Why?

If you’re like MOST young Chinese folks with doting and greying parents (not to mention the grinning, inciting aunties and uncles AND that smug cousin who’s married with a son…) you’d probably endured situations like these:

Suggest situations you can meet with other young people
“Why don’t you go for a cruise? Summer is a nice time. You can stop at various ports and make new friends. Many youngsters go for cruises nowadays as you don’t need to check your luggage in/out of airports when you visit different cities.

You can eat, dance, swim and gamble any time you want - it’s so easy to find someone who shares the same interests as you! Did you know that Mrs. Huang’s son met his wife on a cruise?”

Try to set you up
“I know a nice girl / boy and I’m sure you’ll like him or her. Why don’t the two of you go for a movie? ‘Contract Lovers’ will be perfect for blind dates!” (groan)

If you resist, then your mother and father will have A TALK with you!

The talk
“Boy/girl, we are getting old. Your old father has to see the doctor every month now - he has gallstones, piles, a bad back etc He has to go to the toilet every hour.

Me (big sigh) I don’t know how long I can last either…see the liver spots on your mother’s old hands?

I know you are still young. I know you are working very hard to become a success.

But our arms are aching from stretching out time and time again to hold our grandchildren…”[BIG SIGH]

In China, the pressure is unbelievably high that desperate kids will go to the extent of renting a boyfriend/girlfriend for the Spring Festival!

Check out this New York times article on renting a boyfriend. Or this amazing ad mentioned in this online site:

Willing to pay 300 RMB a day for a girlfriend to take home with me for the Spring Festival
Time: February 11th to February 15th
Age: 25 to 30 years old
She gets to keep any lucky money relatives might give her, but she’ll have to cooperate fully and not arouse suspicion…

Anyone looking for a pretty Korean girlfriend? I’m available!

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Of course, I’ve also had my Mum cooking dinner almost every night thus I didn’t need to dig up recipes or slave in the kitchen for home-cooked food LOL

Anyway, my Chinese confinement lady (who is with me for 2 months) will be leaving soon. She has been an amazing woman - one because she’s a whiz at whipping up delicious dishes!

What’s more, she’s not selfish about sharing her recipes.

For lunch today, she cooked a simple fishball soup made of 100% fish, which Hubby mentioned growing up with because my mother-in-law is another super housewife.

This blog post is to record this simple but yummy recipe. I’m one of the most terrible housewives but I hope that I’ll be able to try this out some day because both Hubby and my boy love fishballs.

INGREDIENTS
3 medium sized tenggiri (Hokkien=beh kah) fish
1 bowl of salt water (with 1/2 tsp salt added)
1 tbs cornflour / tapioca flour
1 egg white
1 stalk spring onion

METHOD
1. Make fish fillet: Remove the fish from the bones. Using a spoon, scrape the fish off the skin to produce a plate of fish meat.

2. Put fish meat into a blender to make fish paste. Add the salt water and the egg white to form a smooth paste as smooth as this:

(If you’re chopping the fish by hand, chop until the fish meat doesn’t stick to the cleaver. Add the salt water and egg white alternately and gradually. Mix the paste using a scoop-and-toss method until you get a smooth fish paste)

3. Form fishballs according to preferred size. Make chicken soup (boiling water with a chicken carcass). Put mustard leaves in and then add fishballs to the soup when bubbles rise.

Fishballs are cooked when they float to the top. Serve and watch everyone tuck in

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The camouflage nuclear missiles, riding on 18 launch vehicles, rumbled past Tian’anmen Square and were reviewed by Chinese leaders and foreign guests.

The parade, marking the 60th anniversary (1949-2009) of the founding of the People’s Republic of China, reached a crescendo of excitement when the gigantic vehicles, each had 20 wheels, came to the center stage, carrying “remarkable symbols” of China’s defense muscle.

(Photos of the missiles are at: Xinhua News)

I wish that I were still in China to watch the national day parade on TV because we don’t have CCTV here and anyway, you get to see more through the local TV stations!

*****

When we first arrived in China, I didn’t know what to expect living in a Communist country. After all, life here is pretty normal.

When I saw the Chinese version of the “Uncle Sam Wants YOU” recruitment (or promotion?) poster, I was unfazed.

I was still cool when I see the occasional side car (or the Hummer below) on the streets when I go grocery shopping…

But I *was* impressed when I flipped through CCTV channels and found that they had a MILITARY channel! Not sure if it’s FOR the military or BY the military but the news broadcast focused on military updates mostly.

I love men in uniform but the male broadcaster doesn’t have the Richard Gere, John Travolta or Tom Cruise appeal

In comparison, the female news broadcaster looks pretty dishy :-). Don’t let the pretty face fool you - she could be just as lethal as Uma Thurman’s character in “Kill Bill”!

Then, I started to notice “military-themes” in everyday scenes around us e.g. the firemen gathered for a drill with 2-3 fire engines near some apartment blocks.

The boy’s preschool even held TWO fire drills (with a fire engine AND firemen) within just 6 months! When was the last time you experienced a fire drill with all the works?

(By the way, the fire chief approached me when I was snapping the photos on my mobile phone. I told him that my little boy LOVES fire engines and after showing him my photos, he relaxed and smiled. And yes, the boy demanded to see the fire engines AGAIN and AGAIN for at least a week!)

If you were impressed with the SUPER STRAIGHT files of the National Day parade, what do you think of these files below by supermarket staff? Every Monday, a flag-raising ceremony is held at major supermarkets and some organizations - we’d only have it in schools, right? They take it VERY SERIOUSLY.

*****

One day, Hubby’s colleague gave us a lift back home and I had the chance to walk through the underground carpark. Nothing interesting, right?

That is until you have to walk through THIS door to get upstairs.

The men were cool (they see it everyday) but when, I saw this, I was like:

“Oh my God! That’s a bloody door to a vault! The underground carpark is a bomb shelter!!!”

That’s when I realized just how “military” this Communist country is.

I see strong attempts to influence the children from young. My tall and highly-active boy is strongly encouraged in his physical activities (potential soldier!) at preschool.

I was amazed by his fascination with the Monday flag-raising ceremony in preschool (I hope it’s just a phase!). On the first day we were there, he immediately went to join the 4 “selected” older children who stood ramrod straight with their eyes raised before the flag!!!

The Principal just glowed with pride and went on to emphasize that ONLY the good, obedient children had the opportunity to stand there. She explained that this “xiao peng you” is still small but is already a good example

Seeing this, you can bet I hid away these military-themed Chinese preschool colouring books.

CHILDREN’S PLAYGROUND

We found this children’s playground by chance and I was dumb-struck by this “mini commando training ground”!

There was a slide and a tunnel but this tyre ladder? Looks very much like something from an army obstacle race or training course!

My little “Spiderman” was attracted to this chain ladder and wanted me to help him up it.

Despite it being quite tricky, he could climb up the chain ladder barefoot and he was encouraged by his first attempt to climb it again and again.

But I was tired and just wanted to sit and relax so I shoo-ed him towards the slide and tunnel where the kids were playing LOL

This must be where the current and future Olympic gold medalist gymnasts started their training!

I don’t like military-themes e.g. dressing children up in fatigues or letting them join in military-like activities e.g. Canada’s Kiddie Commando Exhibit.

Why and how could anyone market the military lifestyle as “fun” when there are child soldiers in countries like Afghanistan and Palestine???

An episode of “Army Wives” is enough to make one appreciate the challenges they face.

After a while, I started to accept the strong military presence as a part of our daily lives - the crime rate is low although it rises during the Spring Festival (Chinese New Year) but we seldom hear of snatch thieves or break-ins.

Crime is still there e.g. rape, robberies and kidnapping but the incidence is low and the culprits are usually apprehended quickly based on the updates I hear from my Chinese-speaking friends.

*****

An Army officer lives on our floor and he is a fine example of one who “serves to protect and maintain the harmony”. One night, the boy was being *extra naughty* at dinner time i.e. not coming when I call and not eating what I fed. Hey, my cooking ain’t THAT bad.

Since the hot food was cooling down in the cold weather and I got so mad I threw him out of the apartment (we can still see him through the iron grille)! He started crying and I asked if he was going to eat his dinner when the Army officer appeared, checking on a potential case of child abuse…

The boy freaked out because the Army officer is tall and big and still in uniform! I opened the door quickly to let him in as he scrambled into my arms. Our neighbour was smiling but I told him:

“He’s being very naughty not to eat his dinner. Actually, he’s afraid of you now because he thinks you’re the police coming to catch him!”

Hearing this, he smiled apologetically and backed off, assuring the kid not to be afraid, told him to be good and that he’s leaving now. Hahaha, you can bet the boy behaved during during dinner that week

But I’ve also witnessed the Army’s brute force in implementing the law on the street vendors. Some of these errant small businesses extend their their goods’
display onto the common area i.e. the pedestrian walkway.

One day, I was shopping for something when I heard loud shouting and the shop owners frantically dragging or pushing the metal frames displaying bags, hair clips, clothes etc into their shop area.

Stepping outside, I saw army personnel, with a senior Private (?) leading the way, pushing down the metal frames that could not be rescued in time roughly onto the ground. They were also loudly shouting at the shop owners and writing out fines…

I’m all for law and order and the shop owners ARE in the wrong for obstructing the walkway with their goods but I didn’t like the way they handled them. But then, how do you handle stubborn people? The metal frames were back on the street the next time I went there!

While I felt relatively safer in China, I’m not sure I’d like to live under military rule. How about you? How do you feel?

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In China, the preschool serves this daily menu ALL prepared in their kitchen:

1. Breakfast - man tou, bao, porridge serve d with powdered milk, almond milk, peanut milk or soybean milk;
2. Lunch - fried rice or rice with chicken/pork and a bowl of soup;
3. Snack - fresh fruits and
4. Dinner - Noodles in soup (mian tiao) or rice with dishes AND a soup.

In Malaysia, the preschool serves this:

1. Breakfast - white bread slices spread with kaya (spread made with egg yolks, sugar and coconut milk); buns filled with cheap, sweet jam or biscuits! Kids drink plain water from their water tumbler.

2. Lunch - fried rice, rice with one dish  i.e. bits of chicken, chunks of sausages etc (vegetables optional) or porridge.

3. Snack - biscuits or breakfast leftovers and

4. Dinner - ditto as lunch.

Now, for a country like Malaysia renowned for its multi-racial delicacies, I find it quite shameful that our children are eating such a poor diet in the kindergarten. I think we need a Malaysian Jamie Oliver to start a revolution in our preschools!

After complaining to Hubby about it, I decided to prepare and then pack breakfast for him.

Here’s the first week’s menu:

Gardenia Toast’em Raisin Oatmeal with half-boiled eggs
He was first attracted by the purple plastic bag the bread comes in and actually likes the bread dipped into half boiled eggs

Gardenia Toast’em Raisin Oatmeal with butter and strawberry jam
The next morning, he asked for the same raisin oatmeal bread again. When I asked what he wanted with it, he said “butter and jam”. I decided to pack it in the Thomas lunch box he got as a present last year.

While cutting the sandwich, I asked if he wanted strips or squares and he said, “Square!” Ok, order noted down. The lunch box came back empty

Banana and peanut butter sandwich
Sliced bananas on peanut butter is my personal favourite and it’s the ONLY way I’ll eat peanut butter. I decided to try it on him but he said, “Wo bu yao. Peanut butter is not nice!”

Bleagh…I wonder if it’ll work if I told him it’s Stitch’s favourite sandwich? (Well, it’s actually Elvis Presley’s favourite snack but he had his sandwich slathered with butter and deep fried. OMG!)

Simple french toast
I was telling my Mum maybe my French toast is not tasty enough or moist enough because he liked the triangles but he’ll not eat the toast after one bite.

Since he has a sweet tooth, I tried dipping it in honey for him but he STILL didn’t like it. Hmm…I’ll try this again and add more milk for a creamier, moister French toast. Hope it works!

Simple macaroni and cheese
My little Chinaman does not really like Western-style food. He’s not a fan of deep fried foods (which is good) and will only take spaghetti cooked in a simple tomato-based sauce (minus the herbs).

Since he’s eating very little cheese, I am almost half-mad thinking of various recipes for him. In the end, he seemed to like this absurdly simple mac n cheese. 2 slices of Kraft cheddar cheese melted over boiled macaroni LOL!

Hard boiled eggs on toast
This little boy loves anything on toast and I wanted to make half-boiled eggs again today. However, I left the eggs slightly too long in the water and got 3/4 boiled eggs.

Sprinkling some light soya sauce and white pepper over them, I mashed them and spread the mixture over the toast. He didn’t mind eating them but when I asked if it’s nice, he said NO. But he opened his mouth wide “AHHH…” after he finished each bite. He’s as perplexing as a Chinese puzzle O_O

Hard boiled egg, sweet potato and grapes
Last night, we had grapes for dessert and he asked to take them to school. Then, I boiled a sweet potato and remembered the pack of bento food picks my uncle got me:

Instead of giving him several food picks (and cause an uproar among the kids), I let him choose one to eat with the sweet potato. I was glad to see the lunch box come back all empty

So…does that mean that I’ll start bento-ing? Well, I won’t be going all fancy-schmancy like some bento Mums but I’ll definitely be packing a healthy lunchbox for my preschooler!

What do YOU serve your toddler or preschooler? Let’s exchange menus

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Since I can’t take ANY cough medicine now, I resorted to the good old Nim Jiom Pei Pa Koa, which a trusted paediatrician from Beijing had recommended to me when I had a nasty cough before coming home.

Guess what happened? I got better faster on just Nim Jiom Pei Pa Koa compared to my boy who was taking Rhinathiol (Promethazine)!

Because he was running a fever a few days, he had to take paracetamol (which he HATES) that he found Rhinathiol more pleasant. However, after a few days of Rhinathiol, he started to reject the “sweet orange medicine”.

When he saw me taking the Nim Jiom Pei Pa Koa, he asked for the “black medicine”. True enough, his phlegm subsided and soon, he was coughing less and less!

Now that more and more people are infected by flu or cough, I’ve been recommending this sweet and pleasant-tasting loquat syrup that claims to:

“Eliminate phlegm, relieve coughs and soothe sore throats.”

Even my Mum was impressed that she’s taking it and asked my sister to buy it for her husband and kids who are also coughing now. Although you can mix it as a drink, the kid and I prefer to just take the required dose (1 tsp for me, 1/3 tsp for him) three times a day.

Try it if you like - just make sure you get your bottle from an established Chinese medicine hall. Nim Jiom Pei Pa Koa is made in Hong Kong and now comes in a sugar-free version!

Notes from Wikipedia:
1. A study at the China Academy of Traditional Chinese Medicine published in a 1994 article, “Pharmacological studies of nin jion pei pa koa”, indicated that Pei Pa Koa had significant effect on relieving coughs, removing sputum, relieving asthma in vivo (on living subjects) and in vitro (in a lab).

2. At one point in 2006, Pei Pa Koa was recalled in the Philippines as the Bureau of Food and Drugs found Formalin (a chemical used for preserving cadavers) in all Pei Pa Koa products in the market. However, a few months after the recall, Pei Pa Koa was released back into the market as Formalin traces were no longer found in the new Pei Pa Koa product line.

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