A taste of home

I grew up in the corner lot of a row of colonial type double storey shophouses.  Our family rented the lot until we moved to the house my parents presently live in, back in 1986.  Anyway, back to the house I grew up in... It had a garden next to it with fruit trees which my grandfather tended to.  Along the fence of that enclosed "garden" area, grew a plant with purple vines and deep purple "berries" which stained your fingers if squished.

 My grandmother would pluck the leaves and we would have them with soup/broth along with our meals sometimes.

It was had a very distinct odor and was a little "slimy", but not quite to the ladys fingers/okra proportions type of slime.  I had no idea what it was called when we were growing up coz even my mom called it the "slimy vegetable".

Well, I came across some at the Filipino store the other day, and while still a little unsure but almost convinced that THAT was what it was, I got some and stir fried them for dinner.  I had to warn David about the sliminess as well as the very "green" taste before I offered him some.... His comment? A cheeky, "Surely there is a way to make it taste like it didn't just come out of a pond.." : P

Malabar Spinach

Stir Fried Noodles with Chicken, Eggs and Shrimp

Lemon Pepper Cod