"Keong Cho" Soup for the Motherhood Soul

It's a tradition to concoct 'keong cho' soup for new mothers, and AJ was not spared the joy of consuming the sour brew during her confinement.

Last Friday evening, Grandma taught me the 'finer' ways of brewing the strong stuff. In the simplest of instructions, she said to me:

"Make sure you get pure Black Vinegar."

"For every bottle of Black Vinegar, mix it with 2.5 bottles of water"

"Boil with lots of old ginger; shaven and chopped to bite-sized pieces"

"Use only Gula Melaka" (but she said it in cantonese and I couldn't really understand. She gestured the size of the gula melaka though, and she also did mention that it's not the 'ordinary' type of sugar.)

"Boil under slow heat in a claypot for 2 days and make sure the ginger is totally soaked and soft to chew."

"Put in the pig's trotters a few hours to cook before consumption."

And those were the wise instructions of Grandma. So I took it upon myself to brew the 'keong cho' soup during the weekend - just a little project for AJ.

What turned out as an awesome 'experimental' treat for the family and a chance to visit baby Asher yesterday, also got me thinking about my future.

You see, I didn't just did the preparation and cooking, but I also did other household chores besides doing a 2.5km swim in the early afternoon. Basically by 3pm, I achieved duties in grocery shopping, having breakfast with Dad, preparing and cooking 'keong cho', cleaning the toilet and bathroom, doing some ironing, and putting in some mileage for swim training.

I came to realise that no matter what happens in the future, it would be essential for me to turn on that 'domesticated' part of me. Marriage is a step towards the future, and my parents will inevitably get older anyway. It dawned on me that I should after all, work towards the next step.

I know most people my age would have already started on this journey. But we all also know that some have gone through whirlwind preparations and some were circumstantial. I just want to adopt the Scout's motto in whatever that comes my way - Be Prepared. I'm the sort of person who will not jump into something 'big' without preparation and wholehearted thinking. You may call me a Procrastinator, but I just want to be the best Husband and best Father a wife or child can ever have.

No way will I succumb to a marriage of convenience. I will start thinking of 'the next step' only if I am ready for it - wholeheartedly.

For the record, the 'keong cho' soup was a success.