Heal the World
Lately I find myself scrolling through the news and feeling strangely unsettled. Everywhere I look there seems to be another story about conflict, war or tension between nations. Social media makes it even harder to process. One moment it is an article, the next it is a podcast, then another video claiming to reveal the truth about who is really controlling the world. Different perspectives, different accusations, different “experts”. Honestly, it gets overwhelming and confusing. I sometimes wonder who we are even supposed to believe anymore.
What troubles me more is seeing how people quickly divide themselves. One nation against another. One religion against another. One race against another. Yet deep down, I cannot bring myself to believe that an entire people can be evil. I was raised to believe that harming another human being is wrong. That kindness matters. That every life deserves dignity. But when we watch how some leaders speak, behave and make decisions, it feels so far from the values many of us grew up with and are trying to pass on to the next generation.
In moments like this, I also realise how small an ordinary person like me can feel in the middle of all this noise. I do not have answers to the world’s problems. I cannot influence global politics. I cannot stop wars. What I can do, however, is protect the little world around me.
And that little world is my family.
So instead of getting lost in endless debates and conspiracy videos, I turned to something that has always brought me peace. Cooking.
The kitchen felt like a much better place to spend the weekend. Oil heating in the wok, the sound of ingredients hitting the pan, the smell of spices slowly filling the house. These simple things somehow make the world feel a little more normal again.
I started with a Teochew style snack that I always enjoy. Deep fried shredded yam with pork strips. The minced pork and yam mixture is wrapped with beancurd skin and fried until golden, a bit like a rustic prawn roll. Inside there are roasted peanuts and crunchy water chestnuts, while five spice powder gives it that warm familiar aroma. Crisp outside, savoury inside. The kind of dish that disappears quickly once it reaches the table.
Next came tea smoked chicken. The skin turned a beautiful glossy brown and the meat stayed tender and juicy, carrying that gentle smoky fragrance.
Our friend Patsy had kindly given us some bittergourd from her garden, so I sliced them and cooked them with fresh fish and black beans. The bitterness softened in the wok and the fermented beans added a deep savoury flavour that went beautifully with rice.
Then there was Taiwanese cauliflower stir fried with pork belly and dried chilli. Simple ingredients but full of wok aroma and just the right amount of heat.
Finally a claypot of Thai style prawn vermicelli. The glass noodles soaked up the sweet prawn juices and peppery sauce. By the time it reached the table, the smell alone had everyone hovering around the pot.
In a world that often feels uncertain and divided, dinners like this remind me what really matters. Good food. Family around the table. Conversations that are warm and real.
Maybe I cannot change the world. But at least in my home, there will always be peace, laughter and a table full of food.
