RABBIT RABBIT

As per Anglo North American tradition, the first thing one says on the morning of the day that begins a new month is 'rabbit rabbit'. I do not know why. Probably good luck or something. Hence the title of this essay, which is actually about something entirely different.


My carefully maintained reputation as a fierce heartless cruel Dutchman has taken a hit. Reason being that I gave my front downstairs neighbor a bag of fresh kangkong (water spinach, ipomea aquatica, 蕹菜 or 通菜 'ung choi' or 'tong choi') and some yauchoi (油菜) yesterday. She is still recovering from a broken pelvis from slipping and falling at the end of last year, and doesn't move very well yet; can't really get out of the house and down to the market on her own. And the Chinese vegetable shops are across the hill.
The old lady has to eat. Get her strength back.

She's Fujianese from Jakarta, and of the generation that knows, just knows, that we Orang Belanda are heartless beasts. And she's been worried in the past that if my wife displeases me I will beat her. Never mind that the female person she mistakes for my wife is simply my apartment mate, and let's forget for the moment that she's Toishanese, has been doing kung fu for many years, is tough and stubborn, strong minded, and would beat me right back.
Yep. Orang Belanda yang kejam itu, gonna whup his isteri.

"KUTJING BELANDA"

In actual fact, we Dutch are fluffy and loveable.


Kang kong is quite delicious stir-fried with shrimp paste, chilies, garlic, and a goodly splash of sherry or rice wine to flame it. Can also be cooked with rehydrated dry shrimp, or even nice fatty pork and a bit of fish sauce. Like many leaf vegetables it reduces enormously. Yauchoi can be treated the same way. My former doctor down at Chinese hospital and I discussed this, and like many conversations involving my horrible habits (id est: tobacco use and diet), it briefly ghosted his face with a pained expression, before he happily started talking about cooking. He was Chinese from Medan. Where food is king.


The next time I buy fresh ginger I should get her some.
I wonder if she eats sambal? Or ketjap manis?
She's Christian. They're weird.



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