Author Archives: Monki

About Monki

I am a mother, a wife, a physician, and a scientist. This is a life style blog about recipe ideas to try out; fun events to check out; being a career woman; health concerns; parenting doubts and triumph; and all the silly and loving moments in between.

EATS: Oven-Baked Ube Fries

Posted on January 21, 2022 by Monki

If 2021 was about survival and trying to sustain ourselves with predictable and easy meals, 2022 proves to be the year of culinary expansion and experimentation with… vegetables! Here is my latest creation playing with ube, or Japanese purple yam. … Continue reading →

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Night Scene in LA

Posted on December 15, 2021 by Monki

Snapped this photo at an intersection after a rare rainy day in Los Angeles. It was a refreshingly chilly day with intermittent down pours. Rain boots, umbrella, gloves. Dreaming of steaming ramen or pho. Come to think of it, go … Continue reading →

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The Twin Void Remained

Posted on September 11, 2021 by Monki

I overslept on this fateful morning twenty years ago.  What an infinitesimal minor inconvenience to start this catastrophic day.  I was a medical student living in New York at the time. Because of the terrorist attack, there was a brief … Continue reading →

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EATS: Vietnamese Oxtail Stew

Posted on January 7, 2021 by Monki

I had chills after my first dose of Pfizer vaccine for COVID-19. In anticipation for numero dos, I decided to make myself a big pot of oxtail bone marrow soup. The nutritious goodness that will simmer and permeate the kitchen … Continue reading →

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Dream About The End of a Pandemic

Posted on December 4, 2020 by Monki

I had this dream last night, though it may sound like a nightmare. I wasn’t scared, just amused, and almost relieved, that I finally figured out what was happening. Anyway, in my dream, I was standing on a rooftop overlooking … Continue reading →

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What Makes America Great

Posted on July 5, 2020 by Monki

Our pack was a mini United Nation of sorts, eager to understand the new world around us with our fragmented language skills; in awe of our good fortune for being in the greatest, most powerful nation in the entire world. We felt welcomed, protected, and nurtured. Continue reading →

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EATS: Kimchi

Posted on June 13, 2020 by Monki
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EATS: Crème brûlée

Posted on May 26, 2020 by Monki

  We got into watching Master Chef Junior recently.  In one of the episodes, Christina Tosi was astonished that a child made a crème brûlée under 45 minutes.  I was astonished that a child could make a crème brûlée.  I … Continue reading →

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Every Day I Don My Armor- A Physician’s Account

Posted on May 3, 2020 by Monki

We leave to go to war every morning knowing our risks. I did not sign up to be a soldier, yet here I am.  My job is to heal and I took an oath.  In Fabruary, I purchased three new … Continue reading →

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EATS: Smokey Spicy Garbanzo Snack

Posted on March 30, 2020 by Monki

Ever since we watched The Game Changer, Plum and Monkey King have dived whole-heartedly into the blissful world of plant-based eating.  So if you love your whole roasted chicken, brisket, pork shoulders, duck confit, beef tenderloin, quail, seared salmon, dover … Continue reading →

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