This week I attempted to make steamed rice rolls (failed and trying again in a bit) and cooked with tofu for the first time. Cooking with tofu is kinda hard as I don’t really know how to tell if it’s cooked (is it already cooked??) and with silken tofu it breaks apart very easily.

This week I also learned that I am scared of messing up cooking which can be both good and bad. I tend to be worried that I will over-salt when marinating meats and end up under-salting. I also worry about over-cooking meat but end up cooking it so it is very tender.

I also attempted to make Hong Kong egg custard tarts, something that I ate a lot when I was younger and something I still get at dim sum. And I realized how hard cooking is. Making puff pastry was a horrible experience (I messed up the dough several times) and the filling leaked and was over-cooked and was not it.

But through this, I’ve realized the power of nostalgia. Over dinners I have laughed with my family members about memories regarding the foods we eat and realized that Chinese food is an important part of who I am.