#Thailand Food For Indian

[masalathai]

What’s New In Bangkok This January

Your monthly round-up of where to eat, drink and visit.

NEW TEA HOUSE

The Asiatique Ancient Tea House may be situated in a 111-year-old heritage house, but it also provides guests with modern luxury by the River of Kings, at Asiatique the Riverside. Bangkok Marriott Marquis Queen’s Park recently launched the new dim-sum restaurant, with a stylish cocktail lounge, to take visitors on a culinary journey through a menu curated by the hotel’s award-winning Pagoda Chinese Restaurant. Based on the story of Emperor Shen Nong, who first discovered tea 4,000 years ago, expect an array of global tea collections in what they call their “living museum for tea enthusiasts.” Instagram: @ancientteahousebkk

NEW ITALIAN LOUNGE 

At Piccolo Morso, you’re welcomed into a two-story space with everything Italian. Injected into the buzzing Nana nightlife, the newly-opened aperitivo lounge provides Italian spirits, cocktails, aperitifs, and of course, a list of wines. Situated in the alley behind Soho Pizza, this lounge aims to be a top contender against already popular establishments in Sukhumvit by introducing live music, DJs, and other performances. All are welcome to discover the authentic Italian aperitivo tradition, connecting people over food, drinks, and diverse cultures. Instagram: @piccolomorsobangkok

NEW COMMUNITY SPACE 

The century-old Chai Phatthanasilp building has been rejuvenated, becoming home to the recently launched The Corner House, a community and lifestyle space celebrating art and culture. Champ-Sukrit Sornhiran and Ping Thitipa Sornhiaran, the third-generation heirs of the family, created the new community space to house collaborative showcases, food markets, entertainment, artistic workshops and exhibitions, and much more. Using art as the driving force, the new space looks to champion local creativity, “where concept and creating converge” in every single inch of the property. Instagram: @thecornerhouse.bangkok

NEW TEQUILA BRAND 

Launched in 2021 and promptly selling out within four hours, 818 Tequila is the brainchild of Kendall Jenner, who is bringing the tequila brand to Bangkok for the first time. This 100-percent sourced agave from Jalisco, Mexico, swept international awards since its launch, including the title for best reposado at the World Tequila Awards. With handpicked ingredients, cooked in traditional brick ovens, and aged in oak barrels, 818 Tequila currently comes in Tequila Blanco, Tequila Reposado, Tequila Anejo, and a beautiful blend of notes in the Eight Reserve. You can find the 818 bottles at Rim Shot Bar, Thaipioka

For more information about Indian Food In Thailand visit the website: https://www.masalathai.com/

[indianrestaurantinkohsamui]

Curry Hut Indian Restaurant in Koh Samui offers a delicious burger, blending traditional Indian spices with classic burger flavors for a unique culinary experience.

The restaurant offers an immense of authentic Indian and Thai cuisine. Don't be confused with the name, it offers delicious Thai foods, a Thai restaurant in Koh Samui.

📍 Visit us at: 167, 18 Chaweng Beach Rd, Bophut, Ko Samui District, Surat Thani 84320, Thailand

📞 Order now: +66 83 180 1141 or get directions

💻 More info: curryhutindian.com

[sakuraswordly]

Source: 𝓜𝓪𝓼𝓽𝓮𝓻 𝓒𝓱𝓮𝓯 𝓜𝓸𝓱𝓪𝓪𝓭 𝓝𝓪𝓱𝓮𝓮𝓭

[nathandulce]

Langkawi

My last visit to Langkawi in 2020 was pretty memorable because on the day I landed, Singapore basically announced that it's going into a lockdown the next day. So I was pretty much screwed and had to serve 14 days quarantine when I came back home. Thank you Covid.

Wasn't really keen to visit it again (I've been to Langkawi like a gazillion times in the past) but my cousin INSISTED that she wants to go there for her 30th birthday, so I was basically forced to visit with her and play tourist guide.

An absolute must-have when you're in Langkawi: Assam Laksa

After two days of eating Chinese seafood, we were really craving for good, homecooked food. Thankfully we found Rao's Curry, tucked away in a quiet corner of Pantai Cenang, surrounded by shady palm trees and rice paddy fields. To say that the food was good would be an understatement because it was absolutely fantastic!

You haven't really visited Langkawi if you never had a night out while you're there.

So here's the sad part: Pantai Cenang is overrun with development. There are buildings so high you would have never guessed there was a beach just next to it, and there was some kind of construction going on everywhere. Even the beach was not what it used to be; the water was murky like a chocolate milk shake.

If you're planning on visiting Langkawi, I'd day, skip it. If you absolutely have to, then you're better off staying elsewhere and perhaps only include Pantai Cenang as part of your itinerary, or give it the miss altogether.

That said, most of the nicer eateries and fun stuff are at Pantai Cenang, so you'll probably have to go there anyway for drinks or dinner.

Adios!

[bixiaoshi]

i wish i could travel the world and try all the food i like in its original country

[theboxfort]

Object OCs inspired by Thai culture!

Explanation for each of them below!

From left to right, top to bottom, we'll start with Phuang Malai, also known as Malai! These are floral garland often given to people as a show of respect, gratitude, luck, importance, etc etc, but they can also be used as decorations

They can come in many different shapes and sizes, all for different purposes! Some are worn on the neck, some on the wrist, others are not worn at all. Traditionally, they're made with fresh flower, but nowadays, you can find ones made of plastic flowers or any other material

Next, Triangle Pillow, also known as Thai pillows, are very firm and. Y'know. Triangular pillows. They can come alone as just a pillow, or as a foldable pillow + mattress combo!

These can be used in many ways, as a head cushion, as a seat, or as a bed if it's long enough. It is said to help a lot with relieving back pain. I believe it originated from Northern Thailand? I mean the patterns and some of my research seems to say so

Next, the Chula Kite! Not much to say here aside from that fact that it's one of the many kite shapes we have here

Fun fact: Chula is also seen in the Thai alphabet! (All Thai consonants are associated with a specific word)

Pla Tapien, literally means "barb (the fish)" because it's based on one. These are traditionally made via woven palm leaves, but modern ones can be made using paper or some other material as well

Next, we have Fire Pots! Admittedly, these are more of a Chinese thing than a Thai thing, but we were HEAVILY influenced by Chinese culture (and Indian culture). These pots have a hole at the bottom for putting a candle in, which is used to keep the food heated for longer periods of time

And finally, Lotus Pot!

Originally, I wanted to use the traditional dragon jar (shown below), since it's the symbol of Ratchaburi (my dad's hometown), but the design got too busy, so I settled with a more generic pattern

Fun fact: This thing was the very reason I started this whole thing

[recentadultburnout]

Info for writer in Thai series fandom: Random food

I added some pictures on AO3 but not here, but I tried searching in English, and it did show the correct item, so if you want to know what it looks like, you can look it up.

Breakfast

Actually, anything can be breakfast, but this is some of what is frequently viewed as breakfast.

Khao Tom (Boiled rice/Rice porridge)

Joke (Rice porridge/Congee)

Tom lueatmu (Pork Blood Soup)

Khaoniao mu ping (Grilled Pork Sticky Rice)

Khaoniao mufoi (Glutinous Rice with Shredded Pork)

Khai kratha (Pan egg)

Namtaohu songkhrueang (soy milk with topping)

Sandwich boran (thai style sandwich)

and everything westerners consider breakfast.

Northern food

Namphriknum (young chili paste)

Namphrik-Ong (Ong Chili Paste)

Khaepmu (Crispy Fried Pork Rinds)

Sai-Ua (a type of sausages)

Kaengho

Kaenghangle (Hung Lay Curry)

Khanomchinnamngiao

Khaosoi 

Central food

Nam phrik long ruea

Nam phrik kapi

Homok (steamed fish with curry paste)

Thotman (a type of fish ball)

Pucha (deep-fried crab meat and minced pork in crab shell )

Kaengchuet

Kaengphet

Kaengsom

Khaophat (Fried rice)

Yam

Northeastern food (E-san food)

Soup nomai (bamboo shoot soup)

Tomsom (fish soup with ginger)

Kaeng Om

Kaeng Proe (Bamboo Shoot and Yanang Soup)

Kaeng Het (Mushroom Soup)

Kaeng Khai Motdaeng (Red ant egg soup)

Somtam 

Southern food

Kaeng Taipla

Kaengsom

*Kaengsom in the central and southern regions have some differences. Recently, there was even a debate online about whose Kaengsom is superior.

Kaenglueang

Kai Tom Khamin

Khua Kling

Phatsato

Phat Phet Kop

Yam Nam Budu 

Nowadays, every part of Thailand eats everything I mention here, but its origin is still very obvious, and the origin can give some impression about what it will taste like for people who try it for the first time.

Popular Foreign food

Chinese food (some kinda Thai-Chinese more than actual Chinese)

Japanese food

Korean food

Mexican food

Indian food

Vietnamese food

Westerner food (Farang food)

Drink

Green Tea

Iced Tea/Thai Tea

Lemon Tea

Cocoa

Nom yen/Nom chomphu (Pink milk)

Oliang

Yok lor

Coffee boran

Butterfly pea juice

Lemongrass and Pandan Juice

Nam daeng (Red drink) (Hale's blue boy sala flavor)

Nam khiao (Green drink) (Hale's blue boy cream soda flavor)

Bubble tea

Chain Restaurants  

Sizzler

KFC

McDonald’s

Burger King

Starbucks

Subway

Taco Bell 

MK Suki

S&P

Barbecue Plaza

Yum Saap

Fuji restaurants 

Katsuya

Yayoi

Ootoya

Chester’s Grill

Pizza Hut

Pizza Company

Narai pizzeria

Hachiban

Mos Burger

Dairy Queen

Swensen

Easy to find dish

There a type of restuarant call ran-ahan tam sang (ร้านอาหารตามสั่ง) (Cooked to order resturant?) which is basically everywhere and this is a basic almost every those restuarant will have.  

Rice top with fried basil

Fried rice

Stir Fried Vegetables with Rice

Garlic Pork with Rice

Stir Fried Chili Paste

Suki->Thai Styled Sukiyaki (water/dry)  

You can select the type of meat yourself, even if the name includes the word "pork," (it's just a place holder) and you can add extra meat (more of the one you select or something else) or eggs if desired.

Eating utensils

The most common choice are just a spoon and fork. In places like noodle shops, it usually has chopsticks as well. and for steak, a knife.

List of online supermarket site

Index

[bangtanhoneys]

BTS Wedding Series: Food/Cake Tasting

SEOKJIN

If there was one thing Seokjin was adamant about in the whole wedding planning, it was the food. He had cooked for the boys for the past 10+ years, he had been on enough variety shows with food, he did enough of his own mukbang videos to affirmatively say that he was a foodie. And when it came to the cake, the two of you had worked out a design and the flavours you wanted. 

However, the whole food situation was firmly in his hands. 

There had been emails back and forth to the hotel on Jeju island with menus, a private phone call with the chef and a presentation by Zoom by said chef over the various Korean meals that the kitchen could provide. 

“Would it be possible to have a variation? Such as buffet stations and grazing tables laid out for everyone to pick from, to include different cultures but to include Korea as the main food as well,” Seokjin asked after going through your pinterest board where you had kept some of your ideas.

The chef in question glanced up, surprised as he was used to dealing with couples who went strictly with traditional Korean wedding food and never varied outside of that. His team were muttering in the background and there was various clicking, as they went through their own Google images to figure out what Seokjin was asking of him.

“We’re looking at a varied buffet rather than your strict sit down meal. I love American and Indian dishes, Seokjin loves Korean food and burgers. My parents prefer sushi yet they love Thai food. We have such a variation coming that we want to cover all aspects,” you summarised. And then the chef got it.

“Ah, I see! Right okay, so let’s do foods from around the world then. We'll have different food stations like you say - Japan, Korea, America, Italy, Thailand, India, Spain, etc. And then have a grazing table for fruits, bread, your desserts and then of course your wedding cake,” the chef said as he drew a plan on the board behind him. If he hadn’t been a cook in this life, you would have assumed he was an artist in another.

“The cake we’re going to sort when we’re next on Jeju but for desserts, could we look at brownies, cookies, blondies, cupcakes, etc. We’re well aware of people’s different choices,” Seokjin added as he wrote down his own list of his own requests.

“Mr. Kim, this is going to cost quite a bit. I know you’re an idol but this is going to cost.”

Seokjin gave a wave of his hand in an almost imperial way, causing you to hide a smile behind your hand. Another thing you had to give over to him was the budget. 

“Don’t worry about that - when it comes to my food, I’m ready to spend the money. Do you know BTS?”

Of course the chef did as did the whole team by the way they were nodding.

“Then you know I’m a foodie and I love my food. And this one here loves her desserts so it’s a compromise and I won’t compromise on food,” Seokjin added by pinching your side, wincing at the slap on the arm in return. 

“As long as you're sure. Let us arrange a date for you two to come and try some samples, then you can make a weekend out of it,” the chef suggested.

“A weekend trying food? Yes please!”

YOONGI

There was one thing you had promised Yoongi when it came to the wedding.

Tangerines.

He didn’t know how you were going to do it but he wanted tangerines because that’s what he loved and wanted. He had already picked out a four course meal for the wedding, fully Korean, with lamb skewers thrown in because he saw them on the menu and wanted them. The cake, however, was your deal. He just wanted tangerines.

So while you were looking for inspiration on wedding cakes during the early stages, you saw plenty of tiered wedding cakes with orange slices on the sides, painted oranges on the fondant, half naked cakes with fresh fruit all around. It was all locked away for your meeting with the lady who was going to do your wedding cake for you, something you dragged Yoongi along because coffee and cake went well together.

“So, what are you two looking for?” she asked, opening up her ipad to get started on the design.

“We’re both kind of plain people. The wedding decor is going to be simple with glass and flowers and candles. White roses, white peonies with plenty of greenery. Our invitations had a hint of blue on them. But Yoongi loves tangerines so I want to do tangerine name cards and if we could have tangerines on the cake as well, or in the flavour, then that would be perfect,” you explained. 

Yoongi perked up at the mention of his favourite fruit. He didn’t know about the name card suggestion as he had briefly glanced at your ideas and the idea that you wanted to incorporate something he loved, made him realise that every single decision had him in mind.

“Wait till you see the favours I’ve ordered,” you muttered as you patted his leg, grinning slightly.

“Is that why I’ve been locked out of the spare room?” he muttered back, one eye on the lady designing the cake and one eye on you.

“Of course. It’s hell in there right now.”

“So,” the lady interrupted unapologetically to show you her design. “I’m thinking vanilla buttercream because that works well, then we can add fresh tangerines or kumquats which are slightly smaller or I can make the tangerines and flavour them. For the cake layers, since you like simple, depending on the tiers and how many you need, we could go with vanilla cake with lemon to bring in the citrus, then another tier of vanilla with pink champagne and another vanilla with maybe chocolate.”

“These sound all amazing. Are we able to have any tasters?”

“I’ll be back in just a moment,” the lady said as she laid her ipad on the table with the design still in place.

“How many tiers do we need?” Yoongi asked, seeing the design was for three tiers. 

“Well, we’re looking at 250 for the reception and the Korean ceremony,” you said once you brought up your guest list file on the phone.

Yoongi sighed. As much as he hated being put on display like that, he knew it was to keep both sets of parents happy and to have everyone who meant the world there as well. At least the legal ceremony a few days before was just yourselves, the boys, your parents and no one else. 

“How many tiers can we do for 250 people?” Yoongi then asked the lady who came out with two trays of vanilla cake with different variations of filling. 

“You’ll be looking at 6 tiers then.”

Yoongi sighed again but happily picked up the fork he was given as well as a tray of cake. “Well, we best get tasting then.”

In the end, you picked vanilla with lemon, red velvet with cream cheese, vanilla with pink champagne and then a cookies and cream tier because at this point, why the hell not. 

HOSEOK

The hotel itself had many restaurants to choose from and when it came to the wedding, especially with the amount of guests who were coming and how much you were setting aside just for the food, the hotel had sent you all the menus available. 

You wanted Korean but mixed with a bit of international food as well as the wine and other alcohol to compliment it. Everything had to be big and bright like your wedding theme and to match your cake as well which had been designed to be dripped in bright rainbow colours with gold lustre and fresh bright flowers. 

“So Festa is our contemporary European dining, the Granum is all day dining and is international and the Club Member’s Restaurant is Korean so you’ve got a good mix here,” the wedding organiser said as she showed you to the private dining area where you were going to have your wedding tasting from the samples you had picked from the menus provided.

For starters, you had picked smoked salmon with caesar salad, kimchi soup with bean sprouts and shrimp croquette and dill cream. 

Scoffing all that with your wine and grinning as Hobi made notes, you then went onto your main dishes. These had been Hobi’s picks and you could tell when the dishes had arrived, large servings of meat. Prime steak was one dish, grilled lobster was another and then lamb rack with vegetables.

If that wasn’t enough, a small pizza and bolognese pasta also arrived.

“What?” Hobi asked around a slice of pizza.

“You think we’re feeding the country?” you asked, cutting into the prime steak that was cooked perfectly.

“I had to stop myself at the sides because there were too many,” Hobi admitted as he stole the piece of steak you had cut up.

“Of course,” you muttered as you stole the rest of his pizza.

Dessert had been a combined effort as your wedding cake was only two tiers and would feed just under 200 people. Blueberry cheesecake, chocolate tart with vanilla ice cream and then orange pound cake with ice cream. And not only that, the tables would get a platter of seasonal fruit.

“This is going to be hard,” you pouted as you spooned up some of the chocolate tart. “We might have to come back and try them again.”

Hobi chuckled as he bypassed the chocolate tart and went for the cheesecake. “I completely agree. Let’s bring Seokjin and Taehyung with us next time. They're the fussiest.”

NAMJOON

Picking the food had been an easy thing for the two of you as you both didn’t like fish and had settled on going Korean with a little mix of international foods for the guests who you just had to invite. Luckily enough, the maximum numbers for your outdoor wedding were 150 and you had managed to drop that to 130 for all your friends and family then the famous people who Namjoon knew he had to invite. 

It was a bit odd addressing the invitations to such famous people and it was even more odd when they actually accepted. With the food organised with the hotel, it was time to turn to the cake. 

You two had spent the better part of a day looking up wedding cakes with your appointment with the cake maker fast approaching and settled on a design you both liked - handpainted flowers alongside the tiers of the cake, all with meaning and thoughts behind them. Specifically picked for the two of you to incorporate your wedding flowers, birth flowers, etc. 

Namjoon happily tucked into the slice of cake the lady handed over, white chocolate passionfruit while she handed you coffee and walnuts. If there was something you both were adamant on, it was the cake flavours would be unique. 

You needed a four tier cake and while she designed the flowers on her ipad, you two tucked into the next set of flavours. 

“I want to take that cake home,” Namjoon pointed towards the plate that was now empty of his passionfruit slice. 

“I’m loving this raspberry and white chocolate,” you added as you cut a bit off with your fork and handed it over to your future groom.

“This is going to be so hard,” he muttered around the mouthful of cake and turned the plate that held his lemon slice. “But I think I’ve made my choices.”

“Oh? Already?” you asked, licking off some of the raspberry buttercream. 

“I want that passionfruit, as well as your raspberry one and I think we just need plain vanilla for the boring people. And I think we need a chocolate layer, maybe with caramel and I want a lemon layer as well,” Namjoon picked off, still happily munching on the lemon cake. 

You thought for a moment, thinking of all the people who were coming and if any of them were allergic to anything in those flavours and nothing was springing out at you. And when the lady showed you the design of greenery, daisies, white roses, peonies and little forget me nots - everything just fell into place.

“All those flavours and that cake design please.”

JIMIN

You didn’t know where the number of guests had come from but you somehow reached the 150 mark which was just a little squeeze for your venue but they had managed to confirm those numbers for the ceremony then the reception afterwards. You had picked and confirmed a cake well beforehand, settling on a five tier white cake but with fresh ivory and light pink flowers cascading around the cake itself. With flavours of vanilla, strawberry, lemon and raspberry, it had been sorted before you had even figured out your actual food menu. 

Jimin was firm when you two had spoken to your wedding organiser that he wanted a taste of Busan in his menus with Busan eomuk (fish cakes) and Milmyeon so he had something of home in the menu which was completely western. Of course, the hotel were happy to agree so they organised a menu specifically for your food tasting. 

First, it was the appetiser course of two options. The famous Busan fishcakes with a side of salad and some other bits and then shredded hoisin duck tortilla stack with cucumber and spring onion.

“How is that western?” Jimin muttered to you but happily tucked into the food either way. 

For the main course, there was the option of Milmyeon, roasted sirloin with green beans, mushrooms, sauce and optional potatoes or fries. As well as a chicken option or sea bass option as well. 

“This is hard,” you moaned as you cut into the steak and almost cried at how perfectly cooked it was. 

“It’s even harder when they give you these options,” Jimin laughed as he pointed in the direction of the chicken and sea bass that was waiting to be tested.

“I shouldn’t have had breakfast,” you realised when you cut into the chicken and happily popped it into your mouth.

And then for dessert, realising your cake probably wouldn’t cover 150 people, settled on two types of dessert: a cheesecake and desserts in miniature so people got three little ones to enjoy. 

“Shall we have it all?” Jimin questioned, spooning some of the cheesecake and feeding it to you. He then dug into the crumble which he hadn’t heard of before. 

“We’ve got plenty of people who are going to have different options,” you shrugged but were happy to go for all the choices suggested.

“Okay, let’s do it,” he made a note on the little bit of paper the waiters had given him to confirm his choices. 

TAEHYUNG

Though you had realised planning a wedding in another country was going to be hard, you didn’t realise how hard it was actually going to be. The venue dressing, provided by the hotel, was in Los Angeles as well as the cake lady, the photographer and everything else. You had a makeup team flying out with you and another photographer as well as a videographer, provided by HYBE, would be making the journey with you. 

Beverly Hills had been booked up the moment your invitations had gone out and surrounding hotels as well in what had been termed ‘the wedding of the century’ by the rest of BTS. Celebrities, fashion designers, music producers and god knows who else were making the trip to be there for Taehyung’s wedding. 

It was becoming a bit of a circus but he was so excited and devoted to the whole thing, that in the end it didn’t matter who was coming. You just wanted to marry the man. 

And at least your air travel miles were accumulating quickly with the amount of times you had to fly out to Los Angeles. This time it was to meet the cake lady as well as have your menu tasting - something you were eagerly awaiting as you had to mix it with Korean as well as western food. 

Of course, having a cake for 800 people was near impossible and it had been decided early on it would be limited to three real tiers, with the other three to be fake. No one would care anyway, especially with the amount of money you were putting into the food alone. And the wedding cake design had been simple yet extravagant - white fondant with vines of leaves and small flowers indented on each layer, with gold ribbon at the bottom of each tier and then red roses sandwiched in between each tier. 

They were given a menu exclusively designed by Wolfgang Puck, one of the most famous chefs out there, and a glass of champagne each. “We wouldn’t have gotten this in Korea,” Taehyung had muttered to you when you reached the VIP section of the restaurant. 

“They saw the cheque book,” you muttered back with a laugh. 

First was a king crab cocktail and a lamb rack with salad for entrees and then for the main course, you were given a large serving of bibimbap and Korean BBQ beef and a large serving of steak and Japanese kanpachi sashimi. 

“Definitely saw the cheque book,” you said around a mouthful of food and realised the two of you hadn’t spoken in the hour you had arrived at your table and served your food. 

“Well, it is delicious,” Taehyung said as he held up some of the sashimi and all but shoved it in his mouth. 

When you thought you were done, they came out with the dessert menu as well as wine menu. 

“I’m going to die,” you fake cried as you looked at the menu. “Oooh, they’ve got cheese platters. Should we have one for each table?”

Taehyung looked up from his wine menu and arched an eyebrow, “Now who's spending the money?”

“We’ve got a lot of celebrities to impress. So is that a yes?”

JUNGKOOK

With Jungkook being Jungkook, he already had a cake designed the moment you had talked about it. He had spent an agonising night on his ipad, drawing and redrawing, looking up inspiration and even turning to ARMY’s pictures to see if they had any inspiration to fulfil their fantasies. 

With nothing truly popping up, Jungkook had to simply turn to his imagination and wonder if it would work. And with the colour scheme you two had come up with, it was a little hard. 

“So, this is the design I’ve been working on,” Jungkook said to the cake designer who you had set up an appointment with over a week ago. 

The cake designer took the offered ipad and used his fingers to zoom in on the design, then back out. “It shouldn’t be a problem and it’s quite unique, it’s not something I’ve seen before. Let me draw my version with some ideas of cake layers and see what you two think.”

You eyed Jungkook suspiciously and wondered what he had cooked up.

“It represents all of us,” Jungkook explained as he patted your knee, taking the ipad back and shoving it into his ever present black backpack. 

With you travelling all the way to Busan to have this meeting as well as to sort out your food at the hotel, you hoped to have everything boxed up and done so you were putting a bit of faith in Jungkook and his cake. 

“So, I think for the bottom layer, we should do some kind of chocolate,” the cake designer explained as he turned his own ipad around to show the two of you. He had replicated what Jungkook had drawn but into something easier for a cake. 

The bottom layer had a marble effect with white base with a hint of black and purple in the marble effect. The second layer was pure purple with vanilla as its flavouring and then the top tier was pure white with strawberry champagne flavouring and white orchids dotted between the layers. 

“You included ARMY,” you whisper as you take the offered ipad and look at the intricate details in the marble that look like they were done on purpose. 

“Maybe it would be worth getting some kind of cake topper to represent that and you two,” the cake designer explained as he got up to get the suggested cake layers. 

It didn’t take Jungkook long to get his phone out and start looking.

[southeastasianists]

Tan Ming Li is a certified death doula. Just as there are those who facilitate bringing new life into the world, there should be people facilitating more and better ways to talk about death and dying, she reasons.

In 2023, she started The Life Review, a social venture with the mission to normalise conversations about death, dying and bereavement. Events open to the public include Life Stories, a series of chat sessions with topics such as “Motherless daughters”, “Real men don’t cry” and “Pet loss and our enduring bonds”; as well as Death Over Dinner, in which people come together to have conversations guided by Tan about their personal experiences with loss while sharing a meal.

The last Death Over Dinner took place at South Indian restaurant Podi & Poriyal, where participants were served dishes containing ingredients with special life and death significance in South Indian culture such as black sesame seeds, which signify purification; and jackfruit, the wood of which is often used as funeral pyre logs during cremation.

“What better way for Asians to connect than through food?” said Tan, explaining that Death Over Dinner is actually a global movement that originated in the US, “but we tweaked it so that food was a much bigger component, building the conversations around the ingredients and dishes. In other countries, the concept is just for people to talk about death over the dinner table.”

Tan, who is in her 40s, believes that getting comfortable with talking openly and honestly about such topics is vitally important.

“A nationwide survey conducted last year (by the Singapore Management University) revealed that ‘only 53 per cent of Singaporeans are comfortable discussing their own death while barely a third (33.4 per cent) would do so with someone who is dying’,” she shared.

She feels there is also a tendency to over-medicalise conversations about death, focusing on treatments and doctors.

“As a society, death is not something that is commonly discussed and we tend to be ‘death-denying’. Healthcare and wellness are all about ‘preventing’ death. In fighting against death, we are unaccepting of this natural part of life. This makes it hard to be vulnerable about our emotions around it,” she said.

Even if you haven’t lost a loved one yourself, “When someone else experiences a loss, many of us don’t know how to address the topic and end up using platitudes like ‘I’m sorry for your loss’ or worse, ‘Everything happens for a reason’,” she pointed out.

Ironically, avoiding the subject of death inadvertently gives it more power. “This power can then suppress our thoughts, beliefs and behaviour,” she opined.

NO STRANGER TO DEATH AND DENIAL

Tan speaks from personal experience. When she was 17, her mum died of cancer. “Dad said, ‘Don’t worry, she will recover.’ Her sudden passing left us in shock. I remember my dad brought me to the hospital canteen, broke the news to me and simply said, ‘We just have to accept it and move on’. I don’t think he ever recovered. As far as I recall, there were no conversations about it within the family.

“In the years that followed, I lost my dad, grandma, uncles and aunts… I was frozen in my grief response and it took a mental health crisis for me to start addressing these issues.”

Concurrently, Tan had always been interested in social work, from her university years when she volunteered to support children with special needs, to volunteering to teach yoga and breathing at various institutions including the Society for the Physically Disabled (SPD) and the Institute of Mental Health (IMH). She also lived in Thailand for several years, where she gave her time to a social enterprise helping indigenous craftsmen sell their goods.

Her career was in Advertising Research until she took a sabbatical and travelled to India in 2013. Following that period of time in which to think and reflect, she embarked on a new path, offering services such as mindfulness and movement.

“In the course of my work, I encountered clients who are terminally ill or grieving the loss of a loved one. Curious about how to better support them, I started researching the topic,” she recalled. “One day, I received an email from students working on a grief literacy event, inviting me to facilitate a somatic movement session for parents who had lost their child. Somatic movement involves exploring the body's sensations and movements to promote healing. During this session, many participants were able to release long held emotions within their bodies, even years after their loved one had passed.”

Motivated by the experience, she enrolled in the death doula course offered by the International End of Life Doula Association, an organisation in the US. Participants acquire skills revolving around how to support and comfort the dying and their loved ones.

“As I delved deeper into the subject, I realised that this was something that needed to go beyond supporting my clients one-to-one. The societal reluctance to discuss death openly leads to a lot of discomfort and unresolved emotions surrounding the topic, and I realised the need to scale and bring this out to the public,” she said.

So, “I decided to pursue a Masters of Science degree in Thanotology – even doctors go, ‘What’s that?’ – and start The Life Review as a platform for people to get comfortable discussing end-of-life matters through education and engagement.”

As far as she knows, she’s the only one in Singapore taking a Masters in Thanatology (“When the course started, the Programme Director said, ‘Now we are an international programme, thanks to Ming Li!’”) and one of just four people in Singapore who have completed death doula training.

“While trying to help people going through bereavement and grief, it struck me that I also had to look at my own experiences and work through all the emotions and experiences that I hadn’t known how to deal with – or even realised was necessary to,” she divulged.

“The way society operates, if we experience a loss, we are given three days of compassionate leave – and only for immediate family – and then we are expected to get back to ‘normal’ as productive members of society. But what about losing a friend? A partner? A pet? Do you get over it in three days? Since the norm was to get on with life, that’s what I did. It was only later in life that I realised that it was affecting me in ways that I did not immediately connect back to my earlier experiences, such as in the way I interacted with people in relationships and friendships. I would not get too close in case they would disappear,” she shared.

And so, “The main reason I’m doing this now is because of what I have gone through in my own life. The programmes I’m planning are skewed towards caregivers for now, as I don’t want anyone to be in a situation that I was in.” She added, “It was a turning point for me to adopt cats, knowing that they will die before me, yet to accept this and love them.”

Her work has also turned into “my legacy project for my parents”.

“I have a purpose to fulfil now, to bring The Life Review into fruition, in the remaining years left of my life. And in a way, I’m already planning for my end, making sure that I don’t regret things that I could or should have done,” she said.

DINNER WITH A PURPOSE

At Death Over Dinner events, “The framing of conversations is intentionally designed to be inclusive and non-confrontational. Participants are encouraged to share their thoughts and experiences without feeling pressured to delve into deeply personal reflections or imagine their own funerals,” Tan said.

The dinner serves as a casual starting point for discussions about a normally taboo topic to unfold naturally, fostering a sense of comfort and familiarity around the topic of death, she continued. “The intention is not to impose rigid guidelines or restrictions but rather to offer gentle guidance and prompts to steer the dialogue in a constructive direction” while embracing cultural elements within our specific society.

It is also about equipping people with the knowhow and language to either walk alongside a person who is dying, or to support a caregiver.

There are sessions taking place every quarter, which are open for individual sign-ups. The next Death Over Dinner event is planned for Apr 25 at Podi & Poriyal, with a group size of 12 to 16 people. Tan is also open to private group bookings, and hopes to possibly work with other restaurants as well.

The topic of death is rarely broached when everyone is healthy, she mused. But, in the face of loss, which comes sooner or later to all of us, “People may struggle to find the right words to express their feelings or fears, fearing that broaching the topic could cause further distress or discomfort to the person who is ill. As a result, conversations about end-of-life wishes, funeral arrangements, or even acknowledging the possibility of death may be avoided altogether, creating a palpable tension and unease.

"Dealing with it openly and saying what needs to be said can help the ones left behind adjust to the loss after the person passes away.”

And, “In the case of someone who knows they are dying, people around them not wanting to talk about it can leave them feeling unheard. They may not be able to express their desires; there may be things left unsaid; there may be people tiptoeing around them and telling them, ‘You’re going to be fine’ when they know full well they won’t be.”

The question of how we can begin to approach the topic of death in a meaningful way begs another: How talking about death openly and frankly can help us to live our lives more fully and intentionally.

“Accepting the finite nature of life and finding peace with it can change our outlook on life. When we acknowledge that life inevitably starts and ends, we are able to define what happens in between that holds significance,” Tan said.

“How do we make what happens in the middle matter? How do we leave a legacy for ourselves and future generations? Do we want to spend our time sweating the small stuff and harbouring grudges, or instead, use it to create memories and foster deep relationships? Living intentionally prompts us to confront these questions and align our actions with our values.

“Ultimately, embracing the impermanence of life compels us to live authentically, love fiercely and leave a legacy of compassion and connection.”

To sign up for Death Over Dinner, visit https://thelifereview.org/death-over-dinner.

[ektukhaibdfood]

[caffeinated-beverage]

HETALIA SMELL HEADCANONS (I worked super hard on this, so pls look at it, appreciate it, and reblog? esp with comments bc i love seeing ur comments ^u^)

N. Italy: Garlic-flavored armpits

Germany: Normally, he just smells like sugar and cinnamon.

Japan: Rainwater

America: Hot dogs and bacon

England: Nosebleeds

Fr*nce: cheese

China: Braised pork belly and warmth

Russia: A mixture of booze and warmth

Canada: Poutine

Belgium: Chocolate chip waffles with a hint of strawberry

Luxembourg: Blackberrie-scented cologne

Netherlands: Money

Austria: Rose-scented perfume

Hungary: Warmth and fresh bread

Liechtenstein: https://www.fragrantica.com/perfume/Sanrio/Hello-Kitty-71771.html

Poland: Cream soda

Prussia: Snow cones

Slovakia: Fresh-baked cheesy bread

Switzerland: Goat milk

Estonia: TV static

Latvia: Hot cocoa & cookies

Lithuania: Lithuania.

Belarus: Mint

Bulgaria: He smeel like he boozin' & loosin'

Moldova: Halloween candies & cheese puffs

Romania: Red-flavored kool-aid

Ukraine: Fresh-baked blueberry bread and warmth

Denmark: Hairgel

Finland: Christmas!!!!!!!!!

Iceland: Hot cocoa & cookies

Norway: Fish-flavored snacks

Sweden: Coffee

Cyprus: Shark.. :/

Greece: Cats

Monaco: Money

Romano: Italian pizza

Spain: Tomatoes & olives

Portugal: Olive oil

Turkey: Roasted turkey

Egypt: Sourdough bread

Cameroon: Fresh-cut grass

Seychelles: the ocean

Hong kong: Mango pudding

Macau: Something sweet

Korea: Milk chocolates

Taiwan: Japanese Cherry Blossom™️

Thailand: Mangoes

Vietnam: Japanese cherry blossom™️

Philippines: A mixture of mangoes and Cucumber Melon™️

Indonesia: Hibiscus and rose hips

Singapore: Strawberries

India: Indian food and warmth ❤️❤️❤️

Australia: Cucumber melon™️ and sea water

New Zealand: Milk chocolates

Cuba: ICE CREAAAM!!!

[beautyandlifestyleblog86]

There are several countries known for having some of the healthiest cuisines in the world, characterized by fresh, whole foods, a variety of fruits and vegetables, lean proteins, and balanced flavors. Some of these countries include:

1. Japan: The traditional Japanese diet is based on fish, seafood, rice, tofu, vegetables, and fermented foods like miso and kimchi. Japanese cuisine is known for its emphasis on fresh, seasonal ingredients and simple, flavorful dishes.

2. Greece: The Mediterranean diet, which is commonly found in countries like Greece, is rich in olive oil, whole grains, fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, and fish. The diet is high in antioxidants, healthy fats, and fiber, and is associated with numerous health benefits.

3. Italy: Italian cuisine is known for its emphasis on fresh, high-quality ingredients such as tomatoes, olive oil, garlic, herbs, and whole grains. The Mediterranean diet, common in Italy, is associated with a lower risk of heart disease and other chronic conditions.

4. South Korea: Korean cuisine features a wide variety of fermented foods, vegetables, lean proteins, and grains. Kimchi, a staple in Korean cuisine, is a fermented vegetable dish that is rich in probiotics and has numerous health benefits.

5. India: Indian cuisine is characterized by a wide array of spices, legumes, vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins like lentils and chickpeas. Many traditional Indian dishes are vegetarian or vegan, making them rich in plant-based nutrients.

6. Thailand: Thai cuisine is known for its bold flavors, fresh herbs, and aromatic spices. Thai dishes often feature a balance of sweet, sour, salty, and spicy flavors, and incorporate plenty of fresh fruits, vegetables, and seafood.

7. Morocco: Moroccan cuisine is rich in spices, herbs, nuts, seeds, vegetables, and lean proteins like fish and poultry. Tagines, a traditional Moroccan stew, often contain a variety of vegetables and are cooked slowly to infuse flavors.

[corvid-tournament]

Corvid Tournament Corvus Bracket Round 3: Collared Crow vs Eastern Jungle Crow

Collared crow (corvus torquatus): The collared crow is a mid-sized bird at 52-55cm/20-22in long. Is easily distinguished by its white coloration pattern that wraps around the back of its neck, shoulders, and chest, leaving a black strip down its front, hence its name. It is otherwise black. Its territory is mostly eastern China, though it does not live North of Beijing. It is a true omnivore and has been shown to adapt to urban environments. Its conservation status is “vulnerable” (“near threatened” in China as of 2018) due to reduced food accessibility caused by increased pesticide use. They are currently under observation of the World Wildlife Fund, though aside from this, large scale conservation efforts have been implemented.

Eastern jungle crow (corvus levaillantii): The eastern jungle crow is also a mid-sized bird similar to the Indian jungle crow but distinct by its greyish-black plumage and arched upper beak. It is found throughout China, Bangladesh, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Bhutan, Thailand, and is also considered invasive in Sri Lanka. Its conservation status is not listed.

[waitmyturtles]

I am hardcore traveling at the moment, and my watch schedule has gotten all kinds of messed up (I still haven’t watched the latest episode of Be My Favorite, EGADS), but anyway, I have thoughts about another show on my mind at the moment: I didn’t have Wi-Fi on this ultra-long flight I took last night, so I could NOT live-blog the FIVE EPISODES I was able to slam out of Manner of Death for the OGMMTVC. And I was DYING because all y’all and I know that this is SUCH A LIVE-BLOGGABLE SHOW, AAAAHHH!!!, so let me just see if I can remember everything I wanted to write about in my travel haze that I usually live-blog during my very late hours (I’m caught up to episode 10):

- Bun and Tan: PRIORITIZE THE SEX *BEFORE* CHECKING THE LAPTOP Y’ALL STOLE FROM THAT CAR YOU SMASHED, obvi

- I KNEW Inspector M would come around

- Um, REALLY LOVED the elder uncle looks that Inspector M was giving Bun and Tan in the safe house after the fake shooting, lol

- So are That and Sorawit a side couple?! SMART MOVE for a not-BL

- KIND OF OBSESSED with the lovey music during Bun and Tan’s romantic scenes, like — this show hasn’t forgotten its roots, whatever those roots are (BLs? CSI?)

- I kinda think Rungtiva is somehow involved in the whole crime ring. She can take in a whole bunch of trafficked women? AND ask why they need to leave her place afterwards? A little sus. I hope I’m wrong, because I love her outfits

- Speaking of outfits, I like how MoD is quietly repping rural Thailand. I LOVE shows set in the country or outside of Bangkok — ATOTS, MLC, The Promise (not the show, just the setting, ha), ITSAY, the parts of BBS in the eco-village. Even Dew the Movie was revealing by way of setting. I really appreciate seeing clothing more akin to ethnic Thai clothing choices — reminds me of watching Indian movies and shows

- There is a SURPRISING amount of food in this show, for which I am very grateful, and

- Just, MaxTul. Love them. So my read right now (without having finished the show yet) is that I think Max is the better actor. When I was looking up Viangpha Mork, I came across a Reddit post on MoD that commented on Tul having this tic where he kinda takes a half a breath and looks up before saying his lines, which made me lol a bit, and doesn’t really bother me, but it’s like, he *does* need a second before he says anything, and I’m not sure it’s intentional for Bun. But I’m not complaining, I just think it’s funny that I saw that about him. Max, on the other hand — he’s GREAT, and I think they’re both so much improved from Together With Me.

- Oh, one more point. Bun and Tan: CLEARLY INVINCIBLE. Too many injuries to count!

I am TOTALLY into this show. Going from ITSAY to YYY to MoD has been a damn SWING, but a fun one, and it’s just extremely cool to watch a show where a romance aspect is not necessarily the center of the show. More on this analysis in my write-up, but like 3 Will Be Free, queerness here is inclusionary, and not the central point of the plot. I just love the structure, and ABSOLUTELY see how it precedes KinnPorsche. More soon as I finish it out over the next few nights.

[gloriousncss]

@flcralhaze ( tatiana & aranya ) Location: The Dining Hall Time: During the Rainstorms

Time was moving slower and slower as the rain pitter pattered constantly on the windows of her apartments. Within the first few nights, they stopped delivering food to her, which got Zaire rather cranky as he could not consume his nightly bowl of meat and rice with some kind of spectacular Indian sauce. She had to brave the world eventually, didn't she? Happening upon Thailand's ruler seemed to be a perfect opportunity. They seemed to run the show here, as far as the opposing side went. "Your majesty," she approached her on gentle toes before curtseying before her, "I fear I must apologize for the trouble I have caused here these last few days... I was wondering if you could spare a moment of your very valuable time to hear my pleas."