My Beginning
I am a sentimental person, my food reflects my childhood, family and experiences.
All my favourite memories involved food in some ways.
Growing up, my meals were typically Cantonese as my dad, and maternal grandparents were good cooks.
My Hock Chew clan Kong Kong (grandfather) used to own a coffee shop in the early days, we were told he cooks at his own wedding dinner back then.
He was well known for his hospitality as he would pile the bowl of his guests with hearty Hock Chew home cooked dishes such as Hock Chew fish balls, Rou Yan, chicken in red wine lees. (he make his own red wine lees)
My Por Por (grandma) runs a Char Siew noodle stall in the market. So as early as 4 am, we get ready for business at 7 am. I was 5-6 years old then, stayed with grandparents while my parents work.
I would help take orders and served and was quite good at it.
Some years later, I “graduate” to helping to cut the char siew and plating it with vegetables and wanton. Today we called that food styling.
As a child, I delight in the hustle and bustle of the kitchen. I watched and learnt how to make green chilli pickles, to mince pork with hand held grinder, marinating the char siew and roasting it and wanton wrapping skill.
Scenes and memories of me in the kitchen, especially during the CNY along with beaming grandparents and relatives still bring many a tear to my eyes.
However, the biggest influence was no other than my Papa.
Right after collecting me from my grandparents at the age 7, (my sister and I were staying with my grandparents then), he stationed me right next to him each time he cooks. I would help to peel garlic, cut onion, pound chilli (till the seed thoroughly blended), the preparation work.
Papa is a strict cook and fussy eater. I remembered very well he refused to eat the stir fried vegetables I cooked simply because it didn’t meet his standard; which is tender crisp with a thin coat of oil and sauce over the vegetables.
Getting the stir fry vegetable right was crucial and the necessary entry level to the then 9 years old.
Shortly after my stir fry vegetable meets Papa’s expectation, I was told to follow him to the wet market.
That particularly morning marked the start of my marketing chores. I was given a couple of dollars to buy and cook (unsupervised) for dinner that night, and the many meals after that.
I remembered that one particular dinner where papa was amused by the array of dishes on the dinner table. Steam prawns (was on offer), vegetables soup, braised yong tau foo and steam minced pork- all within budget!
At a young age, I knew all about a well-balanced meal.
One may say with all these early exposures, that I am trained from young to understand the intricacies of Chinese ingredients and cooking techniques. I developed an instinct about food and cooking and picked up such secrets not taught in cookbooks or classes.
Peranakan cuisine is special to me as my late husband who was instrumental in my progression in cookery is a Baba (Strait-born Chinese)
When I was newly married, I wanted to be able to offer him his comfort food in the best way I know how. Dutifully and painstakingly, I learned the ropes, and today I am much admired for my Peranakan specialities. Soon, I am sought after for my Peranakan dishes, such as Nonya achar, Assam fish, Ayam Buah Keluak, I started to give cooking lessons.
No two similar Peranakan dishes taste alike, there will always be slight adaption as each proud Peranakan cook has no qualms in infusing their personality to the dishes they cook.
Apart from Peranakan cuisine, my extensively travelled businessman husband introduced me to a whole new array of cuisine. Italian, French, Thai, Sichuan, Japanese.
What this ended up doing was train my palate while it opens my mind up to flavours and foods I had not before considered possible.
I am intrigued at each of my food discovery, may it be a new ingredient I had not tasted before or how ingredients were paired together, emerged as a winning dish.
I am naturally inquisitive, and I like experimenting with recipes, I would replicate these dishes, giving it a new twist to make it taste better, tastier.
Cooking is a creative and therapeutic process for me; one that allows lots of individuality. And yes, there is much gratification in conquering a recipe and serving it to friends and family.
I love food, eating and almost everything that surrounds it. I like the fact that cooking provides the platform in bringing people together, connecting with one another.
I cook because I like to feed people, I like to make people happy. There is nothing like the immediate response I can get when I give someone something delicious.
Cooking is an expression of love, who I am, where I have been, my life experiences and it is my pleasure to share my passion with you through this blog.
 |
| Me and "first love." |
