Xuan Zhang 2016

Xuan Zhang 2016 is not your usual “Journey to the West” movie. You won’t find flying monkeys there. Instead, you’ll find a realistic journey of an amazing Tang monk across the treacherous deserts, who spoke fluent Hindi when he was already in India and addressed the Indian monks/gurus as “Acharya” in such a respectful way. Copied to my Jianghu blog because it relates to Li Shimin (Tang Dynasty) and it gave me a thought about LOCH 2017.

I found Xuan Zhang when I was on board Singapore Airlines from Hong Kong to Singapore (part of my lag from Washington DC to Jakarta). The good thing about flying with SIA is that you’d be guaranteed to have a wide array of Asian movies to watch. This journey was not an exception. I was weighing between Xuan Zhang and another Asian movie, and in the end, boy I’m glad that I watched Xuan Zhang.

The Chinese-Indian movie was directed by Huo Jianqi, produced by Wong Kar-wai (that name I know!) and starring Huang Xiaoming as the titular character. Never seen HXM in action before, but I was very impressed with his performance as Xuan Zhang that he’s one of my favourite Mainland actors now. HXM made me thought that he was actually channelling Xuan Zhang in the movie; his serene face and wisdom were so palpable, I wondered if he actually set aside time to meditate every day before filming. Actually, I would be glad to just sit next to him, listening to him chanting the sutras...

Sloppy updating of the Jianghu site

Well, I did say in early August that I'd announce the update of my Rivers and Lakes site here irregularly... and apparently I went overboard! It's 8 weeks already when I realised that I had not announced my updates for a while here. So yes, dear readers, for the Jianghu updates, just head on to my Realm of Rivers and Lakes. I try to post something new every weekend, and usually I can do that. If not, then I usually would post in the midst of the following week...

Anyway, since writing an article about me visiting Barbara Yung's grave (I still miss her...), I've written a post on Yang's Saga, made a Chor Lau Heung 1984 MV with Faye Wong's "Eyes on Me" as the BG music, wrote two impressions of the Legend of Condor Heroes 2008 (first and final), wrote a review on Michael Miu's 2014 Line Walker, review Barbara's letters about Chor Lau Heung (she seemed to like the series), and last but not least, writing another fan-fiction about CLH and Song Siu Ching.

Phew! Can't say I haven't been busy... and that's on top of my real-life work and agenda...sigh...

Baigan and bhindi masala

I forgot to take a photo cos the dish tasted so good, hence the bad photo.
Will change the photo when I make the dish again and I remember to take photo!

This recipe is using my two favourite vegetables: eggplant (brinjal/baigan) and okra (bhindi). Original recipe from Yummy Tummy Aarthi.com, I alter it quite a bit and I also omit water, but since I used her spice suggestions, I still put her link here. I've experimented with several baigan masala recipe before, but it never really got close to the baigan masala that I love from Bayleaf/Mint in Townsville. This one though is good enough for me to be proud as the chef!

Ingredients

1 large brinjal/baigan/eggplant, chop small

A handful of bhindi/okra, sliced

4 tbsp ghee

1 tsp black mustard seeds

1 bayleaf

5-6 curry leaves

1 onion chopped

Green chili chopped