6 Fun Facts About Biscuits!

Ah, what can we tell you about biscuits, other than that they taste good and make snacking a necessary pastime (Joke!). But, there are fun facts that we can share with you about biscuits.

Fun Fact #1

The word 'biscuit' has Latin origins, which is 'bis cotus'. The Latin meaning is "twice baked/cooked".

Fun Fact #2

The original spelling of the word biscuit is 'bisket', according to the Oxford English Dictionary.

Fun Fact #3

It's been established in a scientific manner that the best way to dunk a biscuit is the horizontal way, according to one Dr Len Fisher of Bristol University.

Fun Fact #4

A chef in Roman times by the name of Apicius invented the earliest biscuit recipe, which was eaten with honey and pepper.

Fun Fact #5

If you dunk your biscuit in coffee or tea, the flavour you get is more than 10 times greater than if you eat your biscuit without dunking them in such drinks. 

Fun Fact #6

If you want to keep your biscuits fresh for longer, put a slice of bread in the biscuit tin. 

We have a variety of biscuits for you to try out some of these fun facts. Enjoy!

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Brand Street: Make Rojak with MCM Rojak Sauce ... Easy Peasy!

The Malaysian Rojak

Ask anyone in Malaysia if they don't know rojak, and chances are you'd be scoff at. Everyone in Malaysia knows what rojak is, and the different types of rojak. There's the rojak buah, the Mamak rojak and the Penang rojak. To simplify things, here's one recipe we found on the Internet. But to make things even simpler, instead of making the rojak sauce from scratch, we can use MCM Rojak Sauce, which is sold on Brand Street. 

Ingredients:

1) Fritters

    - 300ml water

    - 1 large (Grade A) egg

    - 80gm tapioca flour

    - 80gm rice flour

    - 1 tablespoon of fennel seeds

    - salt to taste

    - oil for deep frying

2) Sambal

    - 6 red chilies, sliced

    - 3-4 bird's eye chilies

    - 20gm belacan, roasted and crushed

3) Sauce

    We'll save you the bother of making the rojak sauce from scratch by introducing MCM Rojak Sauce, a brand of Kum Thin Food Industries Sdn Bhd. How much do you need? As much as it takes to mix the rojak well.

MCM Rojak Sauce

4) Basic Rojak    
    - 200gm yambean (sengkuang), cut into wedges

    - 200gm cucumber, cut into wedges

    - 200gm pineapple, cut into wedges

    - 200gm green mango, cut into wedges

Below are optional ingredients to add to the rojak:

    - guava (jambu batu), cut into wedges

    - rose apples (jambu air), cut into wedges

    - amberella (kedondong), cut into wedges

    - water spinach (kangkung), cut into lengths and scalded

    - beansprouts, scalded

    - hard beancurd (taukwa), cubed

    - Chinese cruller (yutiao, yau char kwai or chakoi)

    - soaked dried cuttlefish, scalded and sliced

    - deep fried fish skin

    - wild ginger flower (bunga kantan), split and sliced finely

5) Toppings

    - 150gm peanuts, roasted and crushed

    - 60gm white sesame seeds, toasted

To prepare fritters:

Combine the flours, egg and water in a mixing bowl. Before adding salt and fennel seeds, make sure the mixture is mixed well and then strained.

Using a wok, heat enough oil for deep frying over medium heat. When the oil is hot enough, but not so much that smoke is rising from it, scoop up a small size mixed batter and let it slide down the sides of the wok. The batter will fan out as it hits the hot oil to form a fritter. Repeat this until all the batter is turning to fritters in the hot oil.

Fry them until they are golden brown on both sides. Scoop up the fritters from the hot oil with a metal strainer and make sure that you hold the strainer over the hot oil until the last drop of oil falls. To further dtrain the oil from the fritters, put them into a paper towel and leave to cool before putting them in an airtight container until needed.

To prepare sambal:

Pound the chilies and the belacan together to a fine paste.

To prepare the rojak:

Take a mixing bowl and toss the cut fruits and vegetables together with the rojak sauce. Make sure that the rojak sauce is mixed well together with the fruits and vegetables. Then add the optional ingredients, if you like, and mix them well. Then add the crunchy ingredients such as the Chinese cruller and fritters. You can break the fritters into pieces before adding them into the rojak mix. Finally, sprinkle crushed peanuts and and sesame seeds generously before serving.

Voila! You have made your very own rojak. This particular recipe is a combination of the fruit rojak and the Penang rojak, but you have a choice of adding all the optional ingredients, or choosing only some of them such as the Chinese cruller and guava, but not the bean sprouts, deep fried fish skin and wild ginger flower. The choice is up to you as our aim is to make the simplest rojak as possible. Bon appetit!

Brand Street: Foldable bikes ... Trendy or just a fad?

At Dinasou.com, we sell a line of foldable bicycles under the brands Oyama and Comp. They are sold by a local distributor called YTX. Prices range from RM788 to RM1738. YTX also sells a range of accessories to accompany such bicycles, ranging from hiking bags, helmets and gloves to water bottles and bicycle pumps.

Now, you must wonder, why are we talking about foldable bicycles. Well, just look at the question we posed: Are foldable bikes a trend, or a fad? To answer this question may not seem as easy as it seems. For one, why does one need a bicycle that can be folded. And the only answer to that question is that a foldable bike allows the cyclist to carry it around when not needed. In other words, it's PORTABLE.

In Kuala Lumpur, there's the Car Free Morning on the first and third Sunday of every month that starts from 7.00am to 9.00am. Many activities are planned, including cycling. So, if you had an option of taking a normal bicycle or a foldable one into your car and on to one of the designated parking spots in KL for the Car Free Morning event, which do you think would fit your Perodua Myvi, for example? Plus, you can take your foldable bike on the train, so you don't have to worry about parking at all.

So, going back to the question of whether foldable bikes are a trend or just a fad, it should be a trend, simply because it's practical to carry a bike that is foldable and lighter, than lugging a normal bike, don't you think so?

Ladies, you can make your own face mask ... 7 Best Foods!

For all the ladies out there, we bet there isn't a single one who does not care about the condition of her skin, especially her face. Our face reflects our outer beauty, though of course inner beauty is also important and shines through in the form of a confident smile, for example. But, it's safe to say that most, if not all of us, care deeply about how we look like to others, men and women notwithstanding. So, a lot of us will look for all sorts of solutions to have perfect-looking facial skin. This includes trips to the beauty spa and shopping for the latest skin care products that promise us we will look beautiful and ageless. But, do you know that the solution to perfect skin can be found in your home, specifically in the kitchen? That's right, gals. Here are the 7 Best Foods to make your own face mask:

1. Avocado

    Take a ripe avocado and cut it in half. Use the half avocado by mixing it with a teaspoon of olive oil. Apply the paste to your face and let it sit for 15 minutes before rinsing it off. Your face should feel firmer, softer and more radiant. Avocados are rich in vitamin A and anti-oxidants, therefore it's good for your skin.

2. Oatmeal

    We don't think it crosses your mind that something you normally have for your breakfast can be used as a facial mask. Put some oats in a food processor and grind them up. Add warm milk or water. Apply generously to your face and rinse off after about 10 minutes. Oats are good for dry and irritated skin as it acts as an anti-inflammatory. It also acts as a natural and gentle exfoliant. 

3. Yogurt

    Take that tub of plain yogurt out of fridge and apply generously to your face. Wait for 10 – 15 minutes before rinsing it off. Yogurt is high in zinc and lactic acid, so it's good to tighten pores, treat acne and lessen discoloration, in addition to cleansing and moisturizing your face. 

4. Olive Oil

    If you recall, you can mix olive oil with avocado to make a good face mask. But, you ought to know that olive oil on its own is also beneficial as a facial oil. It also works as an eye make-up remover, moisturizer and hair conditioner. Olive oil can also be used to treat sunburns. 

5. Strawberries

    Strawberries are delicious, especially the ripe and sweet ones. They're also good as a facial mask. For brighter, tighter and and super soft skin, mash up some strawberries and lather the mix on your face. The benefits: cleanses your skin and treats acne, even pigmentation. 

6. Honey

    Honey is a natural food with so much goodness. In a previous post, we talked about how we can use honey to lose weight. Here we'll talk about how it can be used as a facial mask. On its own, honey acts as a moisturizing and anti-bacterial face mask. If you suffer from acne, take a little honey and apply it to the affected area. Honey also heals burns and cuts. 

7. Bananas

    Mash up a ripe banana. After applying it to your face, wait 10 – 20 minutes before rinsing it off. Bananas are rich in vitamins A & E, so using it on your face will leave it feeling soft, smooth and nourished. 

At Dinasou.com, we offer you a line of face masks under the Korean brand Mediheal, which is sold on Brand Street. 

Mediheal Hot Sale Items.

White Day Promo: 2 Sets of Foldable Bikes for RM1314 & RM3399

1607 Eco-Park Comp foldable bicyles
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White Day is specifically celebrated in Japan on 14 March. You can say that it's another version of Valentine's Day, which is celebrated exactly a month before. In other parts of the world, men and women exchange gifts, and go out on a special date that involves dinner, for example, to celebrate Valentine's Day. But in Japan, Valentine's Day is when the women would give a special gift to the men in celebration of their love etc. White Day is the opposite of that, where it's the men who would give the women a special gift. This tradition goes way back to 1978, when Japan's National Confectionery Industry Association decided that there should be a day when the men would have to "repay" the special gift given to them by the women. This White Day tradition has also spread to South Korea, Taiwan and China.

What sort of special gifts are we thinking of when it comes to the Japanese when celebrating Valentine's Day, or White Day for that matter? Normally, it's chocolate from the women, and also chocolate from the men. But now, men can also give non-edible gifts that have a sentimental value, jewellery for example.

In commemoration of White Day, Dinasou.com has extended its two foldable bicycles promotion. Now you and your loved one can enjoy riding two very convenient foldable bicyles together at a discounted price. RM1314 for two 1607 Eco-Park Comp bicycles, which at a normal price cost RM1798, and RM3399 for two Oyama Dazzle M500 bicycles, which at a normal price cost RM3798. The numbers 1314 & 3399 have special meaning in Chinese, which is "Forever & Ever" when translated to English.

Oyama Dazzle M500 foldable bicycles
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Hey Moms & Dads! We have toys for kids who like to build things ...

Kids love toys. And parents love their kids. Though some parents are reluctant to buy the latest toy for their children, thinking it might spoil them, at Dinasou.com, we ensure that the toys we sell don't spoil your children. Most of the toys in our collection are of the building blocks variety, much like a certain toy giant with the first letter L makes. Below are a few of the toys available on our site. Visit here for more. All toys are made in China.

The Triumphal Arch of Paris France
Before: RM247.00, Now: RM190.00

Black Pearl
Before: RM258.70, Now: RM199.00

Dinasour World Blocks Set
Before: RM143.00, Now: RM110.00

Shuttle Spaceship Set
Before: RM143.00, Now: RM110.00

Brand Street: HiBIS Herbal Sanitary Napkins

HiBIS Mix Value Pack—Save 23.7% off (Before: RM36.70, Now: RM28.00)

That time of the month for you ladies out there is not something enjoyable, right? More often than not, it only brings discomfort and sometimes a feeling of ickiness, too. We at Dinasou.com empathize with your problem, ladies, so we've decided to sell a product that can somewhat ease that feeling of discomfort.

Called Hibis, it's a line of herbal sanitary napkins sold on Brand Street. The five main features of these sanitary pads are:

1) They can alleviate women's common menstrual problems as they are lined with herbal extracts.

2) Your skin will be kept cool, soft and comfortable with Hibis' natural herbal fragrance liner (an iteration of No. 1)

3) Your skin will be kept clean as Hibis' new design of anti-leakage top-sheet can allow for a high level of absorption.

4) Your skin will be kept fresh and unusual smells eliminated with the fragrance used in Hibis sanitary pads.

5) Hibis sanitary pads can help alleviate issues associated with dysmenorrhea, leukorrhea and menses.

To know more about the company that distributes HiBIS, click here.

I hate menstrual cramps! Hey, there are Chinese herbs that can help ...

Taken from Flickr.com

Hey, that time of the month is really a pain in the a$$, right, ladies? Want to try out something safe and has no side effects? Try out the herbs below, which you can get at any Chinese herbal shops. 

1. Dong Gui (Chinese Angelica or Angelica Sinensis)

    This herb is used to regulate the menstrual cycle and help alleviate menstrual cramps. It has been dubbed as the "female ginseng" due to such abilities. Other benefits of Dong Gui include re-establishing a menstrual cycle after a user stops taking birth control pills; ease PMS and help improve on conditions of anemia; and relieve symptoms of menopause. It is able to alleviate menstrual cramping by relaxing the muscles of the uterus and dilating the blood vessels, due to the coumarin chemicals present in the herb. 

2. Chuan Xiong (Chuanxiong Rhizoma)

    Since the Song Dynasty, Chinese women have used to take this herb in combination with three other herbs: Chinese foxglove, red peony and angelica. Chuan Xiong is combined with these three herbs to make soup as a blood tonic to alleviate PMS, cut down on menstrual pain and improve overall health, especially postpartum health. 

3. Bai Shao (White Peony Root)

    Among its benefits is blood circulation improvement and nourishment. It also inhibits the excessive synthesis of prostaglandins that may lead to an over-active uterus and endometrial pain. The inhibition of prostaglandins is due to the fact that Bai Shao can strengthen the liver, in turn increases the efficiency of protein and fat metabolism, resulting in the inhibition of excessive prostaglandins. 

4. Yi Mu Cao (Chinese Motherwort)

    Apart from treating menstrual problems, the leaves of Yi Mu Cao have been used to clear blood clots that occur in menstrual disorders and after childbirth, as well as improve blood circulation. 

5. Yan Hu Suo (Corydalis Rhizome)

    This herb helps relieve pain and strengthen blood circulation. When used together with Chuan Xiong, it can help relieve body aches and headaches. This herb contains the active chemical di-tetrahydropalmatine (THP), a neuroactive alkaloid with analgesic action that alleviates cramping pain. 

Source: Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2007

On Brand Street, Dinasou.com sells a line of herbal sanitary napkins called HiBIS. To know more, click here.

HiBIS FRESH Ultra-thin Cotton Natural Herbal Sanitary Pads (Regular/Day Use)
Buy 2 packs at 23.3% Off (Before: RM23.20, Now: RM17.80)

Brand Street: Pure Natural Enzyme – Tomato & Beetroot Enzymes

Pure Natural Enzyme
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On Brand Street, we sell a health product that uses tomato and beetroot enzymes as its main ingredients. Called Pure Natural Enzyme, the tomatoes used in the manufacturing of this product are harvested from Cameron Highlands, Malaysia's most prestigious and largest plateau resort. 

The conditions of the farm where these tomatoes are harvested are ideal for the production of the best tomatoes - fresh and cold air as well as fertile land. To produce the finest and purest quality of natural enzymes, the tomatoes are hand-picked through the most stringent quality control process. The farm where these tomatoes are harvested has more than 40 years of experience and also the technology to ensure that only the best tomatoes are hand-picked. The combination of tomato enzymes and beetroot enzymes, together with fruit enzymes, have properties that can reduce the chances of cancer. In addition, these enzymes work together for other effects such as slimming the body, reducing fatigue, improving protein digestion and lessening bloating after eating. They also improve appetite.  

To know more about Pure Natural Enzyme, click here.

Enzymes: Why do we need them?

Enzyme repairing DNA

We need enzymes for healthy digestion, as without them, we wouldn't be able to swallow, eat, drink and digest our food. Enzymes, which are complex protein molecules manufactured by all plant and animal cells, are very important because they break up large food molecules into smaller units that are absorbed into the cells. Apart from helping the body digest food, enzymes assimilate nutrients assimilate nutrients carbohydrates, proteins, fats and plant fibers. Other functions of enzymes include the regeneration of cells/tissues, the elimination of waste products/toxins and supporting the immune system.

The supplementation of enzymes in our body can help do many things, among which are:

– improves overall digestion

– enhances the immune system

– reduces the effects of aging, wrinkles and sun spots

– reduces inflammation/soreness of muscle and joint pain

– accelerates post-surgical healing

– cleanses our systems from allergic reactions

– aids in reproduction problems, regulating cycles, infertility and sterility

– helps in disease prevention, such as heart disease

– minimizes the effects of cancer therapies

Beets are a unique source of phytonutrients called betalains. The two best-studied betalains from beets are betanin and vulgaxanthin, both of which have been shown to provide anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory and detoxification support.

Tomato enzymes also provide anti-oxidant support. In addition, they also aid digestion, support better bowel function and prevent malabsorption disorders such as gluten intolerance.

Why are we talking about beetroot enzyme and tomato enzyme? Because they packed in one of our Brand Street items, Pure Natural Enzyme. 

Pure Natural Enzyme
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