On food identity and preservation
And for the first time ever, a recipe!
I’m talking about immigration, my friends. It was an excellent episode that went deep into politics and national identity, with a focus on British food & identity. But still, I was drawn by what they said about food.
Looking at food can reveal both our national history as well as some of the contemporary fault lines in our society: from who can afford to eat out and where, to who struggles to put food on the table. Our ideas around food indicate, rightly or wrongly, what we see to be posh and elitist and what by the same token is seen as more popular. But food also shows us an immensity of collaboration, exchange and the embracing of difference: insofar as national cuisines can be said to exist at all, they are always, like the nation itself, a product of fusion, of exchange across man made boundaries, of cultures whose existence exceeds these boundaries but can, by the labour of our imagination, crystalised into something we call national.
Food is more than just nourishment for our bodies. It’s a tool for collaboration and connection.
Here’s a fact that I don’t often disclose: I do not come from wealth. Not even middle class. If you’ve been reading my posts, you may notice that I’ve slyly inserted the fact that my family came from a small (poor) village in southern Vietnam, that once upon a time, my mom worked at one not too far from where I was born and raised.
Last year, I even wrote about how little money my mom has to live with. Recently, I wrote about my parents’ younger days and how hard it was.
There was a period of time in my early to mid-twenties where I also experienced my own version of hardship. Of course, it wasn’t nearly as hard as what my parents and other family members went through. Not even close. But still, that experience stuck with me and built me solidly into the person I am today—someone who hates waste.
I’m talking about food waste. There, I said it—I hate wasting food.
My husband has known me since high school, and we’ve lived together since our college days, but he and I have different views of food. It’s ironic given that both of us didn’t grow up with much money. While he has no qualms about the disposal of uneaten and/or expired food, I always cringe whenever I have to *gasp* throw away food.
My mom is the same way. I’m trying to be better at recognizing it. I know when she’s doing it, and I try to stop her. My husband simply endures my food flaws.
Anyway, long story short—we went almost a year where we hardly did anything. Our weekly grocery budget was $30. That’s $120 per month for two people. Without food stamps. I do not know why I never applied for it. I’m guessing it was pride or ignorance.
[Side note: I used to be hesitant about romanticizing these kind of things in word form, because there’s nothing cool about being poor. But then I thought, “Maybe I’ll find people like me. Maybe it’s about connection after all!”]
As for my mom, she’s never had much money in her life. She’s learned to save here and there, but her frugal mindset extends in all corners of her life—mainly at the grocery store, at the farmers’ market, where she turns up her nose at food prices.
I mean, come on, Mom. Don’t you get it? The reason why things cost the way it does is because a) inflation, and b) these people have to make a living, just like all of us. Like you had to do once.
But it’s hard to convince her to think that like that.
For much of my teenage and adult life, my mom has shopped up and down along 82nd Avenue (you can learn about it here) where a few Asian supermarkets exists among massage parlors, hair salons, Chinese herbal shops and restaurants, car dealerships, and many other Asian establishments hang out. Ever since Fubonn opened, she’s been shopping there consistently. Before that, we shopped at Saigon Market.
On many occasions, my mom would buy bok choy. If you’re not familiar with bok choy, it’s one of the most delicious vegetables out there. It’s great in soups, or in a stir fry, but in my opinion, it’s best as a pickled item. Not only is bok choy extremely affordable (usually around $1.25 per bundle at Fubonn, or $.99 if it’s on sale). I don’t know if my mom truly likes bok choy or if she picked it simply because it’s affordable.
At any rate, she’s developed a simple method for pickling these gems. Over the years, I ate a ton of them, and it’s become part of my (national) identity. So much of my younger days involves watching my mom blanch these guys in a pot and transferring them into a jar, only to take it out later, small pieces on top of rice and grilled meat or dunked directly on top of a noodle bowl.
So without further ado…here’s the recipe! I hope you enjoy.
Ly's Pickled Bok Choy
Total time: 20 minutes
Serves: many
Ingredients
3 tbsp salt
2 tbsp sugar
1 thumb size piece of ginger
1 1/4 cup of white sugar
2 1/2 cups of water
2 medium heads of bok choy
3 shallots cleaned and cut into slices
Directions
Boil sugar, water, salt, and vinegar. Remove from heat and allow to cool until it reaches room temperature. Remove ginger skin and cut into three slices. Cut and wash bok choy. Place the washed vegetables at room temperature liquid in a heavy pot for 24 hours. Transfer to a tight lid jar or eat it right away. It does not need to be refrigerated but refrigerating does keep the bok choy crunchier so I tend to refrigerate it.
Food (and non-food) bits
Where I’ve been published lately, plus some fun links. In other words, shameless self-promotion 😀
Fun little fact about me: once upon a time, I worked at IKEA…and recently, I wrote about it. Sigh. Good times. They were actually a pretty good company to work for.
Ever wondered why children’s menus are always full of fried, crunchy, cheesy things that basically have the same beige-y color palette?
Speaking of kids…if you ever want to try cooking or baking with them, here’s some suggestions for books you can start with.
I swear this soup recipe will change your life. Or at least leave you with a very warm, comforting feeling inside. If my son is convinced, so will you.
I tried a bunch of chicken nuggets and reported back on it. And it came with a big surprise that you won’t believe.
Want to know why your foods are getting more expensive? Take a look at the logistics involved in bringing it to your store. It was really fascinating for me to learn about this.
On a similar note, shrinkflation1 (inflation’s “quiet cousin”) is here. Not much you can do…except follow my tips on how to manage it. The first tip is very important. You will feel much, much better.
In other news, I’ve been binging on this podcast. It is so brilliant that I wish I’d created it myself. It combines storytelling, curiosity and wonder. I’ve been listening with my kids, and we all had fun guessing who the “amazing” person is.
Finally, if you liked this post (or any of the awesome articles above) please consider buying me an hour of babysitting2 so I can write more fun, entertaining & interesting content for you!
In case you missed it…
On war, survival and privilege (my most popular post thus far!)
Basically it means that companies are reducing net weights on their products without telling you.
I promise I won’t spend it on coffee.
I struggle with writing about my background, too, Hoang. I don't come from money either. My mom has been homeless several times throughout her life and my dad lives in a campervan to this day. This is not easy stuff to share, so well done on being brave. Sending hugs.
Your mother’s pickled bok choy sounds too simple to work, but I know from my experience of pickling cucumbers and other veggies how few ingredients it takes to create something delicious--and often economical--and I do love anything pickled! I will give this a try--and also the kabocha soup you write about on your link. Your posts are always interesting and thought-provoking, Hoang.