Petai, a Super Food

It is amazing how the petai transforms into the bean pods that we are familiar with. This is the first time that a friend has shared the pictures of the petai growing in her garden and I have her consent to share these pictures with you.  Many of us do not realise how the petai evolves.

                                                   This is what we usually see in the market.

Petai has to be taken out from the pod before it can be cooked and it is usually cooked with prawns and a spicy chilli paste . This dish is known as sambal udang petai and is a great favorite with Malaysians.

                                                        The round flat green discs are the petai

The petai is bitter and can be considered a super food. It contains B vitamins which help to calm the central nervous system. It also contains tryptophan, a type of protein which the body converts into serotonin, that makes you relax, improves your mood and generally makes you feel happier.

It is high in fiber and eating it regularly will help those who suffer from constipation

It is extremely high in potassium but low in salt and eating petai regularly can help to reduce the risk of blood pressure and stroke. Note that any bitter vegetable is good for us, e.g. the bitter gourd.

It's one of my favorite food.

The Golden Ram Waiting in the Wings

The Year of the Horse will soon be trotting out and everyone is anticipating the advent of the Year of the Golden Ram.  Thus effigies of the Golden Ram can be seen in shopping malls together with red decorations, as red is the auspicious color that heralds prosperity.

 

 Come the Chinese Lunar New Year’s Eve all roads lead home, to wherever one’s family home is, for the great reunion dinner.  I have flown across the South China Sea to return for this reunion dinner.  In Chinese culture, this is paramount, coming home to pay respects to one’s elders and to re-bond over a special dinner which consists of special delicacies which have symbolic meanings.  For example, fish signifies prosperity, prawns, laughter , so eating these will hopefully usher in a year of prosperity and laughter.  Oysters, abalone, waxed duck, chicken, etc., etc.  can be found on the table.   

All sons bring their families back to their parents’ homes to share this reunion dinner and it is the norm for the younger people to play card games ( gamble ) throughout the night or until the early hours of the morning to ensure that their parents will live to a ripe old age. Fire crackers used to be burnt at the stroke of midnight to usher in the New Year but because of too many untoward incidents, the Government has banned the firing of crackers. 

On the New Year’s Day, the elders will distribute “ang pows” ( red envelopes containing gifts of money ) to the children and unmarried adults.  The young ones will wish their elders good health, longevity and prosperity before they receive their ang pows. Every year the ang pow envelope designs are prettier and more attractive, either red or gold.  

 Everyone will be dressed in new outfits, to signify a new beginning and the color will be red, different shades of red.  Red flowers will be dominant as evidenced by the floral displays in the stalls.  

 Homes have red lanterns, either round or in the shape of a pineapple which signifies luck.  Red paper cuttings, auspicious calligraphy and decorations contribute to the overall festive mood. 

This celebration lasts for 15 days and the final day is celebrated with the throwing of Mandarin oranges into the sea/lake/river.  Ladies write their names/telephone numbers on the oranges before throwing them away in the hope that young men will fish them out and from there, a friendship will materialize and eventually lead to the altar.

 

 Many traditions and customs are linked to this celebration, not least the traditional lion dances with their loud cymbals and drum beats. Nowadays the lions leap from pole to pole and this is quite an acrobatic feat requiring great co-ordination between the two people, one holding the head and the other acting as the body and hind legs of the lion. At the end of the dance, the lion eats the oranges or pomelo and the red ang pow. The affluent invite the lion dance troupe to perform in their homes and the lion actually goes into the house to drive out negativity and to “clean” the house. 

 

 

 Everyone hopes that the Ram or Goat Year will bring in better prospects and prosperity for all.  To many it will be a relief to see the last of the Horse which brought so many calamities.  

Gong Xi Fa Cai to every member of the Chinese community who celebrates this Spring Festival.  May the Year of the Golden Ram bless us and bring us good health and prosperity.

Jacob Ballas’ Children’s Garden, Singapore Botanic Gardens

This is the first garden of its kind in Asia and has been specially constructed for young children below the age of 12.  Adults not accompanied by children are not allowed to enter.

It’s very well planned with plenty of shade so that the children will not  be walking under the hot sun.

 This is a hanging bridge which shakes when one walks across it.

There are small play areas like sand pits and water fountains where children can walk in between to have a splashing good time.

There is also an area where children can learn about photo synthesis through play.  The child turns the handle of different machines which light up in green and red, red to symbolize the sun and green, the leaves.












 The sand pits are also a child’s delight.

 There is also a platform where children can observe the fish and tortoises in the pond.
There is also an artificial water fall and a tree house with slides that the older children would enjoy.

Many shelters are built in between for tired tot and their parents to rest.

Local trees, plants, vegetables and fruit trees are also planted and their names are painted on the stones so that the children can learn what they are.  Pineapples, yam, sugar cane, papaya, banana, tapioca, melon are just some of them.

It’s a garden where children not only can play but also learn.