Our neighbor has arrived yesterday from her 35-day vacation in the Philippines and she has brought something for us! We were having our lunch when her husband knocked at our door and gave us this sweet thing,  kamote chips, moron  and,  I do not know the name of this brown one (actually my first time to ate this).

Kamote is the term used in the Philippines for Sweet Potato. But unlike the sweet potato that is available here in the market, their kind of potato is, best for chips! Moron is another delicacy from the Philippines made from grind glutinous rice, sugar, coconut milk, peanuts , chocholate, wrapped in banana leaves and boiled to cook. 

How sweet of them to remember us and gave us this present. But then, more than just being neighbors we are sisters in faith! I remember when we went for Hajj  last year, it was also Sis. Mariam and her husband who assisted us in the hospital for vaccine injections of Meningococcemia and Flu which were required for a pilgrim.

Jazaakallaahu khayran, sister! 

An Islamic custom started fourteen centuries ago practised by the Prophet of Islam and still practised by Muslims up to now than when someone does good to you, you will not say 'Thank you' which has no deeper meaning than 'thanks to you'. But we, Muslims say: "Jazaakallaahu khayran" which means, "May Allah reward you with good".




*An-Nisaa

Have yet to taste a Moringa-milk shake? I came from a country where Moringa trees are rampant but it is only here in Saudi Arabia that I have tasted a Moringa shake. This kind of shake is like any of your favorite milk-shakes in preparation. You just mix the Moringa leaves, milk, sugar, and water. If you want a twist of taste, you can  add berry, guava, banana, mango or any fruit you like. For the benefit of those readers who are not familiar of this Moringa, I have searched some information from the net...

Moringa Oleifera is a popular tree called “Malunggay” in the Philippines, and “Sajina” in the Indian Subcontinent. Many Asians use the leaves of Moringa like spinach and also the fruit it produces as a vegetable, like asparagus. Both the leaves and the fruits are very nutritious, which contain vitamins like Vitamin C and other minerals. For centuries, people in India, Philippines, Malaysia and Thailand have been eating these leaves as part of their food.

Moringa, also known as Miracle Tree, is a multipurpose plant, as the leaves, pods, fruits, flowers, roots and bark of the tree can be utilized. Scientific research confirms that these humble leaves are a powerhouse of nutritional value. Gram for gram, Moringa leaves contain:
                     
                                7 x the Vitamin C of oranges 

                                4 x the Vitamin A of carrots  

                                4 x the Calcium of milk (with no
                                 lactose)

                                3 x the Potassium in bananas

                                2 x the Protein of yogurt

Individuals ingesting it say that their ulcers are healed, tumors are restricted, and there are reduction in the arthritis pains and inflammations. Another property of Moringa leaf is its soothing ability, because of which it can lower the blood pressure and promotes good sleep. 

I advice all sisters out there to start a healthier lifestyle for longer life inshallah, and try this drink instead of giving your family, especially your kids, drinks that are artificially flavored which are packed with artificial preservatives that can pose great risks to health. We should take care of our body as it has a right over us and one way to do that is to eat foods that are healthy and to eat in moderation. In one hadith, it says:

The Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) once asked a companion: "(Is it true) that you fast all day and stand in prayer all night?" The companion replied that the report was indeed true. The Prophet then said: "Do not do that! Observe the fast sometimes and also leave (it) at other times. Stand up for prayer at night and also sleep at night. You body has  right over you, your eyes has a right over you and your wife has a right over you."
 -Sahih Al-Bukhari, Volume 7, Hadith 127 


 
*An-Nisaa




References: 
1. http://malunggay.com
2. www.edlagman.com./moringa/moringa-health 
3. http://leafpower.wordpress.com/moringa-benefits/

Kebab is one of my favorite Arabian food, just the mention of it now makes me hungry!  Searching the net, this is what I have found out...
 
Kebab is a wide variety of meat dishes originating in Persia (Iran) later on adopted by the Middle East, Turkey and Asia Minor, and now found worldwide. In the Middle East, kebab includes grilled, roasted, and stewed dishes of large or small cuts of meat, or even ground meat. The traditional meat for kebab is lamb but now any kind of meat can be used even fish and other sea foods... and even vegetables!

The origin of kebab may lie in the short supply of cooking fuel in the Near East which made the cooking of large foods difficult. The phrase is essentially Persian in origin and Arabic tradition has it that the dish was invented by medieval Persian soldiers who used their swords to grill meat over open-filled fires. Excavations held in Akrotiri on the Greek island of Santorini by professor Christos G. Doumas, unearthed stones sets of barbecue for skewers used before the 17th century BCE.

Now every culture has its own version of kebab cooked on a stick or a skewer. From the Persian kebab to the Spanish Pinchos to the Indonesian satay, you can find many a variant. There are innumerable varieties of kebabs to suit every palate, shish kebabs and doner kebabs are among the most popular ones. The manner of cooking them and the spices used in the flavoring of the meat varies between different regions and cultures.

In our family, we have also our own version of Kebab termed as ' Kebab a la Don'.  Inshallah, on my next post I can share it with you, but for now I have to convince my husband to share his secret with us.


*An-Nisaa



(source: www.wikipedia.org)