SPM 2009 English Essay Tips-Part 2

One word essay.

Moon
His name was Moon . No one knew why how he got that name. He didn’t have any parents. He didn’t have any family. Our village head, Darus, saw him crying by the village roadside 70 years ago. He was only around 3 years old then. He only wore a torn short when Darus found him under a tree. It was raining that day. When Darus asked his name, the boy only said one word, ‘Moon’. Moon was shivering in the cold. He was very thin and looked like he hadn’t eaten for a few days.

Darus took him home and Minah, Darus’s wife fed him rice and salted fish. Together they already had eight children and they were poor. They only survived from the paddy field and the small farm they owned. Sometimes they hardly had enough food for themselves.

But Darus and his wife were very kind hearted. They had no heart to send this little boy away. So Moon stayed with Darus’s family all his life. They tried to change his name but Moon refused to answer to any other name. He was close to Minah and used to follow her everywhere. But for the first 10 years he never spoke at all to anyone. He ate only when he wanted to, he slept out in the verandah and he didn’t like anyone to touch him.

When he was 13, he followed Minah to the paddy field to collect ‘siput’. It was then a huge python crept up behind Minah and Moon had screamed ‘ibuuuuuuuuu!’ and saved Minah. After that, everyone in the village had praised him for his bravery. Slowly Moon opened up to everybody. He started to smile a lot too.

The only thing he liked doing was to carve. From small pieces of wood, he would carve out little figurines. First they were rough, child’s work but as he grew up they become masterpieces of art. Otherwise he helped Darus in his paddy field. Time passed very fast. Moon grew up to be a short sturdy man who spoke little but smiled a lot.

One day a tourist bus broke down near their village. The tourists were from United States and Europe. They had walked around the village while waiting for their bus to be repaired. As they wandered around they had met Moon sitting under a tree and carving a beautiful work of art. They were impressed and offered to buy all of Moon’s carving. One of them was a rich businessman from Texas. He decided to market Moon’s carvings in America.

Moon became famous. He was even invited to US to promote his work. The villagers were very proud of him. Moon had made their village famous all over the world. With his money, Moon helped open a business in the village and trained many villages in the carving. In just a few years the villagers became very rich from the wood carving export.

Moon came back from America five years later. He said he was happy in the village. His life was there. Moon never got married or had any family of his own. He gave all his money to Darus’s family and anyone who needed his help. He continued staying in Darus’s old house even after Darus and Minah passed away and all their children left to get married.

When he was 73 someone found him under the same tree where Darus found him 70 years ago. It was a cold rainy right. He was dead. He had his carving knife in his hands. As the villagers carried him home to be buried, the sky cleared suddenly and a full moon shined brightly. Moon’s face, though he was dead, looked so peacefully that it made them cry. The little boy who came from nowhere and helped their village had finally left them.


A 'sad' themed essay

Lily was born blind. Her father left when she was born. He couldn’t accept the fact his child was blind. But her mother loved her very much. She loved her so much that whatever Lily wanted, her mother gave her. Her mother gave her the best. Eventually Lily got used to getting things her way which made her a bit self-centered.

Years went by and Lily grew up to be a young woman. Lily went to a special school for the blind to learn Braille. Her mother worked very hard to finance Lily’s education. One day her mother fell ill and passed away. But she left Lily with enough money to be independent. Lily was quite good at her studies that she even managed to get a job as a telephone operator. At her workplace she met a young man named Sean. Sean fell in love with Lily. He loved her very much that he was willing to die for her.

One day a friend invited them to attend a seminar together. The seminar was specially conducted for blind people. It was about new methods and discoveries to aid blind people. One of the speakers was an eye surgeon who was experimenting on a latest surgery procedure to restore eyesight. But his procedure needed a voluntary eye donator and the waiting list for donated organs was already very long.

When they went home Sean spoke to Lily. He asked her whether she wanted to have the operation. Lily said she wanted it but she dare not hope at all that she would see again. Nevertheless Sean urged her to sign up for the procedure.

One week later, Lily received a telephone call from an eye clinic. They said that can help Lily to see again. They told her that they had an eye donator. Lily was ecstatic, she couldn’t believe the news.

The next day Lily went in for the surgery. Sean came to wish her luck. They held hands for sometime before she was taken into the surgery room.

All went well. The doctor told Lily that she would be able to remove her bandages in two weeks time. Once she removed them, she would be able to see.

For two weeks, Sean came to see her everyday. He brought her favourite food and kept her company. Then it was time to remove the bandages. As the doctor removed them, he told Lily to be open her eyes carefully.

Slowly Lily opened her eyes. They hurt a little. Then she saw some light. It was all so strange for her. She had never seen light. She blinked her eyes. Then she was able to see figures in front of her. Sean and the doctor were standing there watching her. It was then Lily learnt that Sean was blind like she had been. Somehow she felt a disappointment in her heart.

Weeks passed by and. Lily learnt to live a new life with eyesight. She was very happy that she can see again. But she began to feel uncomfortable being with Sean. She didn’t like that he was blind.

Then Valentine ’s Day came. Sean asked Lily to marry him but Lily refused his proposal. She told him that after being blind herself for so many years she cannot think of a life with a blind man. Sean was heartbroken but he left and never came back. Lily married another man and lived happily.

Five years later, Lily met Sean’s friend, John on a street. He told her that Sean was knocked down by a car five years ago and had died. Before John left, he told Lily, ‘Take care of your eyes, Lily, because before they were your eyes, they were Sean’s.”


A 'thriller' themed essay

Leela was in terrible pain. She regretted waiting so long before seeing a doctor. She thought it was just a stomach cramp but it turned out to be acute appendicitis. The doctors needed to operate on her before it was too late. She was very worried and she hated hospitals.

Her ward room mate, Jenny, a young Sabahan girl comforted her. Jenny told her not to worry about her surgery the next day. Everything will go well, she said. The hospital had the best doctors and staff. They shared a first class room together and spent some time talking that first night Leela was there before she fell asleep.

Early the next morning, the nurses came in to prepare Leela for her operation. It was lunch by the time she came out of surgery. The doctors kept her in the observation room until evening before returning her to her room. Weak from the surgery and anesthetic, Leela feel asleep. In the middle of the night, Leela woke up, feeling very thirsty. She turned to her bedside table to reach for a bottle of mineral water.

Then she heard Jenny asking her if she needed help. Jenny was awake too. They spoke again for a while. Jenny asked her how she was feeling and Leela told her that she was still had pains in her stomach. Jenny lifted her hand and placed it on Leela’s stomach. Leela felt it cool and comforting. Slowly Leela drifted back to sleep.

Leela was awakened by her family the next morning. Then the nurses came to check on her and advised her to get more sleep. By evening the doctors decided Leela was ready to leave. As her family helped her to pack her things, Leela asked a nurse where Jenny was. The nurse gave her a funny look and said Jenny has been taken for surgery just like her.
Leela requested the nurse to thank Jenny for her and the nurse hurried away.

Three months later. Leela’s colleague, Khatijah was admitted after a serious car accident in the same hospital. That evening Leela and another colleague went to visit her. Her family was there by her bedside. Their faces were somber and a man was seated there looking dejected. Leela recognized him as Khatijah’s husband, Ahmad. Khatijah’s condition was serious and she is not expected to live through the night, said Ahmad in tears.

Leela felt so sorry for them that she and her friend decided to stay a while longer into the night. As she was talking to Ahmad, from the corner of her eyes, she saw a figure slip out of Khatijah’s room from afar. The figure looked so familiar. She excused herself and hurried after the person. ‘Jenny!’ she called out. The person did not turn back. “Jenny!” Leela called out again. She was sure it was Jenny and couldn’t understand why Jenny didn’t acknowledge her. She saw Jenny turn and enter another room. When Leela approached the room, she opened the door but there was no one inside. Strange, she thought. She turned around and nearly bumped into someone.

‘Jenny!’ Jenny was standing behind her. Leela asked Jenny what she was doing there. Jenny told her she was also visiting a sick friend. So Leela told her about Khatijah. Jenny looked sad. She told Leela that the doctors had tried their best but Khatijah had passed away. Leela started to tell Jenny that Khatijah was still alive and not passed away but Jenny was already leaving her side. At the same time, Leela heard a commotion down the hall near Khatijah’s room. She rushed down the hall. Khatijah had passed away and Ahmad was distraught. But Leela was shocked. How did Jenny know? She was sad for Khatijah’s demise but the thought of Jenny refused to go away.

She quickly walked to the nurses’ counter and asked a nurse there if she could talk to her. She then related her experience. The nurse looked at her and smiled slowly. She told Leela was one of the lucky ones who had survived a serious surgery with Jenny’s help. The ward staff all knew about Jenny. She had been one of the nurses there ten years ago. She was one of their best nurses, very caring and committed. Unfortunately she had died when the ambulance she was traveling in crashed. Jenny had died in the line of duty. But she had never left the ward. Periodically she ‘visited’ patients to heal and comfort them. Yes, they all knew about Jenny.









copyrights reserved.

SPM 2009 English Essay Tips

These are five sample essays for trial questions. Good luck people!

Describe a place you go to when you feeling sad or down

It is a huge old tree by the lake. The branches hang low though the trunk probably needs three people’s arms to go around it. The strong roots have through the years intertwined to form a nice cradle for anyone who wish to sit there and a feel a need to be cuddled. Like an old wise woman or man, it stands there patiently day in day out, be it rain or shine, exuding compassion for all those seek refuge underneath of its heavy branches.

They say it is more than a hundred years ago. The first pioneers of this town probably rested under its cool shade. Even those 100 odd elephants belonging to the Siamese who once ruled this land more than a century ago probably rubbed their tusks against it.

If you really consider it, it is the best spot in town. For at least fifty metres in radius, there is only solitude. I love it there. It is quiet and peaceful. It frees the mind. Troubling thougts drift away easily into the gentle breeze across the serenity of the lake water. The gentle lapping of the clear lake water against its emerald green bank forms ripples that mesmerises you as you watch. The lone insect or two hovering over the lake's surface or the occasional white swan like birds that swoop in for a quick catch of fish fry, it is a liberating sight.

In the early mornings, you can see clouds of mist moving against the distant mountains. Fresh and invigorating, it fills you with hope. In the evening, when the sun sets down in the east; its golden streaks in the sky get reflected on the lake waters, then time stands still and you marvel at the magnificence of life itself. It fills you with gratitude and reverence.

I go there when I’m feeling down because it never fails to lift my spirits up again. I wonder sometimes whether it is a magical spot or is it charmed. I have seen lovers sitting on the stone bench beneath it, lost in time. I have seen others sit underneath that tree, in contemplation, a faraway look in their eyes.

I just hope it will be there to last my lifetime at least. Almost like a refuge for me to run to in times of sorrow, I would be broken hearted to see it go. Many such old trees have been felled to give way for developments. But i hope at least, this one tree will stand the test of time.



How to promote unity in Malaysia

Our beloved country Malaysia has always been well recognized globally for its multi racial society that lives in harmony. It is important to maintain this unity that makes us all uniquely Malaysian. Unity must start from everyone’s heart. It must start from young. It must start from all levels.

First of all everyone must respect the various differences that can exist in a multi racial society, be in religious or other practices. Maybe one racial practice may contradict the belief of another but when you respect that difference, you learn to accept it as well. The best possible way to promote this would be to organize activities where everyone can learn and share more information about each other’s culture. We could organize more campaigns or even camps for everyone to participate, from school level right up to corporate world. We could make more documentaries for people to watch and books for people to read. A learned society is indeed a wise society.

Secondly unity must be promoted from young. From the small steps of kindergarten right to the halls of universities, parents and teachers play a crucial role in this. Children learn by example therefore parents must set a good example of interacting well with a multi racial and multi religious society. Prejudices and biases learnt at childhood will manifest into more serious level at adulthood. Teachers must reinforce unity in school. We must have students of different races work close with each other rather than segregating the groups.

Thirdly, from the man on the street to those on top rungs of the society, unity must be close to their hearts. They must believe in its goodness and really want it in their hearts. Likening unity to bridges that connect the people and disunity to walls that divide them, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak recently urged the people to repair their bridges and tear down the divisive walls that existed among the races. The way we interact and treat our neighbours, our friends, the people on the street, will all affect how we relate to each other. When we relate to each other with an open heart, it will be returned in many folds.

United we stand, divided we fall.


Honesty pays

His mother struggled to call out to him between her breaths ‘Mat… Mat..”

Ahmad was at the back of the house climbing the old guava tree when he heard his mother’s feeble cry. He dropped down and leapt up the wooden steps into his old kampong house.

“Mat, help Ibu to take my medicine on the kitchen shelf” his mother pointed weakly at the broken kitchen door, her other hand holding her chest. Ahmad dashed into the kitchen, the shelf was too high for his height, he quickly pulled an old cracker tin and stepped up. He found the familiar brown bottle at the back of the shelf but it was empty.

“Ibu, did you get new one?” he yelled out of the kitchen.

“No, Ahmad, only the one on the shelf…” his mother’s voice died off.

He dropped the bottle and ran out to see his mother collapse on the old tattered linoleum on the floor.

“Ibu ! Ibu! Hang on please, I’ll be back with the medicine fast!” He saw his mother’s eyes close before he ran out.

He grabbed his late father’s old bicycle and peddled as hard as he could, his heart thumping, tears blinding him. He had only one thought in his mind, he must get to that medicine shop, the only one in town, his only hope.

As he raced up the bumpy lone road and reached the junction to the nearest town, a motorcycle rattled past him. A Chinese farmer was carting his vegetables to town. They stopped at a junction together. As the man turned into the opposite lane, Ahmad saw something drop from the motorcycle. It was an old wallet. In a split second, Ahmad had to make the decision to stop or keep going his way.

The wheels of his bicycle came to a screech as he halted on the gravels. He picked up the wallet and yelled as loudly as he could to the Chinese man on the motorbike who was already riding away fast. The man couldn’t hear him. He got back on his bicycle and cycled towards the man more furiously than ever, shouting on top of his voice at the same time. Suddenly the man looked back and stopped his bike. Ahmad waved the wallet at him. The farmer grabbed at his side pocket and realized it was empty. His face was filled with gladness when Ahmad gave him back his wallet.

“Thank you so much, my boy.”

Ahmad hardly had the time to utter ‘You’re welcome’ as he was back on his bicycle cycling away, never even looking back.

Moments later he reached the medicine shop and ran in ‘Sir, please I need medicine for my mother. She is having an asthma attack and she can’t breathe’.

The man behind the counter quickly took out a small bottle, put in a plastic and rang the cashier’s machine. “That will be RM12.00.” he said

It then hit Ahmad, he had no money with him at all. In his panic, he had not stopped to think about money at all.

“But uncle, I did not bring any money with me,” Ahmad muttered

“Then you want me to give you this medicine free?” the man asked, his face annoyed.

“Please Uncle, I promise to pay you back…” Ahmad pleaded

“Do you how many of you kampong people walk in here and ask for free medicine, you think what, I am running a charity here?” he demanded

Then out of the corner of his eyes, he saw someone place a RM50 bill on the counter.

“There, is that enough for your medicine?” It was the same Chinese farmer from the motorbike. He took the medicine and pushed it into Ahmad’s hand.

“Take it and hurry now.” The man smiled kindly at him.


Factors to consider before choosing a career

As soon would be school leaver, I am faced with dilemma of making decisions. With so many fields offered by the higher institution, including mixed courses, it is not an easy choice.

While we are often encouraged to choose a field that is profitable and that is guaranteed to make a living for us, other factors such as our own talents and interests seem to be equally important. Many took up careers such as lawyer, doctor and engineers because they are popular choices only to realize later it was not meant for them.

Personally I feel the first and foremost to be considered is our passion. It is not only about what we like doing but is it that we like doing so much that we tire doing it no matter how difficult it gets. What are our personal values? Do we like to heal others, do we like to experiment, do we like calculation, do we like to organize or even do we like to do creative work or do we like working with children? The test is to think about what activity that we did filled us with complete happiness and that is an easy pointer.

Secondly we have to consider our skills and talents. By now, we should have an idea of what we are good at. What we want to do and what we CAN do can be totally different things. For example, being able to be creative and design well can indicate a path into Graphic Designing, being able to get along very well with people can indicate a career in Public Relation and having a head for math and balancing sheet could mean a career in Accountancy.

The third factor to be considered is our own preferences and personality. Are we an introvert or an extrovert? Do we like working alone or working with others? Do we like working 9-5 in an office or do we like doing field work? Often many make the mistake of choosing a supposedly lucrative career in an office and end up feeling suffocated within four walls the rest of their lives. This could end in a lot of frustration and unhappiness.

Fourthly we need to research as much as we can on our choices of career before making a decision. World trends and job scopes are ever changing. For example the field of IT and business is ever volatile; we have to be ready for the challenges ahead. Keeping ourselves informed of the latest information would prepare us for it.

And finally we have to be able to adjust and adapt. In the time of economic crisis and downsizing of many companies, people who can multitask become valuable asset to a company. While specializing means expertise, it is also good to learn up other relevant skills on the side. As they say one is never too late to learn anything.

By considering all these factors, one should be able to make a wise choice in a lifetime career.


She

She was different from the rest. She was quiet and she kept to herself while the rest of the school went about daily lives. She joined us in the beginning of our Form Four school year. I remember she walked in during the first lesson one morning and the English teacher introduced her to the rest of the class. She didn’t smile at all and quickly settled into her table and chair. She more or less blended into the background from that day forward.

The word was she came from a very small town, maybe that explained her timidness a bit. She was average in build and had dark chocolaty skin. Small features on a somber face, one thing that stood out about her was her eyes. They were deep and searching but most of the time she kept them lowered from the rest of us. Her name was Meena.

Maybe she was not that easy to like or maybe she couldn’t speak English very well which was not a cool thing in an English speaking convent school like ours, she didn’t have many friends. When she was forced to speak in class, her voice stammered and the fingers holding up the book trembled visibly. Some of us in the class felt sorry for her, a few girls even mocked her nervousness. Call it a prejudice or pettiness, but eventually everyone kept away from her.

Throughout those two years in school, I sometimes noticed her seated at the steps to the main school hall during recess. She was often huddled over a notebook, furiously scribbling away. I did get curious once, so I approached her and offered her a slice of my sandwich, trying to take a peek at her writing. She quickly put the book away and politely refused me. I tried getting her to talk to me and asked her whether she liked being in this school. She searched for the right words but from her halting explanation I understood she found an all girls school convent rather snobbish after 10 years in a rambunctious co-ed school. .

During Form Five year end school performance, our class decided to stage a variety show about Angels and Devils. The organizing committee comprised some snooty girls who saw it fit to allocate Meena the role of the Devil’s apprentice because of her dark complexion and her anti-social personality before giggling away. I did feel sorry for her but surprisingly she happily participated in the training wholeheartedly and I can’t help but feel respect her for it. She went on to surprise everyone by signing up for the year end talent time contest. A few girls sneered behind her back when she brought a wooden guitar to school for the contest.

“She is going to make a fool of herself, ” Winnie, one of class reps said.

I actually held my breath when she went up the stage that morning, wearing a pale yellow flowery dress. As she sat on the stool and adjusted the microphone, the speakers whined a little. The crowded school hall fell into silence. She held up the guitar and started plucking the strings. The speakers whined louder… and went dead. The teachers rushed to check the sound system, Meena just froze on her seat. I wished she had said something funny, but she just sat there staring at the end of the hall. Oh no, I thought, was she going to make a fool of herself?

Then one of the teachers went up to her and motioned her to start playing. She snapped back to live and began strumming again. When she opened her mouth to sing, a lot of mouths fell open in the audience too. We had no idea, she had an amazing voice. Her voice was rich and haunting, it echoed from the far ends of the hall. Her singing and the sound of her guitar blended into a great harmony of a country and western song she had composed herself. Everyone was stunned. When she finished, it took us a while to realize she has stopped and then the applause came. It was thunderous; some of our class girls jumped onto their feet and clapped furiously, their faces beaming with pride. We were very proud of her and there were no guessing, she was the first prize winner. It was almost a poetic justice.

The next day, the final day in school, she was the talk of the school; everywhere she went she was crowded by new found fans who congratulated her. Finally she was alone no more, suddenly everyone wanted to be Meena’s friend.

copyrights reserved

Chocolate Truffles

Life is sweet when you can bite into one of these ...

.. and sweeter still.. when you have friends who care enuf to lug them across the sea and gift you these.... mmmmmmmmm

Chocolate champagne truffles.. what else can you ask...

Hare Rama Hare Krishna - 1971 Hindi Movie

I don't remember who that it was in my family who played these songs over and over in our household 35 years ago but these songs have stuck to my subconscious for 3 decades and refuses to go away.. not that i mind though ;)

Deepavali Rainbow Cake

Light aside.. what else defines Deepavali more than the use of vibrant colours. Hence there is the Rainbow cake.. a sure hit with the kids. Here's the trial run.


For best effects, get those white cake mixes, otherwise the colours will be muted by the yellowish butter. While some opt to pour in all the colours in one tray on top of one another, for best visual pleasure, take the long cut...use separate trays.


Stack 'em up and ice them in between. Isn't that a delightful sight already?


Ok.. for the icing, you can opt for whipped cream or butter cream. Use more sprinkles.







It's worth it.

(fr. aswewalk)

Aren't Collages Fun?

Totally. How else can you view many angles of one great thing... ?

The Blue Pavadai Girl



copyrights reserved.

Restoran Cheun Fong, Pengkalan Hulu

One of the few remaining original wooden shophouses in Pengkalan Hulu, weatherbeaten but still standing. The British requirement for high ceilings are evident in these old buildings but i always wondered why the attics though.

See the Siamese shop next door, well.. it was my kindergarten nearly 35 years ago. The old teacher still resides there, by the way.

Food preparations vary according to locations, period, that especially is Chinese food. While in KL for a mixed vege you might get a stir fry of cauliflower, broccoli, young corn, carrots, lettuce and some good quality seafood... in a small town you might just have to settle for a combination of basic mustard greens and chinese lettuce with occasional sad looking prawns past it's freshness dates camouflaged in heavily starched and MSG sauce, yes, rather dreary. And ask for Hokkein mee expecting to satisfy your craving for those big noodles version loaded with lard, crispy porkskin, seafood and work hei (fiery 'breath' of the wok that gives your food the smoky flavour) only to end up with the usual yellow mee off the packet version with a few miserable chicken or pork pieces thrown in lacking in all the good seasonings and special sauces yet having to pay premium price.

And no thanks to economic downturn when food serving portions (even KFC reduced its chicken piece sizes) started getting smaller and finally compromise on quality as well, I've had my share of bad experiences and i sort of gave up expecting too much after a while. Till i discovered there was some hope after all, in this understated Chinese coffee shop called Cheun Fong Restaurant located at the only traffic light junction in Pengkalan Hulu town, a stone throw away from Hotel Hilltowne. .

Ah... finally .. a Hokkein mee worthy of its name.


Here is a chicken only version, but you can opt for the more luxurious pork and seafood version except i was abstaining from pork that day but sumptuous nevertheless. Load it up with their special belacan sauce, super kick lor. Make sure you ask for it.


Of course, you can't order Hokkein Mee and not have Kungfu Chow... that's the Cantonese Kuay Teow (fried noodles) swimming in egg sauce. As you can see, it is real egg sauce and not the watered down starchy version of some 'cheating' food outlets who thinks a customer can't make out the difference between an egg sauce and a tapioca sauce.


And some people,not me coz i really can't understand our Asian fixation on rice, but e.g. my kid and you know who you are can't survive without their daily intake of that starchy stuff. Yes, fried rice it is then. A small serving will do. The rice is done perfectly.


And what else to wash it all down, the oil and the cholestrol, but the good old Chinese Tea. There is also a good black soybean drink that i usually order, it is rich and refreshing. My tummy is satiated.

Note : The restaurant opens for business after 11am and closes at 11pm. Prices are very reasonable. The only minuspoint, the cook sometimes goes on leave for a few days every month.


copyrights reserved.

Monkey Beach, Penang

It was not really a planned trip to Penang but had to be in Penang for a reason and finished the needful early. So with extra time in hand, decided to take a long drive beyond the usual Tanjung Bungah/Batu Ferringhi stretch and ended up in Teluk Bahang.


Ah, a national park in Penang, maybe next time.It was evening alredy.


But guess what, they had boat rides, sounded good.
Plus the boatman was desperate to convince that visitING a private beach full of monkeys is something not to be missed... what the heck! Though you know, monkeys normally dont sit in one place waiting for visitors to come... but hey.


Off we go..


Nothing like sea breeze in your hair...



The beach was beautiful, yes. Clean waters and sand and very private. Belongs to some tycoon i hear who eventually abandoned it. But famous for campers and picnickers.


And there it is, ladies and gentlemen, the promised monkeys... er... monkey actually, lone one, who really is not bothered except for the tit bits he can find to munch on. He took a long look at the newcomers and decided they had nothing he wanted and went off to sit on this abandoned stall.


Hellow? Who is watching who again?


'Ah, useless humans, couldn't be bothered!! They dont even have the decency to bring me some bananas. I am not posing for pics for free!'

Ok.. random pics.. kiddo was trying out her photography skills.




copyrights reserved

Okra @ Gumbo @ Lady's finger @ Vendikai Stew

Okra or gumbo is definitely better sounding names. Rather squeamish isn't it to be slicing through it while calling it lady's fingers. In Tamil, known as vendikai, the Indians love it in all their curries especially fish curry, spicy masala and dhal flour batter dipped fritters too. Believed to be brainfood, eaten a few days before an exam is said to improve brain function. Hmm... try it out la..who knows.


Well basic Indian cooking is to smother most vegetables in oil, spices and coconut and a tendency to overcook them into mush, I believe for a reason those days. And then there is the other extreme western side who like their stuff as raw as possible. I prefer the middle path, less of everything else and lightly cooked. So you can see ive thrown them directly into a pot of bubbling water.. about a litre for 300gms of okra. I believe oil was used mostly in olden days to preserve the cooked food longer, otherwise i can't really vouch for any added taste.


I have diced some onions, sliced a tomato, plucked some curry leaves from the backyard and flicked some fenugreek from mom's spice box. Mental note : time to top up my spice stock.


Have you ever seen purple cilipadi? Pretty isn't it? By the way, i believe the same silly fella who came up with name 'lady's finger' must have thought up 'bird's eye chilly' too.


So there, everything goes into the pot of nearly half cooked okras. Add a tsp of turmeric powder to counter my chesty lungs (cough!) over the last 3 days. Lower the heat.


Very quickly add a cup of full cream milk (or santan). Add salt and squish half a lime. Turn off before milk curdles.


Obviously mine did curdle a little while i was 30 seconds late into snapping the last pic. So watch out.

How to eat it? Think it as a stew. If you want a meatier version, you can add in prawns or chicken or squids or even tofu. Any combination of carbo will sync well. Or you can do without if you dont sync well with carbo. ;)

(copyrights reserved)

Food...the root cause of all evil?

I wish man didn't make such a big deal about food. I wish man never learnt to cook, salt and flavour his food. In fact i believe the main cause of pollution, disease and other global problems is in the way we humans consume our food. Greed and obsession. The quest to eat better than the other man. Totally going against what nature intended in the first place. Nature intended us to eat one type of food at one meal. At intervals. Even seasonal fruits are seasonal for a reason because too much of it is not good for us. Nature intended us to have uncomplicated food. Nourishing, fresh and in proportion. You really cant munch a lot of raw stuff can you? If we had just stuck to what and how nature provided us, there would be no issues of wastage, toxins, obesity, cancers and the need to diet in the first place. If man just grabbed the next fruit or nut or vegetable he sees along his way to appease his hunger, there be no need for mass cultivation, food hording, canned food, hypermarkets and global famine. Look at the animals. They eat when they have too and they dont waste. Meanwhile they wander around for miles in nature, working out, living in harmony and totally at peace. They bask in the sunshine, swim in clear waters and take short naps. They mate according to season, dont rape their youngs and die without any hassle. They dont boast about having the best foie gras, wagyu cut or truffle. They dont gorge on cheeseburgers and coke and complain about the calories later. I could go on... but talking about food, all i want know is a nice bowl of sauteed broccoli.

copyrights reserved.