Tribute to Mum

One of my passions is cooking. Looking back, I can trace this passion back to my mum. My mum loves to cook for her family. So, I grew up with home-cooked food on the table. When mum first got married to dad, she didn't know how to cook chilli dishes (She comes from Cantonese background). My dad, a Malacca baba, grew up eating curry and chili dishes. Mum told us that when she first fried fish, dad refused to eat coz it didn't have chilli. Today, one of mum's specialty dishes is fried fish with stuffed sambal filling! It is a testament of her love for dad. Mum continues to experiment with new recipes she's seen on TV. This goes to show that you're never too old to learn.

I have to confess that when I used to live at home, I never really enjoyed cooking. I didn't like to help out in the kitchen as it meant I had to miss out on my play time or TV time. But, mum was a believer that her children should know how to cook. When I went overseas for studies, I had no choice but to cook. Eating out was expensive and not something a student could afford to do on a regular basis. So, very often, I would call home and ask mum for a recipe.

Now that I am married, I find myself preferring to eat in most days. Even when I was working, our friends used to be amazed that I cooked dinner regularly. The dishes were simple and I used the crock pot often. Now that I'm on a sabbatical, I've had time to experiment with more complicated dishes. Plus, with my brand new Teka oven, I look forward to experimenting with more roasts and grills. Our friends loved the baby-back ribs we prepared for a dinner party.

And so, on this Mother's Day, it is apt for me to pay this tribute to my mum, and all mums out there - for all the good food you have lovingly prepared for your children and for instilling the passion for good ol' home-cooked food.