Yam Porridge

If you aren't Nigerian and are yet to try this dish, please hurry.... It's none other than yam porridge.

Ingredients:
- Yam
- Palm oil
- Tomato purée
- Pumpkin leaves (ugwu)
- Spring onion leaves
- Onions
- Dried fish or meat (optional)
- Crayfish
- Seasoning cubes

- Salt

                             I like to cut the yam into bite size cubes                          Spring onions leaves

Thoughts on humanitarian action...

Humanitarian action normally has the aim to save lives, reduce suffering, poverty and help to maintain human dignity. Well, that's the summary for me from working in the humanitarian field.

I've noticed that when humanitarian action is mentioned, just like development assistance, it is mostly tailored to the Middle East, Africa and in some cases, South America. A good number of the organisations leading in this field are from Western countries, these countries would like to save the world albeit being wishful thinking.

All humanitarian assistance is worthy and directly impacts lives. I can say that for a fact as I work in that area. The joy derived from witnessing the emotions of a beneficiary is PRICELESS!

However, in the light of recent attacks, it is slowly dawning on everyone that nowhere in the world seems to be safe these days... There have been constant attacks by armed groups in different parts of the world and the Western countries are targets for various reasons.

Some of the "holy wars" that are being fought might not make sense to some of us, but the ones in it are willing to die for the cause for which they fight. Unfortunately, we all are caught up in it - innocent, guilty, old and young, every living thing!

More fun in Phuket, Thailand April 2015

 

We landed in Phuket and our driver greeted us warmly. We decided to try staying in a hostel, more my suggestion, my travel buddy wasn't keen.  From questions we asked the driver, we found out that although Patong beach is in Phuket, it was not so much in Central Phuket so we already knew that we would not stay long in the hostel. We checked out a few hotels before setting out as we wandered around Phuket city. We only spent one night there.

We took a trip to the famous Patong beach, so many activities were going on around there - that was where we wanted to be! We went to one of the hotels we checked online, we had a look and were convinced, so we made payments for the rest of our stay in Phuket. We were picked up with our belongings from the hostel the next morning.

Depending on where you might like to stay, this worked for us. Bangla road is where everything happens, the road that doesn't sleep! We didn't want to be right in the middle of the noise so we stayed at Larn Park Resortel which was a fifteen minute walk to Patong beach and Bangla road. There was also a pool to return to which was great! We did so much in Phuket so there will be more photos than writing.

Potato stir fry - lunch ideas for a child

I missed last week...I apologise.

A friend who has a young son sent me a message to ask for ideas on how to prepare potatoes for lunch for her son to take to school. My first question was, is he a lover of vegetables? She said he eats it but it's not his favourite.
Well I told her that you can't go wrong with potatoes, it can be prepared in so many ways.

I have made this dish at different times and it's so easy to prepare. So without thinking hard, it was my suggestion to her:

Ingredients:
- Potatoes
- Butter
- Carrots
- Green beans
- Green and red bell peppers
- Onions
- Garlic
- Salt
- Seasoning cubes (optional)
- Turmeric
- Sausages

Please note - Some ingredients are optional/can be substituted, and should be what your child/you might like.