SHL Recipe: Bentong ginger & turmeric marinated salmon trout fillet with left-over mash potatoes balls

This is a simple and quick to do dish, especially when my toddler says he is hungry and wants to eat.
I tend to keep marinated items in my fridge ready-to-cook for such "emergencies".    The potato balls are quick and easy to make and a good way to use left-over mash potatoes.  I use our farm-produced Bentong ginger and turmeric concentrates in many ways and this is an easy way to add nutritional value to a meal allowing you to focus on taste and not be burdened with thinking about how healthy it is.

Ingredients:
Fillet of salmon trout approximately 300g
2 tablespoon of Bentong ginger and turmeric concentrate
1 tablespoon organic coconut oil.
Salt to season.

Method:
Marinate the salmon fillet in the ginger&turmeric concentrate with a pinch of salt for at least 30 minutes.  This can be prepared ahead of time, ready-to-cook at a moment's notice.
Heat a skillet with 1 tablespoon coconut oil on medium-high heat.
Place the salmon fillet skin-side down.  To get a crispy skin, do not touch the side on the skillet until you see it "loosen" from the skillet.  It is then ready to be turned over to cook on the other side.    When it has "loosened" from the skillet, it is done.

Potato balls.
Ingredients:
Left-over mash potatoes or freshly made mash potatoes.
1 organic free-range organic egg ( or whatever egg you have on hand)
1 tablespoon of coconut oil

Method:
Mix the egg into the mashed potatoes.
Heat skillet with the coconut oil.
Drop small scoops of potato mixture and allow it to brown before turning it over.

Thought behind the meal
Something that is quick and easy to do yet nutritious.
The salmon trout provides for lots of good fatty acids as well as minerals.
Cooking in organic coconut oil lends a nice, rich taste to the salmon while at the same time providing those great health benefits.
A binding agent was needed in order to create the mash potato balls and this was achieved with the addition of the egg, further adding nutrition.  Apart from the nutrition, the golden yellow egg yolk provides a nice color to the potato balls.

The beauty of temulawak

 I got so many queries on this plant after I posted the picture of its beautiful flower so I hope this short article may help answer most of the questions.

The temulawak (curcuma zanthorrhiza) or known as Javanese ginger is a "cousin" of the turmeric (curcuma long) hence the similar shaped flowers.  Whilst the turmeric flower is of the same shape and is light green in color with yellow inner "buds", the temulawak has a striking purple/pink flower with yellow inner buds.   The flower is long lasting, from the initial flower to final bloom taking lasting over 1 month.  The initial flower is pink with purple tips which turns into a lighter pink as it progresses through the blooming stage.

Being similar to turmeric, it has rhizomes from which it can be propagated.  Although it is in the ginger family, the rhizomes are closer in appearance to the turmeric than ginger.

As with many rhizome-based plants, soil drainage is important to prevent the rhizomes from rotting due to water-logged soil.  The soil composition should contain some sand as well as lots of organic matter.  It doesn't do well in heavy clay soil.

To differentiate the rhizomes from others of the same family, the inner rhizome is off-white in color and has a texture similar to the ginger but less fibrous.  IT has a brown rim around the edges.  The rhizomes form a similar cluster to the turmeric rhizomes.

The rhizomes is used mainly in traditional therapy for treatment of certain illness as well as in skin care.  It can also be used as a spice.  It has a smell that is like a cross between ginger and turmeric.  In traditional therapy, it has been used for overcoming kidney diseases, heartburn, lowering cholesterol and other types of illness.  Being of the curcuma family, it has the similar benefits as turmeric.

This plant is easy to care for and can be grown either in a polybag or container, or in the ground.  If it is grown in a polybag, water when the soil has dried.  It doesn't need much fertiliser but a soil with phosphorous and calcium will encourage it to flower.  It grows in full sun or semi-shade.

The leaves are more similar to turmeric with a single leave per stalk from the main "stem" with the difference being a reddish-brown strip in the middle.  It can grown to about 1m tall.  As the plant grows, the rhizomes will multiply creating a cluster.  The rhizome can be harvested when needed without affecting the overall health of the plant.  You do not need to pull out the whole plant for harvesting.

This plant makes a lovely addition to your home garden providing beauty and benefits.  Since it is easy to grow and maintain, you might want to consider planting this even if you are a beginner gardener.  Happy planting.

SHL Recipe: Bentong ginger and Turmeric Marinated Chicken Pops

Our Bentong ginger and turmeric concentrate is not only consumed as a drink but makes a great marinate for chicken.  The chicken can be prepared ahead of time and refrigerated ready-for-use.  It is also child-friendly which is important for me as I like to prepare good food for my 3-year old and one that he will enjoy eating without me having to coax him.





Ingredients:
2 slices of chicken breast
50 ml of Bentong ginger and turmeric concentrate
Pinch of sea salt (regular salt is also ok)
1 tablespoon of corn starch
2 tablespoons of organic coconut oil ( can use any oil. you like)

Method:
Mix ginger-turmeric, salt and chicken and leave to marinate for at least 1 hour.
Cut chicken breast into pieces toss it in the corn starch.
Fry until brown.

Thought behind the ingredients:
Chicken breast for the lean meat and quick to cook.  It is cut into smaller pieces so children can eat by themselves.
The ginger-turmeric for its digestion, antioxidant, acid neutralising properties.  By incorporating this, I hope to provide some benefits as well as preventive measures in the dish.
Sea salt as opposed to regular salt for all the additional minerals.
Organic coconut oil for the benefits from this oil which is also trans-fat free.  It also adds a degree of richness to the chicken pops.  With its medium chain fatty acids (MFCAs), the fats are easily converted into energy and not stored as fats - something important for my high-energy toddler.

SHL Banana Cake Recipe

This is the recipe I use to make my banana cake or cupcakes with pisang embun wangi.  This variety of banana lends an added touch of fragrance apart from tasting great in a banana cake.  The recipe is simple and it takes about 1 hour to prepare the cake and another 15-30 minutes for the icing.


Ingredients:
2 cups of brown sugar
2 cups of all purpose flower
1/2 block of butter (1 block 227gm)
1 teaspoon of baking powder
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
1 teaspoon of cinnamon (I prefer freshly grated)
2 eggs
8 pisang eibun wangi (you can use other bananas if you want like rastali, tapas, emas or lemak manis)

Method for making the cake:
Peel and mash the bananas.
Cream the brown sugar and butter with an electric mixer (you can use your own muscle power though it takes longer and you get more tired ).
Add the eggs to the butter and sugar mixture and mix at medium speed till the mixture is fluffy or meringue-like.
Mix the mashed bananas, vanilla extract, cinnamon and bicarbonate soda into the mixture.
Add the flour about half a cup at a time and fold it in.

Bake at 190 Celsius for about 30-35 minutes.  The cake is done when you insert a skewer or toothpick and it comes out clean.  For cupcakes, it takes about 20 minutes to bake.


Cool the cake.
















Ingredients for cream cheese icing:
1 cup of icing sugar
60g (1/4 block) of cream cheese (I like Philadelphia cream cheese)
60g (1/4 block) of unsalted butter
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract.

Method for cream cheese icing:
Soften the cream cheese and butter.  Using an electric mixer at medium speed, mix the butter , vanilla extract and cream cheese and add in the icing sugar a bit at a time (or you will have it flying all over you).
It is done when it has a light texture.
Spread over your cake and lightly dust with freshly grated cinnamon.  You can further decorate your cake with fruit slices like strawberries.

SHL Product: Pure Calamansi Juice (Limau Kasturi)

OK, I admit it.  I love to have a glass of cool calamansi drink but am lazy to squeeze the juices out of the fruits each time.  I want it to be available as and when I want to make a drink;  This product was born out of my desire to have it ready-to-make whenever I want to have a calamansi drink or to add to my tea or to any other drink mix.  This juice is versatile can be used to make drinks as well as other culinary uses.  It is also less expensive than lemon.

The source of these fruits are from the farm so it is organically grown without any chemical pesticide or herbicide use.  The fruits are picked at its prime, when it is loaded with juice and squeezed, straining the seeds.  What is left is pure juice without any dilution hence it is concentrated.  It is a great source for vitamin A and C.  The main acids in this fruit is citric acid and ascorbic acid.

Calories	12	Sodium	0 mg
Total Fat	0 g	Potassium	37 mg
Saturated	0 g	Total Carbs	3 g
Polyunsaturated	0 g	Dietary Fiber	1 g
Monounsaturated	0 g	Sugars	0 g
Trans	0 g	Protein	0 g
Cholesterol	0 mg
Vitamin A	12%	Calcium	1%
Vitamin C	10%	Iron	0%

*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

Suggestions for consumption:

1. Calamansi drink made by diluting with water and sweetened with honey, raw sugar or molasses. served either warm or cold
2. Added to your regular tea drink to make a citrus-flapored tea
3. Used in marinating fish
4. Used to flavour "soupy" dishes such as laksa and soups
5. Used to make salad dressings
6. As a natural preservative to cut fresh vegetables and fruits

To help maintain the freshness of cut fruits and vegetables (such as for salads when you are serving them without the dressing at parties), you can toss the cut fruits or vegetables with a 1/2 - 1 teaspoon of the calamansi juice to prevent discolouration of the fruits as well as to retain the freshness.

The pure juice when stored in the refrigerator lasts for 3 months.  You can also turn them into "ice cubes" and store in freezer bags for longer storage.  When you want to use them, just add as many calamansi ice cubes as you like.

In alternative therapy, it is also used to treat coughs and colds, similar to how lemon is used.

All in all, this is a handy juice to have at hand as it can be used in many ways for consumption and provides nutrients to our daily food consumption without pain or undesirable taste :)

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:

1. 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.
2. Add it to regular tea drink to taste
3. Add it to other fruit juices
4. Use it to make a marinate for chicken, fish or beef 
5. 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:

1. 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).
2. Burping and passing gas
3. Reduced joint aches and pains
4. 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

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:

1. my blood pressure was around 145/80 and today it is 125/71
2. I couldn't get up from a full squat position without holding on to something and today I can rise easily, no aid required,
3. 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:

1. Taste: This is important as if it doesn't taste to my liking, chances of me continuing to drink it is small
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. Minimal adverse effect:  No known adverse effects to drinking this normally.
6. 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 :)