Malaysian sambal paste recipe

Just finished crawling the web for some Malaysian recipes. What a selection! I noticed many dishes call for a sambal paste. Absent it, they recommend sriracha chili sauce. I love my Malaysian food. Much of my Malaysian childhood memories revolved around food. The authentic smells and tastes of the hawker stalls. Time spent in the kitchen watching my mom laboriously compose her dishes. I say compose because that it what it was: no shortcuts were taken. Long, arduous steps were completed to ensure an authentic taste. For me, using sriracha seems easy, but I quite certain it cannot substitute for the aromatic taste of authentic Malaysian sambal paste. Without further ado, my authentic, tested and revered sambal paste recipe:

Ingredients


(1) Dried red chillies: I do not know the exact amount, as I do not have a bag handy. Soon as I head to a chinese store I will update this. I usually used enough to half fill a dutch oven (about the same amount as a large chicken).

(2) 2 large red onions

(3) 5 pieces of garlic

(4) A heaping tablespoon of tamarind paste

(5) 2 heaping tablespoons of belacan: add more for an authentic fish flavor

(6) White sugar

(7) Ajinamoto (msg): optional


Steps


* I highly recommend cooking this outdoors, or in a spacious kitchen with a powerful fan, windows and one which you can handle dirtying. This will me a messy process (but it is so worth it!)

(1) Soak all the chillies for 5 hours. If there is sediment, it will sink to the bottom of the bowl. Discard sediment.

(2) Chop onions and garlic. Size does not matter: as long as it fits into the blender.

(3) Some like to de-seed the chillies. I choose to keep them. Depends on your spice tolerance and how hot the chillies are.

(4) Place chillies, onions and garlic into blender. Blend into a paste and place into cooking pot. You will likely have to blend multiple times for large batches. Try to strike a balance between water and thickness. You need enough water for it to liquefy, but not too much to make it thin. Also, add 1/8 teaspoon of cooking oil to each blender load to help slice the seeds.

(5) On a hot pan, toast the belacan. Toast until it is crumbly. This is a very smelly process. Open all windows and crank that exhaust fan to maximum. Conversely, cook outside and watch your neighbors frantically searching for the dead rat.

(6) When belacan is toasted, grind it in a pestle. Set aside.

(7) Place tamarind in a bowl and add about 1/8 cup of water. With your fingertips, mix tamarind with water to create a paste. Set aside.


(8) Place crock pot (with blended paste in it) on medium-high fire. At this point, you will evaporate as much water as possible. This is where the messiness comes in. The paste will bubble, and little pops will splatter it. You can cover it. I have never had a clean experience with this.

(9) When the paste is as dry as possible (without burning it), add about 1/2 to 1 cup of oil. I like to add extra oil: there is something special about that red, spicy oil on my fingertips. The oil also helps to preserve the paste.

(10) At this time, add toasted belacan, tamarind water, 3 heaping tablespoons of sugar, a teaspoon of salt and  1/8 teaspoon of msg.

(11) Fry the paste (over medium-meduim/high heat). Stir constantly. You will start noticing a gradual change in colour. Some of the paste will begin taking on a darker red hue (almost purple). This is very good.

(12) Keep frying until the paste is completely dark red/purple, and the oil begins to pool around the edges.  Voila!
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I usually freeze about half the paste for winter. I place the rest in a jar and refrigerate. The versatility of this paste is amazing:

* Whenever I make fried rice or noodles, I put about a tablespoon of this paste while frying for a super kick.

* Sambal is extremely easy: fry onions, add paste, prawns (or anchovies), sugar and cook. Done within minutes.

* I even use it to flavor food (like sriracha sauce).

Please share how this recipe turned out for you. It has given me many warm nights during the cold Canadian winters.

Americans and "small government"

I'm a voracious news consumer. Some have their daily Sudoku...I have my daily news...from at least 4 different sources. I know my news. I can spot trends, directions, even subtle political overtones. I've even honed my ability to discern actual news  and those sponsored/supported/for a sub-group (business etc). Since this mighty recession hit, I've noticed "small government" lately...a lot. Especially since the Tea Party domination in November. The concept is easy enough to understand. But what I am really perplexed about: why is it so popular among Americans...even with all the shadowy influences behind it's sponsors, and how it seems to serve the upper class (in my opinion).

I recall an article about a town in Colorado, suffering from the tightening noose of budgetary constraints. It was about the cuts the government undertook. These included a reduction of the police force, and even rolling blackouts of street lights. Naturally, many residents expressed alarm over security concerns. Yet, the government was not able to raise taxes to cover the gap, as the area's voters stringently believe in small government. Is it just me, or does it seem ridiculous these voters would endanger their civic and personal safety just to have small government?

The Tea Party sweep is another head scratcher. We have this devastating recession, proudly presented by our neighborhood Wall Street bankers. The conditions began ripening years ago, beginning with Regan and his "government is bad for business" mantra. Then comes the repeal of Glass-Stegall, Greenspan, Clinton, Bush, Summers....the list of deregulation  goes on. Anyways, public knowledge is Republicans are all for business and deregulation. Common knowledge sees the crisis came from overzealous deregulation. Millions of jobs and homes were lost. Lives torn apart, destitution abounded...almost the financial armageddon. And what do the voters do: they elect these same guys! Of course, political pundits will say it was a vote against Obama, rather than for them. Hello! You just handed them decision making powers again!Has anyone ever taken the time to read their platform? Global warming is a hoax? Regulation is bad? How can so many voters be so short sighted?

Lately; I've been reading of all the deep, deep cuts governments at all levels are making, particularly to the school system.  Of course...cuts are the ONLY way. Raising taxes is taboo. So, many would rather see the education for their children suffer rather than paying more taxes, or even having the taxes raised on corporations and business.Why not try to balance the budgets with a combination of both? I have no idea what goes through the minds of American voters. It seems they would rather see their communities rot than pay another cent of tax. Their country and society was built on communal struggle and sacrifice, and yet many are willing to leave their fellow citizens behind. Or course, there is the argument these voters are not as numerous as it appears. But so many congressmen and senators were elected. I am sure many of those who voted would stand to suffer from their platforms. Why vote for a person/party who does not benefit you...but your ultra-rich neighbor?

Is this symptomatic of the "me first" philosophy which pervades the United States? I've encountered the reasoning that the U.S. is a strictly capitalist society, and thus the needs of the individual outweighs that of the masses. Again, this country was built through community. The camaraderie of the Civil War, Emancipation, Civil Rights.  Yet, when politics is involved, so many  have the automatic responses.Maybe I feel this way because where I live, we have excellent social safety nets. Anytime there is a degradation of it, it is noticed. We just had our minimum wage increased after 10 years. In a year, we will jump from the lowest rate to the second highest nationally. It was front page news. It was executed because we were embarassed at having such a paltry wage for our lowest earners, and we made sure our politicians heard our voices. Yes, it may affect business. Yes, it is an example of governments hand in commerce. However, we care about all members of our society. We don't subscribe to the "sink or swim" of life. We prefer the enlightened " everyone comes from different backgrounds, and faces different challenges" view. I, like many residents of B.C., like to see our community cared for. I've always pondered where U.S. society would be with a little more political empathy and concern. It's why I find the U.S. situation so puzzling.

Regardless, I am speaking as an outsider (Canadian). Perhaps if I lived in the U.S. I would better understand.I still remember the front page headline on the British newspaper when W. was re-elected: "How can 55 million Americans be so stupid?" 

Yet another reason why the old Star Wars had the indefinable magic.

I'm watching the Return of the Jedi again. If only I could calculate the number of times I've seen these movies. So, I do not despise the latest Star Wars installments (episodes I - III), but I also feel it does not have the same effect as it's predecessors. Today, I discovered yet another reason why: the Emperor.

Yes, it was the same actor for both sets. However, I look at how the Emperor was introduced in Return of the Jedi. The Death Star is surrounded by ships, large and small. At first glance, it appears like an attack is imminent.The symphony plays, and then it's obvious this is a gala armada. What seems like countless tie-fighters scream past the entrance in harmonic unison. Then I realized: this is probably the entire fleet! The Emperor's transport slowly arrives and docks. The landing pod is filled with soldiers and officers in their regal wear. The red guards proceed down the ramp, and take up positions. Then the mighty Emperor appears. Feeble, cloaked and slow. Yet the atmosphere of respect, awe and fear betray a very mighty presence.

Now, compare this to Vader's arrival earlier in the movie,where  only a small garrison stood at attention for his arrival. That too, only storm troopers.  This is the magic that was missing,where we could infer how powerful and important a scene was, rather than laboriously explained. I always wondered (as a child) how such a physically fragile man ruled the galaxy. The mystery kept me hooked. I always watched, looking for any subtle hints, interpreting wild conclusions based on the tiniest of reasons. I was engaged. I don't find it happens as much anymore. Perhaps I have matured and my brain has changed.Or, perhaps the movie industry has changed, or companies need to pander to the masses with the money (and not necessarily the intelligence). I'm heartened the BBC still produces quality programming.

The minimum wage hike.

After a decade, B.C. has finally hiked the minimum wage, rising from a current $8.00 per hour to $10.25 (within a year). I feel genuinely elated with this political decision. This has not happened for a very, very long time. I can also hear the pundits clawing away at this: "this will cost jobs", "this is not what business needs during a recession" and so on, so forth.You know what fella's....business had a good ride in B.C. for the last 11 years. Money was minted, profits padded and all went home happy. Of course, to raise the minimum wage back then was not prudent, as it could have "adversely affected growth". Is there ever a good time to do it? Business flourished on the backs of the residents, especially our lowest income ones. Their time has come.What can we say about ourselves as a society if we do not take care of each other? We have reached this stage of civility largely through our communal, collective efforts. So, in a nutshell, thank you Christy Clark for this decision! I'm sure Gordon Campbell and his corporate cronies are twisting somewhere. Oh well. Now....how about rolling back that corporate tax reduction?

B.C. Government, B.C.T.F. and negotiations....let the games begin.

The latest collective agreement expires this summer. Noticed a piece in the news today of the initial stalemate between the B.C. Teachers Federation and the B.C. government as negotiations commence. This is not novel. Or unique. I'd stretch and assume this was expected by a great many people. What I found particularly interesting was the public comments, for and against. As a teacher, I'm quite amazed at the political currents this profession has. I'm especially troubled because a profession for the children has been subsumed by adults. With all the information, rhetoric and news commensurate with politically charged happenings, I'd like to share my views on this entire affair, as a teacher, tax paying citizen and news junkie.

The Profession


I personally find employment as an elementary school teacher painfully conflicting. I work in the largest district in B.C. (yeah I know....no mystery there!) It is also a district of contrasts and change, spanning areas of indulgent wealth to debilitating poverty. 15 minutes in car can take you from rich mansions, hockey moms and private tutoring to daily McDonalds, street survival and things children should not have to face in their daily lives. Naturally, it is easy to discern the challenges a teacher here faces.I have worked at an inner-city school (low income, aka "ghetto"). What a challenge!

In addition to imparting knowledge, I had to deal with disruptive behaviors from students. Not their fault. For many, I was the only stable adult in their lives. In between mom's carousel of boyfriends and constant moving, I was the face who was there, at least for 10 months. Yet, when one does not receive love or affirmation at "home", you will seek it from a caring adult. Somehow. And, you must test to ensure this adult will not turn his back on you when you are "bad". So you make ill decisions, to prod and test this adult, to make sure they do care for you. Picture this in a classroom setting. 29 students, 4 whom I would place in the above category. 15 who are refugees, hailing from countries and wars where they have witnessed un-fathomable atrocities. Oh, and did I mention an E.S.L. rate running at about 90%? Our textbooks were useless: they did not understand the language, let alone the information. This was my inner-city experience.

This year, I am at an upper middle-class school, complete with hockey moms, hot daily lunches delivered, ample tutoring support and expensive clothing.  My challenges are different. I face over-bearing parents, who strangely speak with the accrued wisdom of what seems like years and years of teaching experience, though possessing zilch. My biggest challenge is compensating for the lack of quality education they have received in previous years? What? How? Here is the dirty little secret: veteran teachers love these cushy schools, ones without heavy challenges. Unfortunately, many veteran teachers are also wedded to what worked for them....20 years ago. Some are just too burnt-out to place a meaningful effort, and some are jaded. Not to paint all veteran teachers with a single stroke: a large majority are amazing. So, as you can tell: challenges are everywhere.

Why the conflict? It is the headwind I face daily. The B.C.T.F. talks about class size issues. I feel that is a legitimate concern. My personal philosophy is simple: every child must leave my classroom with a strong understanding of the concept. This requires ample individual attention and assessment. The task becomes harder and harder with each new student in the classroom. Our time in a school year is finite. Between lessons, assignments, marking, adjustments, planning, assemblies, report cards (and the list goes on), time for individual attention is scarce. This does not include dealing with special needs children. Their behavioral and academic needs can be massive drains on a teacher. The s.e.a.'s (teacher's assistant) provided are either minimally enough, or lacking. Their hours are low, and I will not dwelve into the screening process for how some are hired.

Another major hurdle is the prescribed curriculum from the B.C. Ministry of Education. As teachers, we are provided learning outcomes, spanning all areas of the curriculum, which we are expected to accomplish in a year. The link is available here: http://www.bced.gov.bc.ca/irp/welcome.php. Please take a minute to navigate these outcomes. Personally, I think climbing Kilimanjaro would be easier. Back to the point: these learning outcomes are a conglomeration of years and years of additions, with minimal refinements. Classic case of the clog of bureaucracy. "Here are some more outcomes, please somehow find a way to accomplish them." I find the mathematics outcomes symptomatic of this clog. There are far too many. As a teacher, you are faced with two choices: cover all of them glancingly throughout the year, or painfully choose which ones to cover with substance and which to exclude. Unfortunately, decision makers forget, or have not experienced, the classroom realities. For a mysterious reason, the classroom experience is distilled into efficiency when these decisions are made.

I also have other reasons for the conflict, though these are mainly personal. I've attempted to cover the profession aspect as succintly as possible. It's almost like summarizing the Lord of the Rings in 5 pages. Key details must be omitted.. Just like the outcomes for math.


The B.C. Government


Well, specifically, the B.C. Liberals. I have no agenda with them. Politically, I feel they had done a great job in some areas, and a decrepit one in others. Like any other party. I do feel their anti-union, corporate stance has seriously muddled their approach to education.

I cannot blame them for the anti-union stance. Though I am a paying member of the B.C.T.F. (very reluctantly), it's somewhat understandable why the government is adversarial towards them

However, as the ruling party, the Liberals have a duty beyond their core business-first principles. Consistently fighting the B.C.T.F., and now school boards, is not a constructive approach to children's education. Forcing these F.S.A. exams, which supposedly show the effectiveness of individual schools, only furthers the perception of their privatization goals of the education system. Perhaps with a new premier, some changes in tact and approach will follow. Only time will tell!

B.C.T.F.


Where to begin? They represent the teachers. Sotto voce, I'll tell you they represent the interests of a vocal, militant minority of teachers. Unfortunately, our profession is littered with individuals who do not like the confrontation, the fight. Deferement is swift and consistent. Thus, why I feel this union has such a monopoly on the voice of teachers.

Now, the B.C.T.F. has mandated a wage increase and class sizes as the key bargaining points. I cannot comprehend how we can demand a wage increase at a time when jobs are disappearing, revenues are plunging and lives destroyed. I am all for a pay increase, but the optics of the timing of this request is questionable. Again, this wage increase is primarily for the long-serving veteran teachers, who have reached maximum salaries and want more. Pad their upcoming pensions. I feel the time off and shorter working hours more than compensate for the salary.

Students


The unfortunate victims of "collateral damage" in this battle. They remind me of a squirrel caught in the grass in a golf shooting range. At some point, one will hit you. A quick primer on what I have observed of the students I have taught.

The boys are in big trouble. It's common knowledge. For some reason, most of the boys I have encountered have lost that edge to succeed. Far too many are satisfied with less than mediocrity. I am with the rest of society in trying to decipher why this is happening. However, we are losing a key part of society, of our growth as a species and civilization. The male brain brings a type of of unique thinking. When that is depressed, we suffer as a people.

Beyond the boys, all this posturing and negotiating is overlooking strategies and tools we desperately need to develop for the future success of children. We need to allocate our education dollars strategically: more teachers is not the answer. Specialists who can reduce the burden on teachers would be a step. We need something to reverse this slow decline.

My thoughts


 Just in case I have not clarified, I feel I am disillusioned as a teacher. I think I am too much of an idealist. Perhaps I need to embrace the human reality: it may be for the kids, but it is really not for the kids.

Before anyone quickly rushes in to bash the teachers or the government, I wish they'd take the time to see both side of the situation. Some say teachers are over-paid. This is an extremely taxing job. I need to make sure 29 kids are in a mind-frame to learn, while ensuring all behaviors are controlled. I do not have room for tantrums. I must do everything to avoid them, On top of that, I must create engaging lessons to cater to 29 brains. Daily. I also have to handle all reporting and paper work. I am on "presentation mode" all day. Unlike an office job, I do not get the 15 minutes down time to read the news or vegetate. One must experience the mental fatigue from being "on" all day to understand it.

If pay is an issue, look at it this way. Let's pay a teacher $5 for each student, per hour. This is an excellent rate for taking care of the child during the time. As a bonus, learning is included. A super steal of a babysitter! For my class of 29, I will make $145 per hour. I will choose not to pay myself for the lunch & recess break, all preparation and marking time. Or even the time to write reports. I will only pay myself for 8.5 months for fairness. No more spring break and winter break pay. Not even statutory holidays. I still stand to make $141,000 per year, Or, lets cut that hourly rate in half. Make it a paltry (perhaps illegal?) $2.50 per hour. I will still make $70,000 annually. Teachers are by no means overpaid. With the amount of work, mental stress and illnesses we face, I feel we do an amazing job considering the circumstance. Anyways, these are my two limited cents. I have much more to say, but I will save it for the Master's essay. What do you think?

Logic Games Tips

A regular question I receive from clients is : "How do I improve my performance on the Logic Games section?"

(a) The Powerscore Logical Reasoning bible is, by far, the best preparation resource for this section I have encountered thus far. It is intuitive, full of pertinent information and practice to fortify the concepts. Also, it is very easy to read.

(b) A key to success on the section is excellent time management. Many of my clients can easily set up a game, but have difficulty completing on time when completing the questions. This is where inferencing comes in. I advise my clients to always spend a minute or two analyzing the set up and rules and deduce key inferences before starting the questions. On every logic game I have encountered, at least one question can be very easily ( I mean within 5 seconds) answered by the inferences at the start. In fact, though you will spend an extra minute or two in the set up, I have found the net time devoted to the entire game actually decreases when proper inferencing is undertaken. This is because a heavy amount of time is not spent on questions, having to diagram every option.

(c) Sudoku is a great tool to help build and strengthen inferencing skills. Sudoku puzzles, particularly ones of higher difficulty, can only be solved by analyzing the chain of logical outcomes from a placement. This is key, especially for sequencing/ordering games, where placement into a slot can determine what can't and cannot go into other slots. One puzzle a day, gradually increasing in difficulty, should suffice.

(d) Use the most basic, foundational variable of a game as the base for your set up. Examples include days of the week, number of slots, months, floors etc. I have found these always make the game set ups easier and organized.

(e) Another great resource for logic games inferencing and set ups is a book series of logic games available at Chapters. I've included the book title and online ordering information in my blogpost on tips for LSAT success. I complete one Sudoku puzzle and one of these games every day leading up to my LSAT administration, and it was a HUGE help!

I will add more as they come to me. Your comments are always appreciated!

June 2007, Section 4 Question #22 Personal explanation

To avoid raising the ire of the folks at LSAC, I will not quote verbatim the question. However, this full exam is available as a free sample on their website: http://www.lsac.org/JD/pdfs/SamplePTJune.pdf.

(1) I always read the stimulus first before the question. I find my brain is not preoccupied looking for an assumption, principle etc. This not only reduces me overlooking a key word, but I find my critical eye is much stronger when I am not sure what exactly I am looking for.

(2) This is a classic fact-based logical reasoning question. No conclusions. Though difficult at first, these types are actually easier than argument questions when the proper diagrams are utilized.

(3) I will begin with a thorough discussion of the stimulus, questions and answer choices.

And now..........................................................

Stimulus

1st sentence

Quite basic: if the cost of the coffee beans it uses for its products continue to increase, then the Coffee Shop will have to increase prices.

2nd sentence

Here is where it gets interesting. "In that case" means assuming the prices have been increased due to rising prices of coffee beans. This is very important to hold in your mind as you continue reading. Two outcomes of this case is presented. So now, if prices continue increasing, then coffee shop will increase its price, which will either lead to (a) selling non-coffee products or (b) decrease in sales. The chain is beginning to form.

3rd sentence

Here, the stimulus has added a further point to one of the outcomes of a price increase. Another point is added to the chain, but specific ONLY to selling of non-coffee products.

4th sentence

Using "moreover" is the same as "in addition". This is powerful because it is an extension of the previous sentence. Further reading indicates it is a point added to outcome (b) of the second sentence. However, it is written as a contrapositive. The key word is "only if" and "can". The "can" means could, but not guaranteed.Therefore, maintaining coffee sales (not decreasing) becomes a necessary condition for avoiding a drop in overall profitability. Maintaining sales will not guarantee profits will not drop, but, decreasing sales will guarantee profits will drop. With this, we can now graph a chain of the outcomes:

Rise in bean prices --> Rise in product prices --> non-coffee products OR drop in sales ----> drop in profits

A quick glance at this diagram yields a simple but oh so powerful inference: If coffee bean prices continue to increase, no matter which of the two paths the Coffee shop takes to deal with its increase in price, both will lead to a drop in overall profits. Therefore, if you simply remove the middleman, a continuing increase in coffee bean prices will lead to a drop in overall profits.

The Question

Keyword of this question is "follows logically". This means the answer is completely answered by the facts provided in the stimulus. It is an airtight answer which cannot be refuted at all; which is the logical outcome of the facts presented.

Answer Choices

(a) The "a" trap (see my tips for LSAT success post). This is question #22, of the second logical reasoning section. You are beginning to tire, you see the light at the end of the tunnel and are more amenable to picking the first attractive answer. This is a classic LSAT trap. This is not the right answer because it states if there is a decline, then naturally it is caused by rising coffee bean prices. However, this is not an airtight answer. What is to stop somebody from saying "But what if something else caused the decline?". Furthermore, it is a mistaken reversal of the facts.

(b) Again, this is wrong along the same lines as answer choice a. Nowhere does the stimulus say selling non-coffee products or sales decrease are the only causes of an overall decrease in profitability. However, this answer choice makes this mistaken assumption.

(c) Bingo! This is the right answer. Because we critically analyzed the stimulus while reading, and spent an extra 15 seconds creating a chain diagram, the inference was in plain sight. Once you hone your skills from repeated exposure to LSAT questions, these type of questions will likely cost you no more that 30 seconds.

(d) This one is way out in left field. The stimulus provides no evidence that the price for coffee beans is dependent on the Coffee Shop's overall profitability. In fact, the rising price of coffee beans is an independent event which triggers the cascade leading to drop in overall profitability.

(e) This is also a very attractive wrong answer. However, nowhere does the stimulus state a decrease in coffee bean prices will lead to an increase in sales. It only states a rise in coffee bean prices will eventually lead to a decrease in coffee sales. Beware of the classic of flaw of believing the lack something will lead to it's opposite. There is usually a middle ground.

Keys for this question

(i) The answer can be fully defended logically from the stimulus. If there is any holes in the answer, it is the wrong one.

(ii) A rudimentary flow chart is a great tool for diagramming these types of cause/outcomes questions.

(iii) Beware of fatigue or impatience when nearing the end of the exam. The test designers are well aware of this, and seek to exploit it.

I sincerely hope this has been helpful. It is my first attempt at blogging my analysis, and I fully realize there is ample room for improvement. Please leave a comment with feedback. It is very helpful. I am open to possibly analyzing questions submitted by my readers.