Receta Reaching another milestone in my life
One year has again passed by,
Time has wings and is set to fly,
Thank GOD for giving me another year of life.
I can remember I was a grumpy little girl who hardly smile. Oh... how the times have changed us. The wonderful memories like the time when 15 going to 16, a naive young girl waiting for the fate to turn the light on.
At 19, meeting my pen pal for the first time and 6 months later we decided to settle down...despite family objection. Reason being too young and we yet to know each other very well.
We did fight like Tom and Jerry in our younger days but after 33 years thru thick and thin, he is still my best partner in crime. We are blessed with two wonderful children.
It stem back to when I was forty something, I ponder about reaching that milestone but an older friend consoled me, don't complain about growing old but count your blessings.
Today, turning 54 doesn't have to be gloomy. There is always a lot to be thankful for, if one takes the time to look. At whatever age you turn, make sure you celebrate yourself. Be thankful that you are still here and do something exciting for this part of your life. Do what you like as long as its not earth shattering.
Life may not be a bed of roses everyday. Life will always have stresses with family problem, financial problem, work problem, etc.... but good or bad thing doesn't last forever. Learn how to cope with stress and age gracefully. Eat well, sleep well and exercise at least 3 times a week, even gardening is also a form of good exercise. Enjoy your food as long as in moderate amount, don't over indulge. Let's enjoy some of my delicacies.
SEA COCONUT DESSERT
10 pieces fresh sea coconuts
1 block palm sugar - chopped
1/2 cup sago
1/2 tsp salt
2 fresh grated coconut 4 to 5 pieces pandan leaves
Fresh sea coconuts.
For your information, sea coconuts do not come from the sea. The name sea coconut came about perhaps because their seeds were once believed to be dispersed by sea.
Cooking method:
1/ Add 1/2 cup water to grated coconut and squeeze the thick coconut milk, keep aside.
2/ Add additional water to the grated coconut to squeeze for 2nd coconut milk, approximate 1000mls. Boil the second coconut milk with pandan leave until boil. Then add in the thick coconut milk and salt, give a quick stir and remove from heat.
Grated coconut, sago and palm sugar
3/ Wash and soak the sago about 30 minutes. Boil the sago in water till sago turn transparent. Rinse the sago with water to remove the starch. Drain and keep aside. The texture of the sea coconut is half crunchy and half jelly like texture.
4/ Wash and slice the sea coconuts.
5/ Bring a small pot of water to boil and blanch the sea coconuts for 30 seconds. Drain off the water and keep aside.
6/ Cook the palm sugar with a few spoon of water until it melt. If too thick add a bit of water to your desire consistency.
7/ Mix a spoonful of sea coconut, 1/2 tbsp sago mix with the cooked coconut milk.
8/ Pour require amount of coconut milk to the sea coconut.
9/ Drizzle with palm sugar syrup and mix well.
Can serve hot or cold.
10/ If you want convenient and wash less utensil...boil the second coconut milk with pandan leaves and sago. Cook until sago transparent. Add salt and palm sugar to taste. When sugar melt add the sea coconut and thick coconut milk, give a quick stir and remove from heat.
MOIST ORANGE CAKE WITH COCONUT
150 gm butter
2 tsp grated orange rind
80 gm castor sugar
3 eggs
100 gm self raising flour
1/4 cup fresh orange juice
1/ Line and grease a 5" cake pan.
2/ Sift the self raising flour.
3/ Mix butter, grated orange rind, castor sugar, eggs, self raising flour and orange juice into the mixing bowl and beat for 3 minutes using medium speed.
4/ Pour into the round cake pan.
5/ Baked in a preheat oven at 180 deg c for 35 to 40 minutes.
6/ Cool the cake completely, spread the icing on top the cake and sprinkle with grated coconut.
ORANGE ICING
1 cup icing sugar
1 tsp soft butter
1 tbsp orange juice
2 tbsp grated coconut
1/ Sift icing sugar into small heatproof bowl.
2/ Stir in butter and orange juice to make a stiff paste
3/ Stir over double boiler until icing is spreadable.
This quick orange cake is awesome with or without the icing.
Perfect for afternoon tea and great pairing with a cup of aromatic rose bud tea.
ROSE BUD TEA
If you are cold, tea will warm you.
If you are too heated, it will cool you.
If you are depressed, it will cheer you.
If you are excited, it will calm you.
(By Gladstone)
Rose tea contain vitamin C which will boost your immune system and fight infections. Rose tea improve skin health, slow down the aging of your skin.
Brew these lovely rose buds and give a buzz to yourself.
Rose buds tea help relieves headaches, migraine, stress, anxiety, depression, weight loss, etc...
Sit back, relax, have a nice cup of rose tea and two slices of orange cake. No matter how busy, there is always time for tea.
Enjoy the little things in your life, for one day you'll look back and realize they were the big things.
Have a marvelous week ahead.