Wrapping Nasi Lemak

You can use this method for wrapping other foods in banana leaves too.

Top 10 Foods Highest in Vitamin B12 (Cobalamin)

Top 10 Foods Highest in Vitamin B12 (Cobalamin)

#1: Clams, Oysters, and Mussels
Shellfish are a great source of vitamin B12 and can be eaten raw, baked, steamed, fried, or made into chowder. In addition to vitamin B12 shellfish are a good source of zinc, copper, and iron. Clams provide the most vitamin B-12 with 98.9μg per 100g serving, accounting for 1648% of the RDA. That is 84μg (1401% RDA) per 3 ounce serving, and 187.9μg (3132% RDA) in 20 small clams, or 9.4μg (156.6 %RDA) in one small clam. Mussels and oysters are also good sources of B12 providing 600% RDA and 400% RDA per 100 gram serving. Click to see complete nutrition facts

#2: Liver
Often appearing on the culinary scene as pâté, liver can also be prepared steamed or fried with onions and herbs. The liver of most any animal is packed with vitamin B-12, the highest on the list are: Lamb, beef, veal, moose, turkey, duck, and goose respectively. Lamb liver provides 85.7μg (1428% RDA) of vitamin B12 per 100g serving, or 72.85μg (230% RDA) in a 3 ounce serving. Click to see complete nutrition facts.

#3: Caviar (Fish Eggs)
Caviar and fish eggs are most often eaten as a garnish or spread. The eggs of whitefish contain the most vitamin B-12 with 56.4μg (940% RDA) per 100g serving. Caviar contains a third of that with 20μg (333% RDA) of vitamin B12 per 100g serving, 5.6μg (93% RDA) per ounce, and 3.2μg (53% RDA) per tablespoon. Chicken eggs, by comparison, only offer 1.29μg (22% RDA) of vitamin B-12 per 100g serving, or 0.65μg (11% RDA) per egg.
Click to see complete nutrition facts.

#4: Octopus
Popular in Mediterranean, Japanese, and Hawaiian cuisine, octopus is a vitamin b12 rich food. Cooked octopus provides 36μg of vitamin B-12 per 100 gram serving accounting for 600% of the RDA. That is 30.6μg (510% RDA) per 3 ounce serving, or 10.2μg (170% RDA) per ounce. Raw octopus provides about half as much vitamin b12 with 20μg (333% RDA) per 100 gram serving, 17μg (283% RDA) in a 3 ounce serving, and 5.67μg (94.33% RDA) per ounce. Click to see complete nutrition facts.

#5: Fish
Known for their omega 3 fats and for being a high protein food, fish are also a good source of vitamin B12. Mackerel provides the most vitamin B-12 with 19μg per 100g serving (317% RDA), followed by Herring (312% RDA), Salmon (302% RDA), Tuna (181% RDA), Cod (167% RDA), Sardines (149% RDA), Trout (130% RDA), and Bluefish (104% RDA).
Click to see complete nutrition facts. Canned Fish Highest in Vitamin B12.

#6: Crab and Lobster
Crab and lobster are most commonly served baked, steamed, or in bisque. A 100g serving of crab contains 11.5μg of vitamin B12 (192% of the RDA), that is 15.4μg (257%RDA) per leg (134g). Lobster will provide 4.04μg(67% RDA) per 100g serving, or 6.59μg (110% RDA) in an average whole lobster (163g).
Click to see complete nutrition facts.

#7: Beef
In addition to being a vitamin B12 rich food, beef is also a good source of protein, zinc, and heme-iron. The amount of vitamin B-12 in beef depends on the cut, lean fat-trimmed chuck contains the most vitamin B12 with 6.18μg (103% RDA) per 100g serving, 11.49μg (103% RDA) in a chuck steak, and 5.25μg (88% RDA) in a 3 ounce serving. Chuck is followed by sirloin (62% RDA), rib-eye (60% RDA), and ribs (58% RDA).
Click to see complete nutrition facts.

#8: Lamb
Lamb is a common meat in the Middle East, Mediterranean, East Asia, Australia, New Zealand, and most of Europe. Lamb is a high cholesterol food so be sure to look for lean cuts which are higher in B12 anyway. Lamb also provides high amounts of protein, and zinc. The shoulder is the cut of lamb with the most vitamin B-12 providing 3.71μg (62% RDA) per 100g serving, 5.82μg (97% RDA) per pound, and 3.15μg (53% RDA) in a 3 ounce serving. The shoulder is followed by the foreshank and leg which provides 53% of the RDA per 100g serving, and lamb chops which provide 51% of the RDA for vitmain B12 per 100 gram serving. Click to see complete nutrition facts.

#9: Cheese
Despite being a high cholesterol food, cheese is a good source of calcium, protein, and Riboflavin (Vitamin B2). The amount of vitamin B12 in cheese depends on type and variety, Swiss cheese provides the most with 3.34μg (56% RDA) per 100g serving, followed by Gjetost (40% RDA), Mozzarella(39% RDA), Parmesan (38% RDA), Tilsit (35% RDA), and Feta (28% RDA). Click to see complete nutrition facts.

#10: Eggs
When it comes to chicken eggs the raw yellow has most of the vitamin B-12 with 1.95μg per 100g serving (33%), however, this equates to 0.33μg per yolk or just 6% of the RDA. The eggs of other animals are higher with a goose egg providing 7.34μg (122% RDA) of vitamin B-12 per 100g serving, and a duck egg providing 3.78μg (63% RDA).
Click to see complete nutrition facts.

Pandan in Sydney - Where to buy Pandan?

Where to buy Pandan?

So I was walking around Cabramatta, Sydney on the weekend and I saw a shop that had the pandan plant for sale (also called daun pandan, pandanus amaryllifolius, screwpine).  The shop is located near the multi storey car park in Cabramatta.  He’s selling it for $35.  It's very difficult to find the pandan plant in Sydney and he had two pandans for sale, I purchased one and he said that he would have more in a couple of weeks.

If I successfully propagate mine, I’ll try to make some available. For those interested, please leave a comment.

If you know of any other places where you can buy Pandan in Sydney please share and leave comment.

Here is the picture of the Pandan Plant I bought.

Check out www.mypandan.com for info about how to care for your pandan plant.

Parsley helps clean your blood

Parsley (Petroselinum crispum) a potent disease fighting herb

Parsley is a nutrient powerhouse containing high levels of beta carotene, vitamin B12, folate, chlorophyll, calcium, more vitamin C than citrus fruits, and just about all other known nutrients. Parsley is a moistening, nourishing, restoring, ‘warming’ food, pungent with a slightly bitter, salty flavor. It enhances and stimulates the energy of organs, improving their ability to assimilate and utilize nutrients.

Parsley is also rich in vitamins A and C. Vitamin C is an anti-oxidant as well as an anti-inflammatory substance. It is necessary for a healthy immune system and can help prevent colds and ear infections. Vitamin A is well-known for its effects on vision, plus can mitigate risks of atherosclerosis and diabetes. Parsley is also a source of folic acid, another vitamin that helps reduce cancer risk and atherosclerosis.

·          Raw parsley cleanses the blood, keeping it clean

·          It can lessen the deposits left on the veins

·          Parsley allows the elasticity of the blood vessels to stay the way they are

Parsley also helps with:

·         Anemia: Builds up the blood because it is high in iron.  The high vitamin C content assists the absorption of iron.

·         Antioxidant: Increases the anti-oxidant capacity of the blood.

·         Bactericidal (kills bacteria)

·         Gallstones: Helps dissolve them.

·         Gout

·         Kidneys: Parsley is effective for nearly all kidney and urinary complaints except severe kidney inflammation. It improves kidney activity and can help eliminate wastes from the blood and tissues of the kidneys. It prevents salt from being reabsorbed into the body tissues; thus parsley literally forces debris out of the kidneys, liver and bladder. It helps improve edema and general water retention, fatigue and scanty or painful urination.

·         Menstrual pain

·         Iron: The iron content of parsley is exceptional with 5.5mg per100g (4oz). A half-cup of fresh parsley or one tablespoon dried has about 10 percent of your iron daily requirements.  Plus, parsley has the vitamin C your body needs to absorb that iron.

·         Vitamin B12: Parsley contains traces of B12 producing compounds. Such compounds are needed for the formation of red blood cells and normal cell growth, important for fertility, pregnancy, immunity and the prevention of degenerative illness. The action of vitamin B12, however, is inhibited by birth control pills, antibiotics, intoxicants, stress, sluggish liver, and excess bacteria or parasites in the colon or digestive tracts. Parsley helps to counteract these inhibitors.

Laksa Plant

To grow your own daun kesum is a great way to start a herb garden. Daun kesum is an essential ingredient for making laksa. Without daun kesum, there is no way your laksa can be complete. At some places in Malaysia, daun kesum is refered to as "daun laksa" or laksa leaves. The English name for it is most probably Vietnamese mint but I am not really sure because the real Vietnamese mint is maybe slightly different but still belongs to the same family. Daun kesum is a member of the mint family.

The leaves are elongated, with soft stalk, each segment of the stalk has the potential to grow into another bunch of mint leaves because roots sprout from the stalk itself.

The leaves are green and will turn yellow and then brown when they start withering. The stalks will grow and grow if you let them but usually I trim the tips to let them branch out. 

The herb needs very little maintenance except for enough water to ensure the earth it is planted in is always damp. Oh yes, also plenty of sunlight. You can place the herb pot at the window sill or if you have a balcony, place it there. It grows well in your backyard too.

Fertilizer made of compost is good for the leaves. Old wives have this tip to nourish your herbs: use the bloody water that remained after washing and gutting your fish to spray on the leaves and earth, it is supposed to be full of nutrients for plant. Do this treatment every two weeks or so.

Daun kesum grows very fast. Given good care and enough water, within a week you can already have a bunch filling up your ice-cream tub already. 

Among all the herbs in my garden, vietnamese mint is the easiest to grow. They like lots of water and i feed them seasol or charlie carp once every 3 weeks or less. They grow really well whether under direct sunlight or shade. They hardly have any pest invasion of any kind. Yeah I harvest them by cutting off stems rather than pinch off leaves..They are good is Asian food such as spicy laksa and vietnamese rolls..love their 'spicy' taste.

If you can find a store that stocks this plant and you would like to get your hands on it, drop me a message below.  I’m in Sydney.

How to treat Gout

Gout is a form of arthritis that affects the big toe, other peripheral joints, tendons and kidneys. The first sign of an attack of gout is acute needle-like pain caused from uric acid crystals poking into the surrounding tissues which turns the joint bright red. Generalized fever may result. Gout happens from either overproduction or under-processing of uric acid, which allows it to build up in the blood, tissues, and urine. Uric acid is a waste by-product of protein breakdown. In most cases the digestive tract is not producing enough uricase, a digestive enzyme responsible for the breakdown (oxidation) of uric acid.

Statistics, Symptoms and Triggers:

Ninety percent of gout cases occur in overweight men over the age of 35. Gout, often called "rich man's disease", usually runs in the family. It may also be associated with improper digestion, toxic bowels, kidney stones, atherosclerosis, overeating of rich and fatty foods, drinking too much alcohol, crash diets, stress, certain medications (blood pressure, chemotherapy and antibiotics), yeast infections, surgery or injury to the joints.

Diagnosis:

Gout is diagnosed in the medical profession by symptom and/or by inserting a needle into the joint to extract a small amount of joint fluid, which is then examined microscopically for the uric acid crystals.

Avoid These Foods:

During an active bout of gout, dissolve and process uric acid crystals by avoiding the following high purine-containing foods*:

·         Alcohol (except rum/vodka)	·         Kidney
·         Anchovies	·         Liver
·         Apples	·         Lobster
·         Apple Cider	·         Meat Stock
·         Aspirin (causes crystals)	·         Organ Meats (All types)
·         Beef	·         Peanuts
·         Beer	·         Pies
·         Brains	·         Pop (Fruit-flavored)
·         Brewer's Yeast	·         Raisins
·         Chocolate	·         Rhubarb
·         Crab	·         Sardines
·         Cranberry Juice	·         Squab
·         Dark Grapes	·         Tomatoes(fresh/can/juice)
·         Fresh Fruit (Except those listed in Eat More Of table)	·         Turkey
·         Glycine supplements**	·         Veal
·         Hot Dogs	·         Whole Wheat Cereals
·         Jams/Jellies	·         Whole Wheat Bread

*Purine is one of four basic building blocks that combine in various ways and amounts to make up amino acids which are the building blocks of protein.

**Glycine supplements convert to Uric Acid.

Use These Foods in Moderation:

·         Asparagus	·         Mushrooms
·         Broccoli	·         Onions
·         Brussels Sprouts	·         Peas
·         Dried Beans	·         Radishes
·         Lentils	·         Spinach
·         Lima Beans

Eat More of These Foods:

·         Apricots	·         Ham (Lean)
·         Bacon, fried crisp	·         Iced Tea
·         Bananas	·         Jell-O (No Strawberry)
·         Beef (2x/week only)	·         Kava Coffee
·         Bread (White or Rye)	·         Lemonade
·         Chicken	·         Lettuce
·         Buttermilk	·         Nuts (No Peanuts)
·         Cantaloupe	·         Oranges
·         Carrots	·         Peaches
·         Celery/Celery Juice	·         Pears
·         Cereals, Not Wh. Wheat	·         Pineapple (Canned only)
·         Cheese	·         Plums, any color
·         Cherries (juice or eating)	·         Pop (except fruit flavors)
·         Chicken Soup	·         Pork
·         Comfrey Tea	·         Postum (Barley Drink)
·         Corn	·         Potatoes (white or sweet)
·         Cottage Cheese	·         Rice
·         Custard	·         Rum
·         Eggs	·         Sanalac (Beverage)
·         Fish	·         Strawberries
·         Grapefruit	·         Vodka
·         Green Beans	·         Watermelon
·         Green Grapes

In general:

	·         Most cases of gout can be treated with diet alone.
	·         Do not add extra salt to food at this time.
	·         Drink lots of distilled water.
	·         Eat 75% raw whole foods for one month to balance uric acid formation.
	·         Eat high potassium foods to put acid crystals back into solution so they can be eliminated.
	·         Reduce sugars, rich gravies, caffeine, fried foods and saturated fats.
	·         Start a weight loss program (not a crash diet).
	·         Apply plantain, ginger, fresh comfrey or a poultice of cayenne and wintergreen oil to the inflamed area to help alleviate pain.

Potassium Broth

(essential for alkalizing the body)

·         2 large potatoes, chopped or sliced to approx. 1/2 inch pieces

·         1 cup carrots, shredded or sliced

·         1 cup celery, chopped or shredded, leaves and all

·         1 cup any other available vegetables (beet tops, kale, turnip tops, parsley, onion, zucchini, etc.)

·         Add some fresh herbs such as sage, rosemary, thyme, garlic, etc.

·         And a touch of cayenne or a couple beef bullion cubes for flavor.

·         1 1/2 quarts water

Cover and cook slowly for about 1/2 hour. Strain, cool until just warm and serve. If not used immediately, keep in refrigerator and warm up before serving. Compost the vegetables or give them to your pets. Great for alkalizing your body and is super mineral rich.

Drink 8 oz. broth as a hot drink two times daily. Makes about 3 servings.

Foods that are extremely beneficial for gout prevention:

• Purified water (dissolves toxins).  
• Celery (renews joints, bones, arteries, all connective tissue; clears digestive.  
• fermentation, which causes dampness and acidic blood, (according to Chinese
  medicine).  
• Tomato: After digestion, it alkalizes the blood and is good for treating acid
  blood condition of gout.  
• Seaweed.  
• Cherries, strawberries, blueberries and other red-blue berries.  
• Lots of vegetables, especially kale, cabbage, parsley, and other green, leafy vegetables. 
• Bananas.

Foods to Avoid:

• Rich foods.  
• Greasy, oily foods.  
• Red meat and meat extracts such as bouillon and gravies.  
• Organ meats such as liver, kidney.  
• Coffee, sugar and white-flour products.  
• Refined sugar and other concentrated sweeteners.  
• Alcohol, coffee, tea, cola drinks.  
• Sweetbreads.  
• Refined carbohydrates.  
• Yeast products.  
• Spices.  
• Shell fish, poultry, preserved fish such as sardines, herring and anchovies.  
• Dried beans and peas.  
• Foods that contain additives such as MSG (found even in Worcestershire sauce).

Stevia – Sweetness of sugar with NO CALORIES

What is Stevia?

Stevia is a plant native to South America that has been used as a natural sweetener in foods and beverages for hundreds of years.  Stevia is a 100% natural sweetener with zero calories, zero carbohydrates and has no effect on the glycemic index, which means it doesn’t affect your blood sugar.

Is Stevia Safe?

The safety of stevia for human consumption has been established through rigorous peer‐reviewed research and the FDA and Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives recognize it as safe.

More than 200 extensive studies have been conducted on stevia attesting to its safety.   

Stevia Benefits for Diabetics

Stevia is a good choice for people with diabetes. Studies show that stevia has no effect on blood sugar levels.

In 2006, the World Health Organization (WHO) performed a thorough evaluation of recent experimental studies of stevioside and steviols conducted on animals and humans, and concluded "stevioside and rebaudioside A are not genotoxic in vitro or in vivo and that the genotoxicity of steviol and some of its oxidative derivatives in vitro is not expressed in vivo."  The report also found no evidence of carcinogenic activity. Furthermore, the report noted "stevioside has shown some evidence of pharmacological effects in patients with hypertension or with type-2 diabetes", but concluded further study was required to determine proper dosage. The WHO's Joint Experts Committee on Food Additives has approved, based on long-term studies, an acceptable daily intake of steviol glycoside of up to 4 milligrams per kilogram of body weight.

The Sambal Belacan Story

Blackmores Fish Oil 1000 uses gelatine sourced from cows

Blackmores Fish Oil 1000 uses gelatine from a bovine source (that is from a cow)

The capsule that contains the fish oil is made from gelatine that is sources from cows meaning it is not suitable for vegetarians and is not halal.

See email exchange during September 2010 below