Year-end festivities are upon us again. Let’s kick-start the season with the Hindu festival of Deepavali, which sees a plethora of festive sweetmeats and savouries made especially to celebrate this joyous occasion.
DEEPAVALI DESSERTS
Gulab jamun
Peda
Hindus around the world celebrate Deepavali/Diwali, one of the grandest festivals in the Hindu calendar, on October 22 or 23. Sweets are a must during this celebration, especially in north India as it denotes sweetness and joy in life. Expect to be served ultra-sweet cakes such as besan laddoo (sweet chick pea flour balls), jalebi (deep-fried cakes in saffron-infused sugar syrup) and all types of milk-based goodies like gulab jamun, rasagullah and peda. In the south, savoury munchies like murukku (deep-fried, rice and lentil snack), omapodi (fried gram flour snack) and kara seva (spiced flour munchies) are offered alongside sweetmeats like Mysore pakk (besan flour cake) and paal kova (solidified milk candy).
LADIES’ FINGERS 
Ladies’ Fingers (okra/bhendi) feature prominently in Middle Eastern, Indian, Caribbean and Southern United States cuisines. The okra may not be your favourite vegetable due to its slimy or mucilaginous texture when cooked, but it sure is delicious and comes packed with nutrients. In Indian dishes, the vegetable is stir-fried with spices while in other cuisines, it is thrown into stews and gumbos. In the Nyonya (Straits Chinese) cuisine of Melaka, Penang and Singapore, the vegetable is simply steamed and served slathered with spicy sambal (chilli condiment). Elsewhere in Malaysia, one component of yong tau foo (a mix of fish and soy bean cakes eaten with chilli dip) is the okra stuffed with fish paste. To get rid of the slimy substance, Indian cooks add lemon juice, vinegar, buttermilk or yoghurt into the dish while cooking. Okra is also said to have many medicinal qualities including reducing cholesterol and preventing the onset of diabetes.
KISS OF THE COBRA
If you’re craving a sexy, tropical cocktail with complex flavours, try the King Cobra served at Angsana Laguna Phuket’s über stylish beach club Xana or, make the drink yourself. Mango and lime provide the base flavours for this cocktail that’s sweet and sour, while red chillies give it a surprising zing.
THE KING COBRA INGREDIENTS
3/4 of a red chilli, sliced 2 kaffir lime leaves, crushed 3 oz mango puree 1 oz mango juice 1.5 oz vodka 1 oz coconut-flavoured rum.
METHOD
Mix the chilli, kaffir lime leaves, mango puree and juice together before adding the vodka and rum. Shake the mix with plenty of ice, then strain into a martini glass. Rim the martini glass with a chilli for an extra fiery bite. Garnish with a kaffir lime leaf. www.angsana.com/en/phuket
A SEA OF SALT
Photo from Inmagine
The white granules you sprinkle onto your food aren’t the only type of salt available. Salt comes in many, many varieties!
SEA SALT/ROCK SALT Sea salt is obtained by evaporating sea water, leaving behind salt particles in a coarse form. This type of salt has many trace minerals and elements intact and may be slightly grey in colour.
FLEUR DE SEL As salt water evaporates, leaving behind salt particles, the top layer blooms with salt crystals. This hand-harvested salt is irregularly shaped, high in minerals and extremely fragile, and needs the perfect conditions to form, hence, the high price tag.
BLACK SALT Harvested from volcanic rocks in parts of Northern India and the Mediterranean, this salt is actually pinkish to grey in colour with a distinct sulphurous flavour, and contains less sodium.
MOUNTAIN SALT Pink in colour, this salt is mined from the mountainsides of the Himalayas. It has a high mineral and iron content and is often called the purest form of salt.
KOSHER-STYLE SALT The texture and shape of this salt is lighter and more delicate compared to table salt. The flavour is also more subtle and the grains have a distinct crunch when sprinkled over food.
LION CITY EATS
Roti Prata
Hainanese chicken rice
The best place to enjoy Singaporean food is at ION Orchard where visitors can savour the island state’s multi-ethnic cuisines with the ION Orchard Local Food Trail. Visitors get to sample a diverse range of ethnic cuisines including Roti Prata (Indian flat bread), Teh Tarik (a frothy, sweet, milk tea) and even the iconic Singapore Chili Crab. Besides food tasting, guests can also watch how these dishes are prepared. The ION Orchard Local Food Trail runs daily from Monday to Friday from 11.00am, with each session taking about 45 minutes to one hour, and capped at 10 adults. The best part is that this experience is totally free and guests need only register via e-mail at customercare@ionorchard.com.sg or at the Concierge desk at ION Orchard! www.ionorchard.com
NATURALLY GOOD 
Processed sugar can be harmful to your overall health but here’s an alternative that’ll satisfy your cravings. Well Naturally has launched a new range of ‘No Sugar Added Chocolate’ family share bars in both dark and milk varieties. The bars are available in Dark Chocolate (Mint Crisp, Rich Dark and Acai Berry), and Milk Chocolate (Creamy Milk and Fruit & Nuts). Well Naturally products are available in Woolworths, Coles, independent grocers, pharmacies and health food stores in Australia. www.wellnaturally.com.au
THE THAI FOOD KINGDOM!
Eathai, a dedicated food arena in the City of Angels’ latest premium shopping mall, Central Embassy on Sukhumvit Road, is perhaps the best place to get acquainted with the culinary offerings of the country. Taking up the entire lower ground floor of the luxury mall that houses some of the most iconic designer brands, this food arena is a Thai food kingdom that requires many, many repeat visits to enjoy the different types of food and foodie experiences available there.
FOOD GLORIOUS FOOD
One section of Eathai named Krua 4 Pak features cuisines from various regions of the country. From the Central region, the fertile Chao Phraya plains offer up classic favourites like yum pla salid (salted gourami with spicy Thai salad) and the all-time favourite tom yum goong. Dishes with a distinct Lanna influence such as kao soi (egg noodles in curry gravy) and sai eua (savoury sausages) are yours to try at the North Thai section. The Esan provinces are divided into north and south; Esan North comes with a touch of Vietnamese influence in foods such as nham nueng (fried pork spring rolls) and pho beef/chicken noodle soup), while South Esan is renowned for its spicy dishes such as som tam (green papaya salad) and kay yang (grilled chicken). Go further south to enjoy bold and palate tingling flavours that marry Thai and Malay styles of cooking with kao yum (rice and herb salad) and kang lueng nor mai dong pla sum lee (bamboo shoots in yellow curry). Dedicated outlets for seafood and Thai vegetarian cuisines are also available, with future plans for a halal section.
I sampled the crab curry kanom chin (rice noodles with assorted chopped vegetables and condiments) and loved every bit of it. The thick curry was packed with chunks of crab meat and the crunch of the vegetables gave it body and texture. Accompanied by a plate of freshly prepared som tam, this was heaven on a plate. And even more amazing were the prices, comparable to what you would pay in normal, run-of-the-mill food courts.
STREET FOOD
This section allows you to savour street-style food in the cool comfort of a luxury mall, minus the hefty price tags! Stalls operate out of food carts and run the gamut from hor mok (steamed fish mousse) to tod mun pla (fish cakes) and yes… pad Thai! Street-style desserts such as thab thim krob (ruby red water chestnuts in coconut milk), sticky rice with mango or durian flesh, and banana fritters are available too.
THAI SUPERMARKET
Talad Eathai is the food arena’s general store, which carries a huge selection of local produce, food ingredients, Thai snacks, and even spa products and souvenir items. This is a great spot to purchase a little piece of Thailand for your loved ones back home.
ISSAYA COOKING STUDIO
Why stop at just tasting Thai food when you can sign up for classes to learn the art of Thai cooking? With a state-of-the-art kitchen, guests can learn various dishes under the supervision of acclaimed chef/restaurateur Ian Chalermkittichai or, his stable of chefs. Classes run daily with lessons ranging from basic to classical, molecular and professional levels. Best of all, even walk-in guests can sign up when visiting Eathai! www.centralembassy.com/eathai
Web check-in & print your boarding pass for a seamless flying experience! Kiosk check-in at klia2 will no longer be available starting 22 June 2014.