Make your own Air Freshener

Air freshener smells can get overpowering for me sometimes. That’s why I opt for making my own homemade freshener. Au naturel and saves money too.

For this DIY recipes you will need no more than 5 minutes of your time.

Materials

Glass Jar

Baking Soda

Essential oil

Aluminium foil

Ribbon or string

Toothpick (not in photo)

Method

1. Pour a good amount of baking soda in the mason jar.

2. Mix a few drops of your choice of essential oil.

3. Mix thoroughly.

4. Cover lid with aluminium foil.

5. Tie rim of mason jar with ribbon.

6. Make holes on aluminium foil with a toothpick.

Air freshener is ready to be used! Place in rooms, kitchen or even on your office table.

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How to guide children in Mandarin homework if you don't even know one word in Mandarin

Guiding my child in his Mandarin homework is like…..

Luckily I have Pleco, the Chinese dictionary in my Android. I’m so much in love with this app. It is so easy to use. All Julian has to do if he wants to know the meaning of certain Mandarin character, is just to draw them on the screen.

I could say it is 99% accurate as it can identify the character you are drawing even if you the ugliest handwriting in the world (ok, that’s a bit too much). But still, I think it’s a great app, as you pick the correct character at the bottom of the app and out came the definition in English.

And, for some reason, the app can’t recognize your handwriting, you can use the OCR feature. Using your phone’s camera and a yellow box as your guide, point it at the character and the app will try to detect the strokes of the character and you’ll get the translation in pinyin (pinyin is roman spelling of the chinese phrase).

Type out the pinyin phrases and you'll get the definition.

But depending on the app alone is not enough. So, for non-mandarin speaker, it’s better to send children to a mandarin tuition class or on a one-to-one tuition.

Julian previous tuition teacher advice to;

* Expose children to a Mandarin-speaking environment

* If you let your children watch cartoon on television, let them watch once in a while, cartoon in Mandarin audio (at astro channel).

* As parent, I think it’s a good thing to learn with them. Try to learn a few easy Mandarin phrases; such as good morning or how‘s your day at school like; and try to communicate with them at home.

After all, we want the best for our children.

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Healthy Living - Secret to make Sabah's famous Ngiu Chap without MSG

Drool drool - The best Ngiu Chap of Sabah

I missed KK and the food. Whenever I’m back home, I will always look for this one particular dish that I will never get bored of and that is Ngiu Chap.

There’s so many version of making Ngiu Chap or Beef noodle you can find in the internet. I’ve tried to replicate so many recipes and ended with adding lots of MSG just because it doesn’t taste like the ngiu chap I had before.

Hunting recipes online, I found this this recipe from mama adib of dapurarazmunir.blogspot.com. Tried it and I’d swear flashback of my childhood flew across my thoughts.  With a few changes here and there, I’d believe I recreate the ultimate homemade ngiu chap (or so I thought).

NGIU CHAP / BEEF NOODLE

INGREDIENT

Vermicelli noodle or yellow noodle 

BROTH

300g beef bone

300g beef meat 

200g beef tendons (or tripe)

Beef balls

100g soya bean paste/tauchew

10g lump sugar

2 tsp white pepper

2 large onion
5 cm crushed ginger 

5L water

SPICES (Roast spices and place in a small square mesh bag)

½ tsp Szechuan pepper (you can either replace it with black pepper)

4 star anise

1 tsp cumin seed

4cm cinnamon stick

SEASONAL

Salt to taste

Sugar (I prefer to use lump sugar for its mild taste)

1 tbsp soy sauce

½ tbsp dark soy sauce

GARNISHING

Crispy fried onions

Scallion or parsley

CHILLI DIPPING SAUCE 

5 chilli pepper

10 bird’s eye chilli (more for intense spicy sauce!)

5 clove garlic

2 tbsp rice vinegar

4 tbsp lime juice

Salt & sugar to taste

¾ tsp shrimp paste (optional)

First thing first before I reveal the method of cooking, let me tell you the secret to make a good ngiu chap (note that this is fully my opinion).

Start with good beef bones: The broth base is very important. To make a good broth, you must have all the BEEF PIECES especially the beef bones. Knuckle and leg bones are the best.

Use lump sugar or yellow rock sugar: To avoid using MSG, balance the taste with LUMP SUGAR (or even yellow rock sugar) not coarse sugar. There’s a different in taste when using lump sugar or regular sugar in dishes. Lump sugar has  a mild taste to it than regular sugar. I used this brand of lump sugar;

     

                                                        

Simmering it long enough: Everyone knows this, the longer you cook the broth the tastier and intensely flavored it is. Heck, soup taste so good the day after you cook it. I boil the broth for a good 4 TO 5 HOUR. So, use large enough stockpot without you diluting or adding more water afterwards when you find that you don't have much liquid left in the broth after hours and hours of simmering. So find a large good quality stainless steel stockpot.

                                   
  
                               
Roasting spices: Before adding to soup, ROAST SPICES (Szechuan pepper, star anise, cumin seed and cinnamon stick) and place it in a mesh bag. Otherwise you can use convenient packets of 'sup bunjut'. (But i prefer the latter).Roasting the spices gives you naturally sweet flavor.

Now let's get to the method of cooking.

Parboil the bones: Fill large pot with water. Boil water and add the bones while keeping heat on high. Boil for 10 minutes. Drain and rinse the bones. Clean stockpot and refill pot with bones and 5 litre of water.

Boil the broth: Bring water to a boil before adding the beef bones, meat and tendons. Add all the ingredients in the broth section (except the beef balls); soya bean paste, lump sugar, white pepper, onion and ginger. Add spices (roasted and in a mesh bag) to broth. Simmer for 1 1/2 hour before removing the beef meat. Put aside meat. Continue simmering until broth has reduced by half. Taste broth and add seasoning; salt, sugar, soy sauce and dark soy sauce. Add beef balls and simmer again for another 15 to 20 minutes. Taste broth again and adjust seasoning until tastes perfect.

Prepare noodles and meat: Cut beef meat and tendon and set aside. Blanch noodles in hot water. 

Prepare chilli dipping sauce: Blend all the ingredients.

Ladling and garnishing: Fill bowl with noodles, cooked meat, tendon and beef balls and pour boiling soup on it. Garnish with crispy fried onions and scallion/parsley. 

ENJOY YOUR HOMEMADE NGIU CHAP WITH THE CHILLI DIPPING SAUCE! 

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Handmade Accessories - Two-tone Flowery Hairpin

Create this gorgeous two-tone hair accessories using you choice of fabric flowers. It is easy to make and and you'll be able to pick your choice of color accordingly with your style.

You'll be needing;

• Two-tone color fabric flowers with large petals and smalls one
• Hairclip or large bobby pins
• Scissor
• Felt
• Hot glue gun

Make a circle using felt for the base for the flowers. Cut the dark colored flower from its stem and carefully pull of the plastic base. Separate and cut each petal and hot-glue on the circular felt. Make sure you don't stack petals on top of each other, rather arrange it just like a flower.

Cut the lighter colored, smaller flower from its stem. 

You can either use the stems and hot-glue them on. Arrange flower side by side. 

                                                           

Lastly, apply hot glue on felt base and attach hairpin or bobby pins.

Pretty, right?

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Diy Toy - Rocket Ship From Plastic Bottle

Diy toys are fairly easy and inexpensive to make. These are perfect to give children handmade gifts at Christmas, birthday or any day!

To make a rocket ship from a recycle bottle, you'll be needing;

• 1 recycle small bottle
• 1 children sock
• Glue gun
• Mod podge or water glue
• Scissor
• Silver masking tape
• Red, yellow and orange yarn
• Cardboard and felt (not in picture, you'll be needing this to make a circle, fins and for the bottom tube)
• Aluminum foil

Slip the sock over the bottle. Using glue gun, fold the bottom of the sock under the bottle and hot glue the sock. (For option, use mod podge or water glue and dab it on the surface of the bottle before slipping on the sock)

For this part, use cardboard, felt and aluminum foil. Cut two circles from the felt and glue to the front of the bottle as window. Cut two more circles smaller than the latter and cover it with aluminum foil. Adhere on top of the previously attached circles.

Using cardboard, make 3 pieces tube or otherwise you can use tissue tube. Cover tubes with aluminum foil, secure edges with silver masking tape and adhere to bottom of rocket with hot glue.

Cut three matching fin shape out of cardboard and hot glue them to the side of bottom edges of the rocket.

Wind orange yarn around your hand (around 5-6 times), repeat using the yellow and red yarn, slip it off your hand and tie in the middle. Glue inside one of the tubes. Repeat process with the other tube.

Make this with your children and let them enjoy making their own handmade toys!

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Of Lifestyle and Fertility

One of my favorite fruit/vegetable juice/smoothie has to be from beetroot . I blend or mix whatever fruits or vegetables I have in the refrigerator but basically my recipe for beetroot juice is;

• Quarter of beetroot
• Celery stick
• 1 frozen banana (makes the juice sweet and creamy)
• Quarter of cucumber
• Bunch of mint leaves
• 1 teaspoon of virgin coconut oil (vco)

Beets are claimed to be one of the healthiest food or superfood you can juice. With lots of benefit it really is worth your time to juice everyday.

I got my virgin coconut oil supply from a relative who is located in Kudat, Sabah. Kudat, my husband's hometown, has always been known for its coconut groves. Recently, VCO (virgin coconut oil) was making its presence with its health values. I got this for a fraction of the price but if you get them from the pharmacies it can be quite expensive. So, for those who are interested leave me a message.

Try my other recipes of juice/smoothie goodness.

Yellow juice/smoothie is made from;

• Half zucchini
• Celery stick
• 1/2 tsp grated ginger
• 1 orange
• 2 frozen bananas
• 1 tsp vco

While green juice/smoothie is made from;

• Bunch of spinach leaves
• Half cucumber or zucchini
• 1/2 tsp grated ginger
• 2 frozen bananas
• 1 tsp vco

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Art of Healing - Doodle

The Pursuit Curve Doodle

The world of art is awesome! I found a new way to doodle! Instead of just doodling away or whatever you have in mind, create images by drawing lines or whirls in structured patterns. 

Correct me if I'm wrong, but the idea of the adults coloring book (being famous of all is the Secret Garden Coloring Book), starts from Zentangle, created by Maria Thomas and Rick Roberts. Zentangle is an abstract drawing created by using repetitive patterns. It is easy-to-learn, very much relaxing and fun. You just have to repeat drawing the patterns and voila!, you have an intricate drawing that looks like from a professional.

I am not much of an artist but everyone can doodle....

Edge of Book Doodle

Mandala art on a recycle cake board

Zentangle in a Circle 

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You Will Never Believe the Bizarre Truth Behind this Indonesian Cuisine

Bosou (Source)

If you are a true Kadazan-Dusun you must have at least consume ‘bosou’ or pickled fish/meat. The main ingredient to ferment the raw fish or meat is what we called ‘pangi’. ‘Pangi’ is made from what the Malay called ‘buah kepayang’. It is a type of nut which is poisonous in nature and in order to consume it one has to prepare it in such a way to get rid of the poison then only you can used in dishes.

Pangi/Buah Kepayang/Kluwak nuts (Source)

According to Chowhound, in Indonesia, in order to process the nut, it would be buried in volcanic ash and allowed to mature. Then it need to be soaked in water for 3 days. The water needs to be changed and the nuts brushed clean daily.

In Sabah though, normally by the Kadazan-Dusuns, pangi is used as a food preservative (as well as for making 'bosou') where pieces of meat or fish will be covered by pounded flesh of the nut before drying them under the sun. Now, I'm not sure whether it is process (of getting rid of the poison) before being used as a food preservative, but by the sound of it the flesh of the nut is just pounded into a powdery substances before using.

Mostly I don’t care what’s in the dish as long as it’s good to eat. But since I think I would like to make ‘bosou’ someday I might as well get to know my dishes. Now, ‘bosou’ might have a pungent smell for some, but when it is stir fried with onion, garlic and bird-eye chilly, you might as well add another bowl of rice. It is so good…I tell you.

Now, imagine my surprise when I come across a recipe which used ‘pangi’ or what the Indonesian called ‘keluwak/kluak/kluwak’ nuts in a SOUP! Now, that bizzare. What would it taste like? I know that ‘pangi’ has a bit of bitterness to it. Black, powdery, bitter substance in a liquid dish?

Introducing Nasi Rawon, a traditional beef stew or soup accompanied with rice (nasi), hence the name. Interestingly, the deep black color of the soup is from the kluwak nuts, the main spices in the soup. This dish is typically from the Indonesian province of East Java particularly in Surabaya.  There is even a restaurant in Surabaya which is called Rawon Setan (Devil’s Rawon) which is listed in tripadvisor and according to some a must visit.

Looks appetizing with the rich black broth

It's interesting human is capable of using deadly resources of food to accustom to our need. Surely there must have cases in the olden days where people died from consuming this type of food before they learn how to process it. 

I wouldn't mind trying one since it's a very popular dish that there is even a version of it in Singapore. I wonder if it's available in Malaysia...

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RIP Chester of Linkin Park

Waking up to a message in a whatapps group of the suicide of Chester Bennington, singer of Linkin Park was just surreal. According to the news the group was in the middle of a tour and I think it's just unbelievable that he would suddenly commit suicide.

There's more to a story. Apparently, the singer was alone at home when everybody is out of town and he was suffering from drug and alcohol abuse apart from, I believed, depression.

Linkin Park was one my favourite rock band or what we called alternative rock band in the 90's after Limp Bizkit.

Watching back at their video music, it's just so sad that someone at the age of 41 has left this world unsatisfied of their life.

Rest in peace, Chester.

Link story from:
http://m.tmz.com/#article/2017/07/20/linkin-park-singer-chester-bennington-dead-commits-suicide/

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You Should Experience This Father's Day Game at Least Once in Your Lifetime and Here's Why

Take a break from the constant screen-time and try activities or games at social gatherings to interact with friends.

For Father's Day celebration this year, we had planned both husband and wife take part in this funny and yet romantic game for couples. You had to try this game once maybe in your birthday celebration or any occasion related. It takes almost no preparation and I personally think it's the best tricks to add fun to romantic moments.

It's the Spouse Makeover game or better yet put-makeup-on-your-husband game. Some of us ladies are expert in putting up makeup right? Try it in blindfold?!! It's funny cause you'll be doing it with your eyes closed and romantic as well cause there'll be a lot caressing on your spouse's facial features.

And the results is quite awesome actually....

All the daddies are lucky this year. We even handmade our own bouquet of gifts for them.

Proud ladies with their handmade bouquet of either flowers, chocolates or men's product for the husbands.

Proud husbands as well, as their makeup are done by their loving wives. Maybe next time we should try a game where husbands try to put makeup on their wives in exchange.

A good father is one of the most unsung, unpraised, unnoticed, and yet one of the most valuable assets in our society.  

~ Billy Graham

Happy Father's Day!

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Five Interesting Facts About Father's Day You Might Want to Know

1. Father's Day cards dates back to roughly 4,000 years ago. Elmesu, a Babylonian* youngster carved a card out of clay to "wish his father a good health and long life.

*Babylon, a famous city from ancient Mesopotamia whose ruins lies in modern-day Iraq.

2. Father's Day is celebrated on the third day of June in many countries of the world. Many Christian countries, such as Spain and Italy, celebrate father's on St. Joseph's instead (March 19).

3. A necktie is among the ultimate gifts for Father's Day. Did you know that neckties could date back on 221 B.C.? When Chin Shi Huang, China's first emperor and founder of the Qin Dynasty, and his famous "terracota army" were discovered, each replica was wearing a necktie.

4. Thailand Father's Day is celebrated on the birthday of the King Bhumibol Adulyadej on 5th of December. Before the king passing on 13th October 2016, everyone will wear yellow to show respect for the king and also celebrate father's by giving them a canna flower.

5. Father's day originated in the United States after Sonora Smart Dodd was inspired by mother's day. It has been celebrated in June since 1910.

So, father's day is just around the corner - it's close enough that you should put some thought to it. But shopping for Dad is hard, I know. 

Aww, please get your Dad something this year just to tell him how wonderful he has been in your life. It's not necessary to buy expensive gifts. A homemade card with a personal message will do.

Why not, for this year, buy your Dad a personalized gift which has a sentimental touch to it. A personal message just for your Dad printed on a special selected gift just so that he look at it every morning or anytime of the day and thought...I'm blessed. 

At Bavakoo Gifts & Crafts you can personalized a regular white ceramic mug with your own unique photo and message.

So the next time your Dad take a sip from this personalized mug, you will always be in his mind. 

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