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What's in store for Ramadan? Ayam percik is a traditional Malay speciality that originated from the state of Kelantan. Percik literally translates as ´splash´, but it also means ´splatter´ or ´baste´. The name could have been derived from the fatty juices sputtering from the chicken as it is being grilled on the open flame, or it could refer to the thickened coconut baste that is splashed on the chicken halfway through roasting. The chicken is traditionally served alongside rice with an optional side dish of fresh vegetables or salads. Ingredients A: 1 packet (50g) - @my.blue.tea Rendang Base powder 20g - Chilli powder 70ml - Cooking oil 300ml - Water Ingredients B: 100g - Lemongrass (blend) 100g - Galangal (blend) 100g - Onion (blend) Ingredients C: 1 packet (25g) - @my.blue.tea Powder (Dehydrated coconut milk) 100ml - Water (shake well) Others: 10g - Sugar 1 pc - Turmeric leaf 1kg - Chicken (marinated with white pepper & salt) Method: 1. Mix Ingredients (A) well. Pour Ingredients (A) and cooking oil into a wok/pan. Cook until mixture begins to boil. 2. Add Ingredients (B). Cook until gravy thickens, and oil rises to the top. Add sugar and turmeric leaves. Stir and set gravy aside. 3. Bake chicken in pre-heated oven. When chicken is almost cooked, pour half of the gravy onto the chicken. Return chicken to the oven and bake until chicken is fully cooked. 4. Heat remaining gravy in a wok/pan and add coconut milk - Ingredients (C). Cook for 5 minutes. Pour gravy onto chicken. Ayam Percik is ready to serve. Ayam Percik is so good and such an iconic food in Kelantan that KFC Malaysia has launched its own version of Ayam Percik with authentic smoky flavours with "a kick of chilli heat” in conjunction with the Ramadan & Raya celebrations in Malaysia! We're also excited to share an authentic Ayam Percik recipe with you to celebrate this Ramadan & Eid! Complete your meal with this beautiful refreshing Ramadan Fruity drink. It has strawberry, lychee and Blue Butterfly Ice cubes and soda water. Garnish with a refreshing sprig of mint and enjoy! About Imelia Mel is a cheerful housewife whose daily activities generally revolve around her family. Living with her husband makes household chores simple and quick, and it gives her ample free time to enjoy her leisure activities. Follow Imelia on her Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/mel.s_food/ and subscribe to her YouTube - https://youtube.com/user/imeliajuwono Unlike other chefs, Mel was not born into a family with a culinary passion. Interestingly, her father is an artist so Mel grew up with her father´s love for painting (which perhaps has unconsciously seeped out in her beautiful recipes). Her mother is a loving housewife who cooked for the family and it was mostly run of the mill family friendly dishes she grew up with. Her mother was not particularly interested in cooking or experimenting with new recipes or flavours. Mel remembers spending more time cooking with an aunt of hers, but she is not exactly sure where her own love for cooking came from. Perhaps Mel was simply born with her own unique passionate culinary curiosity. Mel´s artistry is seen not only in her cooking but also in her other hobby - photography. Being behind the lens allows Mel to escape into another dimension and see the world with a different set of eyes. It is how she expresses herself in imagery as seen through the lens of her camera. She learns from other people's posts on Instagram and has since built up quite a lot about photography, cooking and so many other things in the culinary world which she had not known about before. Mel is now dedicating her time to really growing her talents and developing her hobbies. She wants to continue sharing ideas and learn from people around the world about cuisine and photography. My Blue Tea loves what Mel has been sharing in the culinary community. Her dishes definitely look good enough to be framed and we can't wait to taste more of her beautiful dishes!

These easy stay-at-home recipes are perfect for Ramadan If you’re a foodie like us who love celebrating any festival where beautiful dishes are a necessary protagonist, then you’re probably pretty bummed that Ramadan bazaars are not commonly seen in Australia. But, it's slowly getting there. We totally understand that disappointment, but that doesn’t mean we have to miss out completely on the festivities. We can always make do with what we have. It ain’t the same as being there yourself, but if you are craving for certain bazaar food, then resorting to your own culinary skills in your kitchen is an option. Here are some easy Ramadan recipes you can cook when you buka puasa with South East Asian cuisines for Singaporeans, Indonesians, Bruneians, Malaysians and perhaps Thai. There will be other cuisines observed by our Lebanese, Pakistani friends, maybe in future blogs. And don’t worry, you won’t need to possess 5-star culinary skills or state-of-the-art kitchen facilities. The most important ingredient in all this is a craving that needs fixing. Food is part of Ramadan tradition; family and friends gather to share and enjoy the two meals that are served: Iftar celebrated at sunset when Muslims break their fast, and Suhoor consumed early in the morning before the day starts. Fasting has an important role in teaching patience, compassion and gratitude. It also reminds people about those suffering from poverty and hunger. A traditional Iftar includes a variety of dishes. But whether an Iftar is simple or grand, sharing food with the needy during this holy month is an important aspect of the feast and Muslims are encouraged to help the poor. Here are some suggested dishes for Iftar. Ayam Percik Ayam Percik originates from the Northern state of Kelantan, Malaysia. This flavourful chicken dish is the result of a beautiful marinade of different spices and basting with a rich coconut gravy prior to grilling. The roasted chicken is marinated in spices like turmeric, cumin and coriander along with lemongrass, coconut milk and tamarind - all of which come in an easy 50 grams pack of My Blue Tea´s Rendang base powder. Keep an eye out on this space - we will be publishing a full recipe for Ayam Percik soon! We have so many yummy recipes by our Chefs, passionate cooks, brand ambassadors and ourselves, and as much as we´d like to publish everything we´ve got, we thought it best to spread out the good stuff so our stomachs do not go into overdrive! Chicken Curry Samosas A samosa (/səˈmoʊsə/) is a fried or baked pastry with a savoury filling of spiced potatoes, onions, peas. It comes in different shapes e.g. triangular, cone, or half-moon shapes, depending on the region. Samosas are often accompanied by chutney, and have their origins in medieval times or earlier. Samosas are a popular entrée, appetizer or snack in the local cuisines of South Asia, the Middle East, Central Asia, East Africa and other regions. Due to emigration and the cultural diffusion from these areas, samosas today are often prepared and can be found in other parts of the world. Our Chicken Curry Samosas are made using My Blue Tea´s Meat Curry base powder - follow the simple instructions printed on the pack, add peas, potatoes, onions or ingredients of your choice, and you have yourself some irresistible snacks that´ll have you going back for more! Rendang Here's a delicious Rendang Kangaroo by Amazing Grace! Remember, we're here in AU and while we want to use what's local, looking at the hike in prices (e.g. veggies have gone up by 75%!), we may sometimes have to make some adjustments to our ingredients. The Amazing Grace Lim is clever to tweak the dish paying attention to the cost and availability and this is what she has come up with - an Australian rendang made with My Blue Tea´s rendang powder! Ayam Goreng Berempah / Spice Fried Chicken We know this sounds like Nasi Goreng or Fried Rice! Just imagine replacing rice with chicken! This short video of Ayam Goreng Berempah is by Vyen Food Madness, brand ambassador in Melbourne. She really misses Malaysian food! If time is a constraint for you, what with going back to work and having to commute, then you really need to save time wherever you can. When it comes to the meal prep for this dish, all you need to do is to rip open a pack of My Blue Tea´s Ayam Goreng Berempah powder, marinade it into 1Kg meat of your choice and air fry it! Yes, it really is that straightforward! What we like most about My Blue Tea´s Spice Pantry is you can travel with these little packets of 50 grams powder, stash it in your handbag and you can make your familiar favourite dishes with you anywhere you go! We will be publishing the microwave version of the recipe soon (hopefully with a video thrown in as well!) and all it takes for this is just 28 mins! And the best part of this dish is not just the chicken...it´s actually the irresistible crumbly bits! Ayam Goreng Crumbly bits This is optional but it´s good to have if you have the time to do it. To get these "crumbly bits" and crisps that are such a delight to have with just steamed white rice, you can add these into your marinade using 1 kg drumsticks: *1 shallot *8 cloves garlic *1 knob ginger *1 knob galangal *4 lemongrass (chopped) Method: (1) Blend all the above ingredients. (2) Add them into chicken with Ayam Goreng Berempah Powder in a ziplock bag. (3) Marinade for 3 hours maximum overnight. (4) Roll over cornstarch flour. (5) Air fry at 180 C for 30 mins. Serve & enjoy! With or without the crumbly bits, this beautiful Ayam Goreng Berempah rub/marinade is good on its own. Ayam Masak Merah (or your choice of Meat or Seafood) Tip: If you are having curries, you must have some carbs such as Roti Jala or Nasi (rice) to go with them. There are so many beautiful options to choose from such as Nasi Lemak or just beautiful coloured rice. One of the most viewed recipes is Ayam Masak Merah (Asian Chicken Cacciatore) and all the more reason to cook it especially for the holy month of Ramadan. Roti Jala Roti Jala (also known as Roti Kirai or Roti Renjis, literally meaning "Net Bread" or "lace pancake" in English), is a popular Malay tea time snack served with curry dishes. It is commonly seen in Malaysia, Indonesia and Singapore. Roti Jala is a pretty dish that looks like a lace doily due to the way it is made. This is a very traditional Malay dish that is usually homemade and served at events such as weddings and festivals. It is eaten in sets of three to four pieces with chicken curry, as a substitute to rice. It is no secret that the name is representative of how it looks. Unlike pancakes which are thick, roti jala on the other hand is much thinner, like crepes. It is a popular dish during Ramadan and Eid/Hari Raya. This is a recipe we have shared before, and this is as good a time as any to enjoy it again! Here's Roti Jala by Chef Sugu. Nasi Lemak / Colourful rice Nasi Lemak and Blue Butterfly Nasi accompany all the delicious dishes above or you may like a roti or two. Enjoy! Dessert and Buka Puasa Muslims break their fast by eating 1 or 3 dates as was the practice of Prophet Mohammed who broke his fast with three dates and water. From a nutritional point of view, dates are an excellent source of fibre, natural sugar, iron and magnesium. They help restore blood sugar after long hours of fasting. And why not complement your dates with a delicious Blue Bandung or Pandan Bandung? From left Kueh Jongkong or Kueh Pelita by Chef Sabrina (recipe coming soon), Ondeh-ondeh & Pandan Bandung and dates to break fast (by Malaysia's MasterChef Judge Chef Johari); Blue Bandung was created by Chef Celina Joseph (zero-waste Chef in Malaysia), Blue Bandung using rockmelon and lastly Pandan Ondeh Ondeh (photo of Pandan Ondeh Ondeh tarts & recipe contributed by Catherine Ang Melbourne for CNY). Pandan Ondeh Ondeh seems to be trending and has evolved in every shape and food imaginable! The list is endless e.g. Pandan Ondeh Ondeh Cake, Pandan Ondeh Ondeh Tart, Pandan Ondeh Ondeh cupcakes, Pandan Ondeh Ondeh ice cream! Since everyone´s going wild for Pandan Ondeh Ondeh, here's a Pandan Ondeh ondeh tart recipe you really have to try! Lastly, have a blessed Ramadan and may everyone be blessed with kindness, patience and love. Eid Mubarak from all of us @my.blue.tea. Sources : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samosa https://indonesiaeats.com/ayam-percik-malaysian-spiced-chicken/ https://www.thekitchn.com/the-food-of-ramadan-when-and-what-to-eat-94989

Best type of “instant noodles” - No MSG, No artificial flavourings, No additives...and bursting with flavours! Just imagine this combination of flavours and textures - mildly spicy, playfully sweet, a surprising touch of sour, full-bodied savoury and excitingly crunchy... Any guesses what dish could hold all these different experiences? Well, today´s Malaysian-inspired noodle dish will get those stomach juices working up a storm! Satay Sauce Noodles can be made with or without peanuts. It is a hot favourite with families and it is really quite difficult to find someone who actually doesn´t like it! Here's a simple recipe to enjoy Satay Sauce Noodles. Ingredients * Portion of noodles for 3 people or about 440 grams Hokkien noodles or vermicelli. Soften in boiling water. Drain water and dry. * 2.5 tbsp @my.blue.tea Satay Sauce Powder * 2 tbsp of boiling water * 3 tbsp of soy sauce * 1 tbsp of sesame paste (or peanut butter) * 1 tbsp of sesame oil * 1 tbsp of black vinegar * 2 tsp of sugar * Sprinkle of @my.blue.tea Borneo Native Cili Padi * @my.blue.tea Coconut Milk Powder (optional) Additional ingredients * Add veggies of your desire e.g. bean sprouts, carrots, bok choy, spring onions, coriander leaves etc. * Add protein of your desire e.g. chicken, beef strips, turkey or tofu. * Add peanuts. If you have a nut allergy, you can also use sesame seeds. * Add a sprinkling of Borneo Native Cili Padi. Method Follow the video below. Children love this dish! They can note the spiciness but it´s mild, and most importantly, it is yummy enough for them to actually polish off all the noodles on their plate! Kerabu Bee Hoon recipe is available online and also made with love by Grace. Photos and recipes for the above recipes have been contributed by our Brand Ambassador and food lover, Grace, who is an International Tax Accountant, tax advisor, an enthusiastic educator and the mother of 3 lovely kids. Do follow @grazia.lim to be a part of her cooking adventures. You will be amazed what's in store! And there are more treats coming up! Why not finish off the meal with a delicious Pandan Ice Recipe from a mother and daughter team? All you need is four ingredients, three steps and it's completely budget-friendly! For Pandan lovers, this is the perfect dessert choice! Or cool off with a cup of refreshing Bamboo Tea! This is suitable for all ages. My Blue Tea´s plant-based superfood Bamboo tea contains silica and is infused with a delicate blend of Pandan and Kasturi Lime. It is beneficial for the hair, skin and nails. What's in it: Bamboo leaves (The bamboo leaf contains 70% organic silica) Pandan leaves (natural antiseptic benefits) Kasturi peel (calamansi lime) (rich in vitamins C and B6)

It's all about P'ng Kueh 红桃粿 today. Yummy Red Peach Treat! Here's a Vegetarian Recipe by Grace Chen just in time for Chinese New Year Celebrations :) Red and Blue Peach Rice Pastry or 红桃粿 or P’ng Kueh is essentially a Red Peach snack (or cake/pudding/dumpling) and whatever it is called, YUMMY is the word! It is simply a Red Peach Treat! What is so special about this steamed cake? Many of us with Chinese Heritage may recognise it and have fond memories of it. It is very much part of the Chinese culture and we have all tasted it at some point when we were children. One of our colleagues misses this steamed cake and also having the chance to converse with someone in her dialect back in Kuala Lumpur. You can imagine her excitement when some of her friends made this steamed cake. There is nothing better than food to help ease the pangs of homesickness and bring back nostalgic memories of one's childhood and youth. The thing about this steamed cake is you need its own specific mould to make it and we know someone who actually has the Png Kueh/Peach Rice Pastry mould! It is in her “museum” stashed somewhere in her pantry. We are rather hoping, very subtly, that perhaps if we share this recipe, it would be a really big hint for her to do something about it and start making beautiful P'ng Kueh! (Maybe we should put this last bit in font size 30 and in bold...we really want to taste this treat!) Red peach cake (Chinese: 紅桃粿; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: âng-thô-kóe), also known as rice peach cake (Chinese: 飯桃粿; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: pn̄g-thô-kóe) and rice cake (Chinese: 飯粿; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: pn̄g-kóe) is a small teardrop-shaped Chinese pastry with soft sticky glutinous rice flour skin wrapped over a delicious savoury filling of glutinous rice, peanuts, mushrooms, and shallots. (Oh my mouth is watering already as I write this!) The cake is shaped with a wooden mould before steaming. The cake is native to the Teochew people who originated from the Chaozhou prefecture in Guangdong province in China. Grace Chen's Story “Essentially, this Teochew delicacy is shaped like a peach, features a pink coloured sticky but tender skin that is stuffed with the most fragrant glutinous rice. The Teochew people always prepare this during the Chinese New Year celebrations because the peach is a symbol of good fortune and immortality and is used by Teochews to worship ancestors and simply for their own (very happy) consumption. Growing up as a child, I used to watch my mum and aunts sit around the table and make these during the Chinese New Year festive season. My cousins and I used to patrol the work stations and watch them in amazement ... chopping, stirring, mixing, kneading, wrapping, moulding, shaping, arranging, steaming ... amidst constant chatter and intermittent bursts of laughter. There would be trays and trays and trays of these Red Peach Kuehs. The Kuehs will be distributed among the aunties, packed into boxes as gifts for relatives, friends and neighbours. In the later years when I was old enough to work in the kitchen, I was allowed to help with the stirring and mixing and later got ¨promoted¨ to the wrapping station. As my mum and aunts grew older, and the younger generation flew off to different countries, the making of this Kueh and many other treats also gradually started disappearing ... I was blessed with this traditional recipe handed down over the generations and I was also gifted the pastry moulds by one of my aunts a couple of years ago. To keep the tradition, I make this Kueh and many other traditional Chinese pastries with my children. We make these Kueh in Autumn in celebration of “harvest” and “preparation” for winter. According to my grandmother, eating glutinous rice during chilly weather is good and beneficial to the body. Glutinous rice helps keep the body and limbs warm. My teenage children love this Kueh. We (the family) made some of these P’ng Kueh on the weekend. It was a tedious process and there weren’t as many pairs of hands. Nevertheless, there were lots of laughter and chatting, just like in the old days. It was what I miss a lot and it is comforting to me that I am able to recreate part of it with my own family today. Times like these are a good bonding time for the family.” 红桃粿 Red /Blue Peach Rice Pastry (P’ng Kueh). The pink dough is made with Roselle powder from My Blue Tea. P'ng Kueh Recipe Filling * 165gm glutinous rice washed and soaked overnight * 55gm peanuts, washed and toasted* * 160gm homemade chicken stock or store-bought soup stock * 5 dried mushrooms, soaked and thinly sliced * 2 cloves garlic, finely minced * 3 cloves shallots, thinly sliced * 2 stalks spring onion, chopped * A small bunch of coriander, chopped * 20-25 gm dried shrimps, soaked and roughly chopped * 1/2 tbsp of quality grade light soya sauce * 1/2 tsp of white pepper * 2-3 tbsp of cooking oil or lard Method Steam the glutinous rice over high heat for at least 30-45 minutes until soft. Alternatively, you can cook the glutinous rice in a rice cooker. For rice cooker function, you need to add 170ml of water. In a wok, put the oil and sauté the sliced shallots until fragrant and golden. Add in the mushrooms, dried shrimps and white pepper. Stir fry for 1-2 minutes until the dried shrimps are fragrant. Add the glutinous rice and peanuts, followed by chicken stock and soy sauce. Stir fry until well mixed. Remove from heat and add the chopped spring onion. Stir until well mixed. Set aside. Dough * 250 gm glutinous rice flour * 275 gm rice flour * 30 gm tapioca flour * 550 gm water * 3 gm Red Yeast Rice powder or Roselle powder (from My Blue Tea) * 30 grams of lard or other cooking oil * Pinch of salt to taste Hint: For Blue P'ng Kueh, add 1 tspn of @my.blue.tea Blue Butterfly Pea Powder into the glutinous rice flour instead BUY ROSELLE POWDER NOW Method Mix all the flours (glutinous rice flour and rice flour) and divide into two bowls of equal portion. In a pot, add 550gm of water. Add the Red Yeast Rice powder or Roselle powder or Blue Butterfly Pea powder. Bring the water to a boil. Once the water is boiling, bring down the heat to the lowest setting, add in one portion of the mixed flour. Stir with a spatula or wooden spoon to form a thick paste. Cook for 1 minute on the lowest heat. While the cooked dough is still hot, quickly transfer the cooked dough to a mixing bowl or kitchen bench. GRADUALLY ADD THE REMAINING FLOUR and knead the dough until it forms a pliable dough. Work with a spatula or a stand mixer. Add in the cooking oil or lard and knead until it becomes a smooth dough. BUY BLUE BUTTERFLY PEA POWDER NOW Blue Butterfly Pea - P'ng Kueh Photos credit to Chef Celina Joseph, the Zero Waste Chef in Kuala Lumpur Malaysia Some of Celina's contribution to MY BLUE TEA Blogs are Blue Ayurvedic Tea and Fried Assam Laksa with Torch Ginger IMPORTANT NOTES You may or may not use up all the flour. Every batch of flour will have different water-absorbing properties. As long as it forms a pliable dough, it is acceptable. If you can handle sticky dough in the shaping, avoid adding more flour. The more flour you add, the harder will be your crust. Pat your hand with flour, pinch a dough, make a round shape, press it and make it flat. Put a teaspoon of the filling into the centre of the flat dough. Seal the edges such that it looks like a samosa triangular shaped dough. Press down the dough following the shape of the mould. Invert and knock the mould gently but firmly on a tea towel. Put the Kueh on a piece of banana leaf or baking paper, then arrange them in a steamer tray. Bring the water to a boil, then steam over medium to low heat for 13-15 minutes. It will turn hard if you leave it on the kitchen bench overnight. We recommend keeping it in an airtight container once it is completely cooled. Steam it for 5-10 minutes to serve. It is also common to serve the rice cake pan-fried till crispy. Traditionally, 100% rice flour is used to make this Kueh and the Kueh hardens very fast just like rice. Over time, glutinous rice flour and tapioca flour have also been introduced to improve the texture of the pastry. You can always play with different proportions of these three flours to get a dough that you like. Enjoy your P'ng Kueh with some beautiful Blue Butterfly Pea Tea! BUY BUTTERFLY PEA TEA NOW P'ng Kueh perfect with our Blue Goddess Tea and both make for an absolutely divine treat. About Grace Chen "I am a happy homemaker living in Melbourne. I am blessed with 2 beautiful teenage children and a loving husband. I enjoy cooking and baking for my family. One of our household principles is “ pragmatic, sustainable and healing suburban living”. I spend a great amount of time in the kitchen cooking for my family. I always ensure that my family eats healthy, nutritious, and delicious home-cooked meals. I like to use natural ingredients because we are what we eat. I use a lot of homegrown herbs and spices in my cooking and baking. I am constantly sourcing for natural ingredients for my pantry. You might like to follow Grace on her FB Page - https://www.facebook.com/gracechenho Thank you, Grace!

Everyone wants a Magnum - follow the trend on Instagram What is summer without ice cream? And if you are bored with the conventional ice creams around town, we are here to delight you with a new summer flavour - the Purple Sweet Potato Magnum! It is pretty to boot and absolutely delicious. One is not going to be enough. You have been warned! Just imagine...💜💜 Ube (purple sweet potato) and white chocolate magnums! This recipe has been enticingly contributed by Stacey on the Sunshine Coast. INGREDIENTS * 1 cup soaked cashews * 1 cup coconut cream * 1 tsp vanilla * 1/4 cup maple syrup * 1 Tbs @my.blue.tea Purple Sweet Potato powder METHOD * Pop everything in your blender until super smooth then pour into moulds and set in the freezer. And just sit back and wait! That is how easy this recipe is. Minimal effort! Beautiful Tip from Stacey: * I dipped mine in @sweetwilliamchocolate vegan white chocolate from @nurcha_bodymindearth sprinkled with puffed quinoa and a freeze dried viola 😊 TIPS You can get creative with My Blue Tea´s different Superfood Powders and combine them with the Magnum. Why not use Butterfly Pea Powder for an elegant blue Magnum, or Roselle to give it a pink blush? You can create a whole buffet rainbow spread of Summer Magnum Treats with these different Superfood Powders from My Blue Tea: Pandan, Durian, Jackfruit, Butterfly Pea, Dragon Fruit, Roselle. ABOUT STACEY These gorgeous and healthy recipes and photos were contributed by Stacey Lum in Sunshine Coast. Thank you Stacey! She is developing easy, healthy vegan recipes which anyone can have a shot at. And she believes you can have your cake and eat it too! That is a motto we like. When she is not getting creative with her yummy vegan recipes, she rather wishes she were a mermaid. Gallivanting among the waves sounds like a great way to spend the summer. We love you Stacey and really appreciate your delicious recipes! Stacey has now moved forward from managing her Instagram account to actually owning a shop selling all her vegan treats. That is a big step forward, Stacey! We are proud of you! Stacey also made us some treats like her Pandan Raw Cakes and Blue Butterfly Magnum during our Brisbane Vegan Expo last year. We still have memories of the tastes lingering on our tongues. When borders open again, we will be back for these delightful treats. And if you would like to be featured here, do get in contact with us or email - info@mybluetea.com.au Do you know what else you can make with Purple Sweet Potato Powder? Try making these yummy raw energy balls. Get the recipe here - https://www.mybluetea.com.au/post/yummy-raw-energy-balls

Someone needs to write a sonnet for the sensual, passionate laksa that so many adore. Oh Laksa, how do I love thee? Let me count the ways... And with Laksa Specialist (yes there is one!) Chef Nazlina, we are looking at nearly 15 different kinds of laksa recipes. And we bet right this minute she is concocting more new ones! Laksa is a highly popular dish and one to die for, so if you are a true blue fan of laksa, you would want to get your hands on the one and only book you´ll ever need to be crowned Laksa King or Queen of your neighbourhood. And, as we know, a good recipe always has that special X-factor ingredient thrown in, sworn to secrecy through generations in the family. Here at My Blue Tea, we share with you the most sought after ingredient to making a stunning bowl of laksa - the magnificent Torch Ginger or Bunga Kantan. BUY TORCH GINGER / Bunga Kantan NOW Penang Asam Laksa Now, Laksa Enthusiasts would know exactly what we are talking about here. The Penang Asam Laksa is one of the most popular dishes in Malaysia. Everybody knows this dish and would also fiercely defend the best place to get this delicacy. This is also one of the most popular recipes requested by Chef Nazlina's students. What makes Penang Asam Laksa so special is its must-have ingredient - the Torch Ginger. Laksa, the Breakfast for the Gods That is how some people see laksa. A dish fit for the gods, and the Penang Asam Laksa is actually on Anthony Bourdain's list of favourite foods. Imagine that. He saw it as "the breakfast of Gods" and if it was one thing he had to have on his travels to Malaysia, it was this dish. He raved about this dish in a 2012 episode of his travel show No Reservations. Bourdain had a habit of not speaking directly to the camera on his shows as it was "artificial and awkward" for him, but he made an exception at the Pasar Air Itam laksa stall on Jalan Pasar because he was so flooded with joy he simply had to share it. Watch Anthony Bourdain sample laksa here. Caution: Do not watch this on an empty stomach. It is recommended to have easy access to laksa while watching this video to prevent feeling weak or lightheaded. BUY KAFFIR LIME LEAF POWDER NOW Chef Nazlina's Laksa Recipe Today, we have the (g)astronomical fortune to have Chef Nazlina share with us her knowledge about this dish. Get out your notepads! 1. Penang Asam Laksa uses thick, round rice noodles. You can get the noodles in dried form (which you have to soak in advance, then boil), or freshly made at the wet market. 2. Chef Nazlina uses "ikan kembung" (fusiliers) for the gravy. Other oily fish e.g. sardines are also good to use. As always, the fresher the fish, the better your laksa will taste. 3. A beautifully "smelly" ingredient used in laksa is belachan (shrimp paste). Each culture has its own indispensable smelly (and devastatingly delicious) ingredient. In Thailand and Vietnam, fish sauce is ubiquitous but here in Malaysia, any cook worth their salt would have belachan well-stocked in their kitchen. 4. As an added condiment, "otak udang" or liquid shrimp paste is also a favourite among the locals. Yes, it is another ingredient that stinks to high heavens, but it adds that necessary Oomph! to the dish. Now with that bit of background knowledge covered, it is time to don that apron and get cooking. For Chef Nazlina, making laksa is a community affair. She would cry if she were asked to cook laksa on her own. That is why she enjoys sharing her culinary experiences so much! True to its name, laksa comes from the word "lakh", meaning "one hundred thousand" in Sanskrit. Let’s check out the one hundred thousand ingredients you need in order to make that stunning bowl of laksa. This recipe serves five people (reduce that if you are generous enough to let someone have seconds). Ingredients to be processed finely using pestle and mortar or a blender (using pulse function) 50g large fresh chilies 10g dried chilies (cut to remove seeds and soaked in hot water to soften the skin) 10 g inch toasted belachan (prawn paste block) 3g fresh turmeric 5g thin slices of galangal (lengkuas or pink ginger) 10g fresh ginger 60g big onion shallots 30g garlic 1 lemongrass (use up to 1.5” from the base ONLY) – not the whole stalk Fresh herbs 1 handful of mint 1 handful of Vietnamese mint (daun kesum or laksa leaves) 1 torch ginger – bunga kantan (sliced thinly or chopped finely, use the flower only, remove the stalk) or if you can't get Torch Ginger/Bunga Kantan easily - My Blue Tea has the perfect solution - @my.blue.tea - Bunga Kantan/Torch Ginger dried slices (soak 1 tspn of Torch Ginger dried slices into warm water for 5 mins, remove water and garnish your Assam Laksa Other ingredients 500g ikan kembung (fusiliers) 2 pieces tamarind apples ( "asam keping" in Malay) 1 tbs tamarind paste to get tamarind juice (soaked in 200ml of water for at least 15 minutes, squeeze out the juice and remove seeds and pulp) Salt and sugar to taste Method Prepare fish by scaling and gutting them. Then clean them properly. (You can cheat by using canned tuna or sardine but of course, the taste would just not quite be the same). Cook the fish whole in 2 litres of water for about 20 minutes with tamarind apples. Then remove from the stock and separate the flesh from the bones. DO NOT discard the stock. Mash the bones and heads with pestle and mortar. Add this into a pot with one litre of water. Let it simmer for about ten minutes, then sieve to get the second stock again. Mash the flesh, keep aside. Now put together, the flesh, first stock and second stock in a large pot. Add in ground spice and tamarind juice. Let simmer slowly. Once it is bubbling gently, add in torch ginger, mint and Vietnamese mint. Season with salt and sugar to taste. You can also adjust the sourness by adding more tamarind juice if need be at this point. If you use dried laksa noodles (thick rice noodles) – soak in cold water for at least one hour, then blanch for about 15 minutes in boiling water and then drain. Be careful not to overcook as the noodles would be too mushy. Serve the laksa, with the soup, and the following garnish on top Thinly sliced cucumber cut into matchsticks Shredded lettuce Sliced bird’s eye chilies Sliced fresh pineapple Quartered boiled eggs A wedge of lime Bits of sliced onion 1 teaspoon of liquid prawn paste (otak udang) NOTE Laksa Siam (or Thai Laksa) uses exactly the same ingredients with the addition of three more items: 2 tsp coriander powder 400 ml coconut milk AND 6 pieces of kaffir lime leaves, sliced thinly or use @my.blue.tea Kaffir Lime Leaf Powder What is great here is, with the same base, you can get two kinds of laksa! For a refreshing after laksa feat, try our BAMBOO TEA INFUSION Carrying the Torch Ginger You need the Torch Ginger or Bunga Kantan or Bunga Kecombrang to complement your different kinds of laksas. Torch Ginger Salad or Kerabu | Seafood Laksa | Pahang Laksa and Sarawak Laksa If all this has gotten your taste buds going into overdrive, get ready to learn and cook all these different laksas with Chef Nazlina here. For a limited time, Chef Nazlina is offering a copy of the e-Book version of "The Fierce Aunty’s No-Nonsense Guide to the Perfect Laksa" at this wonderful introductory price: USD10.40 (payable via Paypal). This offer ends on 21st February 2021 at 10 P.M. MYT. About Chef Nazlina, The Laksa Chef The Fierce Aunty Chef Nazlina´s accolades and accomplishments are like her types of laksa - she does not stop at one. - Cooked for 100 guests as a guest chef at Terra Madre et Salone del Gusto in Torino, Italy October 2014 - Trip Advisor Winner of Certificate of Excellence 2015, 2016 and 2017 - Nazlina Spice Station Trip Advisor Winner of Certificate of Excellence Five years running: 2015-2019 How did someone who has accomplished so much start? Nazlina started her traditional Malay cooking class in Penang on 29th June 2009. At that time, she had only one student - a journalist from Australia. From such humble beginnings, she now has people from all around the world coming to her classes to learn authentic Malay cuisine. She started the business because it was impossible to get an office job with two young children to care for at home. After resigning from an American based electronics company where she worked as an Electronics Engineer, she bought over a SCUBA diving company and ran it for several years while being a "work-at-home-mom". She set up her website in 2007, initially just as a hobby. It was a 'space' where she could document and photograph her adventures in the kitchen as well as write about the ingredients, especially spices. It was a way for her to share her love for Malay food with readers. We can guess what happened from there. Naturally, a cooking class was born because people started to write to her asking her to teach them how to cook. And to take them to the market! Cooking goes beyond just being in the kitchen. It is also the whole process of understanding where the ingredients come from and how to choose them. Chef Nazlina had to wait till her youngest child went to school full time before she could fully launch this business idea. She happily used the six hours when the children were at school to share her joy for cooking with her clients. Today she runs a thriving cooking school right in the middle of George Town, Penang. You see her name mentioned in countless food blogs, and she has been featured in 36 hours in Penang by The New York Times, Weekend Telegraph, The Independent, in-flight magazines as well as travel magazines. She has been keeping busy running food workshops both in Italy and South Korea, under Slow Food. As a member of Slow Food, Chef Nazlina advocates Good, Clean and Fair food. She believes food should be safe to be consumed and sourced locally. Farmers, fishermen and traders should also get fair compensation for all the effort they put in. Chef Nazlina really looks at the source of her food and when one has so much respect for the individual ingredients, that attention to care and detail comes out in one's cooking as well. We are delighted that Chef Nazlina's passion for cooking traditional food, and following Slow Food philosophy is inspiring her students from all over the world. So, are you inspired to savour your laksa very slowly and appreciate every burst of flavour each spice brings to your tongue? Enjoying My Blue Tea's recipes? Subscribe now so you won't miss another recipe from foodies and chefs around the world. Use My Blue Tea superfoods for that healthy, delicious meal you create, then share it with us by emailing to info@mybluetea.com.au Shop My Blue Tea superfoods now at https://www.mybluetea.com.au/shop Sources : http://www.pickles-and-spices.com https://pepper.ph/malaysian-homecooking-spice-stations-nazlina-hussin/ https://www.nst.com.my/lifestyle/sunday-vibes/2017/10/293754/savvy-laksa-specialist https://www.mypenang.gov.my/culture-heritage/directory/1335/?lg=en https://docgelo.com/2013/04/14/i-will-never-forget-you-penang-assam-laksa/ https://www.bittermansguide.com/blog/in-bourdains-footsteps-pasar-air-itam-laksa https://www.nst.com.my/lifestyle/groove/2018/06/378276/top-4-most-memorable-anthony-bourdain-moments-malaysia

Eating a Portuguese Egg Tart is like falling in love all over again :) Every country has its signature dish and when you mention Portugal, a beautiful image of a perfectly made soft, creamy, fluffy, fragrant pastéis de nata comes to mind. Biting into one of these delicious heartwarming Portuguese Egg Tarts, feels pretty much like first love. It keeps you yearning for that wonderful delicious sensation again. Yes, you want to fall in love again. Portuguese Egg Tarts is one of the greatest pastries to binge-eat. It is hard to resist its crisp, flaky crust delicately cradling a cozy creamy custard center, gently blistered on the top from the high heat of an oven. At My Blue Tea, we love bringing beautiful flavours together and what better way to do that than to add a dash of fragrant pandan to it. So we "Pandan-ed" the classic Portuguese Egg Tart and here's a recipe for you, courtesy of Steph Yeoh. Revealing Steph Yeoh's Pandan Portuguese Egg Tart Recipe Pandan Portuguese Egg Tarts Servings: Makes 24 Ingredients * 500g milk * 1-1.5 tbsp @my.blue.tea Pandan Leaf Powder or optional - * ## 2 tsp of @my.blue.tea Pandan Liquid * 180g sugar * 45g cornflour * 5 egg yolks * 1 tsp vanilla bean paste (optional) * 4 sheets ready-prepared puff pastry (preferably Borg's or Pampas) Method Custard Preparation Add the pandan leaf powder to the milk. Stir to mix well. Put the egg yolks, sugar and cornflour into a saucepan and whisk together. Gradually whisk in the pandan milk until it becomes a smooth mixture. Place the saucepan over medium heat and cook the mixture. Stir it occasionally to make sure that it doesn’t catch at the bottom of the saucepan. Cook until the mixture thickens and comes to a boil. Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla extract. Transfer the pandan custard to a bowl, cover it with cling wrap to let it cool a little whilst you prepare the puff pastry. Love this? Then check out our Easter Specials Puff Pastry Preheat the oven to 200 degrees Celsius (conventional). Cut the pastry dough sheet in half, put one half on top of the other half and set it aside for 5 minutes. Then roll up the pastry tightly from the short end and cut the pastry log into 1cm rounds. Lay each pastry round on a lightly floured surface and use a rolling pin to roll it out until each pastry round is 10cm in diameter. Press the pastry rounds into a lightly greased muffin tin. Spoon the cooled custard into the pastry cases and bake in the middle of the oven for 20-25 minutes, or until pastry and custard are golden. Change the oven setting to grill and bake it for another 5 minutes or so until the pastry has browned on the edges and the custard starts to blister and caramelise. Remove the tarts from the oven and let it rest for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool until they are slightly warm (the best time to eat them!). Notes Make sure to let your puff pastry thaw on the counter for at least 30 minutes before you start using it for this recipe. Do keep an eye on them when they are on the grill setting as they can cook really quickly depending on your oven (you know your oven the best!). As an ingredient, pandan has a gentle flavour that blends well and is easy-going with other food, and it is packed with amazing benefits as well. Get My Blue Tea´s pandan powder and pandan extract here to have a go at making your own Pandan Portuguese Egg Tarts! What other ways do you know of creating new versions of the classic pastéis de nata? We love blending beautiful flavours to share with family and friends. We think right now is a good time to bring out a few freshly-baked Pandan Portuguese Egg Tarts, boil some water for our beautiful blue teas and enjoy a deliciously quiet afternoon! ABOUT STEPH YEOH Stephanie is an EA by day, baker by night and the occasional dog sitter. When she is not at work or at the gym, she can be found in the comfort of her own kitchen. She is either cooking or baking away, oldie but goodie recipes or trying out new recipes where she always has a tendency to stray from the recipe and prefers to go by feel. Born and raised in Kuala Lumpur, Stephanie is no stranger to being surrounded by delicious food that can be found on street corners or cooked at home by her grandma. Growing up, she was never really taught how to cook but she was always good at eating. When she migrated to Melbourne with her mum and sister, she learnt how to cook by observing her mum in the kitchen. When you are far from home, it’s a no brainer that you have to learn to make dishes that remind you of your Malaysian childhood or else, travelling to and from KL is going to burn serious holes in your pocket. Cooking came naturally to her, but baking was a different story. Seven years ago, she said to a good friend, “I’m really bad at baking” and fast forward to now, she's in a completely different chapter. Stephanie is a self-taught baker, she started out by baking cupcakes and a good mentor of hers told her, “this taste better than the store-bought ones you usually buy for us”. That's where her baking escapade started, she started baking cupcakes and she put a twist on the usual cupcake flavours with flavours that reminded her of home. Two of those flavours include Pandan Kaya Cupcakes and Durian Cupcakes. She decided to start her own cupcake business, CUP that CAKE. She loves her day job and bakes for her business on the side as a hobby, trying to create any Asian flavours that comes to mind. Nothing makes her happier than seeing her nearest and dearest enjoy the food that she puts on the table for them. You can follow her adventures on Instagram: Steph Steph And some of Steph creations with @my.blue.tea Dragon Fruit / Pitaya Powder. Don't forget to check out our Easter Specials Want more inspirations? Try making these with My Blue Tea's new Dragonfruit Pitaya Powder These are Cupcakes with Dragon Butter Cream, Dragon Fruit Pannacotta and Dragon Fruit Jello. Do you know where there are different shades of red? Tell us why did the colour changes? Here's a basic Pannacotta recipe Enjoying My Blue Tea's recipes? Subscribe now so you won't miss another recipe from foodies and chefs around the world. Use My Blue Tea superfoods for that healthy, delicious meal you create, then share it with us by emailing to info@mybluetea.com.au Shop My Blue Tea superfoods now at https://www.mybluetea.com.au/shop

Calling all SOURDOUGH LOVERS ... Would you like to WIN a Sourdough Baking Pan, complete with Pandan Powder and some Blue Tea? Then continue reading! Sourdough bread recipe Lucky draw Melya Suryanto (Mel), the Sourdough Queen Sourdough Pan offer We love our sourdough right? With some smashed avocado, eggs + vegemite – the Aussie way! Oi! Oi! Oi! Well with a simple sourdough bread recipe that's easy to make using your sourdough starter. Give the dough an overnight rise for an early morning bake or mix it in the morning for freshly baked sourdough bread to have on its own or with lunch/dinner. It’s easily adjusted to fit your schedule! In a nutshell, sourdough is slow-fermented bread. It's unique because it does not require commercial yeast in order to rise. Instead, it’s made with a live fermented culture, a sourdough starter, which acts as a natural leavening agent. Sourdough is best known for its characteristic tangy flavour, chewy texture and that crisp, crackly crust. From a health standpoint, it dominates when compared to supermarket loaves. The naturally occurring acids and long fermentation help to break down the gluten, making it more digestible and easies for the body to absorb. And guess what it does taste damn good (more so if you made it yourself, right?) Remember our Mel in Brisbane? Mel who has contributed a few yummy and gorgeous recipes Pandan Chocolate Swirl Chiffon Cake, Dragon Fruit Layered Steam cake and Anzac biscuits with Pandan flavour and now giving you a Pandan Sourdough recipe! Mel is officially a @my.blue.tea Pandan Addict!! A delicious take on the trending sourdough bread by Mel, baked using the Brisbane Sourdough Pan by @skitchenau - Australia's first cast iron sourdough pan!! A video by Mel show's how to bake Pandan Sourdough or any Sourdough for that matter. More videos on our TV Channel www.mybluetea.com.au/tv Here's your Sourdough Bread Recipe Sourdough starter · 5g sourdough starter · 35g water · 35 bread flour Dough · 270g high gluten bread flour (90%) · 30g Whole wheat Emmer flour (10%) · 252g water (80%) · 60g levain (20%) · 6g salt (2%) · 9gr Pandan (3%) Powder from My Blue Tea BUY PANDAN POWDER NOW Directions 8:00 am: Add starter to the water and whisk together, add flour, mix well, cover loosely, let it sit at room temperature at 74-78F until in about 5-6 hours starter reaches its peak (triples or more in volume). All starters are different, so work with yours accordingly. 11:00 am: mix water with bread flour and cover it, let it rest 1 hour for autolyse. During the autolyse process the flour absorbs water, becoming fully hydrated. This activates gluten development. 1:00 pm: add sourdough starter. Mix with hand around 5 mins and make sure all well incorporated Cover and let it rest for 30 min. 1:30 pm: add salt and mix for 4-5 minutes until well incorporated (you may add water at this stage especially if the dough feels tight) Leave to rest for 30 min. At 74-78F /23-26C. 2:00 pm: Lamination. Wet your hands and spray table with water. Stretch the dough as much as you can gently and spread the inclusions e.g. dried peach and fold them. Let rest for another 30 mins. 2.30pm: First Coil and Fold 3.30pm: Second Coil and Fold Performing stretches and folds every 30 - 45 min will help to continue gluten development, time varies depending on how strong your dough is. Keep monitoring the dough, if it’s rising too fast, you can shorten the time in between stretches to 45 minutes or less. After the final stretch let the dough proof for 2 hours at 76-80F/ 24-26C. You should see some bubbles on the surface, the dough has to become lighter. 5.45pm: Shaping. When forming the sourdough into your desired loaf shape, the goal throughout the shaping process is to create surface tension on the outer surface of the dough without affecting the delicate inner dough. Using your bench knife, flip the dough and place in the proofing basket with the seam facing up 6.15pm: transfer dough and allow to rise for 14-24 hours in the refrigerator. Next morning, place The Brisbane Sourdough Pan in the oven and pre heat at 250c for at least an hour. Take the dough out from the fridge, remove from the banneton and cover it with parchment paper. Score your dough with a bread lame. Then move your bread into Brisbane Sourdough Bread Pan and bake at 250°C with the lid closed for 18-20 minutes. After 20 minutes, open the lid of the Brisbane Sourdough Bread Pan and continue baking at 200°C for another 20 minutes or until golden brown . Tips & Notes Good sourdough bread can only be made with a sourdough culture that's live and kicking. So make absolutely sure: You take good care of your starter by refreshing it regularly. When a starter gets too sour the acid stops the yeast from growing and making bubbles. By refreshing you give your starter new food to eat and you dilute the acid environment so the yeast comes back to live again. You use the right flour to feed your culture. Organic whole grain wheat and rye and spelt will work best because these grains will have enough yeast spores to keep your culture going. You use the right water too. A sourdough culture does not like chlorine, so if your tap water has too much of it, use bottled water. You can add any flavours or fruits into your sourdough, says Mel, The Sourdough Queen! Try them with My Blue Tea Superfood Powder. i.e. Blue Butterfly Pea Powder, Dragon Fruit Powder, Dragon Fruit Powder, other fruit and nuts ... you decide. About @skitchenau - The Sourdough Baking Pan and about Mel BAKE A PERFECT SOURDOUGH BREAD WITH THE BRISBANE SOURDOUGH PAN, EVERYTIME THE MORE I BAKE, THE MORE I FALL IN LOVE WITH… My name is Melya Suryanto and I fell in love with baking Sourdough during Covid in 2020. I spent hours and hours in the kitchen preparing the dough only for bread to fail when I baked it. So I went looking for a solution and I found it in my home town Semarang, Indonesia. I collaborated with a company specialising in cast iron manufacturing and got them to make 2 cast iron pans that have all the perfect attributes in shape, features and material to cook the perfect Sourdough loaf every time. The pan has been wildly successful in the sourdough community throughout South East Asia and we are very happy to be able to finally launch it in Australia. I am so proud of this product that I named it after my new home town BRISBANE. I hope you enjoy using these pans to create the perfect sourdough loaf every time. Lucky Draw WIN this beautiful Sourdough Pan Regular and 2 x 50 grams Pandan Powder and 50 grams Blue Tea - total worth about $300.00 Terms & Conditions (1) Contest open for purchases from @my.blue.tea - from 12:01 am 12/05 /2021 - 23:11 pm 07/06/2021 AEST (2) Any online purchase of >$49.00 equals 1 entry (3) Enter as many times as you like (4) Eligible within Australia only (5) Follow & Like @my.blue.tea on Instagram Page and on Facebook Page (6) Follow @skitchenau - Instagram and FB Page. (7) The winners will be randomly selected, with Vermilion Pinstripes auditing the process (8) Results will be announced on Monday, the 14th of June 2021 on all social media channels and via email. (9) The Sourdough Baking Pan shall be mailed to a valid address from end June 2021 (if not earlier) to the Winner. (10) The Winner is not required to bake a Pandan Sourdough and to publish on social media but WOULD be encouraged to do so - The more people know, to more they enjoy and also to get featured with My Blue Tea & @skitchenau social medias. (11) My Blue Tea may change these General Contest Terms and Conditions at any time. (12) Judges decision will be considered as final. Bread Baking has never been this Easy The Brisbane Sourdough Pan takes the guesswork out of baking bread for all levels of bakers The Brisbane Sourdough Pan is now taking pre-orders with 20% discount. Offer ends May 2021 for end June 2021 delivery for those who cannot wait for competition results (and only 1 winner) and would love to have one please visit and order at the Brisbane Sourdough Pan website link and also follow Mel @melseatnplay and the Brisbane Sourdough Pan @skitchenau for Mel will be dishing our recipes and more sourdough tips. My Blue Tea TV Channel We have so much to share. Watch our TV Channel for more delicious recipes. Throwback 2020 MyBlueTea on Master Chef Australia TV Channel Do you know we have these products too? By buying My Blue Tea products, you support our sustainability program to empower women. Check them out BUY DAYAK GINGER - HEALTHY SNACKS & CONDIMENTS BUY BLUE BUTTERFLY PEA TEA NEW SPICY GINGER CRISPS NATIVE BIRD'S EYE CHILLI SHAKER BANANA CHIPS

Peranakan Cuisine has a beautiful blend of Food, Culture & Heritage since the 15th century Many have been enjoying the beautiful flavours, colours and benefits of My Blue Tea's Butterfly Pea and Pandan superfoods. What some may not realise is that these two humble plants have actually been used for centuries in Malacca (Penang, Singapore and Indonesia) by the Peranakans. The Peranakans were the first to create their own unique cuisine using Pandan and Butterfly Pea in their kuehs and a variety of dishes. These two ingredients have made Peranakan cuisine stand out and given it a distinctive colour and flavour that is so easily recognisable. Today we take a trip down memory lane to savour the history of this beautiful culture. The Little Nyonya Recently, the drama series called The Little Nyonya has caught the hearts of viewers in Asia (and excited their stomachs too). This is a 2020 Chinese remake of a classic Singapore drama The Little Nyonya from 2008. The leads were originally played by Singapore Mediacorp's Jeanette Aw and Qi Yuwu. The 2020 version premiered on China Central Television (CCTV) on Sunday (June 28) quietly but it immediately topped Chinese microblogging site Weibo's real-time search rankings. A story set in the 1930s, the drama spans several generations of a wealthy Straits-born Chinese family in Malacca. Shots courtesy from CCTV´s The Little Nyonya showing a typical Peranakan home kitchen and making of Nyonya kueh. You may watch the full episode and series on CCTV. Food and culture is a vital part of Peranakan life and CCTV China has impressed us with their attention to this detail. We love how Peranakan food has been brought into the spotlight in a way that the original series did not. Just two minutes into the first episode, and we were already treated to idyllic scenes of a Peranakan home kitchen with beautiful images of delectable Nyonya kuehs. The camera clearly loves the colours and textures of these pert, elegant little delights. All that is missing is transmitting the smells and tastes of these kuehs. CCTV has done an excellent job and they have literally revived the heritage with these few simple scenes. It certainly made us ravenous at 2.00am with an insatiable craving for Kueh Dadar! For those who cannot get enough of the series and want to go back in time, check out the original 2008 drama serial The Little Nyonya (Chinese: 小娘惹) from Singapore's free-to-air MediaCorp TV Channel 8 or Netflix. It stars Jeanette Aw, Qi Yuwu, Pierre Png, Joanne Peh and Xiang Yun as the casts of the series. The storyline, which circles around the biographical flashbacks of an extended Peranakan family in Malacca, is set in the 1930s and spans more than 70 years and several generations of three families. So what is Peranakan? Malacca is a state in Malaysia where it all began. The term Peranakan generally refers to people of mixed Chinese and Malay/Indonesian heritage. It means locally born or the offspring of intermarriage between a local and a foreigner. Many Peranakans trace their origins to 15th-century Malacca where their ancestors were thought to be Chinese traders who married local women or Bataks from Sumatra. Peranakan males are known as Babas while the females are known as Nonyas (or nyonyas). While some Peranakans have retained many of their particular cultural practices, many have assimilated into the larger Chinese community today. The Chinese Peranakan are the largest group of Peranakans in the Malay world, though there are other kinds of Peranakans such as Jawi Peranakan and Indian Peranakan. Nowadays, this marginalized group of people can be found throughout Malaysia and Singapore with the heartland in Malacca, Singapore, and Penang. The Peranakans were also known as Straits Chinese as they were usually born in the British-controlled Straits Settlements of Malacca, Penang and Singapore. During colonial times, they were also known as the King’s Chinese in reference to their status as British subjects after the Straits Settlements became a Crown colony in 1867. Immigrants from the southern provinces of China arrived in significant numbers in the Nusantara region between the 15th and 17th centuries, taking abode in the Malay Peninsula (where their descendants in Malacca, Singapore and Penang are referred to as Baba-Nyonya); the Indonesian Archipelago (where their descendants are referred to as Kiau-Seng. (source Wiki) A Blend of Food, Culture and Heritage The primary role of food has evolved from what we consume merely for survival into something that encompasses culture, identity and history. We all know the saying “you are what you eat”. Food is a powerful cultural symbol that gives a person (or group of people) their identity. Most people associate the food of their culture with warm memories of their childhood, and it becomes a form of comfort in difficult times. That is why when we feel homesick abroad, we reach for food that is familiar to us. It is our comfort blanket. Food is also what brings people together and when we share food from our culture with others, it becomes a way to bond and form connections. Food becomes an anchor and helps us feel grounded and stable in our relationships with others. The Peranakan cuisine is a creation of the Nyonyas, women of Peranakan communities fostered by the intermarriage of offsprings of Fujian and Guandong seafarers who married native women. The Peranakan cuisine created through this blend of cultures is a way to nurture family relationships during auspicious celebrations, ceremonies, and ancestral worship. According to Peranakan context, food serves three main functions: as offerings to the deities and ancestors, to seal vows, and as an indicator of social relations, for example, to celebrate marriages and the many seasons and festivals. Despite the fact that the Peranakans have adopted many elements of local culture into their ways of life, the symbolism of their food remains Chinese. Three basic principles connect Nyonya cuisine and Chinese symbolism - colour, linguistic association and physical association. Techniques of Peranakan Cuisine Nyonya cuisine or Peranakan cuisine is the creation that came about from the cultural borrowing and innovation through contact with local ingredients and non-Chinese principles of food preparation. Chinese cultural principles are used in the local environment by the Peranakans. Some principles have been changed and new ones created. The Peranakan cuisine combines Chinese cooking techniques and ingredients with Malaysian and Indonesian spices and flavours. The cuisine is also influenced by Thai, Indian, Dutch, Portuguese, and English techniques. This cuisine owes its existence to early Chinese immigrants who found that the local food did not suit their taste buds. With necessity being the mother of invention, as they were unable to cook their native food due to the unavailability of the ingredients, they innovated by creating their own dishes with local ingredients. The kitchen was the dominion of the Peranakan womenfolk. These women spent hours in the kitchen as Peranakan cooking is famous for its painstaking and lengthy preparations that can take up to days. Decline and Rise of Peranakan Culture In the mid-19th century, the Peranakan culture suffered a setback - their wealth and status plummeted after the Japanese occupation and Malayan independence. The Peranakan culture went into a steep decline. In the mid 80s, there was a revival of interest in the Peranakan culture with an increase in the number of Nyonya cookbooks and restaurants. It was a time of the Peranakan diaspora - globalization brought Peranakan culture to the consciousness of people around the world. Ethnic restaurants selling Nyonya dishes overseas helped the natives to reconnect with their mother country though the familiarity of the food that they served. For others, tasting a different ethnic food became a novel experience and a culinary adventure. Characteristics of Peranakan Food Nyonya food can be divided into three categories: The first is traditional Chinese (Hokkien) food with some alteration, the second is Malay-style dishes, and last but not the least are the innovated dishes. The Nyonyas are famous for their colourful and delightful kuehs (cakes or sweets). Nyonya food of Malacca, Penang, and Singapore are not completely alike. Penang dishes are influenced by Thai cuisine due to their close proximity to Thailand with a touch of South Indian tastes. This factor gives the cuisine its special sweet–sour tangy taste. By contrast, Malacca and Singapore dishes have been inspired by Portuguese and Indonesian cuisines. The southern dishes are usually sweeter and less spicy than those made by their northern counterparts. They typically use a generous amount of coconut milk and Malay spices such as coriander and cumin. Peranakan Beauties We love our kuehs. We would be delighted to have one for each meal of the day. The good thing is, kueh is not really confined to a particular meal as one can snack on it throughout the day. These little beauties usually come in bite-sized form and are either sweet or savoury. They are not expensive and is something ubiquitous in Peranakan culture. BUY PANDAN POWDER These Pandan pancake rolls (Kueh Dadar or Kueh Ketayap) are a hot kueh favourite. They are flavoured with Pandan and have a sweet filling made from gula melaka/palm sugar and desiccated coconut. This is a treat that can inspire the sweet tooth of anyone of any age. The word ‘kueh’ comes from the Chinese character 粿 which is pronounced as koé in Hokkien. That is phonetically similar to how it is commonly known, kueh. In Indonesia and Malaysia, kueh is spelled as kue and kuih respectively. Let's look at some more of our favourite Peranakan Kueh Beauties. KUEH SALAT / PRETTY FACE This local favourite goes by many names: kueh salat as it is popularly known or Putri Salat and Seri Muka in Indonesia. It is a dual layer steamed cake with a base made of glutinous rice flavoured with rich coconut milk and a Pandan custard made of Pandan , eggs, sugar and coconut milk. The Peranakans have their own adaptation which often includes butterfly pea to colour the rice. Another version called Putri Salat Sago is also made by substituting the glutinous rice layer with sago. Made with chewy, sticky glutinous rice, coconut milk and a pandan egg custard, this kueh is also super popular. The process is meticulous and arduous but once it reaches the table, it is usually gone within seconds. Occasionally, the white glutinous rice is tinted with Butterfly Pea flower for a pretty marbled effect. Fun Fact: Puteri Salat is listed as a Heritage food in Malaysia! Pulut Tai Tai - A Classic Nyonya Kuih with a Beautiful Blue Hue: Pulut Tai Tai is a highly popular Nyonya kueh teatime dessert. It is also known as Kuih Pulut Tekan which means compressed glutinous rice served with “Kaya”, a coconut jam. This petite looking Nyonya kueh has the famous bright blue colour tinted on the kueh. This simple yet elegant nyonya delight is also a traditional Nyonya wedding specialty, a must-have in any Peranakan wedding. Pulut Tai Tai is a traditional Nyonya kueh that was served only to the wealthy Peranakan ladies for their afternoon tea. Check out this amazing Kueh-paedia. Some of the recipes are available on My Blue Tea´s recipe blogs . One More Dish to Whet your Appetite Blue Rice is trending now! Nasi Kerabu is said to have originated from Kelantan in the 15th century. It is among the traditional foods of Kelantanese Peranakans, a mixture of Chinese and Malay culture due to the migration of Chinese traders. Nasi Kerabu is a Malaysian cuisine rice dish, a type of nasi ulam, in which blue-colored rice is eaten with dried fish or fried chicken, crackers, pickles and other salads. The blue color of the rice comes from the petals of Clitoria ternatea (Butterfly-Pea) flowers (Bunga Telang), which are used as a natural food colouring in cooking it. Besides that, the Kelantanese Peranakans dish also has some influences from Thailand due to the intermarriage between Hokkien men and women of Thai origin who were living in Kelantan at the time. As such, it is not surprising that a similar rice dish exists in Southern Thailand known as khao jam or khao yum. However, it differs from Nasi Kerabu in the condiments, flavour, and colour of the rice. You can find Nasi Kerabu at Nanyang Tea Club in Sydney, Terry's Kitchen in Melbourne and The Sarapan in Perth. Or you can try making them at home with Jackie M’s recipe on Nasi Kerabu, BUY BUTTERFLY PEA FLOWER TEA Whether you are watching Little Nyonya 2008 or the 2020 version, we hope it will inspire you to try tasting or perhaps even making some of these Peranakan beauties. They stem from a rich heritage that is a blend of the many cultures across the centuries. Shots of delicious pandan-flavoured Nyonya Kueh from the serial - Kueh Seri Muka (left) and Kueh Dadar or Kueh Ketayap (right) - Photos and video are courtesy of The Little Nyonya CCTV 2020. You may watch the full episode and drama by subscribing to CCTV. While we believe all this information for the article is in the public domain and we greatly acknowledge the photos and videos used herein, just as this compilation is also in the public domain, we present this article as our opinion only. Anyone can research the culture and history for themselves. It is an excellent way to reconnect and cement your knowledge and interest in all things associated with the past, here, there or anywhere. Sources https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/infopedia/articles/SIP_2013-08-30_181745.html https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Little_Nyonya https://www.nyonyacooking.com/magazine/all-about-kueh-guide~zaUN1U0v https://www.ladyironchef.com/2020/01/nyonya-kueh-guide-singapore/ https://www.ladyironchef.com/2020/01/nyonya-kueh-guide-singapore/ https://www.straitstimes.com/lifestyle/entertainment/chinese-version-of-the-little-nyonya-creates-buzz-on-weibo#:~:text=Jun%2030%2C%202020%2C%204%3A05%20pm%20SGT%20SINGAPORE%20-,topped%20Chinese%20microblogging%20site%20Weibo%27s%20real-time%20search%20rankings. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peranakans https://www.timeout.com/kuala-lumpur/restaurants/ultimate-guide-to-malaysian-kuih https://theculturetrip.com/asia/malaysia/articles/malaysia-s-10-best-nyonya-peranakan-restaurants-to-try/ https://www.zomato.com/sydney/peranakan-place-auburn https://magazine.foodpanda.my/dish-of-the-day-nasi-kerabu/ https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352618116300427

Durian Bombe Alaska - the King of Fruits is on Fire! The durian is still an intriguing, mystical fruit to many Caucasians or Australians. It is not something they have on their palate yet. Now it is possible to discover and taste durian with My Blue Tea's Intense Durian Powder. With this, you can create Durian Latte, Durian Ice Cream, Durian Frappe, Durian Smoothies, Durian Cakes, Durian Desserts or maybe even a Spicy Durian Sambal! The list is as long as your creativity goes! If you do not yet know about the benefits of eating Durian, read our blog here and it would have you wanting this amazing fruit in your kitchen. As a royal treat, today we have Chef Gunawan whet our appetite with his Durian Bombe Alaska. We are so thrilled he has generously shared with us his recipe! This is a really fun one, read on and you will see why! This recipe is a beautiful marriage between the King of Fruits and our iconic Pandan. In meringue it becomes a flavoured Bombe! Get your torch ready for this one. Durian Bombe Alaska Ingredients Durian Semi Freddo 25g @my.blue.tea- Durian Powder 450g cream 200g condensed milk 1/4 tsp salt In stand mixer, whisk the cream, durian powder and condensed milk until still peak. Set it in half sphere mould and freeze. Ingredients Pandan Meringue 100g egg white 200g castor sugar 10g @my.blue.tea Pandan Powder *optional - A drop of green colouring Method * Whisk egg white and castor sugar until stiff peak and mix in pandan powder and green colouring. Pipe to the semi freddo. Alcohol to light * Use 100ml Grand Marnier or Cointreau. Here is the fun part - torching the Durian Bombe Alaska! Chef Gunawan teaching students the technique. *Caution advised - adults only or under supervision Only the best ingredients for Chef Gunawan for the Dragon Fruit Madeleines and plenty more yummy desserts. Chef Gunawan maybe doing another Master Class on 8th July, 2021 in Adelaide. Get in touch with Chef for information on the Culinary school or follow us on Instagram @my.blue.tea for updates. ABOUT CHEF GUNAWAN Gunawan has been working in many top restaurants in Adelaide e.g. Andre’s Cucina & Polenta Bar, Hill of Grace, Jolley Boathouse, Mayfair. He is a pastry chef instructor locally and Internationally and he also provides consulting for restaurants on desserts. Gunawan loves challenges and competition! It started in 2013 when he was still a student in le Cordon Bleu Adelaide, and he took part in the Dilmah Real High Tea competition with other head chefs and pastry chefs from the Hilton and Crown Plaza. Being the only student in the competition did not scare him. He faced the competition with confidence and he stole the hearts (and stomachs) of the judges with his unique flavoured macarons - Tom Yum macaron paired with Dilmah Green Tea. It won him a bronze medal. He also challenged himself to an international competition - Savour Patissier of the Year 2016. He won the People´s Choice award, Tart Category and he was featured on the Savour Patissier of the Year 2016 recipe book’s front cover for his Incredible Terrarium Tart. He is currently Sweet Responsible Ambassador for Lakanto Australia, Chocolate Ambassador for Nestle Professional Australia and also Chef Instructor at Scoffed Cooking School. He is always ready to share his skills and knowledge through his teachings. Despite his busy schedule, he still committed himself to the industry by joining the Australian Culinary Federation. He become one of the accredited chef judges in South Australia Region at a young age. Check out some of Chef Gunawan´s quirky and yummy macarons below. Can you imagine being able to create Indomei Mee Goreng macarons? Tasting is believing! From left: Doritos Macarons, Fried Chicken Macarons and Indomie Mie Goreng Macarons If this is getting your tastebuds all bubbly and excited and makes you want to train with Chef Gunawan, do let us know or link up with Chef Gunawan on his instagram - https://www.instagram.com/awi_wu/ Enjoy DURIAN BOMBE ALASKA with some Bamboo Tea infusion My Blue Tea, Bamboo Tea Infusion Bamboo tea infused with a delicate blend of Pandan and Kasturi Lime. Tea & Cake always make a happy couple. Why not have some of My Blue Tea´s Bamboo Tea infusion to clean up the palate after savouring the beautiful Durian Bombe Alaska? We recommend complementing it with our deliciously refreshing Bamboo Tea! This is another great plant-based superfood brought to you by My Blue Tea. Bamboo Tea is refreshing and blooms fragrantly with each sip, plus you get the added health benefits from the Pandanus leaves and Calamansi peel. This tea contains silica which boosts hair and skin quality. It is a carrier of oxygen and hence transports oxygen and nutrients more effectively into your skin cells. It promotes healthy hair and nail growth. It plays an important role in healthy bone density. It is a building block of collagen — a protein our body uses to rejuvenate skin and joints. Drink at least one cup every day to notice a difference in your hair and nails or 2-3 cups for maximum results. It will take about 2-3 weeks to start noticing a difference in your nails, and at least a month or so in your hair. So be sure to stick with this daily habit for 30-60 days in order to see how it works for you. That would not be too difficult considering how delicious this drink is! It is quite a treat! We have a 30-day and 45-day pack for your convenience so you will never miss a single day of bamboo goodness! My Blue Tea loves sharing beautiful foods that are full of goodness and benefits. Thank you to Chef Gunawan for sharing this lovely recipe! Tell us how your Durian Bombe Alaska goes and get creative with our Durian Powder!

Cempedak Ondeh Ondeh by Penang Girl Karen Tan-Chatwin is our Penang Girl in Melbourne and she has a gorgeous recipe to share with My Blue Tea. She has been experimenting with several of our Superfood Powders and the result is simply delicious! We have a terrible sweet tooth and one of our favourite traditional Southeast Asian sweets is the classic ondeh-ondeh (Malaysia) or klepon (Indonesia). It is a beautiful little emerald green rice ball coated in finely-grated coconut. When you bite into its soft, glutinous outside, a sweet liquid palm sugar oozes out and the mix of all the flavours of the three layers melt together to give an exciting taste that makes you keep reaching for another and another and another. Ondeh-ondeh originated from Indonesia and Southeast Asia and is popular in Indonesia, Malaysia, Brunei and Singapore. Karen shares with us her version of ondeh-ondeh with an exciting flavour to boot - jackfruit! We love it when cooks get adventurous and play with flavours! So get your kitchen ready, tell your friends and family they are in for a treat, and get ready for a sweet experience with Karen! INGREDIENTS :- * 1 1/2 Cup Glutinous Rice Powder * 2 tbsp Rice Flour * 1/2 Cup Water * 1tbsp (about 30-40 grams) @my.blue.tea Jackfruit Powder * Gula Melaka as filling * 1/2 grated fresh coconut or Shredded Coconut METHOD : 1. Add glutinous rice flour and 2 tbsp rice flour into a bowl. Add in the Jackfruit powder. Add water and mix and knead the mixture into a dough. Leave the dough aside. 2. Cut the palm sugar into small pieces. 3. Leave about ½ grated coconut flesh onto a plate and add salt to taste. 4. Grab a small piece of dough and wrap it around a piece of palm sugar. Round it out to a bite-sized ball. 5. Boil a pot filled ¾ with water. Drop the small dough balls into the pot and let them boil. 6. Once the dough balls float to the surface, use a strainer to strain them from the water. Immediately roll the now-cooked balls of ´kueh´ /ondeh ondeh into the coconut shavings. 7. Serve & enjoy. Note: Traditionally, ondeh-ondeh is made using Pandan. You can use 1 tablespoon of @my.blue.tea Pandan Powder in place of Jackfruit powder. These ondeh-ondeh balls are pretty to look at and lovely to eat, but be warned. There is a way to eat these little darlings. You have to pop the entire ondeh-ondeh ball into your mouth. We do not recommend dainty eating where you bite into these balls as the palm sugar filling in the rice ball will ooze out all over the place! The end result is not very dainty! It makes for a delicious mess but unless you want to lick it off your clothes or the table, it is best to go for the all or nothing approach - just pop the whole ondeh-ondeh in your mouth and enjoy! My Blue Tea Jackfruit Cempedak Powder Karen used My Blue Tea´s Jackfruit Powder for her ondeh-ondeh recipe. Our Jackfruit Powder is made using CEMPEDAK and it is available in 1 kg packs. Do you know about the different varieties of this unusual exotic fruit? WE ARE TAKING TRADE ENQUIRIES FOR JACKFRUIT (CEMPEDAK) POWDER Differences between Jackfruit Nangka and Jackfruit Cempedak CEMPEDAK. Or Artocarpus Integer. The cempedak season from Darwin, NT was grown by Malaysian migrant farmers who have been growing this Malaysian origin variety since the 1990s. This species often gets mistaken for Artocarpus heterophyllus. This is because the jackfruit has varieties that have soft creamy arils. And if that is not confusing enough, there is also a natural cross-breed called CempeJACK. Do you know how to tell the difference between cempedak and jackfruit? And the difference between the natural cross-breed cempeJACK (aka nangkadak) from the cempeDAK? The Cempedak is generally smaller compared to the jackfruit. It is native to Malaysia, Indonesia and some parts of Thailand. It is a long cylindrical shaped fruit ranging 10-15cm in width, 20-35cm in length. Depending on how it has been pollinated, it can sometimes be slightly rounded or bulging in parts. The easiest way to identify the cempedak is that its stem (or peduncle) is much thinner than the jackfruit and cempejack. The jackfruit has a much thicker peduncle compared to the others. Also, the cempedak fruit does not usually get much larger than 6kg. Another distinguishing characteristic is its pungent smell. You may have heard some people describe it as being stinkier than even the durian when ripe. The cempedak has a very distinct floral sulfuric odour. Now, after all that hard work of distinguishing between varieties of fruit, it is time to enjoy a beautiful Jackfruit Cempedak Latte! Whether you are a jackfruit expert or not, you can always make your own refreshing, creamy, jackfruit cempedak latte right in your own home. BUY JACKFRUIT LATTE POWDER NOW And that is not all! Scroll through all the beautiful foods you can make with Jackfruit (Cempedak) Latte Powder: * Jackfruit Latte * Jackfruit Cake * Jackfruit Ice Cream * Jackfruit Sour Plum Layered Cake by That Rendang Lady * Jackfruit 3-D Jelly by Jelly-R-Us * Jackfruit Smoothie About Karen Tan-Chatwin, Penang Girl in Melbourne Karen has migrated to Australia but her love for Malaysian, Singaporean or other cuisines that she grew up with continues to be deeply rooted in her and her family. The food that she grew up eating runs deep in her veins and she continues to enjoy cooking for her family and friends with all the ingredients she is able to get her hands on in Australia. She loves My Blue Tea´s Superfood Powders as they are the closest she can get fresh and it continues to stay fresh in the pantry. Karen is from the beautiful island of Penang in Malaysia, and it is famous for being particular with ingredients and food. Karen will be sharing more of her beautiful recipes soon, so watch this space! Meanwhile, whet your appetite with some of Karen´s famous dishes! Below are some photos of Karen's famous Blue Rice Nasi Lemak which we served during one of our events at Neil Perry's Kitchen in Prahran Market, Melbourne. Everyone loved it and wanted more! Karen's speciality dish - Prawn Sambal with Stinky beans with Kaffir Lime Leaf Powder GRAB SOME HEALTHY SNACKS Karen's all time favourite - Pandan Chicken - head on to MY BLUE TEA's FB Page for recipe - After frying these Pandan Chicken, you can re-use the Pandan Oil in your "Pandan Yakitori" - recipe published in April 2021 - courtesy of Shirley, @hakka.moi in the USA. AN AFTER MEAL TREAT - HOW ABOUT OUR FAMOUS BLUE TEA? Brewing your very own Blue Tea Whether it is a plate of ondeh-ondeh on a quiet afternoon or after tucking into Karen´s delicious Blue Rice Nasi Lemak, a cup of blue tea is the perfect way to end the meal. We love sharing the benefits of our Butterfly Pea Blue Tea. It comes from the famous clitoria ternatea plant. The tea itself is a combination. The blue butterfly tea is gaining momentum as a health and a beauty drink. It is said that a cup of blue butterfly tea is powerful enough to mesmerize the body, mind, and soul. That is why more and more people are making sure they always have some butterfly pea blue tea in their pantry. Here's a chance for you to delight your family and friends with some of our beautiful Blue Tea Australia offers. BUY BLUE BUTTERFLY PEA TEA NOW Do you know what Nootropics is? It is something amazing in our Blue Tea. Read on to find out! Nootropics in Tea & Botanicals NOOTROPICS is the current buzz word! Here's why our Butterfly Pea Blue Tea is good for you: It has nootropics which could help with cognitive function. Nootropics are compounds that enhance cognition or treat cognition deficits and are often referred to as “smart drugs”. Many studies have shown certain nootropics can enhance cognition in heathy individuals and people with cognitive impairments, like Alzheimer’s disease. Herbalist and holistic health practitioner, Rachelle Robinett says that butterfly pea flower is a natural nootropic, which means that it can potentially help improve cognitive function. One 2015 review found that butterfly pea flower may offer benefits in boosting learning and memory, although more clinical human trials are needed to make this conclusive. The above information was published by our Brand Ambassador who is also a scientist, Vanessa Genevieve. So with all these power-packed benefits, are you ready to have a cup daily? Why not add some Blue Butterfly Powder into your smoothies as well? Get creative with how you use this beautiful healthy powder and share your ideas with us! REFERENCES https://www.medindia.net/patients/lifestyleandwellness/health-benefits-of-cempedak.htm https://www.fruitsinfo.com/Cempedak-tropical-fruits.php https://infocultures.blogspot.com/2017/05/cempedak-benefits-and-information.html http://healthlifearticle.blogspot.com/2010/07/benefit-of-cempedak-jack-fruit.html https://www.wellandgood.com/butterfly-pea-flower-benefits/ https://journal.rishi-tea.com/tea-and-health-nootropics/?fbclid=IwAR1GGu6oflUBkYsf9hK_dwjNPN1nyrXkLZrquWn3KDRsQ4xkdKNfUBeDgVg #healthbenefits #smoothie #Jackfruit #cempedak #turmeric #Vegan

5 MORE MOON CAKE MOULDS TO GIVE AWAY We are giving away 20 Mooncake Moulds with every Australia and International purchase over $89 as a way to celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival. Purchase must include two bottles of Chili Padi Shakers. The Mid-Autumn Festival (simplified Chinese: 中秋节; traditional Chinese: 中秋節) also known as Moon Festival or Mooncake Festival, is a traditional festival celebrated by many in Asia. What many may not know is that it is the second-most important holiday after Chinese New Year. It has a history dating back 3,000 years when Chinese emperors worshipped the moon for bountiful harvests. The festival is held on the 15th day of the 8th month of the Chinese lunisolar calendar with a full moon at night, which corresponds to mid-September to early October of the Gregorian calendar. On this day, the Chinese believe that the moon is at its brightest and fullest, coinciding with harvest time in the middle of Autumn. The moon is a sublime sight at this very moment, pregnant with bright light in the deep darkness. As with so many festivals, there are interesting symbols (and delicious ones, which are our favourite!) commonly associated with this one. During the Mid-Autumn Festival, people carry lanterns of all shapes and sizes walking through the streets or sometimes just displaying these lanterns at home. Lanterns are symbolic during this festival - they are beacons that light people's path to prosperity and good fortune. Children love trotting in the streets or just being with their friends displaying their lanterns. You have the true blue old-school accordion ones made of paper or stretched cellophane over a wire frame in the shape of animals like dragons - these are lit with a slim birthday candle in the middle. They rarely survive beyond the festival as they get burnt so easily. Children wait expectantly as their parents help them light the candles before they carefully pick up the lanterns. Later came the battery-operated plastic lanterns and these have a longer shelf-life. The delicious symbol during the Mid-Autumn Festival is Mooncakes. It is a rich pastry typically filled with sweet red bean paste, egg yolk, meat or lotus-seed paste. It is a heavy cake and best appreciated with a good tea to help balance up the heaviness of the cake. Mooncakes are traditionally eaten during this festival. Let’s see how the Mid-Autumn Festival is celebrated in different Asian countries. How Mooncake Festival is celebrated all over the World and the Mooncake Legend In many Asian communities, the Mid-Autumn Festival is widely celebrated and each come with their own unique local features. In Singapore, Malaysia, and the Philippines – three countries with many ethnic Chinese citizens – the celebrations have more Chinese traditions, such as lighting lanterns and dragon dances. In other countries, such as Japan, South Korea, and Vietnam, which have also been influenced deeply by Chinese culture, new celebrations have been derived from their unique cultures. Let's take a look at each of them. In Japan The Japanese have long celebrated the Mid-Autumn Festival. Many still adopt the custom of worshipping the moon today and some unique traditions have also developed over time. During the festival, people wear their gorgeous traditional kimonos and they visit shrines where they offer incense. Children collect reeds, a symbol of good luck and happiness, and use them to decorate doors. In South Korea The Mid-Autumn Festival is an important festival of thanksgiving for a good harvest in South Korea. It is even more ceremonious than their Spring Festival. South Koreans have a three-day holiday from the 14th to the 16th of the eighth lunar month. Many businesses such as restaurants and entertainment places are closed during the holiday. However, the main shopping malls always remain open. So if you are not so into tradition, there is always the option to get some action and do some shopping there. Mid-Autumn is an important time for family gatherings - do not be surprised to see families dancing together and appreciating the moon. And of course, it is an opportunity to enjoy a good meal together as well. In Vietnam In Vietnam, the Mid-Autumn Festival is a festival mainly for the children. This is a time when parents buy their children various types of lanterns, snacks and fun masks. Children have a lot of fun with their carp-shaped lanterns and the lion dance parades. Rice is traditionally harvested before the 15th day of the 8th lunar month (mid-autumn) in Vietnam. It is typical for each household to offer sacrifices to the God of Earth. During harvest time, parents do not have much time to be with their children. That is why this festival is a time parents specially spend playing with their children. In Singapore The Mid-Autumn Festival is a big one in Singapore, where there are many Chinese inhabitants. Lanterns are also popular here and interestingly enough, it is also a time for people to express their gratitude and send mooncakes as a way to say thank you. People typically send beautifully packaged mooncakes to friends, relatives, or business partners to express their gracious greetings and good wishes. In Malaysia Malaysia is home to the second largest community of overseas Chinese in the world, after Thailand. There has been a long tradition of eating mooncakes in Malaysia. People also enjoy the bright full moon and take part in the lantern parade during the Mid-Autumn Festival. The mooncake making and selling business is an important one and friends, families, companies are all very much involved in this delicious business of buying, gifting and appreciating mooncakes. Mooncakes with a twist - here's a Malaysian classic Pandan Ondeh Ondeh Mooncake, recipe courtesy of Sally Choo There are even special mooncake sections in the shopping malls and you will be constantly drooling at the advertisements about mooncakes in the newspapers and on TV. A festive atmosphere can be felt buzzing during this festival. And you will not be disappointed by the variety of mooncakes available! In the Philippines Overseas Chinese in the Philippines always look forward to the Mid-Autumn Festival. If you are ever there during this festival, you must go to the Chinatown in Manila. The capital of the Philippines is filled with lots of activities during this time and the atmosphere is one you would want to soak in and experience. Take part in the dragon dance parades, games, ethnic clothing parades, lantern parades, and even float parades! You will be kept so busy simply trying not to miss out on anything! Pua Tiong Chiu — A Popular Dice Game And what is a festival without a traditional game to go with it? There is a popular game called Pua Tiong Chiu (a dice game in the Hokkien dialect). It's peculiar to Chinese Filipinos, who play for mooncake prize. The game involves rolling six dice into a large bowl and they win prizes based on the dice combinations. Rolling 'fours' is what you want to hit. If you want to get the largest piece of mooncake, you need to roll at least four 'fours' or five-of-a-kind. The game is said to have originated in Fujian Province, China as most of the Chinese Filipinos are immigrants from south Fujian Province and brought this tradition with them to the Philippines. Beautiful yummy Dragon Fruit, Blue Oreo Mooncake & Purple Sweet Potato mooncakes are available at Hills Bakery in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia made by Lillian. We asked Lillian to create some of her delicately beautiful "Snow Skin Pandan Palm Sugar mooncake" (maybe even a Buko Pandan Mooncake) for our friends in Malaysia. She is tempted, so stay tuned! You may contact Lillian via her Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/hillysbakery/ or email hillsbakeryz@gmail.com / Whatsapp: +60 139193246 to order her delicious array of mooncakes in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia only. SORRY OUR MOON CAKE MOULDS ARE SOLD OUT My Blue Tea is giving away 20 Mooncake Moulds free with any purchase of over $89.00*. Your order must include Dragon Fruit / Pitaya Powder. These beautiful moulds are given away on a first-come-first-served basis, so don't wait too long to get them! * For orders over $89, delivery is free within Australia. Normal postage applies for international orders. Note : Mooncake Mould comes in 6 pieces with 5 designs. (above photo is for illustration purposes). What to do with your Mooncake Mould Get ready to experiment and learn! Follow Lillie Giang's online video here to make these Blue Butterfly Pea Mooncakes. You are going to stun your family and friends with your very own homemade delicious and healthy mooncakes! About Lillie Giang - The Food Affectionist "My philosophy around food has never changed. Keep learning (I’m a forever student), never stop cooking and always give back with abundance." Lillie lives and breathes her values of sharing wholesome, quality food with people and making connections wherever she goes. She is a guest presenter on The Cooks Pantry (Channel 10) and My Asian Banquet (Channel 7). Sources :- https://www.chinatravel.com/culture/mid-autumn-festival https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mid-Autumn_Festival https://www.chinahighlights.com/festivals/mid-autumn-festival-in-malaysia.htm http://blog.tutorming.com/expats/what-is-mooncake