Famous Ketoprak in Jakarta!

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 Ketoprak is one of the most famous Indonesian street food dishes in Jakarta, and it’s available throughout the city, often from street food carts. In this video, I went to one of the most famous restaurants in all of Jakarta, known as Ketoprak Ciragil, for a taste of their legendary ketoprak. I arrived quite early, way before any meal rush, and the semi-indoor restaurant was already packed with customers, especially people grabbing takeaway ketoprak to deliver to customers. After navigating my way in, I saw them adding fried tofu, noodles, and a mix of other ingredients, and then mixing in their special peanut sauce, and finally finishing the ketoprak with a fried egg all on top, and a handful of crackers.
The ketoprak was a little sweet, but it was still remarkably delicious. It was such a simple mixture of ingredients, but they all went so well together. What really made the ketoprak at Ketoprak Ciragil for me was the fried egg on top, mixed with the peanut sauce. Along with one of the best versions of ketoprak in Jakarta, the restaurant is also just a pretty cool place to go and hang out for a light meal or snack.

Nasi Goreng: Indonesian Fried Rice

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 Vegan Indonesian Nasi Goreng(Fried Rice)
Serve 6-8
Printable Recipe

Ingredients:
6 cups cooked White Basmati Rice (leftover cold rice)
Note:  If rice is made the same day, put it in the fridge for 3-4 hours before using.
2 cups soy chicken such as Gardein, Soy Curls (rehydrated), or smoked baked tofu, small cubed
1 cup vegan shrimps, diced (optional)
2 cups shelled edamame, thawed
2 1/2 cups shallots or onion, slice thinly
1 - 2 red jalapenos, chopped (reduced or opt out for less spicy)
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 Tbsp. Safflower or Canola Oil
1/4 cup vegetable broth
4 green onions, slice thinly


Sauce/Spices:
6 Tbsp. Sambal Tomat or 3 Tbsp Sambal Oelek/Chili Garlic Sauce
Note:  My sambal tomat is less hot than store-bought sambal.  To reduce heat, cut it in half.
2 Tbsp. Toyomansi or Vegan Fish Sauce replacement or Bragg's Liquid Aminos
5 Tbsp. Kecap manis
1/2 tsp. salt or to taste
1/2 tsp. ground white pepper

Accompaniments:
Veggie Chips or Garlic Chips
Tomato slices
Cucumber Slices
Homemade scrambled tofu (optional)
Brambang Goreng or Fried Shallots

1. Break down the cold rice with fingers so rice is loose and dry.  Make sure that all clumps are broken down. Set aside.
2. Heat wok on top of medium high heat.  Add oil and swirl the oil around to cover wok surfaces.
3. Add shallots/onions.  Stir fry until they are fragrant and limp.  Then add garlic and chopped red chili.
4. Stir fry more until onions/shallots are a bit brown.  Add soy chicken/seitan/soy curls/tofu to the wok.  Add the vegan shrimps, if using. 
5. Stir fry some more and add vegetable broth when things start to stick into the wok.
6. Add sambal, toyomansi/liquid aminos/fish sauce replacement, kecap manis.  Combine with stir fried ingredients. Stir fry until sauce ingredients are combined well with all other ingredients.
7. Gradually add rice and shelled edamame to the work and mix well with the stir fried ingredients in the wok.  Taste and add salt and white pepper.  Add more kecap manis, toyomansi, and sambal if necessary.
8. When everything is combined well and taste delicious.  Mix in the green onions. Combine well and take it off heat.
9. Serve with fried shallots on top and scrambled tofu, tomato slices, cucumber slices, and veggie or garlic chips on the side.
10.  http://spiceislandvegan.blogspot.my/2013/04/vegan-indonesian-nasi-goreng-fried-rice.html

Amazing Betawi Food (WARNING: Stink Beans & Jengkol)

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When I was in Jakarta, along with eating all sorts of regional Indonesian food from around the country, I really wanted to eat a full spread of Betawi dishes, which are the people originally from the Jakarta area.

How to Regrow Hair Naturally

If you really want to know how to regrow hair naturally you must first find out the main source of the problem. Because unless you do, all you will be doing is coming back and forth in between solutions but not really going anywhere. In fact you might up doing just more harm than good.


There are many factors that can attribute to hair recession or massive hair fall and you need to find out which one exactly is responsible for the problem you are having now. Of course male pattern baldness is still the most common cause, but what if you are a woman? This is the reason why you will need to really dig down and see the source of your problem.

Other causes of hair loss may include; severe mental or emotional stress, excessive use of coloring or bleaching agents, traction alopecia or excessive strain on the scalp due to braiding or corn rowing, hormonal changes, alopecia areata or hair loss due to autoimmune diseases, and many more. Each of these conditions will require a different approach in order to achieve success regardless of whether you’re going to be using conventional or natural methods.

The reason why it’s much better to use natural methods as opposed to conventional ones is simple – they’re cheaper, have less to no side effects, and oftentimes more effective. If you’ve been dealing with the problem long enough you’ve probably tried products like, Minoxidil, laser therapy, PUVA or Psoralen Ultra-Violet Radiation, or even Propecia – most, if not all of which, has certain uncomfortable side effects or requires you to continually set time aside for treatment sessions that can also be painful and expensive.

Yes, taking the natural route is much safer but it is not without certain risks as well which is why you will still need to do a bit of research before you try one particular product. But know it or not, you can even actually start the treatment without having to purchase anything. Changing your diet over to low fat high fiber will actually already do a lot in terms of promoting hair renewal and growth. You’ll want to concentrate more on food which contain biotins which plays an important role in maintaining healthy hair as well.

If you are in need of more information regarding how to regrow hair naturally one book that has plenty of information can be found at totalhairregrowth.com and will prove to be of great help to your search.

How can I stop hair loss?

This used to be a question that many dare not ask and many do not want to know the answer to. Because there weren’t a lot of methods back then and the answer that you will most likely get will be “you can’t.” Now however, things are quite different as many of today’s technological advances will be able to offer you a chance to fight back against this dreadful condition.

Before we get on to some of the methods that you use, its best that you understand more about hair loss first and why it’s occurring to you as of the moment. In reality, each and every individual actually loses hair every day. Each person loses anywhere from 50-150 follicles a day and how much they lose will depend on varying conditions. Accelerated hair loss on the other hand can be caused by numerous factors, some of which will include age, genetics, stress, or general health.

Normal hair loss isn’t cause for much concern as your body will be able to grow them back without any problems. Accelerated hair loss on the other hand is a different matter entirely as your body will not be able to keep up in growing the amount of hair that you lose every day.

There are many ways that you will be able to deal with hair loss; some will generally be by using hair growth products while others will utilize more drastic or even painful procedures like hair transplants. Medicated or herbal hair regrow shampoos flood the market each promising significant results. But as promising as this may sound, this also poses another problem – which particular product or method really is effective?

“So how can I stop hair loss?” – If you really want to know how to stop hair loss finding the answer to the question mentioned above therefore, is your first primary concern. Thankfully the internet will be able to provide you with the answers as well.

To really find out if a certain product is effective you can check various sites promoting hair regrowth products and then search the internet for related reviews or customer comments about them. This will give you a better insight on whether the product really is worth your time or not and will prevent you from experimenting with multiple products – a common practice that can even worsen the problem.

Is It Possible To Stop Hair Loss?

Well, in a sense, as technological advancements has already afforded us with so many new information regarding the issue allowing both conventional and natural fields of medication to come up with newer and more effective products and methods that will be able to help us deal with the problem. The issue of “how” however is another matter entirely as it will require you to find out the real source of your problem.

Hair loss doesn’t have a singular or common cause; it differs from one individual to the other and can be brought about by many different factors. In order to stop continual recession of hair, prevent massive hair fall and promote growth, you will need to learn which of the available factors are present in you so that you can create a more directed course of action against the problem.

But aside from the medications or treatments themselves, there are things that you will be able to do which does involve buying or taking anything. Some of these methods include:

Changing your diet:
What you put into your body will also affect how your hair grows (or falls) accordingly. By gradually transitioning over to a low fat high fiber diet and eating more foods containing Biotins for example, you will be able to slow down and stop hair loss while promoting the growth of healthy new ones.

Proper hydration:
Proper hydration is also another important factor that you might want to take note of if you really want to protect hair and prevent them from falling off. Dehydration can result to constipation, eczema, dandruff, wrinkly skin, foul breath, and hair loss. There is a reason why you are recommended to drink 8 glasses of water every day and it should be something that you really need to take seriously if you want to keep your hair thick and healthy.

Hair supplements:
Hair supplements like Ginseng, Horsetail (equisetum), Nettle, Valerian, Zinc, and Saw Palmetto have also been known to be effective in warding off hair loss and promote natural growth. Those mentioned does not even account for half of the natural hair supplements that you will be able to find and purchase as there are so many that can be given.

So is it possible to stop hair loss? Yes! The answers are already within your reach and the sooner you find out what they are the better. If you would like to know more about hair loss and the methods you can use for it, there is one particular book that will be able to teach you all that and it can be found at totalhairregrowth.com, so make sure you check it out as well.

Male Hair Loss Solution

Millions of people all over the world are affected by hair loss, and it’s not only the males that suffer this condition as even females are affected by this problem. What’s sad is that many of the individuals affected by such a condition end up just accepting what is happening to their hair due to lack of information or options.

Living their life hiding under cover from wigs or toupee’s when there are actually better options around the corner waiting for them. For males though losing their hair can be devastating, which is why many are sent scrambling for the next most effective male hair loss solution that they can get their hands on.

There are actually many solutions that you can try if you want to stop your hair from falling out. Now, it’s a very big possibility that some of the methods that will be mentioned here you might have already heard of or even tried before, but, there is also a chance that you might be able to get an idea for an entirely new technique which will be able to help you out as well. So without further ado, here are some of the male hair loss solutions that you can try out:

Block DHT:
DHT is a hormone that is manufactured in the bloodstream due to excesses in the testosterone levels and is the main leading cause of male baldness. Simply put, DHT is a hormone that clings to your hair follicles and kills them – slowly.

At first you won’t be able to feel its effects because it works by slowly thinning out your hair, until eventually you will start to see changes within your scalp until such time that it leaves you bald. There are actually many DHT controlling natural products out there. Saw Palmetto, Nettles, Pygeum, and Pumpkin seed oil – all of these can be good solutions and will be worth your while checking upon them further to verify.

Proper Diet:
Another thing that many tend to miss factoring in where hair loss is concerned is proper diet. What you are eating now can either make the problem a lot better or worse. Aside from eating fresh fruits and veggies, you will also want to hydrate yourself properly in order to eliminate any additional afflictions that might be associated to dehydration which can slow or even prevent your recovery.

Hair Supplements:
There are actually many hair supplement products that you can use to promote natural hair growth and prevent hair loss. Ginseng, Horsetail (equisetum), Nettle, Valerian, Zinc – these products are readily available in the market and the only thing you have to do is pick out which one will work for you best.

The three mentioned above are just for starters as well because there are so many more methods that you will be able to choose from when it comes to male hair loss solution. If you are looking for a definitive guide however, one can be found at totalhairregrowth.com.

Natural Hair Regrowth Treatment

Looking for ideas on natural hair regrowth treatment? Then look no further as this article will provide you with as many possible solutions that you will be able to use in the aims of preventing hair loss. There are actually a lot of safe and effective natural methods that you can try in order to reverse hair loss.

So what are those natural methods? Here are some of them:

Eat your way to better hair:
Hard to believe isn’t it? To think that what you’re actually eating can affect your hair in so many ways, positively and negatively. Want to slow down the process of hair loss and get your hair back to the healthy original state you always remembered it in? Then you might want to start transitioning over to a low fat high fiber diet. Aside from this, you’ll also want to concentrate on foods that contain biotins, which play an essential role in maintaining healthy hair. Fish, cooked eggs, whole milk, and various nuts and fruits – all of these are good sources of biotins so it’s best that you take note of them.

Drink plenty of water:
It’s not only that gets thirsty, as even your hair requires the moisture that water provides. Dehydration can lead to symptoms like constipation, eczema, thick dandruff, wrinkly skin, foul breath and hair loss. Remember that your body is made up of 98% water and you need to maintain it at optimum levels if you want to keep your hair in place.

An easy way to quickly replenish and establish enough water in your body is to routinely drink at least 8 ounces of water immediately after you urinate. You’ll know you’re getting enough water when you observe that you are urinating more frequently.

Supplements:
The fact that you are experiencing hair loss is a surefire indication that something is amiss in the nutrition department. It’s actually okay if you take supplements in pill form; just remember though, that your body may only be able to absorb a small percentage of what you ingest, and will depend on the condition of your digestive system as well.

Taking vitamins in colloidal or liquid form will boost your absorption rate allowing your body to get the nutrients that it needs.

A scattergun approach can be done by taking multivitamins. This will at least ensure that you are getting some of the vitamins that you body lacks or needs.

Natural hair regrowth treatments in the form of herbal shampoos, gels, creams or lotions are also available and would also be a good idea to research a bit on. If you are however looking for a definitive guide on the products that will be available, one useful source you can use will be found at totalhairregrowth.com, so be sure to check it out as well

What Is The Best Male Hair Loss Treatment?

Well there are actually many that can be given. The reason for this is simple – male hair loss is not caused by a singular problem alone. Hair loss can be caused by genetics, stress, aging, and others and thus the treatment will be different for each one.

If you are talking about hair loss related to genetics however then there are a few products or procedures that you might want to take note of. Pattern hair loss or Male pattern hair loss is called Androgenic Alopecia. It’s basically the result of hormones called androgens which is caused by genetic predisposition. To put it simply, the reason you are losing your hair is because you are genetically predisposed to.

The general rule of thumb is that hair can still be thickened anywhere that it’s still growing and a hair loss treatment regimen is one of the most effective solutions you have at hand. An area that is already slick and hairless will most likely not impossible to restore, and hair transplants or a hair system is your best bet for this. Since many combinations of thinning and slick are often present in men, a treatment regimen is most often the best or sometimes the only solution available.


Transplants and hair systems or toupees should only be considered if you have already undergone a treatment regiment for two solid years without achieving any satisfactory results. No matter the type or situation you are dealing with, a scientifically backed hair loss treatment regimen is necessary. The only problem is the fact that there are so many in the market that you will be able to choose from.

If you really want to stop hair loss then you will need to research the products that are available thoroughly in order to get one that will best suit your needs. The internet will be of great help in this particular venture as it will allow you to see what each product will really be able to bring without having to actually try them one by one.

You can do this by checking on the available products and seeing how they are rated by other people. Checking reviews will be helpful and will serve as your guide to better, more effective products or methods. So what is the best male hair loss treatment? The answer will actually depend on what you find out for yourself.

Kings of Kebab: Mangal II

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 In our inaugural episode of Kings of Kebab, we visit Mangal 2 in East London. The Dalston kebab shop is as famous for its outspoken Twitter account and celebrity customers (Gilbert and George are regulars) as its authentic Turkish-style, flame-grilled meats.