness,... including paying respect to the elders by pouring scented water (with rose petals and jasmine flowers) over the palms of their hands. The elders in return, wish the youngsters good luck and prosperity. 
The highlight of the day is in the afternoon: time for water splashing, joyfully participated by both young and young-at-heart celebrants....to cool off from the heat of April.
Happy Thai New Year 2557 from little gangsters here! 
p.s I'm the youngest (lol) — feeling loved.
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~✿ ░L░O░V░E░ ✿ ░B░L░E░S░S░ I ░N░G░ ✿ ░G░R░A░T░I ░ T░U░D░E░ ✿~

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I wish to express my sincere & heartfelt gratitude to you all
for your invaluable support over the past 2 years.
It means so much to me...
--Anne
The Lady of Old Town--April 2014
Taken by my lovely cousin :)
Bliss is in the body & mind of the beholder...
Beauty in the eye...
But the urges to please myself surpasses previous physical, mental & spiritual highs...
...to end Songkran celebration with one of feel-good songs of mine...
...to dance freely...to love deeply & be happy as a child! 
oh yeah! ;)


Life may not be the party we hoped for… 
but while we are here we might as well dance!” 
  
Take the time to relax and let us fully embrace life and the change that life brings...
Impermanence seems scary...but like an old snakeskin,
after a loss comes something vibrant and new.
Let us celebrate ourselves as passionate & evolving beings...
shhh... and chocolate + love make the ride worth travelling!

Happy New Year: Happy New You :)
There will never be another you! 
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Tuesday 1 April 2014

Summer Breeze & Mung Bean Ice Lolly, Thai Style

One of my locally nostalgic ice pops, a feel-good remedy for these hot & steamy days!:) 
According to Ayurveda and Chinese medicine, mung bean is considered a cooling (yin) food, with sweet and astringent tastes, and have a nourishing, cleansing and balancing effect. Plus with its excellent source of protein & dietary fiber, high in iron, vitamins A, C & E and low in saturated fats. A natural remedy for health & beauty.
It's such a lovely idea to enjoy mung bean ice lolly and mildly sweet mung bean soup with a hint of ginger, alone or with ice during hot summer days, especially in April, known as the hottest month in Thailand...to cool off from the heat...:)
"What good is the warmth of summer, without the cold of the winter to give it sweetness?"
--John Steinbeck
The grass seems greener around me... The sky is bluer...The sun shines brightly... 
A magical elixir...A renewed sense of hope, optimism & possibility I feel today...
and...one of my fav. retro holidays love songs: Summer Breeze...
what a lovely song! :)
See the curtains hangin' in the window
In the evening on a Friday night
A little light a-shinin' through the window
Lets me know everything's all right

Summer breeze makes me feel fine
Blowin' through the jasmine in my mind
Summer breeze makes me feel fine
Blowin' through the jasmine in my mind
[...]
Sweet days of summer, the jasmine's in bloom
July is dressed up and playing her tune
And I come home from a hard day's work
And you're waitin' there
Not a care in the world

See the smile awaitin' in the kitchen
Through cookin' and the plates for two
Feel the arms that reach out to hold me
In the evening when the day is through
[...]

Chinese Medicine believes that the external environment has a strong influence on the body. For example, in a hot summer the body will absorb more heat from its external environment. If the body cannot release this heat, physical changes may occur, including: body will feel hot, red face, very thirsty, dry skin, constipation, lack of energy, headache, dizziness.
For the hot seasons, Traditional Chinese Medicine recommends foods that are cooling in nature, can balance the body’s Yin & Yang and can release the heat. These types of foods should be a part of the daily diet during the summer.
One of the very old traditional Chinese books, Kai Bao Ben Cao, mentions that mung beans act more on the Heart channel and clear heat and toxins from the skin, and cool heat in the blood. Therefore, mung beans can help acne and other skin symptoms, such as the common skin rash, cold sores, mouth ulcers, pimples and boils. To help these conditions, mung bean soup should be thick in consistency and at room temperature.
Modern science now also considers that mung beans can help clear toxins from the body, including environmental toxins and chemicals. (source: www.pingminghealth.com)
Ingredients:
One package (approximately 200g) of Mung Beans
1 litre of drinking water
a pinch of salt
50 g fresh ginger, washed and peeled (or 2 sachets ginger powder)
1 tablespoon palm sugar
1 tablespoon cane sugar
1 tablespoon brown sugar
Easy How To:
  • Wash mung beans in a mesh basket, and drain. 
  • Transfer the beans into a large pan or wok, using low heat. Dry-roast the mung beans for 5 minutes or until light brown...to get full-bodied aroma...oh, how I love it!
  • Fill a heavy-bottomed pot with 1 litre water, ginger and dry-roasted mung beans. Bring to boil and reduce the heat to medium/low and simmer-cook for about 35-45 minutes. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking. *Add more water as needed to maintain desired consistency. The bean's coating will start to spilt as it is cooking. If foam forms on the surface, skim it off and discard.
  • Add in sugar and stir gradually until the sugar is completely dissolved. Add salt. Taste...then turn off the heat.
  • Leave to cool. Ladle the soup into ice lolly molds and freeze overnight.
    Note***Some people may like it with milky version by adding soy milk or cereal milk or coconut milk or condensed milk in the soup before freezing it. For me?, no thanks! :)

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