In contrast to the extension news, I have to admit that a stupidly selfish part of me was hoping for Malaysia’s Movement Control Order to be at least partially lifted.

Why? To get my blender fixed. It burned out in the second week. I use my blender for heaps of things like smoothies, nut butters, ice cream, soups and sauces. As a recipe developer, losing a major appliance can be a huge setback. On the bright side though, I have pulled out my stone mortar and pestle from storage and putting it to good use.

When my husband found me pounding garlic and onion on the kitchen floor, he asked, “Why don’t you do that on the countertop?” I realized I didn’t have a rational answer. I said, “Because I’ve seen Mummy and my aunties only do this on the floor.”

It’s interesting how things get passed down without us even realizing. The bright side of the situation is me being able to honour old traditions and learning how food is used in Asian cultures to express love more than words.

Wishing all of my Muslim friends a mindful start to Ramadan this year.