Desserts From Pakistan!

Today, I had try 3 types of sweet dishes from Pakistani food. The first one is Gulab Jamun and second one is Barfi and the last is Sohan Halwa. These desserts are very sweets, very yummy and delicious! And because addicted to Gulab Jamun, I had try to make by own. Haha. Even though it did not good as Pakistani people did, but I am satisfied because at least I did by my own. Hehe :)

Here is the picture of Gulab Jamun. :)

That is cute, round and sweet Gulab Jamun. If you ever try this, you would be addicted on that! Seriously I'm saying because it is absolutely different from the Malaysia's sweet dishes! If in Malaysia, we have ABC and cendol as the desserts, they (Pakistani) have Gulab Jamun as their dessert. Look, You can see the difference between their desserts and our desserts. From my opinion, the taste of Gulab Jamun is very very veryyy sweet! See, how many times I Said very very because it is absolutely sweet! Hehehe. Instead of swwt, you also could taste little bit milky and the fragrance of cinnamon and zafron. If you never taste any desserts from foreign, make sure that u must taste this Gulab Jamun! :) Yummy!!

Here, I will tell you about Gulab Jamun.

Gulab jamun is a milk-solids based dessert, popular in countries of South Asia such as India, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Pakistan and Bangladesh. It is also common in Mauritius and the Caribbean countries of Trinidad and Tobago, Guyana, Suriname and Jamaica. In Nepal, it is widely known as Lal Mohan, served with or without yogurt. It is made mainly from milk solids, traditionally from freshly curdled milk. In India, milk solids are prepared by heating milk over a low flame for a long time until most of the water content has evaporated. These milk solids, known as khoya in India and Pakistan, are kneaded into a dough, sometimes with a pinch of flour, and then shaped into small balls and deep fried at a low temperature of about 148 °C.[1] The balls are then soaked in a light sugary syrup flavored with green cardamom and rose water, kewra or saffron.[2] These days, gulab jamun mix is also commercially available. Gulab jamun is often served at weddings and birthday parties.

So, let's try ths Gulab Jamun and you can taste how sweet and milky it is! 


Okay, enough with Gulab Jamun, because now I start craving on that. Huhu~

Second dessert that I got today is Barfi. By the way, for your information, don't confused with the film Barfi from Bollywood. Hehe. That is the title of a movie. And this Barfi is a dessert.

Here is the picture of Barfi.

Oh Khuda!  Khuda in Urdu means God. Barfi also sweet, but it does not sweet as Gulab Jamun. The taste of barfi is more to milky and my friend said " it tastes like nestum". hehehe. So, whoever like something tasty like milky, nestum, you should try this. Barfi also delicious and yummy and for me, it tastes little bit like white chocolate. But, Barfi is more delicious la. As Pakistani said " ye mithai boht boht mithy hai! ". Hehehe. It means that "This dessert is very sweet!" or in Malay " Makanan ni sangat sangat manis la!". hehehe.

Here is some explanation about Barfi.

Barfi or burfi is a sweet confectionery from the Indian subcontinent. The name originates from the Persian word Barf, which means snow. A few of the famous varieties of barfi include Besan Barfi (made with gram flour), Kaaju Barfi (made with cashews), Pista Barfi (made with ground pistachios), and Sing Barfi (made with peanuts). The main ingredients of plain barfis include condensed milk and sugar. The ingredients are cooked in a vessel until the mixture solidifies.

The flavor of a Barfi is often enhanced with fruits (such as mango or coconut) or nuts (such as cashew, pistachio, or peanut) and spices (such as cardamom or rose water). Barfis are usually coated with a thin layer of edible metallic leaf known as vark. They are typically cut into square, diamond, or round shapes. Different types of Barfi vary in their color and texture.

The confection is served in India, all year round, but especially consumed during the holiday seasons, wedding ceremonies, and the religious festivals.

The last one is Sohan Halwa. Even though it is also counted as dessert, but for me it does not tasted sweet like Gulab Jamun and Barfi. This is because..... Maybe because so much halwa. huhu~

Here is the picture of Sohan Halwa.

Those are the pictures of Sohan Halwa and it's box.

Sohan Halwa (Hindi: सोहन हलवा; Urdu سوحن حلوى; [ˈsoːɦən ˈɦəlʋaː]) or Multani Sohan Halwa is a traditional dessert in India and Pakistan, which is a variety of dense, sweet confection or halwa and believed to be Persian in origin, linked with Iranian sweet Sohan.

It is made by boiling a mixture of water, sugar, milk and cornflour until it becomes solid. Saffron is used for flavoring. Ghee is used to prevent it from sticking to the pan. Almonds, pistachios and cardamom seeds are added. Unlike most other halwa dishes in the subcontinent, it is solid.

In conclusion, I am grateful and feel glad because I could taste the desserts from Pakistan. Even though might be Pakistanis have different tongue from Malaysian, but I believe some Malaysian love Pakistani foods! Since I have been grown up in Malaysia, so I believe, sometimes in life, we should try something that different in order to gain new experience and lesson in life! :)

At the end, Pakistan Zindabad! :)

Etiquette in Pakistan

• There is very strong combine-family system. Elders are respected heartily and get love and honor from youngsters, even if they are strangers and meeting each other for the very first time in any consequence.
  Guests are honored delightfully and treated with love and respect, as it is a Pakistani quote that," Guest is a blessing of God". So, relatives, colleagues, friends and people from neighborhood feel happy and cheerful to meet and stay connected with each other.

• Relatives, co-workers, neighbors,friends and mates stay united in every joy and sorrow and compete with each other in helping their friend in problem.
• Friendships are very stronger and friends love each other without a reason and can do anything to make them laugh.
• Pakistan is so stranger-friendly that everyone feels free in communicating with others.
• It is considered rude to introduce yourself to strangers, it is generally advisable to ask some mutual acquaintance to introduce you. Strangers will speak with each other in the "formal" register of Urdu, and using the familiar register will be seen as very rude.
• People of opposite sex do not shake hands when they greet each other. It is sometimes usual among men to put their right hand on their chest (heart) after shaking hands but friends and relatives hug each other when they meet.

In urban Sindh and in other parts of the country, men and women usually lower their head and lift their hand to their forehead to make the "adab" gesture when greeting each other.

• When being introduced to elders or strangers while seated it is customary to get up as sign of respect.
• It is advisable to ask a person how they wish to be addressed.

English is widely spoken and understood in major cities. The local dialect is called Pakistani English.

If at all possible, try not to schedule meetings during Ramadan. The workday is shortened, and since Muslims fast, they will not be able to offer you tea, which is a sign of hospitality.

Meetings are not scheduled at namaz time.


Greetings tend to be lengthy as Pakistanis will always ask polite formal questions about one's family, health, and business success before talking about other subjects. One should not become frustrated by what seems like a purely social conversation as Pakistanis prefer to work with people they know and will want to get to know you. They are also very hospitable and enjoy foreign guests. As a way to get to know you, Pakistanis may ask very personal questions. Try not to get embarrassed and do your best to answer them. Generally, Pakistanis do not use first names unless they are close friends, so ask a person how they wish to be addressed when first meeting. Once you are told how to address someone do not shorten the name as Pakistanis commonly use several names that denote the person's tribal affiliation, class, or status

Pakistanis love to visit among friends and family. Women especially like to regularly visit other women as this may be their only time to get out of the house and interact with others. The act of hospitality is a cherished social custom that bestows honor, pride, and integrity upon the family. The more guests received the more respect a family is given. Families, even if they are extremely poor, will go out of their way to make their guests feel welcomed by giving gifts or the best food and drink in their home. Food, meat in particular, can be scarce especially throughout rural areas. Therefore, sharing of meat is truly an act of hospitality. Being generous and offering the best the family has elevates the honor of the host. This also fulfills their duty as a faithful Muslim by following the Qur'an's order to give freely and help others. Because hospitality is a very important part of society, an invitation should be readily accepted.

The usual drink of choice in Pakistan is tea mixed with milk or a type of butter. People take great pride in serving tea to guests and will use their best cups and tea kettles. Sharing tea with others is a great act of kindness, a way to bond, and serves as a way to gauge the relationship between individuals. The more times you share tea together the more comfortable a person becomes with you. As a Baltistan proverb says "The first time you share tea, you are a stranger. The second time, you are an honored guest. The third time you become family". Tea then contains a spiritual element, especially when offered within a home, as it implies a public acknowledgement of acceptance and protection.

 

Pakistanis also go out of the way to praise; be ready to be flattered and to flatter others. It is common for Pakistanis to converse in a non-controversial manner. They say things like they "will try" to do something rather than saying they "cannot" or "will not" be able to something.

Dutch Culture Etiquette

       Most traits of Dutch etiquette resemble those of the rest of the Western world, but there are several distinguishing national codes of behavior. The Dutch either shake hands when they meet and depart or, in the case of women and closely acquainted men and women, kiss each other three times on the cheek.
Shake hands with everyone present -- men, women, and children -- at business and social meetings. Shake hands again when leaving. Introduce yourself if no one is present to introduce you. The Dutch consider it rude not to identify yourself.

The Dutch will shake hands and say their last name, not "Hello." They also answer the telephone with their last name.
It is considered impolite to shout a greeting. Wave if greeting someone from a distance.

Body Language

• The Dutch are reserved and don't touch in public or display anger or extreme exuberance.
• The Dutch value privacy and seldom speak to strangers. It is more likely that they will wait for you to make the first move. Don't be afraid to do so. So as future counselor we should try to make our client talk to us by interacting first. 
• The Dutch expect eye contact while speaking with someone. As future counselor we should keep this in our mind. 
• Moving your index finger around your ear means you have a telephone call, not "you're crazy." The crazy sign is to tap the center of your forehead with your index finger. This gesture is very rude

The Dutch have a strong desire to order their time in agendas and on calendars. Dutch children are given their first agenda at primary school to write down scheduled lessons and homework. A full agenda signifies a full life.
The Dutch are very punctual, and showing up even five minutes late is considered inappropriate.Lateness, missed appointments, postponements, changing the time of an appointment or a late delivery deteriorates trust and can ruin relationships. As a counselor if we want to change time or postpone our session we need to be careful of all of this and make sure we take appropriate actions as to not disrespect or lose our clients trust.

The Dutch tend to be direct, giving straight "yes" and "no" answers. So if we want more information we should as counselors make sure to ask Open ended questions.

As a result, everything has to be done at fixed times: There is a time to work, a time to clean the house, a time to drink coffee, and a time to visit friends.

The Dutch do not line up and show almost no consideration in public for a person's status, gender, or age. The use of the formal "you" ( U ) to address a person is becoming less common, whereas the growing importance of the informal "you" ( jij )is meant to illustrate a commitment to equality.

Gifts

• Gifts are generally not given or expected at business meetings.
• Gifts are exchanged in business only once a close, personal relationship has developed.
• The Dutch find any form of ostentation a bit embarrassing. A grand gesture of generosity will only make them uncomfortable. Lavish displays of wealth are considered bad taste.
• Give books, art objects, wine, liquor. Do not give knives.
• When invited to someone's home, bring a small gift for the hostess. Bring children a small gift or candy. Sending flowers before or after the party is also appropriate. 

Helpful Hints

• The Dutch avoid superlatives. Compliments are offered sparingly, and to say that something is "not bad" is to praise it. A person who never offers criticism is seen as either being simple-minded or failing to tell the truth. A foreigner need not worry too much about saying something the will hurt feelings. The Dutch will argue, but seldom take offense.
• Dutch humor is subtle rather than slapstick.
• The Dutch speak directly and use a lot of eye contact. To a foreigner, them may appear abrupt, but it is just their manner of communicating.
• Do not call the Netherlands "Holland." Holland is a region within the Netherlands.
• Smoking is prohibited in many areas. Always ask before lighting up.
• Stand when a woman enters the room.
• Don’t chew gum in public.
• Do not discuss money or prices or ask personal questions.
• Keep your hands out of your pockets while talking to someone or shaking hands. 

INDIAN CELEBRATIONS IN MALAYSIA

In the previous post, we have done with the religion and faith of Indian in Malaysia. Now let’s get started! Anybody here who is interested to know about their fun festivals?

1) Diwali

Hindus all over the world will celebrate Diwali. Diwali or also known as Deepavali or the festival of lights symbolizes the victory of good over evil and is celebrated in the seventh month of the Hindu calendar. This is usually in October or November. Literally, Deepavali is the original name from Sanskrit, and it means row of lamps. Diwali is the contraction of the original name Deepavali and may have been simplified during the British Rule of India. In Malaysia, Deepavali for 2014 will fall on 22nd October instead of 23rd October as announced earlier.

Typically, on the eve of Diwali, offerings and prayers will be made to ancestors and deceased family members. On Diwali or Deepavali morning, waking up before sunrise, Hindu will then do the herbal oil bath ritual where oil is applied on heads and then a bath is taken. This ritual known as ‘ganga snanam’ is the cleansing of impurities of the past year. Prayers are held at the family altar, or they may go to the temples for the Thanksgiving prayers. Diwali being a festival of lights symbolizing the victory of good over evil will have their homes decorated with oil lamps. Burning the oil lamp throughout the day as well as into the night is believed to ward off darkness and evil. The doorways will be hung with torans of mango leaves.

The entrances to their homes will be adorned with ‘kolam’, an intricate design using rice flour and are believed to invite prosperity to the home.

Beautiful one, isn't it? 

2) Thaipusam

Generally, Thaipusam is a holy festival celebrated by Hindus of Tamil origin from South India, as a thanksgiving to their diety, Lord Subramaniam (also known as Lord Muruga). It is perhaps the most elaborate and spectacular of all the Hindu festivals, mainly due to the combination of what seems like a painful body piercing and a religious practice.

During the day of Thaipusam, devotees who have made their vows and prayers to Lord Subramaniam will subject themselves to sacrificial acts in exchange for an answered prayer. The devotees have, in the past asked for help, such as to get well or to recover from their sickness, seeking forgiveness for past misdeeds, childless couple asking for baby etc. In return they proposed to do a sacrificial act if the request is fulfilled. This sacrificial act could be carrying kavadi weighing several pounds which is attached to the body by skewers and hooks, that pierce through the body.This is usually undertaken by the really serious Thaipusam pilgrims and are usually by men.

A man is carrying kavadi.

In Kuala Lumpur, Thaipusam has become an almost national seat for Poosam celebrations. The venue of the Kuala Lumpur celebrations is a picturesque shrine right inside a cave that lies many feet above the ground, and can only be approached by a steep climb. This place, known as Batu Caves, is about eight miles from the city, and a chariot procession carrying the image of the deity to and from the place adds to the color and gaiety of the festival. Crowds from all over the country throng to the cave, including people of all classes and groups. It is above all a day of penance, on which all kinds of vows are fulfilled. A 42.7m high statue of Lord Murugan was built at Batu Caves and was unveiled in January 2006, having taken 3 years to construct.

Batu Caves - a place where there celebrate Thaiposam

3) Pongal

Pongal, literally means "boiling over" is celebrated by Tamils all over the world as a thanksgiving for a good harvest, and not just in India. Indians of Tamil origin that had migrated to other parts of the world, including Malaysia, continue to observed this festival with little changes to those observed in India. The main celebration is to let the rice boil over with milk in a clay pot. This will imply future fortune for the family. Moreover, The Pongal festival is held through the first four days of the Thai month (Tamil month) and is usually in mid-January. This Thai month is considered the luckiest month of the year by the Tamil Indians.

Bhogi, first day of Celebration

The first day of the celebration is known as Bhogi and is the prelude to the next three days of festivities.It is a day of purification for the soul and mind and this is done by taking an oil bath using sesame seed oil.Then old clothes and unused stuffs are thrown away and burnt. This basically marks the start of a new beginning. The devotees will then offer their prayers to the rain God, Indra. This is either done at homes or temples.

Pongal Day, Second Day of Celebration

The second day is the `Pongal' day and is celebrated by offering prayers to the Sun God, Surya. Tamil devotees will go to temples and recite prayers, to thank the Sun God for a good harvest. On this second day, they will also be cooking special dishes to offer to the deities. Sweet rice known as 'Pongal' will be cooked in a new clay pot, with fresh turmeric and ginger tied around it. As the rice boils over and foams out of the clay pot, the Tamil devotees will shout "Pongalo Pongal". Watching the rice boils and foams out of the pot is a good omen as it means 'good blessing' and prosperity.

Once the Pongal is ready, it will be offered to the Sun God, Surya, in gratitude for the blessings given. Indian sweets, sugar cane, spices, etc. will also be part of the offerings to the deity. They will later eat these offerings as an act of cleansing themselves of their past sins. Although Pongal is a harvest festival, Malaysian Tamils are not farmers. It is a tradition and believes that were brought over when they migrated from South India.

http://greatstuff.hubpages.com/hub/What-is-Diwali-Travel-to-Malaysia-and-celebrate-Diwali

http://greatstuff.hubpages.com/hub/Thaipusam-Celebration-in-Malaysia

http://greatstuff.hubpages.com/hub/Pongal-Celebration-in-Malaysia

RELIGIOUS AND FAITH OF INDIANS IN MALAYSIA

Before I start with numerous interesting Indian festivals, first of all I would like to begin with the religion and faith of Indians in Malaysia. In the Indian community, which is mostly consists of Tamils, Malayalees, and Telugus; Hinduism is the main faith, followed by Christianity, Buddhism, Jainism and Islam.

The practice of Hinduism in the Malay Peninsular rose with the first wave of people that arrived from the Indian subcontinent during the reign of the Chola King, Rajaraja Chola. Hinduism is the most practiced religion amongst the Tamils, including both the major Hindu and Tamil pantheon of deities. 

On the other hand, Christianity is practiced by a substantial minority of Tamil people and they belong to many different denominations. Christianity has been in Tamilakkam or the Tamil nation since the time of St. Thomas, an apostle of Christ. The Marthoma Church of Kerala traces its roots from this period. After him, came the Portuguese who introduced Catholicism, then the British who introduced the Protestant denominations. In Malaysia, most of the Indian Christians are Catholic, Anglican, Methodist, Lutheran and Evangelical. Amongst the Malayalee community, Catholicism and the Marthoma Church are particularly strong.

On top of that, Sikhism is practiced by many Punjabis. Most of the Indian Muslim community has been absorbed into the larger Malay community due to their common religious background, with a substantially high level of assimilation and intermarriage between the communities, rendering the estimated 200,000 figure for the Indian-Muslim community to be generally understated. In Malaysia, Tamil Muslims are often referred to as 'Mamaks' while Malayalee Muslims are known as 'Kakas' or 'Malabaris'.

 That's all for their religion. Stay tuned for more info regarding their festivalsssssss :) 

Dutch Culture (The Netherlands)

The Dutch use Nederlandse cultuur and Hollandse cultuur to describe their culture.


The English word "Dutch" derives from the German deutsch ("German"). "Dutch" referred originally to both Germany and the Netherlands but came to be restricted to the people and language of the Netherlands when that country became independent in the seventeenth century. "Holland" and "the Netherlands" often are used as synonyms even though "Holland" refers only to the provinces North and South Holland.

The Netherlands does not have a strong uniform national culture. Most Dutch people reject the notion and consider it to be tainted with an unacceptable form of nationalism. Instead, they emphasize the country's cultural diversity, tolerance of difference, and receptiveness to foreign influences. Nevertheless, the Randstad culture has been hegemonic in the Netherlands because of the concentration of political, economic, and cultural power in that densely populated region.
The official language of the Netherlands is Standard Dutch. This language is used in all official matters, by the media, and at schools and universities. Dutch closely resembles German in both syntax and spelling. It freely borrows words and technical terms from French and especially English.


Dutch culture, or the culture of the Netherlands, is diverse, reflecting regional differences as well as the foreign influences thanks to the merchant and exploring spirit of the Dutch and the influx of immigrants. The Netherlands and Dutch people have played an important role for centuries as a culturally liberal and tolerant centre, with the Dutch Golden Age regarded as the zenith.

Reference
http://www.everyculture.com/Ma-Ni/The-Netherlands.html

Museum Orang Asli (type of houses)

Salaam all. Hope you had a great week like I did! Last Wednesday, the class went to the Museum Orang Asli Gombak. The museum was only a few minutes drive and we spent around 2 hours there. We started with an introduction on the history of the museum and the Orang Asli. We learnt that there are many tribes of Orang Asli and that not all of them are from Malaysia. Some of them travelled to Malaysia from neighboring countries long time ago. It was very interesting for me as a Singaporean to know that they have their own practice and beliefs that I have never heard before such as moving out and finding a new place to stay after someone have died, burying their favorite possession with them when they die and having a grave of only around 3 feet deep (woods will be burned on top of the grave to deter wild animals from approaching). We then toured the museum and read about the functions and uses of the display. Here’s a few pics on the types of houses they live in. Enjoy!

House of Semai Tribe

Pisang Sesikat House of Semai Tribe

Long House of Orang Asli Temiar Tribe

Traditional House of Semelai Tribe

Traditional House of Orang Asli

Prepared by: Nur Syafiqah Hussin

Pakistan, The land of purity and dreams~

Pakistan, the land of purity and dreams. Where each day the sun rises to mark a new beginning. It came into being on the 14th of August 1947.A land built on a vision seen by our beloved leader, Quaid-e-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah. Pakistan is the first region of south Asia to receive the full impact of Islam and develop an Islamic identity.

Any culture comprises of the virtues and codes that retain in any particular nation, which become the traditional value of that nation. Every country has its own culture. In Pakistan, we come across many different cultures which depict us as a nation. Our culture is a mixture of different provinces and tribes, for instance, Sindh,Punjab,NWFP and Balochistan. Either it is a food or a dress code, Pakistani culture is of its supreme quality.If we travel around the country, we could easily find the conventional values. Pakistani traditional food is famous throughout the world. Punjab is the heart of cultural values. Central Punjab is a hub for traditional food.There is many historical places in Pakistan which depict the traditions of Mughal era. In Pakistan different parts lave different physical features and climates. Hence cultured differences found between the people of hills and land. The national dress of the Pakistan is shalwar qameez for both men and women. There is two type of version of shalwar qameez are available one is light cotton version for summer and second one is heavier wool version for winter, the other dresses are sherwani and achkan.

We relish four different seasons in an year-a blessing only few countries enjoy.With fruits ,flowers and aroma of every season, one is never bored even living at one place .That one place sees intense heat, cold as well as copious rain and leaf fall.In northern areas, there are spell-binding sceneries of world famous, snow-covered mountains such as K-2. So, are the waterfalls, fruit and flower gardens , unique traditions of tribes practised from centuries and local cottage industries where products are made for export purpose . The enthralling environment attracts one like a magnet.These areas seem to be a part of paradise on Earth.People visit these areas from every corner of the world and become awe-inspired by the breath-taking views.

Whether this is a topographical, drainage, weather, architectural or traditional. A story is hidden behind each.Diversity is what makes it charming.To let the real beauty reach you ,you should, yourself approach it -one must visit the one and the only Pakistan.From Gilgit to Gwadar, every street and corner will speak for itself.

Indian Classical Dance

Hi everyone! Today I'm going to write on indian classical dance. We have all seen the beautiful dance and colourful costumes indians wear during functions and performances, especially if you are one of those Bollywood junkies (you know what I'm talking about)! Dance is a part of Indian culture. Considering the vast land and huge population, India has many types of dance to offer. Today I will expose you to six most important classical dance.

The first type of dance is the Odissi. Odissi originated from eastern India. It is one of the oldest dance in India and is usually performed by women. The dance involves complex and expressive movements with over 50 hand gestures. Can you believe it!

The second type of dance is called the Kuchipudi from sountheastern India. This dance is a form of ritual that is used together with holy water and burning incense to invoke the goddesses. What's interesting about this dance is that not only should you have a talent in dancing, you should also have a talent in singing.

The third dance is Manipuri. This dance usually depicts scenes from the life of god krishna and is accompanied by narrative and choral singing. Female dancers moves gracefully with their arms and hands while male dancers have more forceful movements. 

The fourth dance is called the Kathak, which is a dance from north India. It is ofern performed by both men and women. The footworks are complicated and are accompanied by the sound of bells worn around the ankles. It was created by Kathakas, professional storytellers who used a mixture of dance, song and drama. 

The fifth dance is called Kathakali and it comes form southwestern India. It is a religious dance that often narrates the life Ramayana and Shaiva. It is performed by boys and men even for the female roles. Dancers wear thick makeup and huge headdresses. 

The last dance is called Bharatanatyam. It was founded in Tamil Nadu and is used to tell religious stories and devotions. Legs are bent, feet move at rhythmic paces and hand gestures are used in this dance.

That's it for now! Next time you see an indian dance you can name the dances and share the knowledge with your family and friends.