Another year? It all went too fast. Did you come through OK? I hope so. Thankfully, we DO spring back when knocked over. Sometimes only just, and sometimes the same problems take longer to go away. But in time, they resolve. Favourable outcome or not, I take heart in what my dear Granny Azizah would say: “It all happens for the best!”

For me, this was a year of surprises. In March, Amos, our resident videoman and social media mentor, had a plan to establish our presence on social media: we would post a video every Friday on TikTok, Instagram and YouTube. Videos had to be short, snappy and under two minutes. Topics would be digestive health and food – what’s good, what’s not, and (this I didn’t like) COOKING DEMOS. Apparently, they attracted the most views.

Coming to Australia from Singapore and thoroughly spoilt by “Zaiton”, our marvellous Malaysian cook (pictured), I hardly stepped into the kitchen. I didn’t know what garlic looked like, how to clean a chicken or even knowing when it was cooked. Recipe books had lovely pictures, but could I even follow just one of them? Did I miss Zaiton!!

The epiphany came in my mid-50s, when I was sick of eating out and takeaways. I HAD to learn to cook. Jamie Oliver and a new gas range cooker were the catalysts. His shows taught me a lot – I didn’t have to follow the recipes exactly, but once I mastered the METHOD, I knew I could cook whatever I liked. 

This was SO exciting. Food took on a whole new meaning. When I go to the markets now and see fresh ingredients, I already know what I can cook with them. I almost entirely eat what I make at home, and it’s made an amazing difference to my health. With less fats, salt, sugar and flavour enhancers, I can actually TASTE the fresh ingredients. I balance protein with starches, nuts and grains; I never crave sugar or junk food. Remember that packaged, processed food has more salt, sugar and artificial flavours than ever – compromising your taste buds to want more of the same.

So, Amos, THANK YOU. Who am I to argue with a 20-year-old? My food and cooking tips have drawn thousands on social media, and I sincerely hope that this will inspire people to spend more time in their kitchens. For those not on Instagram or TikTok, we’ll continue to attach links to YouTube on posts so you can watch our videos.

Well, it’s TOFU this week – just the way Zaiton did it (er, almost … she added bean sprouts!)