For intellectual relaxation, I am reading a book by a royal renegade. Ginger is the clue. For me, ginger is a culinary ingredient that holds vivid memories.

Years ago, my mother and older sisters regularly engaged an Indonesian masseuse to our home for lazy afternoon full-body massages. The fragrant, intoxicating concocted scent of ginger and nutmeg oil permeated the air. I soon learnt that ginger was a helpful component to “beat the wind”, particularly with the belief that cold wind was trapped in the bones and muscles and caused aches and pains. If one had a severe migraine, then a transverse-cut knob of ginger was rubbed against the temples. I was somewhat skeptical.

Fast forward to 2003 when I had my first baby five minutes past midnight, in dead-cold Manhattan. A snowstorm took over soon after as we watched the news about the capture of Saddam Hussein. But what concerned me more was that my handsome doctor was making his rounds to check on me. I defied the Chinese tradition of not showering for a whole month postpartum. I had to look my best and smell my nicest! Believe it or not, I paid for this and suffered from migraines and a backache for the next two years. One might attribute it to first-time parenting and sleep deprivation. Even in the first few days after I came home from the hospital, I continued to head out in the wintry evenings for meals, an absolute taboo. My sister who was visiting me, resorted to rubbing my back with the same type of cut ginger, leaving bright red streaks across my back which signalled the beating out of the wind. Oh, and she used brandy in place of nutmeg oil. Brandy is “heaty” too.

I was then advised that I could “redeem” myself with my second baby IF I observed that ancient monthlong confinement. I was determined to resolve my aches and pains and went a step further by hiring a Taiwanese “confinement cook”. She arrived each afternoon with the freshest picks from Flushing and would proceed to cook the storied dishes one associates with a Chinese postnatal diet. She whipped up such fabulous meals that our friends eventually hired her to cook for their regular dinner parties.

A common dish for confinement is Stir-fried Chicken with Ginger and Sesame Oil. It is rather easy to make.

Stir-fried Chicken with Ginger and Sesame Oil

Ingredients

680g (1½ pounds) boneless, skinless chicken thigh (for more flavour)
2 tablespoons canola oil
45g (1½ ounces) ginger, skinned and julienned
4 tablespoons sesame oil (I use Ghee Hiang. Kadoya is good too.)
2 tablespoons Shaoxing wine
1 teaspoon coarse salt

Method

1. Slice the chicken meat into thin strips, about 4cm (1½ inches) long.
2. Heat a wok or frying pan over a medium heat. Add the oil.
3. When the oil is shimmering, add the julienned ginger and stir-fry until fragrant. Add in the sliced chicken and keep stir-frying until the meat turns semi-opaque.
4. Pour in the sesame oil. Cover the wok with a lid for about 5 minutes, turning down the heat slightly.
5. Lift the lid and add in the wine. Stir to combine all the ingredients. The chicken should be cooked through and opaque by now. Turn up the heat if you wish to reduce the sauce.
6. Season with the salt. Transfer to a dish and serve with white rice and vegetables.