Eating Well – Page 5 – Suria Helang Lui

04 Jun 2016

0 Comments By admin Eating Well, SHL Products

SHL Product: Bentong Ginger and Tumeric concentrate

Part of the objective of the farm is to promote and encourage natural and preservative-free foods. In line with that, we have started producing and selling our Bentong Ginger and Turmeric concentrate in 325 ml glass bottles. Both the ginger and the turmeric is grown at the farm organically. Being produced with no preservatives, this concentrate needs to be refrigerated and it lasts at least 2 months. You can also freeze them for longer storage in a freezer-approved container and allow it to defrost in the fridge when you want to use it. The idea is to have it as part of your normal drinks list, an alternative to carbonated drinks, regular tea and coffee to name a few. This combination has antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial properties as well as other therapeutic benefits.

Is this a traditional therapy? I guess you can say in a way it is since it has been used in Ayurvedic, Malay and Chinese therapy for centuries and only recently is getting into the Western realm. The approaches are different as Westernern therapy tends to the pill-popping culture whilst Easterners tend to consume them in liquid form and in as natural state as possible. Our approach also tends to be different where our ancestors view them as a healthy addition to their diet in maintaining good health – a proactive measure whereas the Western culture tends to view it as a medicine – a reactive measure.

Since this is a concentrate, it can be consumed in many ways. I consume it:

Diluting 50 ml in either hot or cold water (depending on if I want a hot drink or a cold drink) and either unsweetened or sweetened with honey or raw sugar or brown sugar. This dilution strength is within the recommended strength of 1.5-3g of turmeric root as well as for ginger (4g) based on University of Maryland Medical Centre.
Add it to regular tea drink to taste
Add it to other fruit juices
Use it to make a marinate for chicken, fish or beef
Use it to make a soupy dish either totally vegetarian or with chicken, beef or fish.

As I make it as part of regular food, I consume it almost everyday. When I take it as a drink, I drink it once a day, either in the morning or in the evening as I wind down for the day. Sometimes when I am working out at the farm with lots of physical activity, I will have another drink and this time as a cold drink. When I first started taking it, I had it daily for about 2 months. Amongst the outcomes are:

Regular bowel movements (I must warn you that the first few days, it has a strong smell which I attribute to it cleaning the digestive system).
Burping and passing gas
Reduced joint aches and pains
Lowered my blood pressure

Now, I take it at least 3-4 times a week as I now have it more in “maintenance” mode. I like to keep tabs on my body and I listen to it and I adjust my consumption accordingly. Please note that this is not to be regarded as a replacement to your health practitioner’s advise.

I only bring a limited number of bottles to our regular Sunday morning market. We keep limited stock on hand as I want to sell it as fresh as possible. It can also be ordered and pickup or delivery can be arranged (there may be a delivery charge depending on quantity). For more information, you can send a message or messenger from our fb page: Suria Helang Lui.

Updated: Feb. 6, 2017

26 May 2016

0 Comments By admin Eating Well, Edible Landscape

Bentong Ginger and Turmeric Drink: My two months review

I simply love this drink and today, I fall in love with it more for these reasons, two months ago:

my blood pressure was around 145/80 and today it is 125/71
I couldn’t get up from a full squat position without holding on to something and today I can rise easily, no aid required,
I do not feel bloated or “full of gas” any more.

I monitor my blood pressure because I am terrified of the effects. I have seen many people get stroke from high blood pressure hence I try to maintain a good blood pressure. Like everyone else, sometimes I get a bit lazy if I have to watch everything that I eat. I also enjoy being active so I need a method that is easy to maintain good muscle and joint aches and pains as well as flexibility. Hence, my joy at these two areas.

I love experimenting healthy drinks on myself first and preferably, farm-made because source of materials is important to me. There are a few qualities that I look for:

Taste: This is important as if it doesn’t taste to my liking, chances of me continuing to drink it is small
Ease of consumption: It has to be easily consumed. If I need to go through a hassle to drink it, chances are I won’t be bothered to go through the effort.
Methods of consumption: This combination is versatile. I can make a drink by adding water to the concentrate, leave it unsweetened or sweetened with honey or brown sugar or molasses; add it to regular tea; drink it warm or cold; add it olive oil, lime, salt and pepper to make a salad dressing; or use it in cooking.
Ease of preparation: It is easy to prepare although it is time-consuming. The upside is, I can prepare a concentrate that can be stored in the fridge for at least 1 month and no preservatives.
Minimal adverse effect: No known adverse effects to drinking this normally.
Ease of source materials: These plants are easy to grow so I plant a lot of them at the farm. This provides me with easy access to source materials.

I am looking forward to my blood tests results next week which I hope will show other good results. In the meantime, I will continue to enjoy to drink this. I also encourage everyone to plant these two plants and reap the benefits 🙂

05 May 2016

0 Comments By admin Eating Well, Healthy Options, Well-being Landscape

Balancing Act: Cool trio for health

Part of the joy of gardening is being able to harvest produce for my table. I always like to looks for easy-to-grow and low-cost but with high health benefits plants. Amongst my mission is to go local, find combinations that we Malaysians can have without spending a fistful of ringgit. On top of that, it must also taste good otherwise how will I enjoy eating it? I suggest that you avoid those that grow in chemical loaded environments like the roadside and drains but stick to those grown organically or in clean environments.

This trio: Peperomia pellucid (Ketumpang Air or Sireh Cina), Wild Purslane (couldn’t find the Malay name for it) and Centella Asiatica (Pegaga) are all local and easy to grow. They can be grown in containers and all love water and grow well in moist soil conditions. By taking a look at their stems, you can get the idea that they require lots of water as the stems are all succulent-like. They grow well in full sun or semi-shade.

Ketumpang Air has a slight peppery taste with a crunchy texture. You can eat the leaves, stems and roots. Amongst its properties are analgesic, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and anticancer. The one thing I love about this plant is the uric acid cleansing properties so when I eat beef or prawns (both items that I love), I like to make sure that I also eat this that day. It is is more for my preventive action from getting gout and joint pains – all related to high uric acid in the body. This is what I eat for my kidneys, joints, muscles and vitamins.

Wild Purslane taste like lettuce with a crunchy texture. I tend to only eat the leaves and stems. Amongst its properties are antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and diuretic. The interesting thing about these leaves is it is high in omega-3-fatty acids so it is a good choice for vegetarians as well. This plant can serve as a much cheaper option for source of these good fatty acids, at a fraction of the cost of fish with its sky-rocketing price. This is what I eat for my heart as well as preventing high blood pressure and vitamins.

Pegaga has a mild spicy taste with crunchy leaves. I eat the leaves, stems and roots. Amongst its properties are antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antidepressant and cognitive-enhancing. An interesting aspect of the leave is it contains elements that help increase the rate of collagen production as well as slow down the breakdown of collagen. What this means to me is it will help in keeping my skin “tight”. What a blessing – something natural and low-cost for my skin care something that almost all my female friends would appreciate and also men who care about their skin and looking “younger”. This is my skin care as well as all the vitamins.

Eaten it its raw form is what I like best and it gives me the added benefit of fiber. So at the end, is there any reason why not to eat these leaves? Eat in moderation and may we all enjoy the plentiful benefits without having to spend big “bucks” in supplements and can avoid drugs to treat a condition. I have not covered all the benefits but just the ones that are of interest to me 🙂

27 Mar 2016

0 Comments By admin Eating Well, Edible Landscape, Healthy Options, Herbal Therapy

Nature’s health treasure trove – Ketumpang Air

The Ketumpang Air or Sireh Cina (Botanical Name : Peperomia pellucida) is easy to find as well as

easy to grow especially in damp and shady areas. They only need a bit of sunlight (after all they need to manufacture their food through photosynthesis). As such, it is quite often found by the roadsides, along drains and streets as well as in shady corners of a garden. It can be planted in a container or in the ground – whatever the manner, it is good to ensure that the soil is able to retain moisture and is moist and not water-clogged.

At a glance, they look like miniature betel (sireh) leaves, heart-shaped leaves which are light green when young and turn to darker green. The stems which are easy to break are succulent-like and light green in color. The plants require a moist soil to flourish as being almost succulent in nature, the plant itself contains a lot of water, within the stem as well as the leaves. The stem and leaves are crunchy due to this. On the other hand, due to the amount of water it retains, it is important to ensure that the plants are grown in good soil, free of contaminants and it is watered with clean water. Otherwise you will end up with all the contaminants being part of the plant and affecting the taste of the leaves and stems – the parts that you consume.

The leaves and stems have many therapeutic benefits as documented in the herbal world. It is alkaloid in nature. Amongst its therapeutic benefits are as :

Analgesic
Antiinflammatory
Anticancer
Antiarthritic
Antidiarrheal
Antioxidant
Antirheumatic
Antifungal
Antibacterial

With all these therapeutic benefits, it is popular with herbalists in various types of therapy. Amongst the therapy it is used in is for gout, high blood pressure, sore throat and cough, and a whole list of other health issues.

It is because of all these benefits, that I consume this although as with any herbs, one should not consume it excessively. I consume it raw as I want to get maximum benefits. Due to its high water content, it is also often juiced. It can also be cooked as a “soupy” vegetable dish or boiled and drank as a tea. It has a subtle peppery taste and absorbs other flavours. A note to remember, if the plant is planted in contaminated soil or in mouldy areas, the taste will be affected and no amount of washing or rinsing will remove it as it will be present at the “cellular” level.

With its fresh, subtle peppery taste and crunchiness, this is nature’s pharmacy at its best 🙂

25 Mar 2016

0 Comments By admin Eating Well, Healthy Options

The Joy of Eating whilst taking care of your health

I feel blessed that I have my farm as I can grow and produce all kinds of tasty, fresh produce organically and know that it has not been contaminated by toxic chemicals. I love eating well and I hate eating pills or supplements so I try to balance what I ear. After my previous experience of having to undergo hormone treatment, I have an aversion to anything that has been given hormones and this includes meat, vegetables and fruits. Some may argue that hormone doesn’t disqualify the produce from being classified as organic because it is not a toxic chemical but for me, I avoid it.
So, what do I consume from the farm ( these are some, there are lots more):
Fresh coconut drink
This drink is great for many things and tastes especially wonderful on hot days, especially these last many days with the El Nino phenomenon as well as Equinox. It doesn’t require any refrigeration and tastes cool straight from the fruit. It is a natural cleanser so whilst I am enjoying the drink, I am detoxing. A good fruit produces sweet coconut water so there is no need to sweeten it. The coconut water is a natural isotonic so you can give a pass to all those man-made isotonic drink to replace the electrolytes you lose as you perspire – natural electrolytes: how much better can you ask for? So, with the current heat wave in Malaysia, this is a great way to rehydrate.

Fresh tumeric and Bentong Ginger Tea

I enjoy this drink as one of my end-of-day chill out drinks. I drink it warm, often as an after dinner drink. The benefits are numerous but what I of for here is for the “repairing” capabilities so that while I am sleeping and my body tries to repair itself from the numerous damage I do to it during the day, this tea boosts up my body’s repair works. Since what is used is the “roots” part of it, to me, it is important that the soil is not contaminated or else I will be getting some “unwanted” items in my tea. It is easy to do – just bring water to boil and add slices of fresh numeric and bettong ginger and allow it to simmer for at least 10 minutes to draw out the good stuff from the roots into the water. Sometimes I sweeten it but I avoid using refined sugar.

SHL Salad
At least this is what I call it. It comprises of various types of fresh leave and flowers such as holy basil, lemon basil, Ketumpang Cina, Ulam Raja, Tujuh Bilah, Tenggek Burung, Cabbage – to name a
few. I mix it up and use different combinations. They all provide all kinds of benefits so I will tailor my salad mix depending on what I want to get out of it from a therapeutic benefit. Sometimes I go for strengthening my respiratory system or when I have a cold, sometimes for an anti-oxidant boost , sometimes for vitamins and sometimes for cleansing. I do not like eating supplements although some may argue that by taking supplements is the only way you can get enough vitamins daily easily, I prefer to do it through my meals and “desserts”.

Natural desserts
We have several types of fruits, some seasonal and some that is throughout the year. Top on my list is the papaya – full of wonderful enzymes and rich in vitamins as well as fiber. To me, this beats Metamucil hands down. Not only can you eat it as an after-meal dessert, it is also a great breakfast item. Sometimes I will go for bananas and since we have over 20 varieties of it at the farm, I can enjoy different types of bananas throughout the year. The bananas can be eaten raw or turned into another dish such as grilled bananas, banana fritters, as well as different types of banana desserts with a sauce. For seasonal fruits, there is the jackfruit, cempedak, mangosteens, abiu, durian, jambu madu, longan, rambutan and breadfruit. I am hoping my passion fruit will produce fruits in less than 1 year. The two things I can be sure of is that they are grown organically and free from hormone treatment.

Farm fresh anti-biotic free, hormone free free range chicken eggs
These eggs are simply beautiful and delicious. The yolk is golden yellow – almost orange and the size of the egg is small but it packs lots of goodness. One thing I find is that it doesn’t have that smell that is so common in the commercial eggs – the Malays say “hanger”. Eggs used to get a bad name but I think it has more to do with the way the eggs are produce and the feed given to the hens as well as all those “medications”.

Herbal teas
I make different types of teas and they all have therapeutic value. My teas are mainly for prevention and maintenance purposes and so far, Alhamdulillah, it seems to be good for me. Some of the teas that I consume are Misai Kuching, Soursop Leaves, Soursop with Lemon Grass, Lemon Basil, Holy Basil, and Indian Borage. When I am at the farm, I tend to make them with fresh leaves but I do some in dried form so that I can take it with me anywhere or to have it at home whenever I want.

Summary
I guess being someone who hates taking supplements and popping pills as well as having to think whether it should be taken 30 minutes before a meal, before a meal, after a meal, on empty stomach – there are so many “rules”, how I eat makes a difference and I get to enjoy it.

04 Mar 2016

2 Comments By admin Eating Well, Edible Landscape, SHL Products

SHL Edibles@Flora Fest@Park Manor

All our edibles are farm-grown. We grow everything organically without the use of any chemical pesticides, fertilisers, herbicides or even hormones. We harvest at its prime so that we can enjoy its full benefits and taste. Some of the edibles that we are featuring at Flora Fest@Park Manor are:

Misai Kuching Tea
This tea is made from leaves and flowers. We do not use any stems. Thus, it has a subtle floral
undertone to it and is not bitter. It is packed in a glass jar as loose leaves and it can easily be prepared like any herbal tea. Personally, I drink it as a preventive measure against diabetes, high blood pressure and also as a general body cleansing agent. It can be consumed hot or cold and I prefer it without any sugar.

Durian Belanda (Soursop) Tea
This tea is made from mature soursop leaves without any stems. It is packed in a glass jar. I have
researched and read that it has cancer preventive properties as well as helping in the prevention of high blood and diabetes. For these reasons, it is one of my favourite teas to drink, either hot or cold, without addition of any sweeteners. It has the subtle taste of the soursop fruit. Sometimes, I add organic calamansi juice and ice cubes to have a refreshing cold drink on hot days, like the ones that we have been having now.

Both teas can also be prepared by bringing a pot of water to boil and adding the leaves and then letting it simmer for a few minutes before turning off the heat. I will then let it continue to steep till it is warm to drink. Sometimes, I just place it tea in a jar and put it in the refrigerator so that it will be ready to drink when I want to.

Fresh, Pure Calamansi (*Limau Kasturi) Juice
This pure juice is squeezed from our farm grown calamansi fruits. No additives or water are added to it. It must be stored in the refrigerator and I have stored it for up to a month without any problems, although rarely does it last that long. However, I did it to experiment to see. This juice is rich in vitamin C and other vitamins and minerals. It is also a much lower cost option for a good source of natural vitamin C. This juice can be used in many ways such as as a base for a drink, added to salad dressings, added to your cooking, as a seasoning for fish such as steamed fish, to name a few.

Other Produce/Plants

We will also have some of our farm-grown fruit and vegetables at our stall such as bananas and papayas as well as a selection of other vegetables and herbs. The papayas are tree-ripened in our effort to ensure it is rich with the the papain enzyme along with other vitamins and minerals.

As the farm focusses on edibles or plants and trees that have therapeutic value, we will bring some plants for sale. Some have beautiful flowers so it would be a great addition to a flowering garden whilst providing the edible or therapeutic benefit. Some are pictured below.

Lengkuas Kecil (Small Galangal)

Kunyit (Tumeric)

Cekur

Forest orchid

Bangui-bangun (Indian Borage)

11 Feb 2016

0 Comments By admin Armchair journal, Eating Well, SHL Journal

Good food is our right

Over the years, as I have gotten more and more into producing food, I have learnt a lot – from visiting sites, talking with practitioners and academicians, as well as experimenting on my own. Along the way, I have grown to believe more and more that good food is one of our basic rights. Most commercially driven food producers put profits above all else and why not, that is the purpose that they are in that business. Whilst some have maintain some honesty and ethics, many have excuses for why they do what they do.
The most favourite excuse is: To keep cost down.

Usage of chemical pesticides and fertilisers to simplify the production of fruit and vegetables as well as to cut down on costs. You do not require as many people in comparison to natural, organic farming. You can also mechanise a major portion of your production by setting up “automatic” chemical fertilising and pesticide control.
Usage of unclean waste such as human wastes (which can contain all sorts of things including chemicals from medication, etc.)

Excuse #2: To increase production

Usage of chemical pesticides to prevent pests. After all, many say, after 21 days the food is safe to eat. If you worry about pesticides, you can further clean it with other chemicals to remove the pesticides. The reasoning: only a small amount of toxic chemicals may remain so it is almost negligible so no effect. Really?
Usage of chemical hormones. The hormones are targeted mainly for two things: 1. to increase the size or quantity produced and 2. to force the tree or plant to produce enabling almost on-demand production.

Excuse #3: To produce consistent quality produce

Genetically modifying plants and trees to produce consistent “grade”, taste and size produce. Amongst the favourites locally are bananas and durians.
Usage of chemical hormones to control growth.
Usage of chemical fertilisers as this can be applied more precise.

Over the years, we have seen more and more people develop allergies to common food like chicken, eggs, fruits, etc. To my own non-expert mind, it is only logical. When we have continued to consume toxic chemicals and hormones which no one has done a long-term study on or have studies done and the recovery measure is via more chemicals, it only makes sense that we are causing harm to our body systems.

Often we hear reports on death caused by food that has been “contaminated” by toxic chemicals or over-use of chemicals. Some countries are banning GMO or requiring labelling of GMO. It is important for us to understand what these technological advances are in agriculture and how it impact us from GMO to the usage of chemical hormones, fertilisers, pesticides and preservatives. Many fruits are sprayed with chemical preservatives to increase the “freshness” of the fruits especially when it has to be packed, shipped, and distributed before it finally gets to the consumers. I rarely see any mention of this or labelling. So I wonder, when you juice the fruits without peeling them first, what else are you adding to your health drink? And, there is virtually no peeling of the outer layer for vegetables (except for those like carrots): spinach, kale, celery, etc.

For the sake of ourselves and our families, we need to take an interest in this and not view it lightly. Once the damage has been done, sometimes it is not irreversible and we will live with the after-effects. I am very much an advocate for growing your own food, if not a major part then to supplement commercial food. This can be achieved by having our own “garden” and you do not have to have land to do this. There are so many food plants that can be grown in pots for those with limited or no land space. There are many ways to produce your own fertilisers organically and it is not difficult to do so. We are blessed to live in a country where it is “growing” season year-round. Whilst we may care about our outward appearance by buying good quality and expensive clothes, accessories, make-up, body care items, etc., as well as spending time and money to go to gyms and spas, I feel that we should exercise the same concern and care for our insides.

For me, I like to enjoy a calamansi drink and be able to drop the squeezed fruit into the glass for additional flavour; I love the joy of enjoying durians of different sizes from the same tree as well as the different tastes; and I enjoy eating my vegetables without have to detoxify them.

The moral of my story is this: If you cannot produce your own food, or reduce consumption of chemically contaminated food, you should at least know the origins of the food and how it was grown. Then you can make a choice: ” pay now or pay later”.

31 Jan 2016

0 Comments By admin Banana, Eating Well

Looks similar but different: Pisang Rastali versus Pisang Raja Udang

At a glance they may look similar but they are different in taste and texture as well as the pisang rastali being smaller than pisang raja udang.. Both fruits have a brownish design over the yellow skin but that is where the similarities end.

The Pisang Rattail is sweet with subtle undertone of sourness and when not fully ripen, will have a distinct “kelat” taste when not fully ripen. When fully ripen, there should be no more green areas on the banana. The bananas pictured above will be fully ripen in about 1 day. The flesh is almost “fluffy” and relatively dry and is cream in colour. This fruit is more often eaten raw but due to its “fluffy” texture and sweetness, is also a favourite for making banana cakes and muffins.

In comparison, the Pisang Raja Udang has a very sweet and sour taste – almost in equal measure. The flesh is dense and has more moisture and is yellow in color. When not fully ripen or harvested when not fully matured, the sour taste will overshadow the sweetness hence locally, it is also known as Pisang Masam or Sour Banana. When harvested properly and fully ripen, the sweet taste is stronger than the sour taste. This fruit is eaten raw or works well in fried banana dumplings. due to its taste and moistness. It can also be used to make a dessert, serawa pisang or bananas cooked with a sweet coconut gravy. It is also an option for banana splits.

So, be sure to pick the right banana for what you want or you may be disappointed in the outcome 🙂

25 Jan 2016

0 Comments By admin Banana, Eating Well

Pisang Emas or Lemak Manis: Which is which?

Often I see and hear the argument of which is which between pisang emas and pisang lemak manis as well as pisang lemak manis labelled as pisang emas. When buying them, please do not press or squeeze them to as this will bruise the fruit. You can tell the ripeness of the fruit from the appearance.

There is a difference in taste and appearance. The pisang emas has a honey-like sweetness to it when ripe as opposed to pisang lemak manis which has a sugary sweetness to it with a subtle sour undertone. With their smaller sizes, they are great as a breakfast fruit – one that my son loves to have – and easily finished. Full of natural goodness and fiber. For children, they can eat it at one go so you won’t be left with half a banana to store. It is also easy for them to hold and normally my son will have a couple of fruits. Rich in vitamin B6 as well as magnesium and other mineral, it is great for a growing boy. A key function of magnesium is to aid in the absorption of calcium which is critical for strong bones in my son – and for adults as well. Amongst the important benefits of vitamin B6 that I aim for is the proper brain development and function.

When not fully ripe, the pisang emas skin has a yellowish green colour versus a light green of the pisang lemak manis. You can see the colour at the top of the banana the colour difference. For both varieties, when the skin has turned yellow with some areas slightly green, it is ready to be eaten and considered ripe. If bought at this stage, the banana can last about 1 week before it becomes overly ripe. The flesh of the bananas are yellow with pisang emas being more golden in the inside hence the name. As it ripens, the flesh will become softer before becoming “mushy” when over-ripe where at this stage it is perfect for making cucur kodok or fried banana dumplings.

L: Pisang Emas, R: Pisang Lemak Manis

Top: Pisang Lemak Manis, Bottom: Pisang Emas

To start with, the size of the fruits are different: pisang lemak manis (average 8.5cm long) is larger than pisang emas (average 6 cm). Pisang lemak manis also has a “rounder” appearance. A quick check when buying is to measure it against your index finger. If it is longer than your index finger, it is pisang lemak manis. If it is shorter than your index finger, it is probably pisang emas.

The skin of the pisang emas is thinner and more delicate than pisang lemak manis. If the pisang emas is not just ripe, the skin will tend to stick to the flesh making it more difficult to peel. Pisang lemak manis has a thicker peel so it is more forgiving.

Both the varieties are popular and not easily found in supermarkets but can be found in fruit stalls in wet markets and at the roadsides. So, go ahead and enjoy our local either bananas which are natural and may it bring all the great health benefits with it for you 🙂

11 Nov 2015

0 Comments By admin Eating Well, Farm Recipes

SHL Free Range Organic Chicken Soup

Once in a while, when I entertain guests at the farm, I will cook based on our farm produce. At a recent gathering, I decided to do my version of the chicken soup featuring our chicken. Cooking free range chicken is different than cooking “cooped up” chickens as free range chickens do not have soft flabby meat and tastes great when cooked with herbs and spices and will result in tender chicken meat.
To start with, we have fresh chicken which we will place over open flame for a few seconds to remove all the fine “hairs” left after the feathers have been plucked. Cut the chicken into 10 pieces, separating them at the joints and the chicken breast is cut into 4 pieces.
Rinse them well to remove any unwanted innards left. Place in a drainer and let the water drain off.

The ingredients I use to flavour the soup are:

Fresh tumeric (kunyit hidup)
Fresh small galangal (lengkuas kecil)
Kaffir lime leaves (daun lima pert)
Lemon grass (Serai)
White basil (selasih putih)
Fresh ginger (halia)
Star Anise (bunga lawang)
Cloves (Cengkih)
Coarse salt (garam kasar)
Big red onion (bawang merah besar)
Yellow onion (bawang kuning besar)
Garlic (bawling putih)
Chopped celery (saldri)
Chopped carrots (lobak merah)
Fresh bay leaves (daun salam)

When I cook dishes like this, I am pretty much old school which means I do not use a blender but prefer to use mortar and pestle. I use olive oil and heat it up and add the onions which have been pound coarsely. Next I will pound ginger, galangal and tumeric and add it to the pot once the onion has been cooked until it is translucent. After allowing it to cook for a few minutes, I will add the white basil, bay leaves and kaffir lime leaves which I pound to just break it up a bit. After 1 minute or so, I will add the garlic which has been pound to a relative fine consistency and follow it with Carrots, celery star anise and cloves. I add the chicken to the pot and stir it around and add water followed by the lemon grass stalks which I just fund the ends. I bring the mixture to a boil and then slow the heat to allow it to simmer for about 1 hour. I add salt and turn off the heat. The soup is ready.

My choice of the seasoning is based on the goodness that I want the soup to have apart from having it taste good. This soup can be served on its own, eaten with rice or as the gravy for noodles. So, there it is – our version of free range organic chicken soup which results in tender chicken meat and tasty soup filled with nutrients 🙂

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Category: Eating Well