In KL: One can’t find the REAL mee mamak (rebus and goreng), Penang chee cheong fun’s virtually unobtainable, assam laksa tastes like sulfur water, char keow teow’s more like burnt keow teow, no siam laksa, poh piah’s like soggy socks, no pig’s blood in curry mee, oh cien (fried oyster) so dry it’s better to be called nui cien (fried egg), no muar chee, roti canai’s thick and rubbery, etc. etc…

Sorry to sound negative, but that’s how much I miss Penang food, the people and the laid back life. Cheers!

Sarah,
NJ, USA.

Great stuff!!

ra
–
Malaysian food, a culture.

btw, i found your blog while google-ing for oh-chien :S Almost wanna fly back to Msia right away after seing the hawker food pics. haha!

You should open a restaurant. I think it’s gonna earn u big $$ in CA. Seriously!! ;)

Emily (Taiping/Penang/Hawaii)

Are you tired of trying different diet plans, with no positive results? Turn to South Beach Diet. This is not a traditional low-carb plan. What makes it different is that here you’ll be encouraged to choose the right carbs like whole grains, certain fruits and vegetables and right fats like olive and canola oil and lean sources of protein. When you eat bad carbohydrates and fats you tend to feel hungrier and thus you end up eating more causing weight gain.

Good carbohydrates: They have a low glycemic index so they can be digested and absorbed slowly. They are high in fiber or high in good fats. You should also eat fiber or fat to slow digestion of the carbohydrates. Good fats: They are polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats, especially those with omega-3 fatty acids. Saturated and trans fats are bad fats.

How does it work?

South Beach Diet was created a well known cardiologist, Dr. Arthur Agatston. He developed this diet for his cardiac patients after a lot of scientific dieting research. The best thing about this diet is that you will get your three, normal size meals everyday and you can even enjoy your snacks and deserts. In just a short amount of time you will see incredible results. So you can not only enjoy your favorite foods but you can also put your fear of getting fat to rest.

According to Dr.Agatston, when you consume bad carbohydrates especially those found in foods with a high Glycemic index, they create an insulin resistance syndrome which is an impairment of the hormone insulin’s ability to properly process fat or sugar and not only this, bad carbohydrates also increase the chances of getting cardiovascular disease.Therfore his diet includes the consumption of good fats and good carbohydrates.

The three phases South Beach Diet:

This diet works in phases, the first two for a specific timeframe and the third phase for life.

Phase I -You will eat normal-size portions of lean meat, fish, eggs, reduced-fat cheese, nonfat yogurt, nuts, and plenty of vegetables including snacks and desserts. This will last for two weeks. You would have to high or moderately high-glycemic carbs so that you eliminate insulin resistance .This way the body will lose its insulin resistance, and thus use excess body fat, causing the dieter to lose between 8 and 13 pounds.

Phase II- Whole grain foods and fruits will be reintroduced in your diet, although in smaller amounts than were likely eaten before beginning the diet, and with a continued emphasis on foods with a low glycemic index. You should continue to lose weight until you reach the desired weight. Phase III- This begins when you reach the desired weight. Here you will continue to make good eating choices which would include three servings of whole grains and three servings of fruit a day.

Effective way to slim fast:

This diet puts emphasis on changing your way of eating and variety of foods. It discourages eating of very refined processed foods, high-fat meats, and saturated fats in general. Agatston says that you should eat until you are satisfied and you do not have to count calories. You just have to eat the right food that is good carbs and fats. By decreasing the intake of bad carbs, it will help you metabolize what you eat more effectively and improves insulin resistance as well leading to weight loss