Sambal Keeps This Globetrotter Grounded

"I've always loved sambal, whether served with my favourite nasi lemak, spread on a slice of Gardenia white bread, or plain neat," writer and editorial consultant Brenda Benedict writes in her new book, Sambal on the Side ... With a Kick.

But it wasn't until she became a travelling expat wife that she was hard-pressed to make it on her own.

Sambal, that spicy, sometimes pungent condiment many in Southeast Asia are familiar with, became a balm for her homesickness, but on some days that pang needed something more potent.

"It was midwinter in Frankfurt," she recalls, "I had been horribly homesick and I was desperately seeking an avenue to vent. She pitched the idea for "a column about being a Malaysian abroad and trying to reconcile my 'Malaysianness' with an alien environment."

Her first "Sambal on the Side" column was published in the Weekender section of The Star on 18 February 2006 and has been a staple in the newspaper ever since.

A selection of her columns are now in this compilation, published by MPH Group Publishing.

"Neither expatriate mobility training nor travel guides adequately prepared me for the mundane matters of rooting and uprooting, and they tended to focus more on the 'what' and not the 'how'," says Brenda. "So, I had to immerse myself mindfully into a 'discomfort zone', resulting in a fortnightly dispatch home of yet another occasion of having 'been-there-and-muddled-through-that.'"

“These days whenever someone asks me how the Germans are, I usually say, ‘They’re like M&Ms. Once you bite through that shell, they’re really quite sweet!’”

And what a lot of muddling she's done: riding with leather-clad bikers in the U.S., separating rubbish in Germany, and haggling with "hugging taxi" drivers in Vietnam. Her unvarnished accounts of life on the go are sassy and at times spicy, like the taste of home she craves every now and then.

Each chapter has a mix of "everything": travelogue, factbook, memoir, introspection and maybe a couple of other things I can't find words for. Complex, like the condiment this collection is associated with, and more like sambal than one would think.

Although the book covers several countries: the United States, Germany and Vietnam, I seem to detect a special affection for Germany, her "second home", in the related pieces. The husband, I understand, is German.

“Many people often say that Washington, D.C. does not reflect the real America. They are correct to a certain extent.”

There's a certain familiarity and warmth when she relates, among other things, her quest to spike the shenanigans of some poo-some pigeons, encounters with "Denglish" (German-English) words, and her failure to spook her German friends with ghost stories - and failing because, apparently, Germans "don't have" ghost stories. But weren't the Brothers Grimm Germans?

As Brenda puts it, with regard to the latter: "This is a piece that I enjoyed writing, and I chose to feature it here because there couldn't be a starker clash of cultures than how the paranormal is dealt with in Malaysia and in my second home, Germany.

"I had written this in conjunction with Halloween, a day that still isn't much of a big deal Germany and where many still dismiss it as more of a commercial import from the U.S."

Like Christmas, maybe?

“During my initial days in Hanoi, it was a matter of trial and error in figuring out [which mobile street vendor] sold what. I also learnt that tinkling bells don’t always announce icy sweet treats.”

But it's not all from The Star At least one unpublished story - one about African music that will make you want to check out the names. "What I loved most were the rich and melodious harmonies that I feel only singers of African descent have been blessed to deliver with such élan," Brenda gushes.

Another unpublished piece highlights a few adventures she's shared with her husband, and it left me wishing their marriage would be long and interesting in good ways. Sounds like somebody's dream life.

The "kick", meanwhile, comes from short notes appended to each story, which explain why they were written and whether her perspectives have changed since then.

"As I revisited my columns, it became evident how my initial tenor on some subjects has either changed (or remained) or been adapted or moderated," says Brenda.

Evidently, Brenda's penchant for languages, curiosity for cultures, and sense of humour have served her well. Over time, she realised that rooting and uprooting require patience and fortitude, and the ability to laugh and let go when things go spectacularly wrong.

And: "I hope you enjoy reading them as much as I have recounting them."

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Brenda Benedict is a Malaysian writer and editorial consultant who has travelled, worked and lived in different continents. She has been a columnist with The Star since 2006. Her first book, Sambal on the Side ... With a Kick, will be available at all major bookstores.

The author herself is scheduled to be in Malaysia on 21 May at MPH Bookstore @ NU Sentral, 2:30pm, to launch the book and meet readers. Keep watching this space for updates.

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Sambal on the Side ... With a Kick

A Malaysian's Take On Living Abroad

Brenda Benedict
MPH Group Publishing (April 2016)
322 pages
Non-fiction
ISBN: 978-967-415-330-4

Buy from Kinokuniya | MPHOnline.com

Rediscover Kuala Lumpur with POSKOD.MY

Get the low-down on another side of Malaysia's capital city in Stories from the City: Rediscovering Kuala Lumpur, a collection of articles from online magazine POSKOD.MY, edited by Ling Low and Dhabitah Zainal of POSKOD.MY and published by MPH Group Publishing.

Stories from the City, a compilation of selected Kuala Lumpur-centric
articles from online magazine POSKOD.MY

How is the Coliseum, KL's oldest cinema, still in business? Can you make a living from hunting ghosts? Where do migrant workers (from Myanmar, for instance) go for a taste of home?

Find the answers to these mysteries and more. Get off the beaten path and rediscover the city with those who know it best. From makcik traders to hip-hop stars, cosplay fans to urban farmers, meet the people who are the beating heart of the city.

"When we visit a place as tourists, we look for the obvious monuments, the postcard icons marked as ‘unmissable'," writes Low, the outgoing editor of POSKOD.MY. "But often, it's the smaller details that stay with us: the smell of the subway, perhaps, or the toothy smile of a fruit seller. If someone is rude or polite to us, it sticks more vividly than the most impressive scenery."

Hence, from 2012 to 2015, "POSKOD.MY has made it a mission to rediscover Kuala Lumpur," Low states. "We wanted to ask questions about the city, to unravel its daily mysteries, from the mundane to the profound. What happened to Sungai Buloh's leper colony, once the largest in the Commonwealth? Who is the woman who runs the hidden bakso soup stall in Kampung Baru? Can you make a living from hunting ghosts?"

The mission was undertaken with some urgency, as parts of the city, mostly the historic and rural holdouts underneath the towering spires of modernity, are being eclipsed by development.

"Every day, a new high-rise building would go up and a few more bricks of history would be lost," says Low. "As I write, well-loved kopitiams are replaced with hotels and public parks razed to make way for towers."

It's not just these enclaves that are disappearing, but also the people who are the life of these places – and the custodian of their histories.

"KL is a city obsessed with renewal," Low says. "We are rarely encouraged to look back. Yet, as more communities fight to keep a piece of their heritage alive, the past becomes ever more compelling. To live here is to live with a constant sense of loss.

"But this is the silver lining: with each change, people adapt. When I look at the articles in this book, the common thread is resilience. It’s the people who work in grey areas; the people who transform abandoned spaces; the people who reinvent the city by necessity."

Indeed, the stories of those featured in this book serves up a compelling smorgasbord of the kind of things that make up the character of KL - the Big Durian, if you will, that is home to the locals and those who have ventured here to find something better.

"It's the people who make the city tick," says Low. "But you have to spend time with them and listen to them. This book is a start, but it's simply a drop in a wide, muddy confluence."


Stories from the City: Rediscovering Kuala Lumpur is available at all good bookstores. And apologies for extracting so much from the intro written by Low. She's so quotable in this book.

I know I said I didn't want to do any more "previews" of the company's products, but something about this one compelled me to come out of retirement. Maybe I'll just choose what I want to feature - tengok anginlah.

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Stories from the City

Rediscovering Kuala Lumpur - Selected Stories from POSKOD.MY

edited by Ling Low and Dhabitah Zainal
MPH Group Publishing (January 2015)
148 pages
Non-fiction
ISBN: 978-967-415-339-7

Buy from MPHOnline.com

Masterclass In Session: Audrey's Malaysian Tapas

Tapas, which involves pairing bite-sized morsels of food with (usually alcoholic) drinks, is not merely a Spanish pastime, as seen in the food and travel channels on ASTRO.

From the Greek mezes and Italian antipasti to the English afternoon tea and Hong Kong dim sum, this culinary concept has been bringing people together over food, drink and conversation for ages.

Though Malaysian cuisine features many recipes meant for festive occasions and large banquets, it also has some for small appetites or cosy and more relaxed informal gatherings.

"Malaysian food, with its immense variety and adaptability, lends itself perfectly to tapas-style eating, to be savoured in the most relaxed of settings with minimal cutlery or fuss," says freelance food stylist and food photographer Audrey Lim.

Lim even sees parallels between tapas culture and the Malaysian idea of lepak, and hopes to change how it's perceived. "Some people view this word negatively but to me it's a wonderful concept," she says. "It's about being together, doing absolutely nothing other than enjoying each other's company, fuelled by delicious food and drink."

Inspired, I think, by the local kopitiam culture and third-wave coffee scene, as well as the midnight-oil burning sessions at the mamak stalls, which many might recall.

With Malaysian Tapas, the new volume in the MPH Masterclass Kitchens series, Lim shows how some local favourites lend themselves well to the tapas concept, especially when paired with complementary beverages.

Some thought has been given to how the food and drinks are paired, especially in this part of the world where one strives for balance and harmony in many aspects of life.

Cool off with zesty and refreshing limau ais after some rendang tok canapés. Warm up and relax with some dong quai and rice wine-infused chicken wings and hot ginger tea. Fancy some stingray gulai, with fragrant pandan cooler afterwards?

But it's not all Malaysian-only. Lim also includes her Wild Pepper Leaf Wraps, which hark back to the Thai and Laotian miang kam.

She also clears up a misconception: "The wild pepper leaf (daun kaduk) used to wrap the ingredients is sometimes mistaken as the betel leaf. When chewed on, betel leaves give a mild high similar to that produced by nicotine – not exactly the effect you want the miang kam to have on your guests!"

No, but it would help the guests to chill.

Apparent nods to the Mediterranean origins of tapas include Stir-fried Baby Octopus with Pink Peppercorns (paired with a lemon-honeycomb tea), and Grilled Aubergine with Tomato and Pineapple Salsa (with her kedondong-sour plum drink).

"To me, lepak culture and tapas culture is a match made in culinary heaven, and this book is my little contribution towards making it even more heavenly," says Lim.

So, jom lepak with Audrey Lim's Malaysian tapas!

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Malaysian Tapas

Audrey Lim
MPH Group Publishing
185 pages
Non-fiction
ISBN: 978-967-415-261-1

Buy from MPHOnline.com

Masterclass In Session: Rhythmic Gymnastics With Khaw Choon Ean

Rhythmic gymnastics or gimrama, as it is popularly known as in Malaysia, is an activity many parents send their daughters to. Hardly surprising, as it promotes strength, balance, endurance, flexibility, agility, poise and, perhaps most importantly, confidence.

But behind the fancy costumes and mesmerising dance routines is sweat, tears and sometimes blood as rhythmic gymnasts put themselves through countless hours of gruelling training regimes.

Ambitious parents might also be caught off guard by the amount of time, effort and money they have to spend on their daughters' pursuit of that elusive perfect ten.

"Children need their parents' help in finding a good centre and coach," writes Khaw Choon Ean, author of the new guide to rhythmic gymnastics published by MPH Group Publishing.

"Parents have to find the time to accompany the children to their training sessions," she adds. "[They also] have to find the resources to finance the training such as the fees, apparatus and leotards to start them on the sport."

Khaw’s journey in gymnastics parallels the story of rhythmic gymnastics in this country. In her more than four decades in the sport, she has been an official, judge, gymnastics club owner and, in her youth, a gymnast herself.

She is among a select number of pioneers who took something only showcased during National Day parades and grew it into a medal-winning powerhouse in the international sports arena.

Now, comes Kah Choon Ean's Guide to Rhythmic Gymnastics, another contribution of hers to the sport she pretty much grew up with. Arguably, few in Malaysia are qualified to write a book like it.

From a brief history of the sport in Malaysia, Khaw goes on to describe the attributes of the winning gymnast, before guiding readers through the types of apparatus and their use, the training programme, the judging process, dietary requirements, treatment of injuries, cultivating a winning mindset, and more. A list of training venues and gymnastics clubs is also provided, along with contact information.

"After reading this book, the sport of rhythmic gymnastics will likely captivate you but you will go into it with an informed perspective, whether as a parent, gymnast, official or spectator," assures Khaw.

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Khaw Choon Ean's Guide to Rhythmic Gymnastics

Khaw Choon Ean
MPH Group Publishing
180 pages
Non-fiction
ISBN: 978-967-415-262-8

Buy from MPHOnline.com

Searching For Malaysia

A compilation of Alexandra Wong's popular Navel Gazer columns in the Malaysian English-language daily The Star and other stories, Made in Malaysia: Stories of Hometown Heroes and Hidden Gems is about one woman's journey of discovery across a historically and culturally rich and diverse land.

When Wong left her corporate job in 2005 to pursue her dream of being a writer, she didn't expect to open a treasure chest of experiences.

She soon made a name for the heartwarming tales of ordinary Joes and Janes in Malaysian society, all of which she'd serendipitously encountered during her travels. Each gem she uncovers inspires her to seek out more.

Culture shock and curtains of mosquitoes give way to familial warmth at an Iban longhouse. A French former nuclear scientist who embraced Malaysia as his second home makes a weekend in Gua Musang even more memorable.

Pointers on how to be a serious and caring teacher emerge from one of her school's naughtiest girls. And stirring displays of chivalry shine a different light upon titled and supposedly aloof public figures.

"For me, it was important that the book could make a difference and touch the hearts of my readers, no matter who the stories reminded them of: a taxi driver, a makcik in a warung or a kind stranger who left a fleeting yet unforgettable impression," she says.

"That's why my early articles invariably revolved around the interesting characters I chatted up on buses and trains; the cosy mom-and-pop eateries I found along the way; obscure but charming small towns that make up the real Malaysia – they were based entirely on my own life experiences."

In the search for herself, Wong gets reacquainted with her homeland through the stories she's told: stories of lives that can only be made in Malaysia.

But why now, and not earlier?

"Although I was discovering a whole new world as a writer, two years seemed too short a time to amass enough real-life experiences for the book I had in mind," Wong explains.

Well, I guess she has plenty of those by now.

From the generosity of food vendors and selflessness of bus and taxi drivers to innumerable life lessons learnt from friends both old and new, she knew from the start she was chasing something far more precious than her dream.

"I wrote those stories because I knew no better way of acknowledging these good Samaritans, and secretly hoped that, in the process, they might inspire someone else to do the same," she says of this book, which she finally began working on for the past year and a half.

Pieces were selected, enhanced with some backstory and arranged in a way that chronicles her writing journey, from brief stints at an NGO and a newspaper to full-time freelancing.

The process wasn't easy; there were so many people she wanted to include, as the Acknowledgements pages (yes, pages) attest. Some of these figures are also given faces, with the inclusion of photos somewhere in the middle.

The cover featured a photo of Star Barber, a part of the Sekeping Kong Heng guesthouse, taken by an acquaintance. A sibling of a friend conceived the concept for the cover.

It ended up being sort of a community project, a reflection of the country she experienced as a writer and traveller - and the perfect gift she envisioned for the people who has enriched her life.

"This book is a heartfelt thanks to the angels I met on my writing journey," Wong says. "Their stories have moved and reinvigorated me, made me laugh and cry, and taught me what it means to be Malaysian."

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Made in Malaysia will be launched at MPH Nu Sentral on 16 September 2014 (Malaysia Day), at 2:30pm. Several people featured in the book are scheduled to appear - nobody you might know, however.

23/09/2014  Catch the podcast of the BFM89.9 interview with the author of Made In Malaysia.

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Made in Malaysia

Stories of Hometown Heroes and Hidden Gems

Alexandra Wong
MPH Group Publishing
279 pages
Non-fiction
ISBN: 978-967-415-209-3

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Buy from: Kinokuniya | MPHOnline.com

Forever Lat

Of all Malaysian cartoonists, arguably none have left a deeper mark on readers than Datuk Mohammad Nor Khalid, beter known as "Lat".

Few are unfamiliar with his accounts of his formative years, travels and travails, as well as his succinct graphic commentary on local and world affairs, for which he has won much praise and accolades. Many have noted the accuracy in how he captures details of what he sees, and the sensitivity and insight in how he presents his observations and conveys nuances.

Therefore, MPH Group Publishing is proud to be issuing reprints of evergreen titles Kampung Boy, Town Boy and Kampung Boy: Yesterday and Today, which were launched in conjunction with the grand opening of MPH Bookstores' Nu Sentral flagship today and the upcoming Merdeka celebrations.

Ge re-acquainted with the story of a village boy growing up in rural Perak, and his subsequent migration to a town setting during his teenage years. The protagonist's hijinks and scenes from a seemingly distant era are bound to tug a chord among other kampung boys and girls.

MPH is also publishing Forever Lat, a new compilation which features works published in local news dailies, as well as some new and unpublished ones.

This will be his latest compilation, after Dr Who?!: Capturing the Life and Times of a Leader in Cartoons, released in 2004.

Smile, laugh or maybe shed a tear as you revisit past events and issues depicted within and realise that even as the years go by, some things - for better or worse - never change.

Like a lighthouse in a storm, Lat's works shine upon the things that matter, things we should never forget even as we hurtle towards the future along with the rest of a fast-changing world.

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Forever Lat

Lat
MPH Group Publishing
168 pages
Non-fiction
ISBN: 978-967-415-246-8

Buy from MPHOnline.com

Masterclass In Session: 30-Minute Meals With Sara

If there's anything food-loving Malaysians are starved for, besides good places to dine out, is time - more so for urban-dwellers. After a long day at the office and long hours in traffic jams, sweating behind a stove (and maybe doing laundry by hand) is the last thing on their minds.

So we eat out, commuting and enduring more traffic jams along the way. But outside fare is not necessarily healthy, as online entrepreneur Sara Khong learnt.

"The full attention I gave to my newly established online fashion business led me to give up the luxury of home-cooked food altogether," says Khong. "Meals consisted of takeaway chicken rice in Styrofoam boxes or nasi lemak in brown paper. The pizza delivery guy became a familiar friend; when I was at my busiest, I had pizza for every meal for a few days straight!"

Unsurprisingly, this lifestyle began taking its toll.

"I lost a lot of weight, looked scrawny and sickly, and had little energy to do anything I enjoyed," she says. "Going to the doctor was a monthly affair."

Faced with this, Khong decided to dine in more often. She began formulating strategies and tips that enabled fast, less-hassle cooking with the help of modern kitchen appliances and useful household items utilising the latest technology.

Over time, her health returned and she found joy in her work and her quest to simplify and speed up the preparation of certain Malaysian dishes, as well as sharing her gospel of fast home-cooking on social media and her online lifestyle portal, JewelPie.com.

(Yes, kitchen experiments can be fun, as I can attest.)

Now, her time-saving tips and recipes can be found in Malaysian Meals in 30 Minutes, the newest addition to the MPH Masterclass Kitchen series.

From kitchen organisation, food storage guidelines and selection of kitchen tools, utensils and appliances to tips on picking quick-to-prepare dishes and cooking them faster, let Khong show you how you can whip up a dish - a full meal, even - within half an hour.

Pick from one of the many featured hawker-stall staples such as wantan mee, nasi lemak, Portuguese grilled fish and BBQ chicken wings; then pair it up with a sago gula Melaka, sweet potato soup, or maybe cekodok and drinks such as teh tarik and chrysanthemum tea.

One thing all of these recipes have in common is that they use few ingredients and prep time for everything is short - or as short as she can make it.

"These few meals should be fast to prepare and use common ingredients which are readily available in your pantry and refrigerator," she says. "It should be one of your favourite foods, made so frequently you need not refer to a cookbook and can prepare speedily."

And you won't necessarily need the knife-wielding skills of a three-star executive chef.

Khong also recommends maximising the use of whatever you have in your kitchen. Those clunky chicken scissors can slice chillies, long beans and spring onions, and you can cut up an onion with an apple corer. Got a gas stove with multiple burners? Use 'em all if you have to, but keep an eye on them.

Still not enough time? She also provides menu suggestions for some typical meals. Living near Jalan Alor during her childhood is perhaps why virtually all her book's recipes are all warung, kopitiam or mamak stall fare.

The point is, ultimately, to get busy people eating healthy - or at least, healthier than usual. Cooking your own meals is one way - you manage what goes in and determine the size of the portions. Plus, you'd gain some essential life skills in the process.

"My aim is for this book to be more than just a collection of good recipes and nice photographs," writes Khong. "I want it to be a practical guide to inspire busy people to start cooking. If you can't cook during the weekdays, try to at least cook on the weekends. I encourage you to eat in!"


For more tips and recipes - not just for cooking - visit JewelPie.com.

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Malaysian Meals in 30 Minutes

Sara Khong
MPH Group Publishing
178 pages
Non-fiction
ISBN: 978-967-415-073-0

Buy from MPHOnline.com

Masterclass In Session: Franchising With Sofia

The franchise industry in Malaysia has always received strong government support. But while many businesses have benefited from growing franchise opportunities, many potential franchisors and franchisees don't know where to start.

With the release of Sofia Leong Abdullah's Guide to Franchising in Malaysia, the latest volume in the MPH Masterclass series, the author hopes to help them out.

Sofia Leong Abdullah is the founder of her own franchise consultancy. Her vast experience in multiple industries, including hospitality, food and beverage, property management, make her eminently suited to advising aspiring entrepreneurs on franchising.

She also had stints as the franchise brand manager for Roasters Asia Pacific (M) Sdn Bhd, which brought (and later bought) Kenny Rogers' Roasters; and CEO of the Malaysian Franchise Association.

"The franchise business model is very interesting," Sofia notes. "It allows existing businesses to grow in ways that would have been very difficult to do on their own, while giving aspiring entrepreneurs a chance to become businesspeople in their own right."

Even so, misunderstanding abounds. "Franchisors are often in the dark about the kinds of preparation that goes into getting their businesses ready to be franchised," she says. "On the other hand, potential franchisees mistakenly expect to be handed everything on a silver platter."

This book is an extension of her efforts to help grow the franchise business in Malaysia. Readers will find information on franchising, such as its history in Malaysia, and some of the more popular sectors that use this business strategy: food and beverage, education, services, and so on.

Learn what franchisors and franchisees should expect before embarking upon a business, as well as potential pitfalls and tips for success for each of the sectors highlighted in this book.

Myths of franchising as a risk-free business model are busted. And few could imagine that brands such as Singer and Bata were among the first franchises to enter Malaysia in the 1940s. "At that time, we simply recognised them as two international brands, not franchised outlets," writes Sofia.

Aspiring franchisors and franchisees can also expect some case studies, as well as a look at the legal issues in franchising, and where to find additional support and information.

"Running a franchise consultancy gives me the chance to share my experience and knowledge of the industry with keen businesspeople eager to start franchising," says Sofia. "Now, writing this book allows me to reach out to far more people than my consultancy alone could ever achieve."

Overall, the success (or failure) of a franchise depends on the people who run it. "Any form of business comes with its own set of challenges and it's how you overcome these challenges that determines the longevity of your business," says Sofia. "Franchising merely provides the new business owner (the franchisee) access to a working business system."

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Sofia Leong Abdullah's Guide to Franchising in Malaysia

Sofia Leong Abdullah
MPH Group Publishing
146 pages
Non-fiction
ISBN: 978-967-415-223-9

Buy from MPHOnline.com

Masterclass In Session: Babywearing With Adriana

After the successful Masterclass and Masterclass Kitchen series, MPH Group Publishing is kicking off a new line, the MPH Parenting series, with Adriana Thani's Babywearing Made Simple.

Though still practised in other parts of the world, babywearing as a parenting tool was apparently extinct in most industrialised nations, Adriana claims, until the past decade, thanks in part to celebrities such as Julia Roberts, Angelina Jolie and Orlando Bloom(!).

This practice of carrying or "wearing" a baby with a soft carrier is said to help babies sleep better, cry less and become calmer, while those who wear their babies are free to move around and go about their daily duties without neglecting their wards.

"Research has shown that re-enacting the womb during 'the fourth trimester' — essentially, the first three months after the baby is born — is important for a baby’s physical, mental, and emotional growth, Adriana says. "Babywearing helps extend the 'womb experience', allowing the baby the time to slowly get used to living outside the womb."

Adriana's introduction to babywearing was when she had her first child, a "very restless baby", in 2007, while she was still in university. When she failed to calm her baby down, she tried "wearing" him, and has since become a huge fan and cheerleader of the practice.

Upon graduation, she returned to Malaysia and, along with other moms who were big on babywearing, founded the non-profit advocacy organisation called Malaysian Babywearers (MBW).

Though more and more parents in Malaysia are wearing their babies, Adriana notes that more still needs to be done to create awareness about babywearing. That's when she began to consider writing a book, know known as Babywearing Made Simple.

Inside, she lists the benefits of this practice; provides detailed descriptions of carriers, such as slings and wraps, and illustrated instructions on their use and safety tips; pointers on how to look stylish while carrying babies, and more.

A handy list of resources and glossary of terms are also available, which includes web addresses of online resources for more advice, tips and the related equipment, and blogs of seasoned baby-wearing parents, including Adriana's.

"I hope this book will eventually play some part in the further growth of the babywearing community and become a tool for babywearing advocacy in Malaysia," she writes. "More importantly, I hope it can give you, dear reader, the ability to safely, comfortably and confidently keep your baby close enough to kiss!"


For more information, visit Adriana's blog at Diaries of a Glam Mama and the Malaysian Babywearers Facebook page

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Babywearing Made Simple

Adriana Thani
MPH Group Publishing
168 pages
Non-fiction
ISBN: 978-967-415-222-2

Buy from MPHOnline.com

Masterclass In Session: Bread-baking with Ezekiel

Bread is a staple in many cultures worldwide, found in many shapes and sizes, and enjoyed by many in different ways.

The earliest breads were said to have been made around 10,000 years ago, though some have argued that bread goes back some 30,000 years. Its presence in the cuisines of much of the world speaks of its appeal and role in the lives of many families.

Few can resist the aroma that wafts out of a bakery, the sweet scent reminiscent of caramelised sugar, butter and toasted gluten that, when inhaled, rings louder than any bell that says, "Breakfast's ready!"

Those seeking the joys of bread-making or hankering for the heady scent and taste of freshly baked goodness, take heart. Bread-baking instructor Ezekiel Ananthan brings you this masterclass in bread-making, which incorporates his experience in a New Zealand bakery and background in local cuisine.

"I've always been passionate about baking bread," Ezekiel writes. "I’m intrigued at how a few simple ingredients like flour, yeast, salt and water could combine and magically transform into something so delicious.

"Working in a New Zealand bakery that emphasised the importance of craft in baking bread changed the course of my life. The experience inspired me to start my own brand of hand-crafted artisanal bread."

Recipes abound in this volume. Learn the art (and science) of baking breads from around the world, from basics such as the classic white loaf, roti canai, baguette and ciabatta to the Japanese melon pan, Hokkaido milk loaf and deep south cornbread from the US.

Zeke (let's call him Zeke for the sake of brevity) introduces us to the main ingredients in bread, and to the steps and techniques in basic bread-making before guiding us in baking our first white loaf.

After traipsing through the world via a selection of "Asian", "European", "sweet" and "international" breads, he shares with us several recipes and custom creations. Red velvet buns and oven-baked lamb roti, anyone?

Zeke is one real bread nerd. How he talks about making pre-ferment and starters, kneading, mixing, baking and the like makes you want to dive into the action yourself. "There is no other French bread that catches the imagination like the baguette," he enthuses, "and there's also no other bread that will test bakers like the baguette."

On another French bread: "Many French breads are rich in butter and eggs, which makes them a great choice for breakfast, or to make French toast with. The brioche is no different. There have been many times while I was making the brioche that I thought to myself, 'This bread is just 20g of butter away from becoming a cake!'"

So, get acquainted with the basic ingredients in bread and the alchemy involved that transforms them into fragrant, flavourful loaves; learn to avoid the pitfalls in making your first loaf; and discover the pleasure of biting into the fruits of your labour.

You'll soon learn that bread-making can be fun – and delicious.

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Home-baked Breads

Ezekiel Ananthan
MPH Group Publishing
192 pages
Non-fiction
ISBN: 978-967-415-224-6

Buy from MPHOnline.com

Still Honking After All These Years

Though it has been over seven years since Lydia Teh "honked" her way into the hearts of readers through her best-selling Honk! If You're Malaysian, it appears things haven't changed much since it was published. Yes, she is still honking. And she still is the typical Malaysian next door.

In Still Honking: More Scenes from Malaysian Life, Teh continues to hold up a mirror to the Malaysian psyche and way of life. Her light-hearted and whimsical tales and essays, which capture the essence of being Malaysian, take the form of personal anecdotes, how-tos, newspaper-style columns, and hybrids of two or more of the aforementioned - all tinged with her (at times) fiery, sharp, straight-to-the-point wit and homespun wisdom.

Follow the chronology of a typical piece of world-class infrastructure via a series of acronyms. Pick up some ideas on how to deal with pesky sparrows, handling garbage-can theft, saving electricity, and promoting your book - should you decide to write one. Find out what you can use instead of a warning triangle when - heavens forbid - your car breaks down.

Get acquainted with some common archetypes of salespeople, queue-jumpers, "actors" and people who stare into mirrors - have you encountered one or more of these? Also, learn how to get your fussy children to take their medicine, brush their teeth, or eat their vegetables - maybe.

Closer to home, learn why a beloved pet's demise made her swear off roti canai for a while, laugh at her anxiety over her teens taking the wheel, and gawk at what happened when Phua Chu Kang aka Gurmit Singh and company arrived at her sister's place for a location shoot.

True-blue Malaysians and foreigners alike will still recognise the characters and situations in these snippets of what happens in the average (and not-so-average) Malaysian backyard and laugh (or maybe cry) at memories of something similar.

Some might be sad at the realisation that little has changed in this multicultural melting pot of a nation, but many others, perhaps, wouldn't want it any other way.


Lydia Teh hung up her well-worn apron after 17 years of staying home with her four children. She now runs an English-language centre in Klang. She writes a weekly column, "Family Teh Time", for The Sun newspaper on family life in general. She's the best-selling author of Life's Like That: Scenes from Malaysian Life, Honk! If You're Malaysian and Do You Wear Suspenders? The Wordy Tales of Eh Poh Nim. She can be reached through her web site at www.lydiateh.com.

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Still Honking

More Scenes from Malaysian Life

Lydia Teh
MPH Group Publishing (July 2013)
194 pages
Non-fiction
ISBN: 978-967-415-208-6

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From Kampung Kenang To Kasoa

When the manuscript arrived over two years ago, I'd felt that the book project, though interesting and well-intentioned, wouldn't make much of a splash.

From what I'd heard about it since, it did.

Compiled into a blook, the adventures of a new teacher who was posted to the interior gained quite a following, and the blog itself won the Malaysia Asia-Pacific ICT Alliance Award in 2011.

From Kampung Kenang in Perak to Kasoa, Ghana ... that's over 11,000km (or
more than 7,000 miles) - quite a distance between two books

I guess the emergence of a Book Two would not have been a surprise.

I was more involved with this project than the previous one, from editing and fact-checking to the initial selection and sequencing of the photos. This, along with the other book projects, took up quite a bit of my time, leaving me too tired to blog and stuff.

But looks like it was all worth it.

After several years of teaching maths at Sekolah Kebangsaan Kampung Kenang in Perak, Muhamad Hafiz Ismail, author of Life Through My Eyes: A Teacher's Little Steps Towards Perfection, left to embark upon a year-long programme for a Master in Education (MEd) in International Development and Education at Newcastle University in the UK.

As part of his studies, he ventured into the West African country of Ghana with a group of fellow students, to study the reflective practices of teachers in the country. Specifically, that of several schools run by Omega Schools, a social enterprise that aims to provide quality education at the lowest possible cost to the poor, located in the district of Kasoa in southern Ghana.

Quite a huge leap.

Sample pages from Life Through My Eyes 2; the design concept is similar
with the previous book, but both can be read as individual volumes

"I chose to study International Development and Education mainly because I wanted to learn about social entrepreneurship, which is still new in Malaysia," Hafiz writes. "Every child deserves the best education. I wanted to find out how I could make a difference by being a teacher and social entrepreneur."

A continuation of his blogged-about adventures in teaching and education, Life Through My Eyes 2: From Kampung Kenang to Kasoa mostly chronicles his time in Ghana and compares his experiences in Malaysia and the UK, with some personal musings in between.

Hafiz has chosen to immerse himself in a world where, despite poverty and lack of what many of us take for granted, people still put a premium on education. "In Ghana, advertisements for private and public schools are present at every road corner, market stall, or bus stop," he notes.

Sample two-page spread from Life Through My Eyes 2: a neighbourhood
somewhere in Kasoa, Ghana

Follow him as he bids goodbye to the teachers and pupils of Sekolah Kebangsaan Kampung Kenang and flies off to Newcastle, where he returns to the life of a student, to the hot dusty streets of Kasoa in Ghana, where the Omega Schools headquarters is located.

He witnesses first hand the spirit of learning within the students, most of whom come from poor families; learns about the culture: the language, traditional games and food and so on; explores some of the country's rural areas, historial sites and visits a national park; and gets a better grasp about another developing country's education system. To better teach the Ghanaian students traditional Malay games, he even learns a local song.

In the end, he comes away with new perspectives of his chosen field and the realisation that he still has more to learn and do as an educator.

I learnt quite a bit about Ghana from working on this book, and I think readers will, too. More of our young people should look for new opportunities and experiences beyond our borders. To know that he was apparently criticised for his decision to study overseas and undertake his posting to Ghana was a bit sad.

But he's not letting that get him down.

"Still, I want to make my own choice, even though it might be the worst choice ever in other people's minds," he writes. "I want to make the biggest contribution that I can to other people, to education, to society. That is what drives my decision, my choice, my life. Better to regret doing it, rather than to regret not doing it at all."

Hafiz is now a consultant with Frogasia, a YTL initiative to "connect an entire nation through a single, cloud-based learning platform". Follow his further adventures at his blog or the book's Facebook page.

01/09/2014  Listen to the podcast of Hafiz's interview on BFM89.9 about the book.

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Life Through My Eyes 2

From Kampung Kenang to Kasoa

Muhamad Hafiz bin Ismail
MPH Group Publishing
214 pages
Non-fiction
ISBN: 978-967-415-210-9

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Zan Does Afghanistan

After covering and chronicling the South Thailand insurgency in the book titled Operation Nasi Kerabu: Finding Patani in an Islamic Insurgency, journalist and filmmaker Zan Azlee turned his lens towards a conflict zone much further afield: Afghanistan.

A "KL-ite journalist who has lived all his life in non-conflict zones", Zan travelled there "to see if he can come up with the best travel guide for the country. With no idea what he is getting himself into, he dodges suicide bombers and IEDs, and even gets embedded with the army, to plan out the best tourist route in Afghanistan." Okay....

Upon his safe return to Malaysia, Zan has gone on to write articles and produce photo essays and video clips on his trip to Afghanistan. As part of his various Afghanistan-related multimedia projects, Zan, together with creative director Arif Rafhan, brings us his Afghan adventures in a black-and-white graphic novel.

Zan and his fixer's first meeting (as Zan imagined it, I believe)

The monochromatic textures and shades manage to convey the mood of the characters and scenes, bringing home the reality of the Afghan conflict (it's not like Rambo III at all) and its impact on the long-suffering populace. The results are more National Geographic than Lonely Planet, though I felt the book was a bit short.

As I said before, Adventures of a KL-ite in Afghanistan (I suggested a title change, but no) follows Zan the "macho" solo-journalist (he says) on his romp around the war-torn country in his attempt to put together said tourist guide.

Going to the ground with his fixer, Ahmad Bilal Raghbat, Zan sees first-hand the plight of the Afghan people and the efforts of those who are contributing towards rebuilding the country and returning some semblance of normality to Afghan society.

Our intrepid protagonist also talks to (allegedly) the last Jew living in Afghanistan; witnesses an orderly, police-assisted march in honour of Ahmad Shah Massoud; meets Oliver Percovich, founder of NGO Skateistan; looks up the empty gigantic cavities that once housed the Buddhas of Bamiyan—the fulfilment of a years-long dream; briefly accompanies Malcom ISAF 2, Malaysia's military contingent, on a humanitarian mission in the war-torn country's Bamiyan province; and more.

Plus, a cameo by a mat salleh who looks like Dave Grohl. Awesome stuff overall - what's not to like?


Zan Azlee is a TV/film director, producer, videographer and writer who's involved in journalism both for broadcast and print, a content developer for new media/Internet, and a content consultant. He also runs Fat Bidin Media. You might have seen some of his scribblings on the online news portal The Malaysian Insider.

Arif Rafhan is a Malaysian creative director of web design agency who loves to draw on anything – from dead-tree media to his computer monitor and his son's bedroom wall. He is also the illustrator for Imaginary Friends: 26 Fables for the Kid in Us by Melanie Lee.

12/08/2014  Listen to the podcast of Zan and Arif's interview on BFM89.9 about the book.

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Adventures of a KL-ite in Afghanistan

Zan Azlee
illustrated by Arif Rafhan

MPH Group Publishing
136 pages
Non-fiction
ISBN: 978-967-415-196-6

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Musings Of A "Zebra Mom"

"Zebra" is a medical term for a surprising or unexpected diagnosis. In medical school, physicians are taught to think of a horse, not a zebra when they "hear a gallop and hoofbeats". The analogy means that the simplest and most straightforward explanation is often the answer.

Which is perhaps why, during a routine check-up for a bad bout of flu, Patsy Kam and maybe her doctor were caught off-guard when the latter found something else entirely, which marked her a "zebra".

Galloping into bookstores nationwide: I Am a Zebra! by Patsy Kam

Kam learnt that she has paraganglioma, a rare condition. Estimates say that one out of 300,000 people in the general population are diagnosed with it every year. Though not debilitating in itself, the condition can lead to something worse if left untreated.

Overnight, her world changed, as she prepared for a future fraught with doctors, medical exams and surgeries, while trying to balance her roles as a journalist and mother of three.

This is the story of a woman who discovers her inner strength and resolve as she battles this disease while muddling her way through motherhood. Plenty of drama here as Kam braves painful medical procedures and the side effects of her treatments - on top of the antics of her three sons, who keep proving to be a handful and a half (each) as they grew up.

And hers wasn't a smooth transition to being a mother.

"For starters, I was not one of those women who glowed and beamed as their stomachs grew progressively larger," Kam writes. "Some of them claim they never suffered a day of morning sickness in their lives, and giving birth was as easy as 'pushing out an egg'."

But perhaps it was motherhood that lent her much of the strength she needed to battle her condition.

By sharing her experiences as a patient in this book as well as stories of some people like her (a handy glossary and resource section is provided at the end of the book), Kam hopes more people will learn about the disease and its effects, and spur more research towards finding a cure.

"When I first discovered my medical tragedy, my world came crashing down. There seemed no respite from the surgeries and the drama that unfolded, and there were many, many times when I wanted to call it quits," she says. "But it’s not all bad as I’ve since learnt how to cope with paraganglioma."

"Hopefully, someone, somewhere, will glean something from my experience," she adds, "and be aware of this rare disease and be able to do something about the tumours that come with it before it’s too late."


Patsy Kam is a mother of three and a journalist with Malaysia’s leading English daily The Star. Follow her further adventures beyond this book at her blog Me and My Lumps.

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I Am a Zebra!

Making Sense of a Rare Disorder

Patsy Kam
MPH Group Publishing
160 pages
Non-fiction
ISBN: 978-967-415-200-0

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Masterclass In Session: Sapna Anand's New Indian Kitchen

What struck me most about this publication were the photos in the first laid-out drafts. A cookbook is supposed to be a visual buffet, and like real ones, it has to be really good.

Indian cuisine, that heady melange of flavours and colours, owes part of its unique character to the people who dropped by the lush, exotic subcontinent over the centuries, including the Portuguese, the British and the Moghuls.

Born and raised in Goa, cooking instructor Sapna Anand ended up going places, much like the traders and colonists that left their mark on her homeland. Her travels and experiences changed the way she saw and cooked the food she grew up with and encountered on her journeys.

She eventually came to Malaysia, where she currently teaches Indian cooking and French pastry at Hellen Fong's At 19 Culinary Studio. She also maintains the My Test Kitchen Facebook page and blog, and caters for niche dinners with her own kind of modern Indian cuisine.

Not bad for someone who says she wasn't much of a cook when she was younger. "In fact, when I got married, I still wasn't much of a cook," she says. "But I had always liked cooking for fun. As a kid, I tried making roti (Indian wheat bread) and French fries. I guess my penchant for food from the East and the West was there from young."

Now, she's sharing that penchant for food through a cookbook.

Sapna's New Indian Kitchen, part of the MPH Masterclass Kitchen series, features a variety of dishes that are primarily from the Indian regions of Kerala, Goa, and northern India. Each recipe is a milestone in her life's journey, vividly coloured and flavoured by the dishes, sweets and snacks made by family, friends, and neighbours.

The recipes are divided into four categories: Brunch & Bites, Meals Best Shared with Family & Friends, Quick & Easy Meals, and Something Sweet, to help you decide what to cook and serve for which occasion. " I have used my education in French pastry and familiarity with Western cooking to add an interesting twist to the traditional recipes."

Alongside such traditional and familiar fare as chicken biryani, raita and kebabs are edamame upma, achari chicken tart and keema lasagna, among others – examples of how she uses the cooking techniques she picked up to breathe new life into the time-tested flavours of her homeland.

There's also a section that describes the basic ingredients used in the recipes and how to prepare some of them (like garam masala and paneer). A section on spices, which she presents with the help of the Spice Board of the Government of Kerala, India, has loads of information.

Above all else, this cookbook is more of a personal project for Sapna, who, with Santa Barbara-based photographer Chris Owen, did much of the photography and food styling.

"People like to say, 'If you do not try, you'll never know.' How true it is, especially
with cooking," she says, "Here, in this book, are the fruits of my experimentations – recipes for you, made and created with love, from my kitchen to yours."

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New Indian Kitchen

Sapna Anand
MPH Group Publishing
200 pages
Non-fiction
ISBN: 978-967-415-203-1

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Masterclass In Session: Fat Bites With The Fat Spoon Girls

Many Klang Valley urbanites would be familiar with Fat Spoon, a rustic little eatery in Damansara Utama owned and run by sisters Melissa and Michelle Pong. The establishment, with its repertoire of Nyonya-inspired delights that incorporate family tradition and Gen-Y ingenuity, has gained a following since opening around the middle of 2010.

And now, they're coming up with a cookbook - are you not excited?

I can't remember when my first visit to Fat Spoon was, but I do remember the décor that made the relatively small space cosy and homey.

Small touches like the wooden food cabinet and the trays of canned drinks that were sometimes placed at the bottom reminded me of Chinese New Years at the ancestral home in Taiping. Small old read-with-me hardbacks were recycled into their menus. A larger chalkboard menu was hung on a wall. A fat wooden spoon was the handle to the front door.

Part of the interior of Fat Spoon Café, 06 May 2014 or, as they'd say, "yesterday"

Ah yes, the food. It was the first time I had ulam fried rice, and their Fat Hot Chocolate was rich, warm and creamy. And whether you're out of a traffic jam after work, or back from the airport, college, a boring meeting or the hospital, you'd want to come home to a bowl of their Spicy Beef Macaroni (soup).

But I haven't been back for a while. So I returned yesterday evening. Oh, quite a bit has changed. The chalkboard was replaced with a mirror, and the old menus were replaced with ones that looked more like menus. I guess some change was inevitable. But the food was still good.

New dish: ulam angel hair pasta and the pumpkin fritters (left) and the
durian crème brûlée; recipes for the fritters and dessert are in the book

Still, I was surprised to know that the Fat Spoon girls were coming up with a cookbook. Months in the making, it has blossomed into the visual feast that I knew it would be. Just about every facet of the book said "Fat Spoon".

The Fat Spoon Cookbook is a wonderful collection of recipes that offer a glimpse into the kitchen at Fat Spoon and the minds behind such creations as ulam fried rice, pumpkin fritters and cempedak spring rolls with vanilla ice cream.

It is a reflection of their personality and passion for good food, nurtured by a familial love of the good stuff and their adventures in food.

Among the old-school recipes and favourites from their family’s kitchen, revitalised by a youthful zest for new flavours and cooking techniques, are some original creations that showcase the sisters’ inventiveness and flair for marrying old and new.

But don't just take my word for it.

"Their innovative creations never disappoint — they’re always so surprising and comforting," gushes Joyce Wong, aka KinkyBlueFairy, in the foreword. "I always feel the love that goes into their food, which is probably why I crave it when I travel overseas for long periods."

After taking you through the basics: making chicken stock, fried shallots/garlic, batter for frying, gula melaka syrup and the like, Michelle and Melissa take you through the making of things like avocado fritters with kaffir lime mayo, beef and basil popiah wraps, Asian salmon tartare with poppadom chips, teapot mushroom soup with rice and durian crème brûlée.

Cockle non-fans will be tempted to try out their cockle salad, and the duck and goji burger sounds like something that Fat Spoon would make. Fans will recognise at least two items in the book: the pumpkin fritters and the signature Fat Spoon noodles. The pictures, by photgrapher Audrey Lim, are gorgeous and manage to capture the essence of what Fat Spoon is and what can come out of it.

Though merely a small sampling of what their eatery has to offer, the book manages to convey a small slice of that rustic yet homey atmosphere from the sisters' childhood that would, they hope, encourage you to re-live yours by trying out the recipes within – and maybe come up with your own.

"We hope this book will inspire you to go crazy in your kitchen," says the girls in the preface. "Take some ideas from our recipes and go wild with them. What if your culinary creations fail? Remember how that four-year-old kid who fell from the swing picked himself up and ran into the monkey bar? It’s a playground, go nuts!"

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The Fat Spoon Cookbook

Melissa and Michelle Pong
MPH Group Publishing
155 pages
Non-fiction
ISBN: 978-967-415-195-9

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