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Thai cave rescue survivor dies aged just 17

<p>Duangphet Promthep, one of 12 boys who was rescued along with their soccer coach from the Tham Luang Nang Non cave system in northern Thailand, has died. </p> <p>Duangphet was found unconscious in his dormitory on Sunday, and sadly passed away two days later. While the exact cause of death is unknown at this time, reports from the United Kingdom suggest he had suffered a head injury. </p> <p>Duangphet had only been enrolled in Leicester’s Brooke House College Football Academy since late 2022. </p> <p>Thai non-profit organisation Zico Foundation, which had assisted him in getting a scholarship to study in England, shared its condolences on Facebook. </p> <p>“Zico Foundation would like to express its condolences and condolence for the passing away of Little Dom Duangphet Phromthep,” they wrote of Duangphet, who also went by the name ‘Dom’, “a student of Zico Foundation.”</p> <p>When Duangphet was only 13 years old, he was trapped with his soccer team - the Wild Boars soccer team of which he was captain - and their squad’s assistant coach for over two weeks in a cave system known as the ‘Great Cave of the Sleeping Lady'. </p> <p>The twelve boys were between the ages 11 and 16, and 4 kilometres into their fateful adventure, when rising floodwaters prevented their escape from Thailand’s fourth-largest cave system. </p> <p>It was an international effort to save the boys and their coach, with a search and rescue mission that spanned over two weeks, with divers from Thailand and from overseas stepping in to help. </p> <p>Some of the boys who were with him in those terrifying times shared their condolences on social media as news of his passing broke around the world. </p> <p>“Brother, you told me that we would be achieving our football dream,” wrote Titan Chanin Viboonrungruan. “If the next world is real, I want us to play football together again, my brother Dom.”</p> <p>“You told me to wait and see you play for the national team, I always believed that you would do it," Prachak Sutham said. "When we met the last time before you left for England, I even jokingly told you that when you come back, I would have to ask for your autograph.</p> <p>"Sleep well, my dear friend. We will always have 13 of us together."</p> <p>In a statement, Duangphet’s school principal Ian Smith said, “this event has left our college community deeply saddened and shaken.</p> <p>“We unite in grief with all of Dom's family, friends, former teammates and those involved in all parts of his life, as well as everyone affected in any way by this loss in Thailand and throughout the college's global family."</p> <p>Dom’s mother joined an online news conference and shared her hope that a Buddhist monk in England would be able to conduct rites for Duangphet.</p> <p>In that same conference, former Thai national soccer team coach and the Zico Foundation’s chairman Kiatisuk Senamuang, described his shock at the news of Duangphet’s passing. </p> <p>“My thoughts are with his family and friends,' he said, fighting tears. 'I think back to his dream of becoming a professional footballer, representing his country and his voice keeps speaking in my head.”</p> <p>He went on to explain that as far as he knew, Duangphet had been healthy, as a full health check had been performed in order for Duangphet to obtain his student visa. While his cause of death is currently unknown, an investigation into the cause will likely take place, and hopefully provide his loved ones with closure in this tragic time. </p> <p><em>Image: Facebook</em></p> <p> </p>

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Inside Brad Pitt's cliffside bachelor pad

<p>Brad Pitt has forked out a hefty $40 million for the historic D. L. James house, known as “Seaward”.</p> <p>The beautiful home is his latest purchase and overlooks California’s stunning central coast.</p> <p>Rich in history, the famed property was built in 1918 and is believed to be the most expensive property ever sold in the area of Carmel.</p> <p>Locals are reportedly thrilled to have another big-name celebrity joining them, especially after the iconic property has sat empty for years.</p> <p>Pitt is reportedly a big fan of Craftsman-style homes, which could be why he has purchased his latest bachelor pad. It is rumoured he could be joined by his brood of six children with ex-Angelina Jolie.</p> <p>Known as the D.L. James House, the property was designed by 20th century architect Charles Sumner Greene. It was designed on a piece of land owned by infamous author Daniel Lewis James.</p> <p>Previously, it was owned by Searock since 1999, a limited liability company tied to the late Chicago financier Joe Ritchie and his wife, Sharon Ritchie.</p> <p>The luxury property, which is just metres from the beach, boasts a ‘wooden aesthetic’ and is built from locally quarried sandstone and granite. It has arched windows, with bricks individually chosen by Charles Greene, and a tiled Mediterranean-style roof.</p> <p>According to the organisation’s website, as part of the design Mr. Greene “built up the outer walls so that they appear to be growing out of the cliffs.”</p> <p>The actor already has a $5million beach house in Goleta, California, which he purchased in 2000 when he married Jennifer Aniston.</p> <p>Carmel-by-the-Sea first became popular with the Hollywood elite when Clint Eastwood became the town’s mayor, in 1986, with the iconic actor still residing in the area.</p> <p><em>Images: Vertikoff Archive</em></p>

Real Estate

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You must try this prawn and broccolini pad Thai

<p>This recipe is a perfect mix of broccoli and Chinese kale. It has a mild peppery taste that becomes sweeter when cooked.</p> <p>Serves 4 | Takes 15 minutes</p> <p><strong>Ingredients</strong></p> <ul> <li>2 bunches Broccolini, roughly chopped</li> <li>200g packet pad Thai rice stick noodles</li> <li>¼ cup fish sauce</li> <li>2 tablespoons grated palm sugar or brown sugar</li> <li>1 lime, juiced</li> <li>2 tablespoons peanut oil</li> <li>700g medium green prawns, peeled, deveined</li> <li>2 eggs, lightly beaten</li> <li>3 tablespoons pad Thai paste</li> <li>3 green onions, thinly sliced</li> <li>bean sprouts, coriander leaves and fried shallots</li> <li>lime wedges, to serve</li> </ul> <p><strong>Method</strong></p> <p>1. Cook the noodles following the packet directions. Drain and cover to keep warm. Combine the fish sauce, palm sugar and lime juice. Stir to dissolve the sugar then set aside.</p> <p>2. Heat the wok over a high heat until hot. Add 2 teaspoons of oil and swirl to coat the surface.  Add half the prawns and stir-fry for 1 minute or until they turn pink.</p> <p>3. Remove to a plate. Repeat with oil and remaining prawns.</p> <p>4. Add 2 teaspoons of oil and the Broccolini to the hot wok and stir-fry for 1 minute. Add 1 tablespoon of water, cover and steam for 30 seconds. Remove to the plate with the prawns. Add the remaining oil. Pour in the eggs. Cook, gently stirring for 1 minute, or until scrambled. Push to one side of the wok.</p> <p>5. Add stir-fry paste and cook for 30 seconds. Return the Broccolini and prawns to the wok with the noodles and fish sauce mixture. Stir-fry until combined and hot. Add the onions and stir fry for 30 seconds. Top with bean sprouts, coriander and fried shallots. Serve with lime.</p> <p><strong>Tips</strong></p> <p>1. For a chicken and Broccolini pad Thai, replace the prawns with 600g chicken breast fillet, thinly sliced.</p> <p><em>Image and recipe courtesy of <a href="https://www.perfection.com.au/home">Perfection Fresh.</a></em></p> <p><em>Republished with permission of <a href="https://www.wyza.com.au/articles/recipes/broccolini-prawn-pad-thai">Wyza.com.au.</a></em></p>

Food & Wine

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See inside Matt Damon’s $22 million Byron Bay beach pad

<p>Matt Damon and his family have been welcomed with open arms by the closely-knit beach town of Byron Bay, NSW.</p> <p>To seal in their spot as residents, the actor has reportedly scooped up a $22 million mansion in the area.</p> <p>The unbelievable home was snapped up after a little over four days on the market,<span> </span><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/entertainment/oscarwinner-matt-damon-rumoured-buyer-of-22m-byron-bay-home/news-story/bb64832c4ae44fe83b48b34dca23f5ec" target="_blank"><em>The Daily Telegraph</em></a><span> </span>reported.</p> <p>While it has not been confirmed if the Hollywood heavyweight added the five bedroom property under his belt, he is a heavy contender.</p> <p>The home has sweeping views that overlooks Wategos Beach and is regarded as the of the area's most prestigious homes.</p> <p>In the middle of a quiet coastal town, the incredible property has all the bells and whistles including a heated infinity pool, tall ceilings and open spaces to host large gatherings. </p> <p>The property also offers three bathrooms and three car spaces.  </p> <p>The Los Angeles based actor was spotted with his wife and three children holidaying in the coastal town in 2019 and rumours have ignited as to whether the family would be settling down.</p> <p>In 2019, Matt reportedly rented out the $4 million ($3.07m USD) property directly next door to Chris Hemsworth's property.</p>

Real Estate

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Thai king self isolates with 20 concubines during coronavirus pandemic

<div class="post_body_wrapper"> <div class="post_body"> <div class="body_text "> <p>Thailand’s controversial king is self-isolating in a luxury four-star hotel with his harem of 20 concubines.</p> <p>King Maha Vajiralongkorn, also known as Rama X, has angered many with his decision to self-isolate in the hotel.</p> <p>He is said to have booked out the Grand Hotel Sonnenbichl after the hotel received “special permission” from the district council to accommodate his party.</p> <p>His group includes a harem of 20 concubines and numerous servants, but it is currently unclear as to whether or not his four wives are in the hotel with the rest of the group.</p> <p>A spokesperson for the local district council has defended the choice to let the king stay there as “the guests are a single homogenous group of people with no fluctuation”, despite guesthouses and hotels in the region being ordered to close down.</p> <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/BLL-P4Mj7mc/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="12"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BLL-P4Mj7mc/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Grand Hotel Sonnenbichl (@grandhotelsonnenbichl)</a> on Oct 5, 2016 at 8:57am PDT</p> </div> </blockquote> <p>119 members of the entourage have reportedly been sent back to Thailand on suspicions they have contracted coronavirus.</p> <p>News of Vajiralongkorn’s self-isolation in a luxury location was met with anger by thousands of Thai people who criticised him online.</p> <p>This is despite the lèse-majesté laws that are currently in place, which means that criticising the royal family is illegal and punished with imprisonment for up to 15 years. A Thai hashtag, which translate to “Why do we need a king?” appeared 1.2 million times on Twitter after an activist claimed that the king was travelling on holiday in Germany while the outbreak continued to ravage Thailand.</p> <p>Activist Somsak Jeamteerasakul is a vocal critic of Thailand’s monarchy and said in one post that the King will let the Thai people worry about the virus.</p> <p>“[Vajiralongkorn will] let the Thai people worry about the virus. Even Germany is worried about the virus [but] it’s none of his business.”</p> <p>The Thai king has not made a public appearance in his hoem country since February.</p> </div> </div> </div>

Relationships

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Delicious recipe for pad thai

<p><em> </em>A popular Thai dish with a healthy twist! This recipe uses kelp noodles that are crunchy and incredibly low in fat and calories – it's a great dinner option!</p> <p><a href="http://t.dgm-au.com/c/185116/71095/1880?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.booktopia.com.au%2Fraw-is-more-eccie-newton%2Fprod9780857833235.html">Edited recipe extract from Raw Is More by Eccie and Gini Newton, published by Kyle Books and distributed by Simon &amp; Schuster Australia, RRP $35.</a></p> <p><strong>Ingredients</strong></p> <ul> <li>1 packet (250g) of kelp noodles </li> <li>A handful of coriander leaves </li> <li>2 tablespoons dried peanuts (dehydrated for 3 hours), roughly ground </li> <li>2 large handfuls of beansprouts </li> <li>1 carrot, spiralized into spaghetti-like curls </li> <li>3 tablespoons small dried shrimp </li> <li>1 teaspoon dried garlic flakes (shop-bought or dehyrated in very thin slices for 3 hours) </li> <li>1 tablespoon dried shallots (shop-bought or dehyrated in very thin slices for 3 hours) </li> <li>1 lime, cut into wedges</li> </ul> <p><strong>For the dressing</strong> </p> <ul> <li>30g raw cane sugar </li> <li>60g dried peanuts (dehydrated for 3 hours), reserving half for garnish </li> <li>1 teaspoon fermented chilli bean paste </li> <li>50ml tamarind water </li> <li>50ml fish sauce</li> </ul> <p><strong>Directions</strong></p> <p>1. First make the dressing. Grind half the dehydrated peanuts with the sugar using a pestle and mortar. Grind in the chilli paste. Gradually add the tamarind water and fish sauce and keep grinding to fully combine the ingredients. Set aside in a large bowl.</p> <p>2. Soak the kelp noodles in cold water for 10 minutes. Pick the coriander leaves off the stalks, then finely chop the stalks. Drain the kelp noodles and toss in the large bowl containing the dressing, then toss in the beansprouts, carrot and coriander stalks. Finally toss in the dried shrimp.</p> <p>3. Divide between two plates and top each portion with the remaining peanuts, dried garlic, dried shallot and coriander leaves and a couple of lime wedges.</p> <p><strong>Tips</strong></p> <ul> <li>Dehydrating the peanuts gives the dish a stronger flavour.</li> <li>Serves 2</li> </ul> <p><em>Republished with permission of <a href="https://www.wyza.com.au/recipes/pad-thai.aspx">Wyza.com.au.</a></em></p>

Food & Wine

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Thai cave boys speak for the first time about their ordeal after leaving hospital

<p>For the first time, the Thai cave boys trapped underground for two weeks have answered questions at a press conference following their recovery in hospital.</p> <p>All 12 players and their coach were greeted with cheers from a crowd outside as they entered the government hall, looking healthy and happy after their terrifying ordeal.</p> <p>The only member of the team to speak English, Adul Sam-on, described the moment he heard the rescuers first coming.</p> <p>“I started to listen and it became reality, the [talking]. I asked Mick to go down, because [he] was holding the torch,” he said.</p> <p>“Quickly, go down to have a look, otherwise they might go past us.”</p> <p>Adul said his teammates hesitated, so he took the torch and investigated the noises himself.</p> <p>“I greeted them, I said, ‘Hello.’ I heard, ‘Hello.’ Someone was raising their head above the water and said, ‘Hello’."</p> <p>“I went in there and the noise asked, ‘Hello, is anyone there?’</p> <p>“When they came out of the water, I was surprised. I didn’t know what to talk to them.</p> <p>“I said ‘hello’, or something like that.</p> <p>“When they said ‘hello’ to me, I said ‘hello’ back. It was so magnificent. I didn’t know questions to ask. It took me a while before I could answer them, when they asked me how I was. I answered them, I was so surprised. The person asked me how many of us there were. I said ‘13' … They answered, ‘Brilliant,’ and the person was very happy knowing there was 13 of us.”</p> <p>Another boy said the group had difficulty understanding the dive team because their English was not very good.</p> <p>“Everyone was so happy when they heard the noise of the divers … It was the first noise from outside in 10 days. They asked me to go up, go higher. They asked me how many days have we been in here and I answered him … I said ‘10 days’.</p> <p>“At that time, my brain wasn’t working. In my brain … there was no maths, no arithmetic, no English. At that time, I was so hungry as well.”</p> <p>The media conference was the first time the team have spoken about the experience after recovering at Chiang Rai Prachanukroh hospital.</p> <p>All the questions from the press conference were submitted in advance and screened by psychologists to ensure the wellbeing of the team.</p> <p>The 25-year-old coach, Ekkapol Chantawong, answered most of the questions and recalled the moment when they discovered they were trapped in the cave system.</p> <p>“We went in there and saw a couple of pools of water. This time we went further than that. I said, ‘Do we want to go?’</p> <p>“One of the boys said, ‘Within one hour we have to come back, we have to come out before 5pm, because someone has to get home.’”</p> <p>When the boys went to leave, they realised they were trapped by water.</p> <p>After discovering even more water, the team became disorientated and it quickly became dark.</p> <p>“We were determined to find a way out. We tried to calm down. I told everyone to fight on, to have a good spirit, don’t give up.”</p> <p>The soccer team thought of a plan to “dig a passageway” for the water to flow through, however, it didn’t recede at all.</p> <p>“Everyone decided, ‘OK, let’s go and find a place to sleep, don’t worry, maybe it was just because the water rose and then it would recede later.’”</p> <p>“We had determined that we were going to spend the night there. We did not prepare any bedding materials at all."</p> <p>The team agreed they would stay near the water and “pray to the gods”, the coach explained.</p> <p>“At this time we were not afraid. I thought on the next day the water would recede and then someone would come and find us.”</p> <p>When the second day arrived, the boys were starting to feel weak and hungry.</p> <p>They were fearful the torch would run out of battery, so they used it sparingly.</p> <p>The youngest team member said he felt “dizzy and weak” and tried to battle his pain by not thinking about food.</p> <p>The Wild Boars team spent a lot of their time digging holes with stone pieces to keep themselves busy and licked water from the stalactites in the cave to keep hydrated.</p> <p>They knew there was a way out at the end of the cave but understood how far away it was.</p> <p>"We have only one chance, to go to the other end of the cave,” said one boy.</p> <p>“My opinion was — if we are not able to find that way out, then we will die in the middle. So, we came back. We had two choices … First, to go this way and the second is to wait there and let other people come to discover us. Water started to flow into our direction. After a while, within one hour, the water started to rise.”</p> <p>The boys, who attended the press conference in their Wild Boars soccer uniforms, revealed how happy they were to be able to watch the final game of the World Cup after they had been rescued.</p> <p>As the team members shared with the press their plans for the future, one boy said he promised to be “a good person, a good citizen”.</p> <p>Several boys revealed they wanted to be Navy SEALS one day, which drew an immediate applause in the audience.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr">Respect! The rescued <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Thai?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Thai</a> cave boys pose with a photo of Saman Gunan, the Thai Navy SEAL diver who died while trying to rescue them. <br /><br />Photo: AP <a href="https://t.co/YIYgD73pjO">pic.twitter.com/YIYgD73pjO</a></p> — Arsen Ostrovsky (@Ostrov_A) <a href="https://twitter.com/Ostrov_A/status/1019551406544519168?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 18, 2018</a></blockquote> <p>During the conference, the boys also paid tribute to former Thai Navy SEAL, Saman Gunan, who died delivering them oxygen tanks.</p> <p>To honour Saman, the boys will enter the monkhood and donate the merit to him.</p> <p>In Theravada Buddhist practice, this is one of the greatest marks of respect one person can give another. </p>

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Airline bans overweight passengers from business class

<p>Thai Airways has installed seatbelt airbags on business class cabins on its new Dreamliner jets. There’s only one problem – passengers with a waistline of more than 142.24cm (or 56 inches) simply won’t fit.</p> <p>According to vice president of Thai Airways safety, security and standards department Flight Lieutenant Prathana Pattanasiri, passengers carrying a little extra weight will not be able to fasten the new seatbelt airbags in a way that meets safety standards.</p> <p>The new airbags will also make flying difficult for parents of young children if they need to travel with kids sitting on their laps.</p> <p>The seatbelts can’t be extended because of the airbag mechanism, the <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.bangkokpost.com/business/tourism-and-transport/1429426/thai-cites-safety-for-waistline-rule-on-dreamliners" target="_blank">Bangkok Post reports.</a></strong></span></p> <p>Thai Airways has fitted the new seatbelt airbags on business class seats on its Dreamliner 787-9 fleet. It has now imposed a waist size limit on passengers and banned passengers carrying infants on their laps.</p> <p>This isn’t the first airline to take aim at overweight passengers, with European airline Finnair announcing in November its plan to <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="http://www.oversixty.com.au/travel/international-travel/2017/11/airline-to-weigh-passengers-before-every-flight/">weigh passengers before every flight.</a></strong></span></p> <p>A <strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="http://www.oversixty.com.au/travel/travel-tips/2017/01/passengers-should-be-weighed-for-flights-according-to-fellow-flyers/">survey of British passengers</a></span></strong> found that 39 per cent of people believe airlines should weigh people before flights.</p>

Travel Trouble

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Prawn pad thai

<p>This favourite noodle stir-fry dish from Thailand comes together quickly once you have the ingredients organised. Sriracha chilli sauce (named after the city of Si Racha) is available from Asian food stores.</p> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Serves:</span></strong> Four to six</p> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Ingredients:</span></strong></p> <ul> <li>200g rice noodles</li> <li>1/3 cup vegetable oil</li> <li>1/4 teaspoon ground coriander</li> <li>2 kaffir lime leaves, spine removed, shredded</li> <li>1 lemongrass stalk (tender inner core only), finely chopped</li> <li>2 red chillies, seeds removed, thinly sliced</li> <li>3 spring onions, sliced</li> <li>1 clove garlic, finely chopped</li> <li>1 red capsicum, thinly sliced</li> <li>100g green beans, blanched, cut into 4 cm lengths</li> <li>1 egg, lightly beaten</li> <li>250g raw prawns, tails on</li> <li>Juice of 1 lime</li> <li>100g dry roasted peanuts, roughly chopped</li> <li>1 cup bean sprouts</li> <li>1 tablespoon soy sauce</li> <li>Coriander leaves to serve</li> </ul> <p><em>Sauce</em></p> <ul> <li>2 tablespoons brown sugar</li> <li>4 tablespoons water</li> <li>3 tablespoons fish sauce</li> <li>2 tablespoons rice vinegar</li> <li>2 tablespoons sriracha sauce</li> </ul> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Method:</span></strong></p> <ol> <li>Combine sauce ingredients in a small saucepan over a gentle heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Bring to the boil then remove from the heat and set aside. </li> <li>Prepare noodles to packet instructions and set aside.</li> <li>Heat oil in a large frying pan or wok over a medium to high heat. Add coriander, kaffir lime leaves, lemongrass, chillies and spring onions and stir-fry for a minute.</li> <li>Add garlic, capsicum and beans and stir-fry for a further two minutes.</li> <li>Move everything in the pan to one side then add the beaten egg, stirring until it is cooked.</li> <li>Add prawns, lime juice and half the peanuts. Stir-fry for two minutes until prawns just start to cook. Add the cooked noodles, bean sprouts, prepared sauce and soy sauce and toss to combine. Serve garnished with coriander and remaining peanuts.</li> </ol> <p>What’s your favourite noodle dish?</p> <p><em>Written by Bernadette Hogg. First appeared on <a href="http://www.stuff.co.nz/" target="_blank"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Stuff.co.nz</span></strong></a>. Image credit: Stuff.co.nz / Manja Wachsmuth. </em></p> <p><em><strong>Have you ordered your copy of the Over60 cookbook, </strong></em><strong>The Way Mum Made It</strong><em><strong>, yet? Featuring 175 delicious tried-and-true recipes from you, the Over60 community, and your favourites that have appeared on the Over60 website, <a href="https://shop.abc.net.au/products/way-mum-made-it-pbk" target="_blank"><span style="text-decoration: underline;">head to the abcshop.com.au to order your copy now</span></a>.</strong></em></p>

Food & Wine

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Crocodile bites selfie seeker at Thai national park

<p>A French tourist who tried to have her picture taken with a crocodile in Thailand was injured when the reptile bit her after she got too close.</p> <p>Muriel Benetulier, who is in her 40s, suffered a severe bite wound to her leg on Sunday at the Khao Yai National Park, said Thanya Netithammakul, head of the National Park, Wildlife and Plant Conservation Department.</p> <p>She had been squatting next to the animal, posing for a picture, but she tipped over and the crocodile snapped, the official told the Bangkok Post.</p> <p>According to the Post, signs warned visitors about the crocodiles and tourists were told to keep to the nature trail.</p> <p>"She wanted to take selfie with the crocodile who was lying down near a stream. It was startled and bit her on her on the leg," a park official told The Independent.</p> <p>"I guess that she wanted to see it for real."</p> <p><em>First appeared on <a href="http://www.stuff.co.nz"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Stuff.co.nz</span></strong></a>.</em></p> <p><strong>Related links:  </strong> </p> <p><a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/news/news/2017/01/elvis-the-cranky-croc-celebrates-51st-birthday-with-death-roll/"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong>Elvis the cranky croc celebrates 51st birthday with death roll</strong></em></span></a></p> <p><a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/news/news/2017/01/croc-surprises-aussie-town-on-nye/"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong>Croc gives Aussie town a wild New Year’s Eve surprise</strong></em></span></a></p> <p><a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/news/news/2016/07/northern-territory-family-crocodile-intruder/"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong>Northern Territory family wakes up to crocodile intruder</strong></em></span></a></p>

International Travel

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Green banana som tum Thai salad

<p>This is a great way to use green bananas in a salad. The natural sweetness of bananas balances the chilli. Use a food processor or pestle and mortar to crush the dressing ingredients for best results. The secret of this salad is to shred and chop all the ingredients well except the bananas. Prepare this just before you want to eat and serve as a side, with seafood or chicken.</p> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Ingredients:</span></strong></p> <ul> <li>2 green or just ripe bananas, sliced (last minute)</li> <li>1/3 cup light palm sugar</li> <li>2 tablespoons boiling water</li> <li>2 cleaned coriander roots and some stems, chopped</li> <li>1 clove of garlic</li> <li>1 small red chilli, chopped</li> <li>1/4 cup lemon or lime juice</li> <li>2 teaspoons fish sauce</li> <li>1 x 250 gm punnet cherry tomatoes, chopped into odd large and small pieces - add the seeds and juices to the bowl</li> <li>1/2 a small Spanish onion, shredded very fine</li> <li>1 1/2 cups Lebanese cucumber, sliced or 1 large Lebanese cucumber, shredded</li> <li>1/4 cup dry roasted peanuts, crushed</li> </ul> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Method:</span></strong></p> <ol> <li>Place the palm sugar and boiling water in a bowl and set aside to cool.</li> <li>Place the coriander, chilli, lemon juice, sugar, water, fish sauce and garlic in a food processor and process until fine. Pour into a medium sized bowl.</li> <li>Add the chopped tomatoes, Spanish onion and cucumber to the bowl. Then add the finely sliced green banana. Toss well.</li> <li>Sprinkle with peanuts and extra coriander.</li> </ol> <p>Have you ever tried a salad like this? Do you like Thai? If so what’s your favourite dish? Let us know in the comments section before, we’d love to hear from you.</p> <p><em>Recipe courtesy of <a href="https://australianbananas.com.au/" target="_blank"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Australian Bananas</span></strong></a>. You can find them on <a href="/%20https:/www.facebook.com/AustralianBananas/" target="_blank"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Facebook</span></strong></a> and <a href="https://www.instagram.com/australianbananas/" target="_blank"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Instagram</span></strong></a>.</em></p> <p><em><strong>Have you ordered your copy of the Over60 cookbook, </strong></em><strong>The Way Mum Made It</strong><em><strong>, yet? Featuring 178 delicious tried-and-true recipes from you, the Over60 community, and your favourites that have appeared on the Over60 website, <a href="https://shop.abc.net.au/products/way-mum-made-it-pbk" target="_blank"><span style="text-decoration: underline;">head to the abcshop.com.au to order your copy now</span></a>.</strong></em></p> <p><strong>Related links:</strong></p> <p><a href="/news/news/2016/08/bananas-under-threat-of-extinction/"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><em>Bananas under threat of extinction</em></strong></span></a></p> <p><a href="/lifestyle/food-wine/2016/06/banana-date-and-walnut-overnight-oats/"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong>Banana, date and walnut overnight oats</strong></em></span></a></p> <p><a href="/news/news/2016/07/the-simple-secret-trick-to-make-bananas-last-longer/"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong>The simple, secret trick to make bananas last longer</strong></em></span></a></p>

Food & Wine

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Prawn and vermicelli salad with coconut cream, kaffir lime and betel leaves

<p>This Thai dish eats beautifully as a stand-alone salad or component of a feast, or you can wrap the salad in the betel leaves (you'll just need a few extra) and eat as hand-held morsels - perfect for entertaining, and the recipe can be easily multiplied to fit your needs.</p> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Serves:</span></strong> 6</p> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Ingredients:</span></strong></p> <ul> <li>100g mung bean vermicelli noodles</li> <li>50ml coconut cream</li> <li>fish sauce, to taste</li> <li>12 green king prawn cutlets, butterflied and blanched in boiling salted water for 90 seconds</li> <li>6 betel leaves</li> <li>4 kaffir lime leaves, very finely julienned</li> <li>1 tbsp. fried shallots, ground to a powder</li> </ul> <p><em>Salad</em></p> <ul> <li>½ bunch coriander, picked and roughly chopped (reserve 2 roots for the dressing)</li> <li>2 red eschalots, finely sliced</li> <li>2 spring onions, finely sliced</li> <li>2 long red chillies, finely julienned</li> <li>2 limes, peeled and segmented</li> <li>1 lemongrass stem, white part only, very finely sliced</li> <li>50g toasted peanuts, crushed</li> <li>3 bird's eye chillies, chopped</li> <li>2 coriander roots, thoroughly cleaned and chopped</li> <li>1 garlic clove</li> <li>½ tbsp. dried shrimp, chopped</li> <li>50g palm sugar, grated (pick a pale Thai sugar)</li> <li>3 tbsp. fish sauce</li> <li>2 tbsp. lime juice</li> </ul> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Method:</span></strong></p> <ol> <li>For the dressing, grind the chilli, coriander root, garlic, shrimp and palm sugar as finely as possible using a mortar and pestle, then mix in the fish sauce and lime juice until combined. Adjust the balance with more fish, sauce or sugar if necessary.</li> <li>Place the noodles in a bowl and cover with boiling water. Set aside for four minutes, then drain and cut into short lengths.</li> <li>Dress the noodles with the coconut cream and season to taste with a splash of fish sauce.</li> <li>For the salad, combine all the ingredients in a medium bowl. Add the prawns and dressing and toss gently but thoroughly.</li> <li>Arrange the betel leaves on a serving platter, followed by the noodles and prawn salad mix. Scatter over the shredded lime leaves and shallot powder and serve.</li> </ol> <p><strong>Tips:</strong></p> <ol> <li>Seek out a quality fish sauce, they're not that expensive and the difference is amazing.</li> <li>Cooked crabmeat would work well instead of prawns.</li> <li>If you can't find betel leaves (generally available from Asian grocers) and want to serve individual portions, lettuce cups would be a good substitute.</li> </ol> <p>Tell us in the comments below, how do you like your prawns? In a salad? Or a soup? Or something else entirely?</p> <p><em>First appeared on <a href="http://Stuff.co.nz" target="_blank"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Stuff.co.nz</span></strong></a>.</em></p> <p><strong><em>Have you ordered your copy of the Over60 cookbook, </em>The Way Mum Made It<em>, yet? Featuring 175 delicious tried-and-true recipes from you, the Over60 community, and your favourites that have appeared on the Over60 website, <a href="https://shop.abc.net.au/products/way-mum-made-it-pbk" target="_blank"><span style="text-decoration: underline;">head to the abcshop.com.au to order your copy now</span></a>.</em></strong></p> <p><strong>Related links:</strong></p> <p><a href="http://www.oversixty.com.au/lifestyle/food-wine/2016/04/pork-and-prawn-dumpling-soup/"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong>Pork and prawn dumpling soup</strong></em></span></a></p> <p><a href="http://www.oversixty.com.au/lifestyle/food-wine/2016/03/prawn-and-tofu-stir-fry/"><em><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Prawn and tofu stir-fry</strong></span></em></a></p> <p><a href="http://www.oversixty.com.au/lifestyle/food-wine/2016/03/bbq-prawns-with-macadamia-dukkah-and-mint-lemon-yoghurt/"><em><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>BBQ prawns with macadamia dukkah and mint lemon yoghurt</strong></span></em></a></p>

Food & Wine

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Thai beef grain bowl

<p>Grain bowls don’t have to be rabbit food. Liven up your rice and veg with this warming, Thai-style beef flavour.</p> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Serves:</span></strong> 2</p> <ul> <li>125 g dark soy sauce</li> <li>3 tablespoons olive oil</li> <li>3 red chillies, thinly sliced</li> <li>1 garlic clove, grated</li> <li>2 teaspoons fresh ginger, grated</li> <li>1 teaspoon sesame oil</li> <li>250 g cooked black rice (100g uncooked)</li> <li>200 g flank steak, cooked and sliced</li> <li>50 g cucumber, sliced</li> <li>50 g baby romaine lettuce</li> <li>Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper</li> </ul> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Method:</span></strong></p> <ol> <li>To make the soy dressing, whisk all of the ingredients together in a bowl until well combined.</li> <li>Toss the rice, steak, cucumber and lettuce in a large bowl with the dressing.</li> <li>Divide evenly between 2 bowls and season.</li> </ol> <p><em><img width="164" height="166" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/26541/grain-bowls-image_164x166.jpg" alt="Grain Bowls Image (4)" style="float: right;"/>This is an edited extract from </em>Grain Bowls<em> by Anna Shillinglaw Hampton published by Hardie Grant Books. RRP $19.99, available in stores nationally.</em></p> <p><strong><em>Have you ordered your copy of the Over60 cookbook, The Way Mum Made It, yet? Featuring 175 delicious tried-and-true recipes from you, the Over60 community, and your favourites that have appeared on the Over60 website, <a href="https://shop.abc.net.au/products/way-mum-made-it-pbk" target="_blank"><span style="text-decoration: underline;">head to the abcshop.com.au to order your copy now</span></a>.</em></strong></p> <p><strong>Related links:</strong></p> <p><a href="/lifestyle/food-wine/2016/07/salad-of-sauteed-beef/"><strong><em><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Salad of sauteed beef with cold rice noodles</span></em></strong></a></p> <p><a href="/lifestyle/food-wine/2016/07/winter-warmer-seafood-stew/"><strong><em><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Winter warmer seafood stew</span></em></strong></a></p> <p><a href="/lifestyle/food-wine/2016/07/slow-cooker-creamy-chicken-pasta/"><strong><em><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Slow cooker creamy chicken pasta</span></em></strong></a></p>

Food & Wine