Mid Autumn Festival 2026

Knowing that I’m attending Zumba this evening, Dad thoughtfully cooked a big pot of lentil and vegetable curry for lunch and dinner. So sweet of him! ❤️

He also bought half a roast chicken this morning so that I can have an early dinner. When it comes to roast chicken, the breast meat goes to Haru and me. 😂🐱

Unfortunately, Mum won’t be joining me at the gym for the time being, as the aches and pains in her limbs haven’t improved yet. Hopefully she’ll feel better soon.

We didn’t buy any mooncakes this year because we find most of them a little too sweet. But our neighbour gave us some famous Kam Ling snowskin mooncakes from Kampar, from his wife’s parents’ shop, and Alycia’s BFF also gifted us some less-sweet mooncakes from KL.

So we ended up with mooncakes anyway! 😂

And did you know that a typical mooncake can easily pack around 400 calories? That’s quite a lot of calories for one little round of deliciousness! Depending on your body weight and pace, you could be looking at several kilometres of running to burn that off. 😂

Wishing everyone a very happy Mid-Autumn Festival! 🥮🏮🌕

Zumba OOTD.

Pressure-cooked lentil and vegetable curry.

What's inside the curry - lentils, sweet potato, carrots, potatoes, big onions, garlic, tomatoes, broccoli, brinjals, puffed tofu, moringa leaves, curry leaves, spices and EVCO.

Rice cooked together with the curry in the PPC.

23 September 2026 — Lunch & Dinner

Lunch: Tapau chap fan from our favourite shop — braised chicken with black fungus, braised tofu, steamed fish and braised turnip. Only RM23.

The three of us couldn’t even finish the chicken, so the leftovers went straight into the dinner menu. Why we ate so little? Coz at 83, dad doesn't like eating meat anymore, he's a flexitarian now.

Dinner: Dad took over the kitchen as usual. ❤️

Sautéed Romano beans with leftover roast chicken and char siu, air-fried salmon with garlic and turmeric, and steamed tofu with a little fish sauce and scallions.

Simple food, but so good.

After more than two decades of planning two meals a day for my daughters, I finally don’t have to do it anymore. 😂

No more daily brain gymnastics of “What shall I buy and cook? What shall we eat?”

Retired Ipoh auntie life has its perks. 😆

The Ipoh Auntie Guide to a Less-Bloated Tummy

Some time ago at the hair salon, a lady in her 50s saw me walking in — as usual, in my gym wear. She stared at me for a while and, even though we didn't know each other, suddenly asked:

“Eh, what do you do to have such a flat tummy?”

😂😂😂

Actually… I DON'T have a flat tummy.

After three kids, expecting an abdomen like an airport runway is a bit ambitious. 😂

My midsection is relatively flat mainly because I don't eat a lot, I've cut down significantly on UPFs, sugar and refined carbs, and I exercise and stay pretty active.

These are the simple things I find helpful for keeping my tummy from getting too bloated:

1. Stop eating when I'm about 50–60% full.

I rarely eat until I'm stuffed — even at buffets.

Forget the FOMO and the kiasu mentality of “I've paid for it, must eat until I get my money's worth!” 😂

Your stomach doesn't know whether you've paid RM30 or RM300 for the buffet.

2. Cut down on sugary foods and refined carbs.

Since moving back to Ipoh, I've hardly eaten junk food because my parents in their 80s don't really eat that stuff.

My usual snacks are pretty boring — nuts, seeds and yoghurt. Very glamorous, I know. 😂

3. Keep moving.

Exercise if you can. If you don't have time for a proper workout, at least don't spend the whole day sitting.

Walk around the house. Move around the office. Use a standing desk if that works for you.

After meals, I usually don't plonk myself straight onto a chair. I'll mop the floor, clean the kitchen or stand while doing some work on my laptop.

Basically, my post-meal exercise is… household chores. Very atas. 🤣

4. Don't eat too close to bedtime.

When I was living in KL, I used to have dinner as early as 3-4pm with my girls when they came home from school.

Now that I'm back in Ipoh, that's no longer possible because my parents eat later — and they insist that I eat with them.

So I just eat a very small portion. Basically, toddler-sized. 😂

I also try to finish dinner at least about 3 hours before bedtime.

My “flat tummy” tips are really nothing complicated.

No expensive treatments.

No slimming packages.

No Ozempic.

Just cheapo Ipoh auntie methods that I've been doing for years. 😂

Eat less. Move more. Don't stuff yourself. And be consistent.

That's pretty much it.

Dad's homecooked dinner - braised radish and carrot with pork ribs, sauteed red spinach, air-fried salmon with homegrown tarragon and rosemary, and steamed turmeric pandan basmati rice for dad & mum. I dont eat rice.

Retired Ipoh Auntie Life

Sunday, 20 Sept 2026 — What We Ate 

Breakfast: Mum’s homemade keto pandan santan mug cake + chocolate mug cake. 😋

Lunch: Leftover Seoul Garden from last night. We’re such small eaters that THREE dishes became dinner + today’s lunch. 😂

Dinner was my 83-yo dad’s home-cooked spread — red bell pepper with garlic, onions & tempeh, silky steamed egg, siew pak choy and steamed fish with red dates & goji berries. Mum also made homemade yogurt with fresh pandan juice and coconut cream. SO good! 🤤

Back in KL, Sundays were usually “Where shall we go eat?” days. Here in Ipoh, life is basically:

Eat. Clean the house. Exercise. Eat again. Hang out with Mum, Dad & Haru. Clean up after dinner. Repeat. 😂

Sounds boring, but honestly? This is exactly the kind of low-chaos life I want at 53.

No rushing, no packed schedules — just simple food, family, a happy tummy and a peaceful life.

Apparently, my idea of excitement these days is… what’s for lunch and dinner?

Sauteed red bell pepper with tempeh + carrots + garlic + onion.

Steamed fish fillet with red dates + goji berries, steamed egg and steamed siew pak choy.

I don't eat rice, so dad steamed a sweet potato for me.

Mum's pressure-cooked pandan + santan unsweetened yogurt.

Dad’s Kitchen, Dad’s Rules

Dinner for 4, cooked entirely by Dad — solo operation, as usual. 😂

The kitchen is Dad’s territory, and he does NOT like anyone coming in to “help”. Apparently, too many cooks in his kitchen is a serious offence.  So we know better than to interfere. Just stay out of the kitchen and wait for the food to magically appear, though at times dinner will only be ready at 8+ pm, which is like supper to me 😂

This was the dinner he cooked when my younger brother was back in Ipoh recently: his signature turmeric chicken with turmeric leaves, sautéed red bell pepper with French beans, pan-fried garoupa with ginger, stinky beans with fermented black beans, stir-fried spinach and a pot of herbal soup.

Simple, home-cooked food… but everything was yummy! 😋 

Love Baked Into Every Meal

Today, Mum skipped her usual morning walk and spent almost the entire day in the kitchen — from morning right through the afternoon. And honestly, the kitchen smelled like pure comfort and love all day long.

First, she made me a double chocolate keto mug cake using coconut flour, an egg, unsweetened cocoa powder, and chocolate. She simply microwaved it for two minutes, and wow… it was absolutely delicious — rich, chocolatey, moist, and so delish.

Not long after that, she whipped up another mug cake — this time a coconut flour banana version, for herself. Again, just two minutes in the microwave, yet it turned out so soft, fluffy, and incredibly yummy. I still cannot get over how something so simple can taste that good.

In between all the baking experiments, Dad was busy cooking chickpeas in the pressure cooker — our plant protein for today and tomorrow. True to my parents’ generous nature, they even packed some chickpeas to share with the neighbours. Tomorrow, another batch will be cooked again.

Later in the day, Mum baked a loaf of wholemeal black sesame raisin bread in the bread maker. I had a slice for lunch.

For lunch, she used the dashi sachets that Alycia bought back from Japan to make a quick soup. She cooked gluten-free noodles and added roast pork and vegetables for a simple but comforting meal.

That’s my 80-year-old mum.

Even at her age, she still has such passion for cooking and baking. She genuinely loves making my favourite cakes and breads, always thinking about what the family enjoys eating. Sometimes I feel that food made by a mother carries something no bakery or restaurant can ever replicate — warmth, care, and love folded quietly into every bite.

My double chocolate keto chocolate mug cake - only 2 mins in the microwave oven

Keto cake using coconut flour, an egg, coconut oil, walnuts, and a squeeze of gula Melaka (optional).

Mum's coconut flour banana mug cake - only 2 mins in microwave oven.

Love these pressure-cooked chickpeas, seasoned with turmeric powder, curry leaves and some salt.

Bread is best eaten when it's still hot from the oven/breadmaker, on its own, without anything. Crispy on the outside, soft on the inside.

Chinese New Year Day 7 - A Spoonful of Memories Across Generations

Today is Yan Yat — the birthday of all humankind, also known as Everyone’s Birthday. It falls on the 7th day of Chinese New Year.

Since I was a child, my late maternal grandmother would cook fish and chicken porridge topped with fresh lettuce on this day. The dish is called Yue Sang Gai Jok. It was something I looked forward to every year. She would also fry fermented bean paste with garlic as a savoury condiment for the porridge. Grandma came from Guangdong, China, and was an amazing self-taught cook.

After she passed on, my dad took over the tradition. Without fail, he continued cooking fish and chicken porridge every 7th day of CNY — but I was rarely around to taste it. I missed it year after year.

This year, being back at my ancestral home, I finally got to enjoy his porridge again — my first bowl in more than a decade. Dad slow-cooked a rich pot filled with fresh grouper, abalone, prawns, dried oysters, pumpkin and chicken. Just before serving, he placed raw lettuce at the bottom of our bowls and poured the hot porridge over it. It was deeply comforting and incredibly delicious.

A little history behind this tradition:

Fish is an important dish during CNY as it symbolises abundance and prosperity. It represents having a good start and a good ending to the year. Elders also believe that feeding children porridge on the 7th day of the Lunar New Year helps them do well in their studies.

Being able to taste this again, in the same home where my childhood memories were made, feels extra meaningful this year. Some traditions may be simple, but they carry love across generations.

Do you have a special tradition for the 7th day of CNY? I’d love to hear it 💗

Our Yan Yat porridge today, cooked with rice, millet, grouper fish, prawns, abalone, dried oysters, chicken, pumpkin, carrots and served with raw lettuce. 

My dad gave me this bowl where the 'liu' (ingredients) are more than the porridge.  

How My 83-Year-Old Dad Cooks Our Childhood Whole Winter Melon Stew | Traditional Family Recipe

This double boiled whole winter melon is more than just a dish in our home — it’s a family tradition.

My 83-year-old dad is cooking a recipe that was passed down from my late maternal grandmother over 50 years ago. We grew up eating this comforting, old-school Chinese home dish, and every time it’s on the table, it feels like childhood all over again.

Winter melon is considered a yin food in traditional Chinese medicine, known for its cooling and alkaline properties that help balance and neutralize heat in the body. It’s nourishing, light, and perfect for the whole family.

We start by washing the whole winter melon thoroughly, cutting off the top, and removing the seeds. Then we stir-fry garlic, onions, shiitake mushrooms, chicken, dried cuttlefish, and other ingredients until fragrant. Seasoned with soy sauce and oyster sauce, the savory filling is stuffed into the melon before slow-cooking for 3–4 hours until everything becomes tender and flavorful.

The result? A unique, hearty, and deeply comforting dish that tastes like home.

Simple ingredients. Old memories. Timeless flavors. ❤️

Watch the video on how my dad cooks this dish here > https://www.youtube.com/shorts/Ej94AiBcP4c?feature=share

Dongzhi in Ipoh: Where I Wish Time Would Stand Still

Today marks my 11th day back in Ipoh, and honestly, I wish I could stay here forever.

There’s something deeply comforting about being home with my parents — the familiar rhythms, the unspoken understanding, and the quiet joy of simply being. Life here feels slower, softer, and more intentional. I wake up without rush, eat without worry, and fall asleep feeling taken care of in ways that only parents can.

Today is Dongzhi, the Winter Solstice — a day about reunion, warmth, and family. And my dad, as always, marked the occasion by cooking up an absolute storm.

True to his nature, he refused any help in the kitchen. Cooking is his domain, and he likes full control of the entire process — from planning to chopping to seasoning. We’ve learned to respect that. So we let him be, happily. My role comes after: mopping the floor, cleaning the stove, washing the dirty kitchen slippers, and helping with the dishes. My younger brother Roy chips in too, tackling the dirty dishes alongside me. It’s teamwork, just in different stages.

Dad cooked my absolute favourite — rice wine chicken with black fungus and fried egg, using two whole thighs of bearded chicken. The meat was firm, flavourful, and deeply comforting, the kind of dish that feels like a warm hug in a bowl.

He also steamed a beautiful white pomfret, stir-fried snow peas with fish paste and garlic, sautéed baby bok choy, and cooked a big, nourishing pot of beetroot soup with sweet corn, arrow root (fun kok), pork ribs, and red dates.

Mum contributed too — she cooked parboiled basmati rice infused with blue pea flowers from our garden, turning a simple staple into something quietly special.

It was such a lovely dinner — one of those meals where the food is wonderful, but the company makes it unforgettable. Sitting at the table with my parents and brother, sharing stories and laughter, I felt an overwhelming sense of gratitude. These are the moments that truly matter.

I did wish, though, that my three daughters were here with us today. Dongzhi is, after all, about togetherness.

We didn’t make or buy any tong yuen this year — we’re honestly not fans of glutinous balls. But yesterday, my eldest daughter Alycia, who’s in KL, surprised us in the sweetest way. She ordered desserts from the famous Douba Dessert Shop and had them delivered to us via GrabFood.

There was black glutinous tong sui with tong yuen, herbal jelly with boba and taro balls, mochi, and tau foo far. We enjoyed every bite — not just because they were delicious, but because they came with love. Even though she’s far away, she remembered us, thought of us, and found a way to be present.

That gesture filled my heart.

This Dongzhi, I’m reminded that family isn’t just about being physically together. It’s about thoughtfulness, care, and showing up — in meals cooked, floors cleaned, desserts sent, and love quietly expressed.

And here in Ipoh, surrounded by my parents, my brother, and the memories we’re still creating, I feel exactly where I’m meant to be.

Desserts ordered by Alycia in KL and delivered to us in Ipoh by Grab Food yesterday.

Rice wine bearded chicken with black fungus and fried egg.

Stir fried baby bokchoi and snow peas with fish paste.

Beet root + sweet corn + corn silk + arrow root (fun kok) + pork ribs + red dates soup boiled in the slow cooker for over 6 hours.

My brother and dad splashed extra hard liquor into their bowl of rice wine chicken.

One Month to SPM Trials — A Mother's Heartfelt Observations

Exactly one more month to go before Cass sits for her SPM Trials. The countdown has begun, and the pressure is clearly mounting, but Cass continues to push herself with an admirable sense of discipline and determination.

She studies late into the night, often at odd corners of the house — at the dining table, in the kitchen, and sometimes even just outside the bathroom. There have been nights when I’ve woken up to check on her, only to find her fast asleep at the table, her notes still open and highlighters scattered around her.

Despite her intense study schedule, she still makes time to exercise daily — her willpower is unshakeable. Her passion for figure skating remains strong too, although she has started to scale back on her practice sessions to focus more on the looming exams.

The actual SPM begins in early November and ends on 23 December 2025 — a long and grueling period. All I can do now is to support her in every way I can. Nutritious meals, moral support, and little comforts here and there — if her requests are not too pricey or overboard, they’re my command.

I often remind her to sleep more, to take breaks and care for her health, but like most teens, she just brushes me off with a pissed-off "I know what I'm doing" look 😒

As her mother, I can only hope and pray that she stays physically strong and mentally resilient throughout this crucial time. She’s given her all — and no matter what the outcome, I’m already so proud of the incredible discipline and drive she’s shown.

Hang in there, Cass. You're almost there. ❤️

Cass's school lunch box - often fruits, cherry tomatoes, boiled eggs, last night's soup or a flask of thick coffee. Sometimes she adds matcha powder to her thick coffee to have a double-caffeine effect to stay awake in class 😔.  

Cass sits next to the school’s Head Prefect in class — so dozing off might just earn her a gentle nudge or a polite reminder?  When you're seated beside the top role model of the school, you’ve got to stay sharp and be on your best behaviour too, right?

Cass's lunner - air-fried shimeji mushrooms with black pepper, garlic and olive oil.

Air-fried chicken chop, tomatoes, shimeji, and salad.

Miso soup with napa cabbage, shimeji mushrooms, big onions, and foo pei.

Air-fried saba fish, roast chicken breast and salad.

Homecooked Stuffed Bell Peppers — A Labor of Love from My Clever Home Chef

One of the little joys I’ve come to appreciate is having my daughters home more often, especially when their university schedule gives them a short break from the usual madness.

For the past two months, Sherilyn has been on her short semester, which means she hasn’t been as swamped with classes and assignments as she usually is during her long semesters. With the extra time at home, she’s finally been sleeping properly on her bed (though her old habit of dozing off on the couch still happens whenever she's too tired after a long day out).

A few days ago, we found some red bell peppers sitting in the fridge, still fresh and vibrant, and in true Sherilyn style — she wasted no time whipping up something creative. My clever home chef decided to make Stuffed Bell Peppers for the family!

🍽️ How She Made Her Stuffed Bell Peppers

Sherilyn started by preparing a hearty stuffing mixture using:
✔️ Berkcious minced pork (I bought two packets)
✔️ Chopped carrots for sweetness and texture
✔️ Chopped big onions for flavor
✔️ A blend of herbs and spices to season the pork mixture perfectly

Once the stuffing was ready, the more tedious part began — prepping the bell peppers and sauce.

 

🔥 A Slight Disagreement Over Grilling!

Sherilyn wanted the bell peppers to have a slightly smoky, charred flavor, so she grilled them directly over the gas stove flame. While I must say the flavor turned out great, I wasn’t too happy with this method. Cooking anything directly on an open gas flame isn't exactly the healthiest practice, so I made a mental note to suggest skipping this step next time.

 

🍅 Homemade Bell Pepper Tomato Sauce

She didn't just stop at stuffing the bell peppers! Sherilyn went the extra mile and blended some bell peppers together, added a jar of tomato puree, and simmered it into a rich, luscious sauce.

The sauce paired beautifully with the stuffed bell peppers, making the dish extra hearty and satisfying.

 

⭐️ Final Verdict: 10/10!

I must say — the end result was absolutely delicious. The stuffed bell peppers were juicy and flavorful, and the sauce elevated the whole dish. I gave it a solid 10/10 and told her she could definitely make it again, though I hope she’ll skip the part about grilling directly over the gas next round.

Cooked in our old trusty Le Creuset pot. 

Our Love for Grilled Saba

When it comes to grilled fish, nothing beats the flavorful, juicy goodness of Saba (Japanese mackerel). Every time we dine at Japanese restaurants, grilled saba and salmon are a must-order for my family. However, instead of splurging on restaurant prices, I’ve recently started air-frying saba at home—and let me tell you, we are hooked!

Restaurant vs. Homemade Grilled Saba

For years, I used to buy grilled saba from our neighborhood Japanese takeout restaurant at least once a week. But after experimenting with frozen wild-caught saba from the supermarket, I realized that making it at home is not only cheaper but also tastier! Even Cass, my picky eater, says that the ones I air-fry at home are juicier and more flavorful compared to restaurant versions, which can sometimes be a little dry and tough.

Super Easy Saba Recipe – Just 3 Ingredients!

One of the best things about grilling or air-frying saba at home is how incredibly easy it is to prepare. Here’s my simple foolproof recipe:

Ingredients:

✔ 1 frozen wild-caught saba fish (thawed). The ones I usually buy are already halved.
✔ 2 to 3 tbsp Kikkoman teriyaki sauce
✔ Black pepper (to taste)

Instructions:

1️⃣ Marinate the saba fish with teriyaki sauce and black pepper for about 15 minutes.
2️⃣ Place it in the air fryer and cook at 180°C (350°F) for 15 minutes.

• Cook 10 minutes on one side.
• Flip and cook for 5 more minutes on the other side.
  3️⃣ Serve immediately with a bowl of steaming rice or salad.

That’s it—super easy, minimal effort, and absolutely delicious!

If you love saba, I highly recommend trying this recipe—you might just get hooked like us! 😍🐟🔥

Keto lunch - Mango salad and air-fried teriyaki saba.

Cooking for Cass

Cooking for my youngest daughter, Cass, has been an adventure—one filled with careful ingredient choices, constant reminders about oil, and a surprising battle over butter. Ever since she started figure skating, her diet has shifted towards high-protein and low-carb meals. While she occasionally eats rice and noodles, her main focus is on lean proteins, plenty of vegetables, and avoiding oily food.

Cass isn’t just selective about food; she’s meticulous. She prefers lean proteins like chicken breast and fish, and she piles her plate with lots of greens—broccoli and leafy vegetables are her absolute favorites. She loves salads and most vegetables, which makes meal prep easier in some ways. But when it comes to anything remotely oily, Cass turns into a detective, inspecting her food for any trace of grease. She’s even been known to rinse off oil from dishes I buy outside or food from her dad’s kitchen.

Her obsession with avoiding oil extends to her own cooking. She makes omelets without a drop of oil and repeatedly reminds me not to use any when air frying her food. And yet, the irony? Cass is a certified butter monster! While she detests oil, she devours butter like it’s a food group of its own. I’ve tried hiding my Lurpak Light butter, but no matter where I stash it, she finds it!

Since Cass got bored of eating dishes from ‘chap fan’ (mixed rice) stalls, I’ve taken on the daily task of cooking her meals. Thankfully, she’s easy to please when it comes to flavors—so long as they fit her criteria of high protein, low carb, and oil-free.  So for chicken and fish, I can play around with teriyaki sauce, gochujang paste, miso paste, soy sauce, oyster sauce, turmeric powder, paprika, coriander powder, black pepper, and so many more.

Despite all the variety, one thing Cass never seems to get tired of is roast chicken breast from chicken rice stalls. She only eats the white meat, completely avoiding the skin, even though it’s not that greasy. Sometimes, I wonder if she’ll ever get bored of it, but so far, it remains her ultimate comfort food.

While Cass avoids oil like it’s poison, she has no issues devouring butter. I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve caught her sneaking spoonfuls of Lurpak Light onto her bread, biscuits, sweet potato, and even cakes. I’ve tried hiding it, but somehow, she always finds it! So, instead of fighting it, I now just keep an extra stash for her.

Cooking for Cass has been a journey of trial and error, but at the end of the day, I’m happy to support her dietary preferences. Her dedication to maintaining a clean diet aligns with her passion for figure skating, and if that means making air-fried or steamed, oil-free meals daily, then so be it, unless I’m busy, then I will get takeaway food for her.

Lunner for Cass - air-fried chicken chop (antibiotic and hormones-free) marinated with teriyaki sauce, Lea & Perrin sauce, black pepper, and chopped garlic; air-fried yellowfin sole fillet,  Nutrislaw salad, cucumber, cherry tomatoes, and chic pea and lentil chips from Signature Market.  This is our latest favorite healthy snack - the chips are oil-free, not salty, have no sugar and flour, and so addictive!

There was also a huge bowl of blanched Por Choy spinach.

A Nostalgic Encounter with an Old Schoolmate

Life has a funny way of bringing people back into our lives when we least expect it. Last week, I had a pleasant surprise when I bumped into a very old schoolmate. Let’s just call her Pretty Flower since her Cantonese name ends with the word "flower." Pretty Flower is the younger sister of my former classmate and is two years younger than me. Back in the day, my parents used to give both sisters a ride to school every day. Their mother lived in Johor, and they stayed with their aunt in Ipoh, conveniently close to my house.

The first time we bumped into each other after more than 30 years was last year, and to my amazement, she still recognized me! And then, last week, we crossed paths again. This time, she called out to me with excitement and insisted on taking a wefie together. It was truly heartwarming to reconnect with someone from my childhood.

Pretty Flower still looks young and pretty, and I can tell that she is happily married. As for her older sister—my classmate—she married at a young age and has been a grandmother for a few years already! It’s amazing how time flies and how life unfolds so differently for each of us.

These little unexpected reunions remind me of how small the world can be and how certain bonds, no matter how distant, still hold a sense of familiarity and warmth.

On another note, here’s a peek at one of Cass’s lunner (late lunch + early dinner) meals from last week. I made chicken chop using antibiotic and hormone-free chicken, marinated with miso paste and garlic, then air-fried to perfection. It was served with blanched baby French beans for a healthy touch. My MIL also prepared a delicious dish of steamed minced pork with ‘mui choy’ (preserved vegetable), which added a nostalgic, home-cooked flavor to the meal.

Me with my very old schoolmate, 'Pretty Flower'.

Lunner for Cass - air-fried miso chicken, blanched baby French beans, and steamed pork with preserved veggies.

Steamed minced pork with preserved veggie

A Taste of Tradition: Hakka Stuffed Oysters for Chinese New Year

Coming from a Hakka family with a large extended family on my father’s side, Chinese New Year always meant a trip to Cameron Highlands. My papa would drive us there to celebrate with my paternal grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins. It was a happy occasion with lots of delicious food, snacks, and playing firecrackers with my cousins.  My paternal grandmother, an excellent cook, would prepare an array of traditional Hakka dishes and snacks. One of the highlights of our CNY feast was her famous Hakka Yong Hou Si—stuffed dried oysters. She would also fry prawn crackers and salted dried tofu crackers and store them in those traditional big biscuit tins for her super large family to enjoy when they all returned to Cameron Highlands.

This Yong Hou Si dish, synonymous with CNY, is both delicious and labor-intensive. My grandmother would prepare it days, sometimes even a week, in advance. With 10 children and their families to feed, she had her hands full. The process involved stuffing fish and pork paste into large dried oysters, and then pan-frying them to golden perfection. The dish was served with a rich 'fatt choy' (black moss) sauce, symbolizing prosperity and good fortune. This auspicious dish, known as “Fatt Choy Yong Hou Si,” is a cherished tradition among Hakka families during the festive season.

After my grandmother passed away in the early 2000s (both my paternal grandparents lived into their 90s), my papa took up the mantle. A self-taught and passionate cook, he has faithfully prepared this dish every year since—for more than two decades. He always made extra so I could bring some back to KL and savor it long after the reunion dinner.

This year was no different. Though I couldn’t be in Ipoh for the CNY reunion dinner, my papa made sure I had six pieces of his stuffed oysters with the signature fatt choy sauce to take home. Today, I finally had the chance to indulge in this special dish. My MIL braised pork belly with sea cucumber and fish maw, then added the fried stuffed oysters and sauce. The result was absolutely delicious. Each bite brought back nostalgic memories of those CNY reunion dinners in Cameron Highlands and Ipoh, surrounded by family and laughter.

I hope my papa, who turns 82 this year, continues to cook this beloved dish for many more years. Perhaps one day, I will learn the recipe from him and pass this cherished tradition down to my daughters and future generations, ensuring that the legacy of Hakka Yong Hou Si lives on.

Saturday, 15 June 2024

It will be a long, late night for Cass and hubby today.  Cass has a figure skating rehearsal at the skating rink from 10pm to 12 midnight. Fortunately hubby is free tonight to do the chauffeuring, otherwise, I'll be waiting at the freezing skating rink until midnight. 

Cass has been eating clean and healthy lately. These is what her meals look like these days:

Salad with kimchi, Korean marinated pork, half an avocado, broccoli, cauliflower, and scrambled eggs with cheese. After her main meal, she ate a slice of air-fried sprouted wheat bread, low-fat yogurt with granola, an apple, an orange, and a few slices of papaya. 
 I also air-fried a slice of quiche, which was given to us by Alycia's bosses at the cafe that she works part-time at. When Alycia's bosses heard that she injured her hand, they passed some goodies from the cafe to her.

Steamed marinated spicy chicken chop, an ear of whole corn (I sliced out the kernels from the cob), sauteed assorted vegetables (from her dad's kitchen), steamed sweet potato, and sweet cherry tomatoes. I love the colors on her bowl, and so does Cass. I'm glad my years of training her to eat vegetables have paid off well.

After Alycia's terrible mishap in the kitchen last week, resulting in shards of broken glass cutting her finger badly, we now have a phobia of using glassware. I've since switched to using stainless steel bowls and containers.  Moreover, our microwave oven died on us yesterday, so we have no choice but to reheat our food using stainless steel dinnerware in the wok 😁

Colorful & Healthy Meals

The girls and I love colors in our food, natural colors of course. I like buying colorful fruits and veggies and the girls were trained from their baby days to eat healthy, with lots of fruits and veggies. I never had difficulty coercing the girls to eat fruits and veggies. 

Eating colorful meals is beneficial for good health due to the variety of nutrients provided by different colored fruits and vegetables. Each color typically represents various type of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants that contribute to overall well-being. 

Lunner for Cass ~ air-fried salmon with air-fried shimeji mushrooms, blanched broccoli and cauliflower, Mediterranean chicken stew, raw greens and fruits of avocado, jumbo golden kiwi and purple grapes.  Cass and I eat half an avocado every day.

Delicious air-fried salmon and shimeji mushrooms, seasoned with herbs and spices.

Chilled lemon juice.

Cass is a fruit and veggie lover and can chomp down a lot every single day.

My healthy bowl - salad with Mexican chicken stew.

This is how I like to eat capsicum - with cream cheese.

Homemade Mexican tortilla made with whatever ingredients there were in the fridge - frozen capati, guacamole, air-fried chicken chop, and sauteed capsicum with shimeji mushrooms and big onions. The two serving plates on the right are from Le Creuset. They're cute, eh?

My chia seed pudding with coconut cream and Gula Melaka syrup. It tastes exactly like Sago Pudding but it's healthier as chia seeds are packed with minerals, omega-3 fat, and antioxidants, including tocopherols, phytosterols, carotenoids, and polyphenolic compounds. And it's so much easier to prep - just soak the chia seeds in water in a glass bottle overnight in the fridge, add coconut milk/cream (I used packet ones) and Gula Melaka (I use bottled ones).

Sherilyn cooked this very yummy pumpkin + minced pork porridge using the Philips pressure cooker. She first sauteed the minced pork with lots of garlic and onions before adding the rice and pumpkin to cook the porridge. I love this porridge. My comfort food, always.