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

When Editing Videos Is Easy… But Choosing Music Feels Like Taking an Exam

Lately, I’ve been spending a lot of my time editing videos. What started as a simple hobby somehow turned into me sitting in front of my laptop for hours, trimming clips, adjusting colors, adding subtitles, and obsessing over tiny details nobody else probably notices.

The funny thing is — editing itself isn’t the hard part anymore.

Thanks to CapCut (which I have to pay), I can actually create videos pretty fast now. Cut here, transition there, add some captions, done. Everything feels smooth and efficient. I finally reached that stage where editing doesn’t feel scary or technical.

But then comes the real nightmare.

Choosing. The. Music.

CapCut has thousands of nice songs. And I mean really nice ones. Cute, trendy, emotional, cinematic — you name it, they have it. Every time I scroll through the music library, I get excited thinking, “Ohhh this one fits perfectly!”

And then… copyright says hello.

TikTok is pretty chill. Upload, done, no drama.

But YouTube?  Different story.

YouTube is like that super strict teacher who checks everything with a microscope.

So many times, I spent ages converting my favourite songs from YouTube into MP3, carefully placing them into my CapCut video, syncing every beat perfectly… only to upload and get hit with: Blocked due to copyright.

Heart pain, really.

Even worse, not just songs — sometimes even short tunes or simple melodies are protected. Like… how?? It’s just five seconds of music 😭

My latest Nana Vietnam Kitchen video nearly broke me. I had to redo the entire video THREE times because of music issues. Three times re-exporting. Three times re-uploading. Three times hoping it would pass.

In the end, I gave up.

No more nice music. No more trendy songs.

I just picked one of those super safe, super boring, very “corporate slideshow” tunes from the YouTube Audio Library.

So yeah… if you ever watch my YouTube videos and think,

“Why the music so old-school ah?”

Now you know.

It’s not my taste.

It’s survival 😂

At this point, editing the video is easy. Fighting copyright is the real full-time job.

Honestly, being a small content creator sometimes feels like 20% creativity and 80% dodging copyright landmines.

But oh well… we adapt, we survive, and we keep posting.

Because at the end of the day, the memories (and the food videos) are still worth sharing — even if the background music sounds like it came from 1985.

Nana Vietnam Kitchen at Festival Walk, Jalan Medan Ipoh

Yesterday my parents and I tried Nana Vietnam Kitchen at Festival Walk, Jalan Medan Ipoh, and it turned out to be such a satisfying dinner.

Opened by a lovely couple (with the lady boss from Vietnam), this cosy little spot serves authentic Vietnamese street food favourites like banh mi, beef pho, Gỏi cuốn (fresh spring rolls), plus a variety of Vietnamese-style rice and noodle sets.

My parents and I ordered their classic beef pho, lemongrass & chilli chicken rice set, and spring rolls to share. The portions were surprisingly big — so big we couldn’t even finish everything and had to tapau the leftovers (no regrets though 😆).

The food was flavourful, comforting, and tasted really homemade. Service was friendly, the restaurant was clean, and the prices were super reasonable too. For 3 adults including tea, the total bill was only RM57.90. Honestly such good value.

Definitely coming back to try more dishes next time. If you’re in Ipoh and craving Vietnamese food, this place is worth checking out!

Watch the video of our dinner at Nana Vietnam Kitchen here > https://www.youtube.com/shorts/j8Xw3ZRtV2g?feature=share

 Follow my journey and get more family stories and updates by liking my Facebook page > https://www.facebook.com/HealthFreakMommy52

Food for the 3 of us.

My 82-Year Old Dad's Homemade Strawberry Jam

My 82-year-old dad makes the tastiest homemade strawberry jam, cooked the traditional way over low fire for about 45 minutes.

Using only fresh strawberries, the juice of two limes, and reduced sugar, 1kg of strawberries yields three medium-sized bottles of jam. There are no preservatives, no high-fructose corn syrup, and no artificial ingredients — just simple, natural goodness.

This is the kind of jam I grew up with — patiently made, beautifully balanced, and full of heart. Sometimes, the simplest recipes are the most meaningful.

Watch how my dad makes the jam here > 

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/PcgHgFdZQDw?feature=share

Do like and follow my Facebook page for more videos, food finds and everyday life in Ipoh > https://www.facebook.com/HealthFreakMommy52

1kg of strawberries yield 3 bottles of jam.

Strawberries were on sale at Lotus's yesterday. My dad bought 5 punnets.

K10 Claypot Chicken Rice @ Bercham, Ipoh

Earlier this week, my 82-year-old dad brought my mum and me to his favourite claypot chicken rice spot in Bercham New Village — K10 Claypot Chicken Rice.

Food in Bercham is incredibly affordable because it’s a new village. A portion of roast chicken breast is just RM5, and roast chicken costs only RM3 — by far the cheapest I’ve ever seen in Ipoh or KL. In KL, it would easily cost double.

Back to K10. The claypot chicken rice was delicious — not overly salty, dark, or oily. Even with salted fish, the rice was well balanced. The chicken pieces were tender and juicy. I also ordered a freshly made ambra juice with preserved plum (no sugar), which was super refreshing on a hot day paired with a piping-hot claypot of rice.

The total bill for a big pot of claypot chicken rice and a plate of blanched lettuce? Only RM30.

📽️ Check out the video here: 👇

Very big pot of claypot chicken rice - too much for the 3 of us.

Super refreshing fresh ambra juice (no sugar) with preserved plum.

Homecooked Fried Meehoon By My 82-Year Old Dad

My 82-year old dad has never learned cooking formally, but his fried meehoon always tastes like home 🤍. 

Simple ingredients, familiar movements, and a lot of love in every step.

Watch how he makes it on my YouTube video: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/-A_Fx9nu31c?feature=share

Adopting a Stray Cat During Covid Changed My Life | My Soul Cat Turns 5

Celebrating my soul cat’s 5th birthday with cake and roast chicken 🎂🐔

She came into my life in early January 2021, during the darkest days of Covid lockdown, when everyone at home was struggling. Saving her from the streets and adopting her was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. She doesn’t need to do much — her presence alone eases my sadness and brings a smile to my face. An angel in the shape of a cat, truly God-sent 🤍🐱

You can watch the video of her birthday celebration here:

https://youtube.com/shorts/C3R7afWRY0U?feature=share

My mum baked the Castella mocha cake but of course Haru couldn't eat it. Dad bought roast chicken for Haru 💓

Evening Runs, Simple Meals & a Quiet Life in Ipoh

Evenings in my hometown are quiet and grounding.

This video captures my daily evening runs through a peaceful neighborhood surrounded by limestone hills and lush greenery. On some days, my 79-year-old mum joins me for a gentle walk — slow, steady, and full of presence.

Back home, Dad cooks a simple pot of porridge for dinner, and we end the day together. The video closes with Haru, my soul cat, happily climbing the stairs — slowly settling into her new home.

Nothing fancy. Just movement, family, nature, and a calm life I’m learning to love again.

Check out my video here: 

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/q8vn7Z1u6l0?feature=share

2025 Christmas Eve Dinner at Hakka Yin Signature, Ipoh

 Our Xmas Eve dinner was at Hakka Yin Signature.

Hakka Yin Signature is our family’s go-to restaurant for authentic Hakka cuisine. Being Hakka ourselves, we truly appreciate the flavours here — especially the abacus yam seeds, which are fragrant, well-seasoned, and you can really taste the yam in every bite.

The black vinegar pig’s trotters are rich and satisfying, while the braised duck with preserved black beans is packed with deep, savoury flavour. On our previous visit during CNY, we also tried the yellow wine chicken, which was excellent.

Prices are very reasonable, and the restaurant is almost always fully booked — so do make a reservation before you go!

Check out my video on YouTube here: 

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/-p5vVx9qFoQ

Braised black bean duck, black vinegar pig's trotters, stir-fried cabbage, and fried fish.

Abacus yam seeds, our family's favorite and by far the best we've tasted.

My loving parents; dad is 82 and mum 79 this year.

Hakka Yin Signature 

54, Jalan Medan Ipoh 4, Taman Ipoh Timur,

31400 Ipoh, Perak

Phone: 017-447 7624