Back to Basics

A Hobby

Necessity is always the mother of invention.

When the my girls were young, I loved to walk around malls and admire the frocks. But the pretty frocks were not cheap. It was creating a big hole in the pocket. So, the idea was created.

 Learn to sew. 

I sewed. Really did it. It was a pleasure to see the girls in pretty frocks of the same cotton threads. Church members noticed and commented. I even went to the extent of sewing for the little cousins and during the Lunar New Year, grandma Lau smiled from ear to ear. Yes, it was fun then.

The children enetually grew and looked at my sewing with criticism. That I had grown old-fashioned and not in trend. So, my sewing grew not so popular and it took my interest away.

On top of that, school pressures piled up and I had to discard the hobby.

When you sew without a relaxed mind, the clothes may not turn out fine.

So I left the hobby.

Retirement also creates pressure when everyone asks you that pertinent question :

What are you doing to yourself?

Rest and relax .

Doing nothing is also doing something.

This answer does not seem to satisfy.

My grown up children give me pressure too.

Ma, do something.

Dad says I will be senile if I keep getting myself hooked to Chinese dramas.

I am still collecting my thoughts and finding directions, People around me are impatient to know what is my next course of action. Can't just relaxing and doing nothing be a good enough answer?

It has only been a month without work. They make me feel as though I have retired for years !

To cut it short, I forced myself to pick a piece of fabric and recalled my past experience and find a reason to sew. Going through left overs in my closet, I chose a piece and cut.

 That's my favourite cotton. Combining them in various ways to create a frock.

Getting the right size is a guessing task.

 Oh, the familiar ruler, chalk and paper cuttings. The old sewing machine is still performing its function albeit all modern machines give better service. Trimmings make a frock pretty. Imaginations create even prettier ones. Who says baby frocks are easy to sew? They are so small and it's a skill to deal with them.

So ancient right? But some ancient machines are still good, I especially love this model because I love to control it with my feet. The motorized ones do not give me that confidence. But I suppose it's a matter of skill acquisition.

 Do you like my creation of baby frocks? The last one was sewed 25 years ago.

These frocks have rekindled an old interest again.

Last night was a night of dreams; peter pan collars, sailor's collars, buttons, lace ...

How long will my interest hold again?

The only downside is that I need a pair of new glasses for near reading and sewing. The challenge of threading that needle is real. I may not feel old but my eyes tell me otherwise...

Reorientation.

All Old

 How does it feel to be back to old days?

Things are never the same though.

However, this is still the same.

The school next to my parents' abode.

It is 7.30 am and the sound of young voices evoked much in me. They must be doing the physical education exercises and games. Things seem the same as in all schools but the new education blue print demands higher KPIs and achievements to be globally competitive. 

So, mind sets need to be in tune to present times. In short, we need to adapt to changes.

I recall my reading on "Who moved my cheese?" I need another revisitation to boost up my confidence as I observe and see changes. The reminder pounding in my head is : one need to change and adapt to new phases and circumstances. But I do wonder if everything needs to change...

I notice this pack of salts in the house.

What is it for? Why?

My father soaks his feet in it. It relieves cramps and aches. Of late he has been complaining of pulls that deter him from walking long distances and his confidence is shattered.

He gladly uses the walking stick to aid him in his movements. It's a far cry from the dad I knew; so strong and agile. But it's a change. One good thing about him. He is not afraid to use the stick and walks around town happily with it, That's the first hurdle he has overcome and it's a change for him.

Perhaps, the greater challenge is his decision to terminate his little business. A routine he has been following for the past 80 years, it is indeed heartbreaking for him. The new change in the GST implementation sends him down the doldrums as he tries to concur on the best practices. 

In the end, he has to make another change; to quit.

At 97, it is a ripe old age to quit everything and anything. But the routine was the reason that kept him going. It was meaningful for him to socialise with his neighbours and old friends. The little business kept his mind agile. But now, there is a need to give up. It is depressing for him.

Another change for the old folks at home when mum had a nasty fall in December is the need to acquire further mobility aids. All experts have been consulted and all pain killers administered. But the pain is still there and that makes mum agitated and confused. The antidote so we have been informed is pain management. So, my poor mum with all her determination is still fighting tooth and nail to win the battle. 

The fall has also finally allowed the matriarch to agree to the closure of the business. It's time for rest. But rest is only good when you have people round you, Young voices, able bodies, company and fun. Another change for them.

So many changes in a short span of time.

My siblings and I are going through the changes too.

Reasons after reasons and the round table talks do not seem to have any conclusive results.

We are still battling for the best practices.

God help us we pray.

Have a good day.

Home-made Wine

Shirley has skills envied by many.

She is good at all sorts of cuisines; English, Chinese and some Malay ones I believe.

Why? Because she was once a Domestic Science teacher. The cliche once a teacher, always a teacher cannot be more true here.

So today she graciously offered to pass down her skills in wine making ; to be more precise; Chinese wine. It's a rare opportunity and to plough through the massive traffic jam is only a small matter. The non-working ladies gathered eagerly to see her in action.

Here it goes.

The process is simple.

To get about 4 bottle of this white rice wine, the following ingredients are needed.

3 kg of glutinous rice ; steamed and cooled before use. 

100 gm of red rice or "hong kok" if a red hue is preferred; often the red rice residue formed through the fermentation process is an added flavour to cuisines.

However this is optional.

We did not use this for the recipe this morning.

Shirley has a large glass container with cover which she sterilised to keep bacteria at bay for successful fermentation. You can get it at PJ Old Town.She also has a piece of plain muslin cloth and sewed a muslin bag for use later.

Besides preparing the steamed glutinous rice, get 7 pieces of sweet wine biscuits or  often known as 'chow peng' and 2 pieces of 'lat chow peng'. The sweet one is round in shape whereas the other one is in  a cylindrical shape. Go to any Chinese medicinal hall and they will be able to entertain you.

Crush the wine biscuits into fine particles with a hammer. When finely crushed, it is ready for use.

Next, loosen the steamed glutinous rice and the expert used a plastic bag to lay the rice in the container. When the first layer is done , add a spoonful or two of the crushed wine biscuits.

After adding the biscuits, pile up another layer of glutinous rice followed by spoonfuls of the wine biscuits. If you had wanted to use the red rice, sprinkle over the steamed rice layer by layer too.

Shirley's deft fingers very quickly laid the steamed rice and wine biscuits layer by layer and soon the glass container is now filled till 3/4 full.

See, beautifully and professionally done.

The scientific explanation is connected to the fermentation process of the glutinous rice which then produced the wine after a period of time. 

The muslin cloth is placed over the opening and the cover is lightly put over it at an angle which allows air to circulate in the glass. It will be in this position for 7 days. On the seventh day, give 3 big hurls of turning the mixture which by now is softened. Then carefully spread the muslin bag over the container for another 28 days. Do not move the glass container but let the mixture brew at the same spot over the span of time.

The neat and meticulous cook has even prepared a tube ready to transfer the fermented wine from the glass container to smaller bottles for use and keep. She sees to the minutest details.

When allowing fermentation to take place, it best to choose a cool and shady room. Maybe it is old folks tales, but a careless attitude and wrong handling of the process may not see to a successful harvest. Therefore, I wish you all the best for a good harvest when you try this recipe.

Have fun and thank you Shirley for sharing.

If you need to carry out confinement duties overseas, this is surely a god-sent recipe,

A Last Resort

Sara's Pet.

When she was a little girl, she used to received furry stuff; kangaroos, teddy bears, cats, dogs and the list. But you will grow out of them and soon they will be stored away. A stuffed toy tucked away for more than 2 decades is hard to find but eureka we still have one of them. What do we do with some of them? Recycle? Give away? We found a new use.

Dad's outdoor ceiling is high; he loves the tropical feel and would not agree to anything less. It's difficult to convince him about buildings and looks and I have given up long ago. I know where my strengths are and my weaknesses too. So, we learn to keep quiet when the forte is not there.

His high ceiling does provide a challenge though. 

What is the challenge you may ask?

No, not the cleaning part only.

Guess it.

Bird droppings.

The birds chirp beautifully in the mornings but they leave behind droppings that are detestable. It's not fun to have to get rid of them each day. The birds get bolder by the day. 

So, what do we do with them?

I know in Muar some homes face the same problem because I have seen residents hanging used cds to scare away the birds.

Yes, to scare them away. 

Sometimes dad's memory is good when a need arises.

Where is Sara's pet cat?

We dug it out !

It looks real, doesn't it?

There the perfect scare.

The watchdog of the house.

Not afraid of the rain and sun.

What a good use.

But the best news.

No droppings this morning.

That's why I am sharing with you the good news.

Try it, friends.

The Coveted Soup

 The Traditional Mandate.

Maybe this is a repeat. But even if it's one, it's worth it because consuming it is always a pleasure. So for Chinese mothers, mothers-in-law, mothers to be and confinement help, let's have a go at it again.

The Rice Wine Chicken soup.

Bottled in this manner, the rice wine is popular in Chinese homes, especially when there is an impending birth in the near future . This rice wine can be used for cooking and for some, even sipping it before bedtime gives them the kick. However, I have been informed that the home-made wine is illegal and can only be brewed for private consumption ? If the tradition is discontinued the Chinese home has actually lost an art. So, I think this must never be taken off the shelf.

 Perhaps I should learn to prepare it too?

Essential for this soup is ginger and sesame oil.

For a whole chicken it is good to have 3/4  bowl ( rice bowl) of ginger and 2 gloves of garlic; minced.

With about 3 tablespoons of sesame oil and a spoonful of vegetable oil, heat it up before adding the minced ginger and garlic. Fry them till fragrant and the well fried aroma is indication to add chicken pieces.

 Do not be in a hurry to fry the chicken pieces but patiently stir fry till chicken is well fried ; say about 15-20 minutes.

Then add in the rice wine ; for a whole chicken it is best to add in the whole bottle of wine.

Then you may add in a bowl or two of plain water to lessen the alcohol content. Depending on the taste of the wine; some are sweet while others may be sour; you have to add in some sugar and salt to taste.

On a wok, it should look like the above and transfer it to a pot and simmer over a small fire.

If the chicken is  free range , you may have to simmer longer than a non free one. Some do not prefer the chicken to be too soft ; so watch over it and taste intermittently before switching off the fire.

You can serve it plain with rice; promise you'll want more.

I have also added some fried eggs  at times; some even may add black fungus. All these extras will improve the taste further. But for confinement mothers, the plain version will do.

Besides chicken, some will use hog kidneys for breakfast for mothers who have just given birth.

The rice wine is a versatile ingredient to complement Chinese cooking .

It is good to have a bottle at any one time. 

Enjoy your chicken rice wine soup.

My Mother's Recipe

 The Teo Chew Duck commonly known as `Lor Ark`.

Mum's forte is this dish. Every Lunar festival her children crave for it and consume it for 3 meals a day; be it breakfast, lunch or dinner. So, today I took it upon myself to try and cook it. I thought I too have to pass this recipe down to the next generation and my girls had better learn it. It is easy to get this dish in Singapore and Malaysia. But when you are overseas, it is good to know how to prepare it or you will never get a chance to taste it at all.

So, here it goes.

 Mum says 2 items are essential for this dish; five spice powder and the galangal or lengkuas

 (ginger family).

 Marinate the bird overnight with salt and five spice powder.

 Add 2 to 3 spoonfuls of sugar to some oil and stir it until it caramelizes.

Next switch off the fire.

Cover the wok and add water. This may cause the heated oil to fly all all over. 

The cover is essential to prevent any disaster.

 Next, you add thick , black caramel sauce and some five spice powder ; stirring it for a while.

 Then place the marinated bird into the mixture over a small fire. 

Keep covering the bird with the sauce and add bay leaves to accentuate the taste.

 Keep stirring the sauce over the duck for about an hour till duck is cooked and evenly covered with the dark caramel sauce. 

You may add pork belly strips to enhance it further.

 Remove the cooked duck and place it on a plate. 

Add galangal pieces into the bishop of the bird and let it cool.

 Meanwhile, boil some eggs.

Fry some tou fu pieces.

 Put in the eggs, toufu and pork belly individually till evenly coloured.

The dish is almost ready.

Chop the duck into smaller pieces and simmer it over a small fire till tender. Add in the eggs and toufu and the dish is ready to be served.

 Enjoy your meal.

The old belief is still true.

 A recipe may be given but it is the cook that makes the difference.

Try the recipe and pray for the best.

This teo chew recipe can be improved through many attempts.

Practice does make perfect.