Combat the heat

Mum-in-law's wok recipe in combating the heat.

Rule of thumb = lots of onions : less of garlic.

1. soft-grill mackerel (tenggiri in malay) until brown.
2. sauté onions and garlic in oil.
3. stir-fry to mix; 'saute mackerel'.
4. sliced red chili as garnishing.

2 days ago, I blogged 'Surviving in Malaysian heat' about prescribed herbs. A potent concoction to combat heat that emanates from inner body, just in 2 - 3 days as compared to drinking daily Fu-Cha for a month.

It is recommended to get a qualified physician's advice. Prescription will vary accordingly to a person's health and heart condition, blood circulation, health history and metabolism.

Here's a pic of 14 types of herbs, dried to preserved, put together for an hour of brewing. The brew was surprisingly aromatic and flavourful to taste.

Did you know that herbs are brewed for beer? http://www.mansgarden.com/brewing.html

For heat strokes and dehydration sufferers; eating the right food helps, tips at http://www.indianexpress.com/news/to-combat-the-heat-eat-and-drink-right/304752/

Finally a rain! Showers lasted half an hour followed by cool breeze. Sensational!

Nothing beats Mother Nature's power to cool the earth and its inhabitants.

Surviving in Malaysian heat

Across the globe, there are people wondering how to survive in the heat at 109 deg F (43 deg C). Already I'm wondering how to resist heat at 91 deg F (33 deg C).


Some tips on heat-survival is to wear light clothes and change often after sweating profusely. Adequately replenish your body with water, splash some water on face, rinse your hands & feet to cool down. Wear sun-protections if you do go out. Try to avoid the glaring sun from clear skies.

• Malaysia Feeling The Heat http://www.malaysia-wildlands-project.com/article-feeling-the-heat.html
• Dry Weather Hurting Malaysian Palm Output http://www.flex-news-food.com/pages/23658/Malaysia/Palm-Oil/dry-weather-hurting-malaysian-palm-output-2009.html
• Hot, hot, hot till September http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2009/5/11/nation/3876183&sec=nation

Pic above: Talinum P.'s after blooms now sets shiny gold seed. Common name 'Jewels of Opar'.

Pics below: Alisma (Common Water-plantain) bloomed this morning. This weed thrives excellently in this heat.

Recently I resorted to Chinese brewed tea, Fu-Cha (means bitter tea - it is exteremely bitter so be forewarned). If you're buying from a tea vendor, be sure to emphasise your requirement a) casual cooling down, b) ulcers/heaty or c) flu/cough.

Who should drink Fu Cha tea? What is Fu Cha? Nomadic Tibetans lives in extremely harsh climate every year and dietary intake consists high carbo-meats. They consume Fu Cha on daily basis. http://www.tnttea.com/index.cfm/aboutfucha/

Unsuccessful heat-reducing trauma after 3 rows of Fu-Cha, I visited a chinese physician (tabib cina) in SS15 for 5-day herbal prescription with strict dietary instruction. Off to the Chinese Medicine Hall, for 14 types of herbs - was intrigued by the shiny white powdery shavings (rhinocerous). These is so new to me. 2 days treatment, significant heat-reduction from my palms. Alleluia!

Notice the difference?

Close-up view of the Desert Rose's flower bract (left pic) and tiny growth on its stem (right pic). Each stem branches out, like a bract of 3 to 4 petals.

Jewels of Opar

Flowers bloom once. We're amused that its leaves closes in the night as if to sleep and opens wide when sunrise. 3 weeks ago, Talinum seedlings re-potted http://jaimeboey.blogspot.com/2009/04/herbs-cooks-best-friend.html, now it's blooming!




While researching on this herb, I chanced upon a beautiful shot by Kamala http://www.flickr.com/photos/50863590@N00/2351059495 - a bloom from her Paruppu-keerai plant in her garden.
Loads of recipes on Paruppu Keerai Masiyal http://www.zimbio.com/Recipes/articles/16386/Paruppu+Keerai+Masiyal
Folks believes it has good properties for lowering one's blood glucose level, treating their mouth ulcer, diabetes, cough, pulmonary tuberculosis, diarrhea and gastritis.
It could grow "anywhere" http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Talinum_crassifolium_1.jpg, taken in Machida city, Tokyo, Japan.
Best picture would be Rob's http://www.robsplants.com/plants/TalinPanic.php, the whole plant, flowers and seed pods! Yup, he sells seeds.

I think these Jewels (picturing Rob's) will look wonderful in my flowerbed.


Talinum paniculatum, sometimes known as Jewels of Opar, is a member of the Portulaca family. Found in many herb gardens for the leaves which were boiled and eaten. Ten-inch panicles of ephemeral, star-shaped pink (or occasionally yellow) flowers crown the plants year-round, unless cut down by frost. Seed pods were valued by floral designers as a substitute for the ubiquitous baby's breath.Can grow into 4 foot behemoths in rich organic soil, in full sun and will rarely exceed 2 feet. Established plants are drought-tolerant and are seldom bothered by pests. http://www.suite101.com/article.cfm/florida_gardening/23186

Herbs! A cook's best friend

Gift from Suat.

Pot, on the left, contained 4-5 variety of seedlings from Suat's garden and mini-nursery. She grew them in pots, thriving well in afternoon sun and heat. Pot, right, doing well after; 2 days since transplant and suffered in an envelope (was at the car wash) for half an hour.

These herbs used during cooking. Right now, I'm pretty confused with their names - will get its description from Suat one day. One of them is the aromatic bay leaf.

“The herb that can't be got is the one that heals” Irish Sayings quotes

“I think people need to be educated to the fact that marijuana is not a drug. Marijuana is an herb and a flower. God put it here. If He put it here and He wants it to grow, what gives the government the right to say that God is wrong?” by Willie Nelson (American country western singer)

Episcia has grown bushier as compared to a month ago http://jaimeboey.blogspot.com/2009/03/pretty-blooms.html

Pic below, the same pot of Episcia taken on Apr 2.

Baby Episcia bloomed! It's a good sign - this Episcia will blossom like it's "mum".

Checkout Baby Espicia, 3 months ago at http://jaimeboey.blogspot.com/2009/02/cny-7th-day.html

Green Leaf restaurant's (in Subang Jaya) attractive pot of Desert Rose, as many as 5 blooms and 8 buds, a welcome statement - I couldn't take my eyes of it. So hard to let go and leave the place, plus they provide delicious food servings.

Their desert rose planted in dark organic soil. So I decided to fill my pot with dark organic soil at the bottom and top up the surface with brown burnt soil mix sand.

This soil mix is heavier (than organic soil) and doesn't lift easily during watering.