| My mother was of the idea that a man's place was | | | | them up becomes a pleasure and not a task. Be sure |
| never in the kitchen, and this was ingrained into us as | | | | to have everything prepared before you start cooking: |
| she shooed us out of the kitchen every time | | | | the vegetables washed, drained and cut; the meat cut |
| whenever we tried to get into the kitchen to see what | | | | and marinated; the sauces prepared." |
| was cooking. It might not have been the best or | | | | "And get yourself a good wok - It is the one piece of |
| correct thing to do, and as a result, her children -the | | | | cooking equipment you may want to purchase before |
| sons, including me, grew up not knowing how to cook | | | | you start cooking Chinese food. Always heat up the |
| until we were college going kids and had to live away | | | | wok. When cooking meat or poultry, make sure that |
| from home and to start to cook and fend for | | | | the wok is very hot before adding the food. If you are |
| ourselves. | | | | going to stir-fried meat and vegetables, stir-fry the |
| Disadvantaged as we were in cooking for ourselves, it | | | | meat first and set it aside. Then return it to the wok |
| made us more aware of the beauty in mum's cooking. | | | | with a sauce during the final stages of cooking. And |
| Mum's prepared food that was absolutely marvellous, | | | | use a little cornstartch as a binder at the end of your |
| both in taste and smell. Meals prepared by her were | | | | cooking, if it calls for that. Just remember how the dish |
| never ordinary. They were a delight to behold, a | | | | tastes like, the way I cooked it", she said. |
| pleasure to consume - no matter how simple the dish | | | | Throughout the years when I had to cook, her words |
| was. | | | | of wisdom flashed back to me whenever I despaired |
| Now in her twilight years, mum can no longer cook for | | | | over my cooking. I had seen my cooking improved, and |
| herself. She has bouts of amnesia, and old age has | | | | had added more styles and recipes to vary my |
| taken a severe toil on her. Dependent on others to | | | | cooking in the later years. |
| cook and serve her meals, she can sometimes | | | | "And the secret ingredient in all Chinese cooking is to |
| struggle to the kitchen and still manage to prepare a | | | | add a little bit of inner joy to your dish as you cook. |
| ten minute fast cooking instant noodle, much to our | | | | When you approach your cooking with this little bit of |
| chagrin and anxiety. The doctor orders were not to let | | | | inner joy, you will have a song on your lips as you |
| her near a stove for fear of a fit or a fall, lest she burn | | | | cook. Something mysteriously will spur you on to do |
| the house down. | | | | your best and turn on the magic in your cooking," she |
| Just yesterday, in the quiet of the night, I was able to | | | | added. |
| recall times I had with mum when I was about to go to | | | | That day, last week, when I recalled those words of |
| college. Vivid in my mind, as history started to flash | | | | mum when I prepared a meal for her, I could only add |
| back, I remembered words of wisdom from mum on | | | | not just a little bit of inner joy, I tried my best to give |
| cooking. We were always profuse in our praise and | | | | her a physical massive hug of love. |
| bountiful in our appreciation for mum's fantastic | | | | "Vary your ingredients to add textures, colors and |
| cooking.And on one occasion, she revealed the secret | | | | flavors.Then it is possible to find harmony and balance |
| formula that had always enveloped the food she | | | | in your meals. This is an important principle in Chinese |
| cooked. | | | | cooking." |
| "In Chinese cooking," she said one day," the two most | | | | Mum may be frail and too old to handle a wok |
| important things are to have a sharp knife and a hot | | | | anymore, but her words of wisdom in Chinese cooking |
| stove. Always sharpen your knife so that you can | | | | has helped us through the many years. Her simple tips |
| slice through your veggie and your meat or fish. Cutting | | | | for Chinese cooking may help you too. |