Cooking at Home

I like home cooking.

I like it for its simplicity in taste and for better nutrition that we get. I am fortunate to be working near my parents' place - near enough for me to hop over for lunch a few times a week. It's usually home-cooked goodness that awaits me when I'm back. *heaven*

I cook too, after work and on weekends. We like it this way: less salt, no msg, less oil, better quality ingredients. Contrary to popular belief, it doesn't necessarily take a lot of time. Take last night, for example, we grilled a big piece of salmon (sprinkled with a little salt, white pepper and dill) and blanched some asparagus. When done, we squeezed some lemon juice over it. Simply yums.

Preparation time: 5 mins

Cooking time: 20 mins

Eating time: it was so good that we wolfed it down in 3 minutes flat.

Some of my friends complain that it's more expensive to cook. True, when you're starting out, you need to get the basic sauces, spices and seasoning, which do add up. But once these are set up, you are ready to whip up some good ol' home-cooked meals.

It's true that the salmon and asparagus, even prepared at home, cost much more than 2 plates of chicken rice at the coffee shop. But take a good look at the chicken rice: greasy rice, a few pieces of chicken and some slices of cucumber. Cost? $3.50. Nutritional value? Far less than the chicken fat consumed!

I do love hawker food and chicken rice, and I am a regular at the meepok stall at the neighbourhood food centre. But I would certainly invest more to get better food and a balanced diet.

If we are what we eat, then I am... a lot of good food!