Abrams Family World Travel

Kuala Lumpur: Breakfast Tales

WE aren't the kind of family that eats the usual eggs, bacon, sausage and toast breakfast. Nor do either of my children know what Cocoa Krispies, Frosted Flakes or even Weetabix are.

We seem to fall into a routine breakfast that is location-dependant. In Croatia it was heaping large amounts of watermelon. In Argentina we had fruit salads with tahini-honey dressing and bee pollen.

Brazil brought us chia seed/banana pancakes at first before we evolved to mouth-watering chocolate pudding with homemade granola. In India we all loved a good masala dosai and in England Zenchai always started his day with his grandmere's homemade bread followed by a (vegan) protein shake (we use the Sunwarrior brand). 

Since being in Kuala Lumpur our accomodation has been diverse, sometimes having a kitchen and sometimes not. When we didn't have a kitchen we ate masala dosai or fruits, then when we had a well-appointed kitchen, I made granola and smoothies (almost every store-bought variety of cereal is sugar-coated or well overpriced). Now we have a kitchen, but it is pretty lame. 

When we lived back London I used to make a scrummy, nutritious chia seed pudding. Zenchai used to lap it up. So I pulled out all the stops and created a travelling rendiditon of it. Fortunately, the stores here have a huge variety of health foods, so it was pretty easy.

However, I haven't used chia seeds even though they sell them here. Instead, I use Thai sweet basil seeds (we have some leftover from our last trip here), which react the same as chia.

Kuala Lumpur Breakfast of Champions:

2-4 TBS Thai sweet basil seeds or chia seeds

water or nut milk (enough to cover the seeds)

1/4 - 1/2 C coconut milk (depending on how coconutty you like it)

splash vanilla essence

dribble maple syrup or honey (optional)

one chopped banana

2-4 dates

chopped brazil nuts

dried mulberries

goji berries

Here is the skinny:

Pour the water or nut milk over the seeds, add the vanilla and maple syrup. Stir until well combined. Then add the coconut milk, stir well and place in fridge for 5-10 minutes. While the seed mixture is in fridge you can chop the banana, brazil nuts and dates. When the fridge time is up, add the remaining goodies. Spoon into mouth. Smile, it tastes naughty but it is packed with nutrition.

 

World Travel: Nuts For Coconuts

WHAT I missed most when back in England recently - and since leaving the tropics - is access to fresh coconuts.

They now sell packaged coconut water in western cities, but it's not the same as cracking one open straight from the tree, drinking the water and scooping out the flesh.

The packaged water doesn't taste quite the same, despite claims it is 100 per cent coconut water.

But there can be no denying the high nutritional and medicinal value of the coconut, partially processed or otherwise.

Although coconuts here in India so far haven't been up to quite the same standard we had a plentiful access to in Brazil last year, on hot days - and it's around a constant 34 degrees this time of year in Kerala - it's the best thing to drink to rehydrate.

In Piracanga, Brazil, Zenchai and I often used to set off in the morning with a wheelbarrow and return about 30 minutes later with it loaded with delicious coconuts. I'd cut them down and he'd push the barrow. 

Browsing a newspaper just the other day made me realise how special this nut is. I came across an advert for coconuts, listing its many qualities.

Coconuts are natural, packed with vitamins and minerals, have more potassium than most sports energy drinks and contain natural sugars.

The most amazing endorsement for coconut water, though, is the fact that during the Pacific War (1941-45) coconut water was used regularly, taken directly from the nut for emergency plasma transfusions on wounded soldiers!

With a blender, you can mix the flesh and water to make coconut milk, which has less fat than animal milk and no cholesterol. Coconut milk is used widely here in southern India in cooking as well as drinks (smoothies etc).

We often used the flesh to make puddings - which is a great way to ensure children get a regular intake of quality food. 

The flesh can also be eaten raw. Generally, the older the coconut the thicker the pulp, but less tasty the water. Sometimes you can find coconuts with perfect tasting water and nice flesh, too.

Luckily, our children love both the flesh and water. And here in southern India it's also ridiculously cheap - just R20 (about 35 pence).

 

Piracanga: Vegan Breakfast Chocolate Mousse

When we first arrived in Piracanga in January, our staple breakfast was pancakes. However, we found that the pancakes not only took a lot of time to prepare each morning, but also we wanted some variety.

We came up with vegan chocolate mousse, which is not just delicious, but really easy to make if you have a decent blender.

The ingredients we use can be varied, but the base is fresh coconut (water and flesh), giant avocado, one or two ripe bananas and chocolate powder (cacau em po).

Usually, though, I throw in a ripe mango and/or a papaya and even a few drops of honey.

I blend it in stages, starting with the coconut water and flesh with bananas, then add the mango/papaya and blend. Then I add the avocado and chocolate and blend again until smooth.

We're lucky enough to have coconuts growing on trees all around us. If you can't get coconut, instead use less water and more bananas to get a thicker consistency with the avocado. You can always throw in some dates for sweetening instead of honey.

We top it off with some homemade granola, which consists of rolled oats, hard coconut flesh, raisins, dates (if we can get them), sliced ginger and toasted sesame seeds. If we can find nuts, like almonds, we add these, too. 

It makes for a great breakfast (especially the amounts we consume) - it's pretty healthy - and holds us all over until lunchtime. 

 

Piracanga: Drink, Gulp, Slurp

We have been getting a weekly fruit and veg box delivery. Sometimes the produce arrives a little worse for wear. In an effort to not waste anything this smoothie was created. It has quickly turned into Claude's favourite beverage.

Drink, Gulp, Slurp Smoothie Ingredients:

1 Papaya (small to medium)

1 Pineapple (small, or half of a large one)

1 Maracuya (large passionfruit)

chunk of ginger, to taste

Place all ingredients in a blender and whip until creamy smooth.

Drink, gulp, slurp and enjoy!