My godmother sent me an email this morning titled "Hot Chocolate". It was sitting nicely in my inbox all day long. I did not bother to open it because it was a forward mail. Checked and deleted all my mails earlier and it was still sitting in my inbox. For a second, I wanted to delete it because I do not like downloading stuff. However, I must admit the glut in me kept eyeing the two words - Hot Chocolate. Maybe she has a good hot chocolate recipe to share with me I thought. Without much hesitation, I proceeded to download the file. Opened it and there was no Hot Chocolate recipe, but a Hot Chocolate story that enlightened me. Have a read and hopefully everytime you enjoy a cup of this delicious beverage, you will remember happiness is contentment. Happiness is what you already have. Make full use if it. Be happy.

A group of graduates, well established in their careers,
were discussing their lives at a class reunion. They decided
to go visit their old university professor, now retired, who
was always an inspiration to them.

During their visit, the conversation turned to complaints
about stress in their work, lives and relationships.

Offering his guests hot chocolate, the professor went into the
kitchen and returned with a large pot of hot chocolate and an
assortment of cups. Some cups were porcelain, glass, crystal,
some plain looking, some expensive, some exquisite. He invited
each to help themselves to the hot chocolate.

When they all had a cup of hot chocolate in hand,
the professor shared his thoughts.

“Notice that all the nice looking, expensive cups were
taken, leaving behind the plain and cheap ones.”

“While it is normal for you to want only the best for yourselves,
that is the source of your problems and stress.”

“The cup that you are drinking from adds nothing to the
quality of the hot chocolate. In most cases it is just more
expensive and in some cases even hides what we drink.”

“What each of you really wanted was hot chocolate.
You did not want the cup . . .
but you consciously went for the best cups.”

“And soon, you began to eye one another’s cups.”

“Now friends, please consider this . . .

“Life is the hot chocolate . . .
your job, money and position in society are the cups.”

“They are just tools to hold and contain life.”

“The cup you have does not define,
nor does it change, the quality of life you are living.”

“Sometimes, by concentrating only on the cup,
we fail to enjoy the hot chocolate God has provided us.”

Always remember this . . . . . . . . . .
God brews the hot chocolate, He does not choose the cup.

The happiest people don't have the best of everything.

They just make the best of everything that they have!!

Live simply . . .
Love generously . . .
Care deeply . . .
Speak kindly . . .

Leave the rest to God.
~ and remember ~
The richest person is not the one who has the most,
but the one who needs the least.
Enjoy your hot chocolate!!

I first fell in love with mango lassi when my housemates in Perth ordered it as the choice of beverage during one dinner at Maya Masala. The girls ordered mango lassi and when asked, they told me mango lassi is a smoothie made with mango and yogurt. That sounds like my kinda thing so I ordered one too and well, it was love at first sip. If mango lassi is on the menu, I must have it.

According to Ayurvedic, drinking lassi daily aids in digestion and also prevents creation of digestive toxins. Lassi can be salted or sweetened. I only like mango lassi and it is very simple to make. You need really ripe mangoes, plain yogurt, water, some ice cubes, sugar to taste and if you are adventurous, you can spruce up your lassi with a pinch of cardamon powder. Saffron or rose water is good too. Whizz everything up in a blender and sift the lassi so you get a glass of smooth mango lassi. Yum!

1 ripe mango, 4 ice cubes, a few generous tbs of plain yogurt, a bit of water. Whizz everything and have a taste before you add in sugar. Whizz again and sift the lassi. Done.

I am one of the two girls and the youngest in my class. Most of my classmates are married with children, a few single and some attached. One of the perks of being single is to have the pleasure of being an outsider looking into another person's relationship without being blinded. Oh trust me, the guys love to talk about their wives and their girlfriends. Mostly about her nagging or how they don't feel for each other anymore after so many years of marriage or how possessive the girl can be and how everything has died for him. Pretty nutty stuff I hear everyday and I hate to hear things like he wants to file for a divorce or he is dying to get out of the relationship. It is sad and dear you, if you want to keep your man (no one is stealing him away), it is time you wise up! Believe me, I have been there and I understand your insecurities, but guys don't think or act the way we do. You can continue doing what you think it is right, and maybe at the end of the day when it is all done and over with, you will realize how wrong you were. Go back to page 1 when you and the better half first got to know each other. That first date, the first butterfly churning in your stomach, that passionate kiss and the first touch ... Go back to page 2 when you were happy being yourself. There was the real you and remember he fell for you because you were you! Fast forward, at your rate, you are going to be on the last page soon.

You need to get some facts right about a man. 99% guys love to check out other girls. Every guy wants space -- honey, a lot of space. When they tell you, they are thinking of nothing. Don't make a second guess, they really are not thinking of anything. The truth is most men want to behave like they are single even if they are not. Allow them a little fun and hang out with their friends. You are right that guys talk about football, sex, women and what not when they get together. Well, give it to them too because one thing I have learned is that, you can only control yourself and that, whatever you can't, don't even try to because it is not going to get you far. And if  a guy wants to cheat on you, let's just say he can be home everyday and still be able to somehow.

I sure picked up tips on understanding guys a teeny-weeny better whilst I act as the aunt agony. Many times, I take the time to listen because I know in the future, all that I have been hearing is going to come in handy and save me from my own crap, hahaha.

Easier said than done aye since women usually cannot think properly when they are blinded by love, so whilst you can, there are many ways to improve on your relationships. And only you know how to go about it.

The deal is as long as you can compromise, the nature of your relationship can steer towards being positive, and if you can't and want everything your way (let's just talk about you and leave him alone), it is not going to work for you and maybe it is time to duck it. Fighting all the time is exhausting for anyone and impossible to nurture the relationship. We have all been there right and we have seen how things ended, so whilst you are still in it .. save it for what it is worth. If he is crap (cheated on you, hurt you physically, took your money), forget it lar. Do better! You will be in one piece. You will not die. You will end up with more moolahs sitting in the bank.  How is that aye?

Here is a shot of my parents when they went to Paris few weeks ago. I hope one day there is someone to grow old with too. One day, we will find each other.  For now, back to my assignment ...

At last! I got the recipe for the Nyonya Chang which my nana used to make and apparently, my aunties in Malacca still make them in huge batches for sale. Papa Lee's eldest sister came over to visit us from Malacca the other time and I spent a bit of time with her and my cousins eating her homemade love letters, laughing and translating the recipe from Baba Malay to simple English. Many apologies for no pictures on how to wrap up a nyonya chang with banana leaves, but found a link here. Happy Masak!

This recipe makes about 30 Nyonya Chang

Ingredients for filling:
3kg lean pork, scald pork in boiling water until ½ cooked, diced
1 ½ kg winter melon, diced
½ bottle of yellow fermented beans paste
200g Coriander powder or commonly known as ketumes or rempah gosong
Black pepper to taste
Msg, optional
5 to 6 bulbs of garlic, crushed

Method:
1) In a heated wok, add in enough canola oil. Wait for a minute and fry freshly crushed garlic, soya bean paste and diced pork. Fry for a few minutes and add in diced winter melons, coriander powder and black pepper. Done

Ingredients for rice:
3kg glutinous rice, soaked overnight
A few cloves of garlic, chopped
Oil for frying rice
Salt, to taste
Msg, optional
Blue pea flowers, soak in hot water for a few minutes

Method:
1) In a heated wok, add in oil and fry garlic until fragrant. Add in rice and seasonings. Fry until rice is almost dry for wrapping.
2) Divide rice into 2 portions and dye one portion of the rice with blue pea flowers water. Done.

Join my Facebook cooking group HERE where I archive all my recipes and if you cook and/or bake, please do contribute your recipes too so we can all have a piece of your yummies.

Follow me on Twitter HERE . The glut takes pictures of everything she eats!