The turning point came one day when we were visiting Uncle Bob's place in Tomakin, in southern NSW. He had cooked a spaghetti bolognese, a food apparently I wouldn't eat at home, at least not without moaning. I don't remember a lot of details but apparently I yummed Uncle's Bob's all up, singing its praises as I went. This did not go down well with my dad, who I remember saying "WTF, your mum's is so much better than this, yet you won't eat it!". Or words to that effect. I believe that was a bit of a changing point in me. From then on, I ate everything - except brussel sprouts, damn them to hell - and became more adventurous. That's when I also started to realise just how good a cook my dear mother was, and still is of course.
Mum's cooking career began with her marriage. She tells me that Dad gifted her two books on their wedding day - one a French cookbook and the other a Chinese one. I have never seen nor heard of the French one, nor have any recollections of Mum cooking French food. So I suspect that the Chinese one took centre stage fairly quickly, although I doubt Mum needed it for too long! Regardless, her prowess with European cooking styles is equally as good as her Asian - frankly, any meal to be had that is prepared by my mum is a foodie's delight!
So when I left home at the tender age of 18 (just turned), knowing how I felt about my food, Mum prepared a book of my favourite recipes for me. I have it still to this day. In fact I suspect it's the only possession still in my keeping from that age, which says something both about me, and the quality of the contents of said book. Here it is below:
I didn't get to use it a whole lot in Melbourne in my uni days. Mainly because I had no money, and also because I was boarding with my cousins in Y1 and 2 and thus didn't cook much. I do seem to recall cooking chicken wings for them and their friends one night though.
Anyhow, it more came into its own in my third and fourth years of university, particularly when I was living at my girlfriends house. Her parents, and dad in particular, raved about the chicken wings dish, and still did years and years later when I saw them. I have tried all the recipes over the years, with varying success. But I still prefer the version I get whenever I venture home of course. Dear old Ma still has it!
I'm not going to post all the recipes here, but I've selected a few key ones. Feel free to try it out yourself!
Curried Chicken Wings - The All-Time Classic
Footnote: You really do need to use McCormick's garlic salt if you can get it - none of the others I've found quite produce the same result.
Next recipe on the list is one of my all-time favourite Chinese dishes, har lok. It's essentially prawns fried in a tomato-ey sauce, which is just superb. Love it!
Lastly, I thought I'd include one of Ma's European recipes. It's simple (she tried to keep them all simple for me) but absolutely delicious!
I'm sure we all have similar memories of our mum's cooking as I do. I know Mum also has a big folder of other recipes she has written from when she ran a very popular Chinese cooking class in Cobram way-back-when. Next time I'm home I might scan some and post a few of the crackers!
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