Celebrating Family Reunion Lunch At Parent's House

本人恭祝大家新禧快乐，万事如意，年年有余。

I would like to greet all of my chinese readers and friends 

Happy Chinese New Year. 

Chinese New Year, also known as the Spring Festival, is the most important traditional festival and a public holiday in China. The Chinese New Year 2012 starts in January 22 (Chinese New Year' Eve). It is the year of dragon. The festival falls on the first day of the first Chinese month (usually in late January and early February), and ends with Lantern Festival which is on the 15th day.

- China Highlights.com   

Three weeks before CNY, I tried to make a reservation at steamboat restaurant but failed. "Our restaurant is reserved on 22th Jan" The waiter said, "No matter morning or night."

And he even suggest us a brilliant idea, "Why don't you come to our restaurant after 22th Jan?"

As I mentioned at the previous year blogpost : Family Reunion Lunch At New Year Eve, every chinese no matter from America or Middle East also have to rush back to their hometown in taking Reunion Lunch with family. This is an annual gathering that being practiced for few century. While being frustrated with the restaurant problem, my wife suggested me that perhaps we should held up Reunion Lunch at my parent's house. This is really a dare-to-be challenges, after several discussion and deep thought about it... We decided to buy a new steamboat cooker and whole new set of chopsticks and bowl.   

The first problem can be settled easily, now comes the second problem is finding the Halal dishes. It's a very important issue because what we take is what we get. Besides following the Syariah in Islam also taking care of the healthy issue. We went for hypermarket and so on but we failed to find some proper packaged Steamboat food. What I can found is fishball, chickenball, squidball ... really turns my head into a meatball. 

Really tasty.... 

Alhamdulilah, my wife's colleague was suggested to buy it at local pasar. At first we was doubted but after she visit there, chinese hawker do sell various kind of steamboat dishes that packed with Halal logo. At last the food we bought is far more than what we can buy at restaurant with the same price. Later on she survey on internet about steamboat soup recipe, and with a little help of Maggi cubes. 

With full set of steamboat cooker, dishes, bowls and chopsticks that I bring over to my parent house, finally I achieved what I was dream of since reversion to Islam at 2008. A peacefully Reunion Lunch at my parent's house. In these years I tried so hard to tell my parent that the religion I embraced is not tighten me from family traditions, as long as the tradition is being modified in suit the right thing, it's still no big deal in celebrating Chinese New Year. While I look back the path I walked, this is my 4th year of having Reunion Lunch as Muslim. It really tooks a very long time in making my parent understand and accept the way of I wanted to be.

"I bought you some paper plate and plastic spoon also." My mother said to me at kitchen.
"Well never mind, I already bring my own utensils from home. It's not really using disposable utensils only."
I know it would be awkward for us to enjoy steamboat with paper plate and plastic spoon, seems like some sort of party festival. I spent some pocket money bought a whole new set of utensils in pleasing their appetite as well.

My parent seems to be more comfortable and cherish while having this small gathering at their own house. I still recalled I was bring along my wife and daughter having steamboat lunch with parent at restaurant few years ago. My mother was feeling uneasy and keep telling me that how others were peeping us. I took a quick glance around and found out most of the customer were looking at us with complicated emotion, no matter chinese or malay. I was already knew this would happen, as my wife was wearing scarf and bring along our 6 months old daughter. I was get used to this situation for more than thousands time but I can't ask my parent to feel the same, being such a special person that caused curiosity and gossips.

At least this is my big step forward in bringing closer the relationship between my small family and parent. For years I am finding every reliable advice in having good relationship with my parent, especially food and utensils issue. The only thing I still left to do is eating what my mother used to cook, like fried egg mixed with long bean, steamed chicken with family recipe and so on... Although I requested her to cook at my house before, I know deep inside my mother's heart is still eager to see her own son eating at our own home.  

Every parents didn't ask too much from their son and daughter. If there's any mistaken behavior we did at the past, we should go home and try to treat them better. I am only understand how my parent feels after I am being a father of a daughter and a husband of my wife. Even if your parent is disappointed with your personal decision in your life, please don't abandon them and get away. Time will heal every gaps and God is always be with those who appreciate their beloved parents. 

And We have enjoined upon man, to his parents, good treatment. His mother carried him with hardship and gave birth to him with hardship, and his gestation and weaning [period] is thirty months. [He grows] until, when he reaches maturity and reaches [the age of] forty years, he says, "My Lord, enable me to be grateful for Your favor which You have bestowed upon me and upon my parents and to work righteousness of which You will approve and make righteous for me my offspring. Indeed, I have repented to You, and indeed, I am of the Muslims."

(al-Ahqaf, 46: 15)

Alhamdulilah, All praise belongs to God. 

Various of steamboat dishes, yummy ... 

Get ready to served steamboat

Crabstick anyone? 

What's next? Waiting for the boiling point...