So my mom, brother, and sister was coming over for Chinese New Year. Being a dutiful member of the family, what better thing could I do other than to cook everyone a healthy and wholesome meal? Afterall I don’t want to end up going to McDonald’s or mamak store lest losing the sense of tradition on the eve of Chinese New Year, 2006.

Items in the menu: Herbal Chicken Soup, Steamed Tofu, and Fried Vegetable, to go with white rice.

this stuff is healthy, foo!

Herbal Chicken Soup

Ingredients:

• half a chicken
• a packet of herbs
• a clove of garlic
• salt to taste

Steps:

• cut chicken into pieces
• boil water and herbs, with garlic for that extra aroma
• boil chicken seperately till the water starts foaming
• remove and rinse the chicken, add to the herbal soup
• keep on low heat for a minimum of an hour or two
• add salt before serving

green is good

Fried Vegetable (Choi Tam)

Ingredients:

• fresh vegetable, cut to managable size
• salt to taste
• garlic, diced
• prawns

Steps:

• soak the prawn in salt water
• saute the garlic in heated oil
• add prawn and fry till it’s cooked
• add vegetable and a dash of salt for taste
• add 1/4 bowl of water and close the lid for a minute
• ready to serve

tofu, best non-animal protien

Steamed Tofu

Ingredients:

• Japanese tofu
• garlic, diced
• ginger, diced
• dark soya sauce, maggie flavoring

Steps:

• steam the tofu on a plate
• fry the garlic and ginger on oil, add sauces to taste
• add the fried garlic and ginger on top of tofu, continue to steam for another minute or two
• ready to serve

mom, sister, and brother, no one complains

See? All so simple. That was our reunion dinner. Add some cili padi in soya sauce for dipping, and we have a wholesome and healthy dinner to greet the Year of the Puppy. Good thing my younger sister and brother did the cleaning up. Best.

Btw, it’s also one year anniversary of this blog. First post was on 1st of Feb, 2005 – Ego + Shyness, and this one is the 181th post.. how time flies.