What My Furry Pal Did During the MCO

So, how's everybody holding up to being 'locked up' at home for (yet) an extended period of time?  Well, some of us cooked (a lot more than we ever did), some slept (perhaps too much), some worked (maybe a little?), some cleaned, some gardened, some played computer games, some binged watched entire (downloaded) tv series, a few did some creative and meaningful projects, even fewer exercised while many were probably glued in front of the idiot box way more than they should.  Which category or categories do you fall into? ^_~

Well, my Cookie thinks he's overdue for his spot in the limelight after 'seeing' the many cute photos and blogposts of Ah Girl by her mommy blogger! *jealous mode on*  I better grant him his three minutes of fame.  So, what did my furry pal do during the MCO?

Well, he ate.....slept.......and crapped, of course (like any of us)......among other things!  What else was there to do.


That's him eating.


That's him snoozing to his heart's content.


And that's him peeing.....


.......and pooping (what goes up in must come down out, right?)  To know the difference between peeing and pooping, just watch your cat's butt (and hind legs).  If they're raised...congratulations, you've got poop....kekeke! :D


That's the face of relief...or, should I say, release....hihihi! ;P


Cookie:  Aiks...what are you doing, mommy? O_o  Haiz, I can't even have a bit of privacy when I'm doing my "business"!

In between all that, there was some play time.


Cookie:  My mommy thought she could make me exercise so that I don't become a fatty bom bom but I just rolled around the floor instead to her annoyance. :P


Cookie:  Seriously, ma?  It's not funny.


Cookie:  Hey, I do exercise.....what do you call this if not stretching exercises? :P


There were some boring times too.  This is his favourite chill spot when I'm at the computer (he's exhibiting his 'clingy' behaviour of just wanting to sit close to me).


And when he thinks I'm spending too much time on my computer/blog and not giving him enough attention, he make sure he lets me know.....by plonking his butt on my keyboard which (he knows) will bring me to a complete halt.  Cookie:  Cannot, meh?

But he did do something that none of us did....he went hunting for sport game (maybe both)...and brought home a bird for me (not that I wanted one!).  Unfortunately, I don't have a photo to show you coz we had a visitor that day.....


.....and he ate it.  My neighbour's cat, whom we nicknamed Cowboy for obvious reasons (because his owner puts a red bandana on him instead of a collar), ate the barely alive bird....eww (that sounds awful to us but probably tastes awesome to him)! >_<


He comes uninvited all the time to my porch to oi oi (sleep).


One time, he even self-invited himself all the way into my house to a soft spot! :O  I had to shoo him out.  I told him you can come to my porch anytime to relax...but not into my house as only one cat reigns supreme here.

Anyway, Cookie must have felt like a tai ko (big brother, he's treated as such by Cowboy as he diligently follows him everywhere) by landing a kill and letting him eat it.  I watched him devour the whole little bird (I even heard the crunching sound of its bones).  I'm not sure why the neighbour's cat ate it.  Did he not have enough to eat during this MCO?  Cookie might catch game but he certainly wouldn't eat it (he has eaten too many yummy things to want to eat that).  He has expensive tastes you know...give him pak cham kai (poached chicken) or fried chicken anytime (maybe even roasted pigeon?)...but not a raw bird. >_<


That was at the start of Phase 3 of the MCO.  Three days later, Cookie brought me another gift!  Can you spot what it is?


He brought me a lizard...not any cicak like those that crawl on our ceilings...but a big-ass lizard....a monitor lizard to be exact (even though it's still baby-ish)! O_o  Double eww!!  Don't bring me any more gifts, please. >_<


 I think Cookie broke his neck (that's what big cats in the wild do when they catch their prey...they go for the neck).  Fortunately (or perhaps unfortunately) this time, his friend (Cowboy) was not around that day.  Otherwise, he might have eaten that too...bluek!

If you've kept up with Cookie's stories, you know he's quite the killer....and he likes to dismember his victims...remember his gruesome victims, the grasshopper, lizard and beetle?  The only one that got the better of him was the killer wasp (which he was smart to walk away from).  Luckily, he hasn't brought me a rat...and that's only because he hasn't been allowed out to roam at night.  Phew!


To all the creatures out there.....there's a vicious killer on the loose.  Cookie: I may be deadly but I'm also oh-so-cute...what do you think? ^.^  Be careful, be very careful where you tread...that's why we ask you to duduk diam-diam di rumah.....stay safe, stay home during this MCO (haha)! :D

What I Observed, Witnessed or Learned During the MCO

As expected, the Movement Control Order (MCO) continued into a third phase (till 28 April 2020).  Now everyone's wondering if there'll be a fourth.  Well, if the number of new cases don't come down drastically, it's very possible that we might have to go through yet another extension.  So, all of us must do our part by staying home so that the spread of the deadly virus can be contained.

With this pandemic, all of us had to quickly adapt to change...in the way we live, the way we work, the way we operate, the way we shop, the way we socialise and the way we communicate....from this day forward.

Wearing masks in public and sanitising our hands frequently would now be the norm.  I was told a manufacturing company made RM6 million a month from selling hand sanitisers alone.

Personally, during the MCO, there were a couple of things I observed, witnessed or learned, so I thought I'd share some of them here with you (+ I had plenty of time on my hands to write a lengthy post).

#1 - Eggs were selling like hot cakes


In the initial days when the MCO was enforced, it was not easy to get our hands on eggs.  Rightly so, coz eggs were one of the most sought-after essential goods as they were affordable and easy to cook.  Anyone can cook an egg.  People were buying them by the trays.  You had to forget about getting the brand of eggs you want, you just get whatever was available.  Luckily, as the MCO progressed, the situation improved and I managed to get the brand of eggs that I'm used to eating.

#2 - Bread was an even hotter item

Apart from eggs, bread was the other hot selling item.  They sold out so fast, you had to be among the early birds to get your hands on them.  Many had to settle for any brand they could get.  If you want Gardenia, that's even more elusive.  If you managed to get one, consider yourself lucky (I had to settle for Massimo & Mighty White at times).  The only way you can get your hands on them is if you happen to spot a Gardenia truck (while out on your grocery run) replenishing stocks to the shelves of a kedai runcit.  I did once...and within 5 minutes, all the bread was gone (I got one of the last loaves).  So you need perfect timing to get your hands on this precious commodity.  I was lucky enough to spot the Gardenia truck a second time, replenishing stocks to a 7-11 (or now 8-8) store this time, and lined up for it.  I was surprised to see the people in front of me leaving with only one loaf each (eh, so thoughtful of them to leave some for others, only to realise that it was the store that limited them to a loaf each coz the lady in front of me wanted to buy more than one). >_<

It's not a case of people hoarding bread (or eggs) since it has a limited shelf life, it was simply a case of increased demand as bread is easy to put together as a meal, especially for families with lots of children, but more importantly it's considered a cheap meal.  Gardenia has since increased their daily production, hopefully that will help ease the overwhelming demand.  It made me appreciate simple things like bread and eggs and not take them for granted...haha! :D  At the time of writing this, buying bread is still challenging (I managed to spot the bread trucks a couple more times since then...call me a 'stalker').

#3 - Open-air wet markets were not allowed to open

I can't understand why some wet markets (those not housed under a roof) were not allowed to open.  Wouldn't it be just the same as grocery shopping in a crowded supermarket?  There was a time I was around the vicinity of the wet market I usually shop at and was ecstatic to find 4 stalls opened illegally (pork, chicken, vegetables and my regular fishmonger).  I quickly bought as much as I had money for (I only had RM150 in my wallet as I wasn't expecting to find some parts of the wet market open).  I quickly got myself a choi yin kai (kampong chicken), some fish, vegetables and 4 boxes of eggs (two for my sister-in-law) and actually regretted I didn't have more money on hand to buy more fish (this ended up to be all the fish I had to eat during this MCO since I don't like to buy fish from supermarkets as their freshness is suspect).  I shared my fish loot with my sisters-in-law.

I decided to return a couple of days later in the hope of finding my fish seller again but was confronted with a scene full of policemen who were there to tangkap these vendors who had violated the guidelines of the MCO.  It was heartbreaking to see the anguish on the faces of these vendors as they were just trying to have a source of income during these times and now they have to face being fined (and/or having their goods confiscated as well).  If wet markets (with a roof) can open, why not open-air wet markets?  I'm sure they can assign someone to manage crowd control.  If more wet markets are open, it'll help relieve the massive crowds at supermarkets.

#4 - Open-air food stalls were not allowed to operate


In the initial days (within the first week) of the MCO, there was very little enforcement, so food stalls continued to open.  I managed to tapau nasi lemak from two stalls near my neighbourhood.  I did ask one of them, "Aren't you afraid you'll be caught?"  Her answer was, "What to do, we still need to make a living."  After the first week, they were no longer open.  I guess they must have been cautioned by the enforcement authorities.

Just like open-air wet markets, I don't see the reason why they can't open.  If we can queue to buy food from a coffee shop or restaurant, I'm sure we can also practise social distancing and queue at a food stall.  By the third week, I was having nasi lemak withdrawal symptoms....hahaha! :D  I miss my morning nasi lemak!  Luckily, by the end of the third week, I found one...and was able to get my fix.  This operator sells their nasi lemak from a food truck (in the mornings) while they also occupy a shop selling Malay mixed rice in the afternoon.  They decided to sell nasi lemak in the mornings...yay! ^.^

#5 - Buying food was a relatively quick and safe process

I'd buy at least one meal a day (usually lunch) so as not to slave over the stove too much and also to give support to some of the food stalls and restaurants.  I don't have to go far for fast food as I've many like McD (drive-through), Burger King, Texas Chicken, KFC and Domino's at my disposal.  I've been having quite a bit of fast food lately coz they've some great promos going on...there's one by Burger King where you can get 4 burgers + 2 fries (that can easily feed a small family) for only RM20 or even a set meal with drinks & fries from as little as RM7.90!


In fact, I was surprised at just how fast and easy buying food was (there's usually no queue, I seldom bump into more than 5 persons at any one time at a particular eatery, sometimes I'm the only one even)...and I'm done in less than 5 minutes...even faster than queuing for groceries. :P  And no worries, the process of buying food is safer than you think as food outlets have put in place social distancing rules.

#6 - Many resorted to food delivery services


There are two schools of thought on this.  On one side are those who don't have their own means of transportation or are too lazy to go out to tapau will rely on food delivery.  On the other side are those who fear hygiene/virus-free rider issues or are not willing to pay higher than in-store prices (around 30% surcharge) for the food will not choose food delivery.  I probably belong to the latter...but do succumb to the temptation of convenience occasionally. ^_*


Like ordering this black pepper chicken chop with spaghetti from a shopping mall (with a drink of homemade icy lemonade) that cost me RM23 (not including RM5 delivery fee and was surprised to find it delivered by a GrabFood driver, and no, it didn't come in an Audi...kekeke!)...and man oh man, it tasted so good coz I'm tired of my own cooking.  But paying around RM30 for a meal for one isn't something one can do on a daily or regular basis (especially if you have more mouths to feed), more so during these trying times.

#7 - More men were seen doing grocery shopping

Long queues at supermarkets were normal.  But what wasn't was seeing men in the queues.  I guess this can't be helped where you have wives/partners who don't drive.  So as not to violate the 'one person rule' when out buying groceries, their other half has to do it.  Some of the men were obviously out of their depth and I witnessed them calling their spouses frantically on the phone when they were unsure or couldn't find the items they were sent out to buy (sounds familiar?).

I, for one, am always glad to see a man in queue...that means he'd be done with his shopping in no time (as he'd usually be tasked with a very short list of items to buy by their spouses) thereby giving those of us in queue a shorter wait time for our turn.  I still do the bulk of the grocery shopping and my spouse is only sent out to get a few items that I missed.

#8 - More people are cooking up a storm in the kitchen


At the end of the day, cooking is still the cheapest and safest route to feed our families.  I've never cooked so much before in my life....7 days a week!  But with the start of Phase 2 of the MCO, I decided to give myself a day off on Sundays...kekeke! ;)  If you can't cook to save your lives, you'll be pleasantly surprised at how adaptable you can be when faced with adversity.  I always believe that everyone can cook...if Yan I can cook, so can you!  And if you truly can't cook (or needs a break sometimes), buy some and cook some...a happy middle ground (the food above was from a chap fan stall)! ^_~

#9 - Food businesses that are open are doing a lot less business


I'm lucky in the sense that many of my favourite food shops around my area are open, so I've got enough choices.  I've no problem getting my fix of prawn mee, kai see hor fun, pork ball noodles, curry laksa, roasted meat rice, nasi lemak, beef ball noodles, pork noodles, wantan mee, dim sum, mamak food and char kway teow among others.


A little chat with some of the food stalls and shops I patronise, I was told business was slower but they're grateful that they still have some form of income compared to those who aren't even allowed to open.  That's probably why I don't encounter a crowd when it comes to packing food coz cooking at home is still the cheapest option...but the food operators do need our help, so lend them support whenever you can (the food above came from a Malay mixed rice shop).

#10 - People are already bracing for the tough times ahead

My regular wantan mee stall told me that she noticed that she's selling a lot more noodles and, by that, I don't mean more business, I mean more noodles literally.  People are ordering more noodles aka kar fun instead of kar liew (add more noodles instead of more ingredients).  People want to fill themselves up sufficiently but, at the same time, are beginning to be more mindful with their spending.

One morning when I was buying nasi lemak at a shop, a guy approached and asked the nasi lemak seller how much for a packet of nasi lemak biasa and one with lauk.  Enquiring the price first isn't usual practice previously, at least I've not witnessed that before at a nasi lemak stall.  It goes to show that people are now more concerned with what they spend on to stretch their ringgit further.

#11 - Businesses have to adapt


Businesses must also brace themselves for change...change the way they do business or even rethink their business model.  In my residents' whatsapp group, I already see people promoting their food like satay, begedil tauhu, curry puffs, takoyaki and what-nots delivered to our doorstep.  I try to give them some support too.

I'm sure you've heard/read/seen things like restaurant operators doing vegetables delivery, GrabCar drivers doing food delivery, getting on the bandwagon of becoming a food delivery rider, home cooks getting into the food business or even durian sellers becoming egg sellers.  Selling the type of products that the market needs now or selling your goods and services online is the way forward.  You try to earn money in any way you can coz, post-MCO, people will not be rushing to dine out (it'll take a while before confidence returns) or go shopping like there's no tomorrow (until the economy improves).

#12 - We have to adapt


First, I had to cook...like I've never done before, frequently and on a daily basis.  I've cooked more in this one month than I've cooked in an entire year.

Secondly, I had to queue...like I've never done before to buy groceries and basic necessities (at least not like an every day practice).


Thirdly, I had to deal with the fact that not all the foodstuff (or brands) I want (or used to) are available.  I even had to buy brands of luncheon meat and fried dace that I've never tried before.  The ikan bilis I got was not of the same quality I was used to...and yes, I finally bought some yellow onions that I said I wouldn't buy as it was difficult to cook without onions for long periods as the MCO kept getting extended.  I got all these from a new wet market (I found at the end of the fourth week of MCO)...one with a roof..yay!) in a nearby neighbourhood...and was so happy that they had a dry goods stall (besides stalls for fresh chicken, fish and vegetables).

Fourth, I even prep my vegetables differently now.  Previously if I see any yellow leaves, I'd just discard the whole stem but now I find myself tearing out the yellow bits and salvaging as much as I can.  I think it was a case of not wanting to waste more than I should to reduce my trips (and queuing) for grocery shopping + the thought that some people don't even have food weighed heavily on my mind too.

And fifth, it goes without saying that I (or we) have to be more cautious with our spending from now on as we don't know what the future holds...but we know we need to be financially stable.

Finally, our biggest challenge of how we adapt will probably come post MCO.

#13 - Many religious celebrations and cultural practices had to be abandoned

The Chinese, Christian, Indian and Muslim communities all had to forego a major celebration or religious festival of some kind like Qing Ming, Holy Week, Easter, Tamil New Year and the forthcoming holy month of Ramadan (or at least go about it differently) due to the enforced MCO.  No ethnic groups were spared.  I will miss the Ramadan bazaar for sure but wouldn't go near it with a ten-foot pole this year even if it was not banned.  Ramadan bazaar operators must find innovative ways this year to sell their products to still be able to earn some income.

  #14 - Reading heartbreaking stories

In between all that's happening, we read about heartbreaking stories of people who lost their source of income as a result of this pandemic, having no food or finding it hard to put food on the table.  Most vulnerable are the daily wage earners, part time employees and self-employed workers...no business, no jobs, no income! :'(

On one end, I read about the story of a family who can only afford to eat rice with soya sauce and if they have some eggs, that'll be considered a bonus.  And on the other, I read about someone buying 24 cans of luncheon meat and 24 cans of potato chips (he says he's not hoarding since these are not essential goods).  Well, canned food like luncheon meat is essential...at least to me.  He may be a contributing factor why I can't find luncheon meat on store shelves! >:(

What about stories of tonnes of fresh vegetables left to rot while there are those who can't even afford to buy food.  Worst still, there are heartless thieves who steal the supplies meant for the poor.

#15 - Words like no pay leave, pay cuts, lay-offs & retrenchment are everyday vocabulary now

Incidents like no pay leave, pay cuts, lay-offs and retrenchment will be commonplace as businesses struggle to stay afloat.  Post-MCO, business and job opportunities will still be challenging and it will take businesses a while before they recover (for some industries, it'll be even longer).  Everyone has to find a way to maintain some form of financial stability.

#16 - Wearing masks will now be commonplace


Long after the MCO is lifted, I think wearing masks in public will now be a thing of the norm.  There'll be no awkward glances from people (like previously) when you wear one.  The ones I've seen not wearing masks are usually the older generation, mostly men.  But there are some who are taking it to the extreme by wearing gloves as well...and they're not even frontliners! >_<

#17 - Do what you can for others


If you find yourself and your family privileged enough not to have to worry about putting food on the table, spare a thought for others.  There are people out there with no income and nothing to eat.  Make a donation in cash....or in kind, however small, every little bit counts.  Just choose one you're comfortable with.


On a personal level, I prefer to look out for socially responsible companies who will match ringgit for ringgit what I donate...so that I can stretch my donation further.  There was one by Bonuslink where Shell would match what you donate (you donate by giving away your Bonuslink points) but that campaign has since ended on 7 April.  There's a current one now by Shopee where they'll donate RM1 for every RM1 you donate.


The process is very simple (if you already have an account with Shopee), you just need to click on any of the preset amounts...and it starts from as little as RM5.

#18 - Our lives and lifestyles will forever be changed

Our lives will be forever changed after Covid-19.  It'll impact us on the way we live...and the way we do things from this day forward.  Even long after the MCO is over, strict guidelines will have to be put in place about social distancing, mass gatherings or just about the way we go about doing things to ensure there's no new spike in cases.

Besides our lives, for some of us, our lifestyles will never return to the way it was.  Even if and when confidence returns, we've been 'hit' in our pockets, so excuse us if you don't see us rushing out to dine or to shop...lavishly like we did before.

But like a phoenix rising from the ashes, we will beat this and come out of it stronger.  Life may take some time to get back to normal but we can...and we will get through this crisis.

Stay safe.  Stay healthy.  Stay home.  Stay resilient.

Keep calm and wash your hands...constantly!

What I Cooked During the MCO

It was unprecedented...going through our nation's first Movement Control Order (MCO) to try to curb the spread of the deadly Covid-19 virus that has wrecked havoc across the globe.

We started the restricted movement on 18 March 2020 and it was supposed to last two weeks.  But a week into the lockdown, it was announced that the MCO will be further extended for another two weeks (till 14 April 2020) with some places subjected to Enhanced Movement Control Order (EMCO)! :'(

So, it looks like there'll be more cooking!  To a certain extent I'm glad that I had to cook...and now write about it....as a means to relieve boredom.....to have something to do....to pass time.  But I also made sure that I gave support to local food businesses by cooking only one meal...dinner....and tapau the rest, be it breakfast and lunch or just brunch.

The key to cooking (for me) was to keep it as simple as possible.  Even though I had plenty of time on my hands to do more complicated dishes, I wouldn't want to.  That way I can keep the time taken for grocery shopping to the bare minimum without the need to buy more ingredients.  Plus, not all produce are readily available.  We don't get to choose what we want, we just get what we can...and get the heck out of there as fast as possible.


I decided to go the route of Chinese dishes (with rice) as I felt they'd be easier to put together in terms of cooking + my husband is a 'rice' man...he must have rice for at least one meal a day.


If you've not spotted the trend in the below dishes, allow me to let you in on my secret...kekeke! ;)  I follow three principles....keep it simple, use only 1 - 2 ingredients (or at most three) and go with ingredients that can keep longer.  After all, I've never cooked so much in my life before the MCO...certainly not on a daily basis.  I'd usually cook three dishes but if you see four, it's due to leftovers from the day before or some dish a family member don't eat.

#1 - Chicken


I only cook with choi yin kai and still had half a chicken in the freezer before the MCO set in.  I was lucky that I got one from the wet market in my neighbourhood on the first day of the MCO (before the govt changed its stand on open air wet markets).  I, later, managed to get a second from another open air wet market (I won't mention where coz they curi curi jual and I happened to pass by).


The easiest way to cook chicken is to braise it in a sauce of oyster/dark & light soy with ingredients that have a relatively long shelf life.  Dishes such as Chicken with Ginger, Chicken with Potatoes & Chicken with Chinese Dried Mushrooms would be ideal choices during times like these.  Roast Chicken would be the other easy option.

#2 - Fish

As for fish, the simplest (and my preferred) way of cooking is to shallow fry them (only one ingredient is needed...a fish!) and serve it with soy sauce & minced garlic.  I could also steam them but didn't as I my family don't like fish, worst still if they're steamed.

My choice of fish for frying is pak chong (white promfret of ikan bawal putih), sek pan (sea grouper or ikan kerapu), kau yue (Spanish mackerel or tenggiri batang) or ma yau (threadfin or ikan kurau).


The way to fry fish without all that splattering mess is to use a small but deep saucepan (even if you have to fry each piece separately) besides making sure you pat the fish really dry.  The key is get a piece that fits your saucepan...haha! :D  If it's too big, I'd even ask my fishmonger to cut the fish steak into two (right down the middle).  Frying fish in a small saucepan also uses less oil, so less wastage of oil.

#3 - Pork


In my family, one doesn't eat chicken and the other doesn't eat fish (that's why I have to cook 4 dishes sometimes).  Pork is a happy medium...everyone eats it.

I did cook a dish that violated my 1-2 ingredient principle...and that's Minced Pork Patties (and no, I didn't make one of those coronavirus-lookalike type of meatball!).  My pork patties are one of the most well received pork dish.  It needs at least 4 ingredients (even a simplified version)...pork, carrots, onions (or spring onions) and egg (+ cornflour) to bind everything together.

Other simple pork dishes I made include Stir-Fry Pork with Ginger & Scallions and Steamed Minced Pork with Egg.

#4 - Tofu

One of the simplest tofu dishes to assemble is to get a box (or two) of silken tofu (they keep well in the fridge too) and fry up some minced dried prawns & garlic till crispy and serve it with a good drizzle of oyster sauce, soy & garlic oil.  This Chilled Silken Tofu gets the thumbs up from everyone...and we like to have the tofu cold.

#5 - Eggs

Eggs are super quick to whip up...that's why they're super popular and highly sought after.  They sold like hot cakes (people were buying them by the trays) during the MCO.  At one time, they were hard to come by as many places were sold out.


Luckily the situation improved.  No such thing of wanting a particular brand.  You just get what's available.  Eggs are so versatile you can cook them in many ways...fry them, steam them or make omelettes out of them...with minced pork (our favourite), french beans, onions, choy poh (preserved radish)....or simply just plain!  It's my go-to dish as it's universally accepted by all members of my family. ^_~


If fried whole, I can blow my own trumpet to say I make one of the most delicious fried eggs in town...with super frizzy, crispy sides, egg yolk fully cooked and fried on both sides to get a good colour (coz that's how my family likes 'em)...haha! ^o^  If I want a partially cooked yolk, I'll fry them on one side only.

#6 - Dried Anchovies (Ikan Bilis)


What can have a longer storage life than ikan bilis (or dried anchovies)?  So it makes sense to store enough of this versatile ingredient...you can use them in soups, for fried rice + they also make for some tasty dishes.  My only regret was I didn't buy enough more from my regular dried goods supplier (at the open air market) before the MCO.  I like the ones he sells coz they're of a very good quality and, more importantly, they've been prepped and cleaned (heads and guts removed).


I usually make Ikan Bilis with Onions (my son's favourite) or stir-fry it with some blended chilli paste from the fridge (that someone gave me) to make Spicy Ikan Bilis with Potatoes.

#7 - Vegetables

As for vegetables, I get a mix of green leafy ones (that are more perishable) and some sturdier ones (like potatoes, carrots, onions, white carrot, tomatoes, cabbage & jicama).  My way of cooking them is the fastest...for a one-ingredient dish....just stir-fry with garlic.


Like vegetables of Sang Choy (iceberg & romaine lettuce), Hong Kong Kai Lan (Chinese broccoli), Hong Kong Choy Sum (Chinese flowering cabbage), Yin Choy (Amaranth Greens), Baby Bok Choy, Baby Pak Choy & Chinese Broccoli stir-fried with garlic.  A little bit more work would be Cabbage Stir-Fry with Dried Prawns and French Beans Stir-Fry with Oyster Sauce.


There was one instance where I cooked a veggie dish that was an exception to my 1-2 ingredient principle (haha!)...Shredded Jicama & Carrot with Dried Cuttlefish which needed 3 ingredients.


This is good as a leftover too...in fact, no food gets left behind (everything gets consumed).  This is not a time for wastage...especially when we hear of people not even having enough money for food. :'(

#8 - Canned Goods


Of course, we can't get by without a little help from our friends...the canned goods.   Our dinner table will be graced with the occasional express dishes like egg-coated fried luncheon meat, fried dace with salted black beans, sardines with onions, baked beans with egg bits & braised peanuts.

Unfortunately, I only got one can each of luncheon and fried dace (the brands I eat) prior to the MCO and didn't manage to find any selling after that (probably because these were China brands that have ceased coming in for the time being).

#9 - Soups


Since both my husband and son are not into soups, I cook a one-portion soup for myself using the double-boil method with my trusted slow cooker...as easy as pie!


Again, I'd choose to make soups with sturdier and long lasting vegetables such as Chinese Radish & Carrot Soup with White Peppercorn and ABC Soup with Carrot, Onion, Potato & Tomato.  Sometimes, it would be just double-boiled plain chicken soup or with some kei chee (wolfberries) and jujube (red dates).

#10 - One-Dish Meals

When I was tired of cooking meals with dishes, I resorted to easy-peasy one-dish meals like Fried Maggi Mee.  We like to have it with egg only and even order it like that when we're at mamak stalls.


Of course, fried rice is the other well received one-dish meal...I did Fried Rice with Shrimps (and a few other stuff like french beans, onions & egg).  It's fried rice, so it needs more than two ingredients lah to help it along in the taste department.  Cooking Claypot Chicken Rice in a rice cooker is another convenient recipe...and, this time, I followed Sean's (or more specifically Cooking Ah Pa's) recipe of cooking all the ingredients first.

#11 - Bread

Bread was the other precious commodity, apart from eggs, that was difficult to get especially my preferred brand, Gardenia.  They just didn't seem to be able to produce enough to meet the increased demand.


Some days, lunch can be as simple as Egg or Tuna Sandwiches, French (or Egg-Dipped) Toast or even just with butter & jam.

And that, pretty much, sums up some of the things I cooked...and ate....during this MCO period.  Of course, I ate outside food too (otherwise I'd go bonkers eating my own cooked food every day + restaurants need our support).  I usually tapau, I hardly use food delivery coz I like my food hot + the 30% surcharge for the food is also a factor.  We should and need to be thrifty in critical times like these.  Cooking is probably still the cheapest option (especially if you have a big family to feed).

Driving out to tapau is a cinch nowadays...with no traffic and plenty of parking spaces (free too).  I don't have to go far as I've enough of choices at my disposal in my housing area itself since almost all my favourite noodles and roasted meat rice stalls are open...including fast food outlets (one of which has a drive-through).

After all that's been said and done...businesses are suffering....the rakyat is suffering, but we have to dig deep to ride out this storm for our own safety and well-being.  So, it'll be more of the same cooking in the week or weeks to come.


Cookie:  What?  Am I the only one enjoying the MCO?


Eat.Snooze.Dump (and repeat)!  What's not to enjoy? ;D

Stay home.  Stay safe.  Help Stop the Spread of Coronavirus.

Hope the situation improves and the MCO can be lifted soon...but wouldn't be surprised with yet another extension.  *Fingers crossed that won't be the case*