‘I live out of cans a lot. Bur I only indulge in healthy canned food’– American singer, songwriter and actor, Dwight Yoakam.
IN a hurry to rush to the office yesterday, I had no time to cook soup or fry elaborate vegetable dishes.
I scanned the shelf in my kitchen and immediately, my eyes locked on the can of luncheon meat I purchased a few months ago.
Since my pot of rice was almost ready, I decided to fry the luncheon meat.
First, I sliced it to the desired thickness, then pan-fry it in a heated pan with oil over medium heat until golden brown and crispy.
However, I did not bother to drain the meat on paper towels to absorb excess oil.
Instead, I put it straight into my lunch box next to the plain rice I had cooked. After that, I added some soya sauce to the rice in case the meat was not flavourful enough.
If time was on my side, I might have beaten an egg in a bowl and dipped the luncheon meat slices into the batter to coat them.
Then I went for lunch at a fast food centre in my neighbourhood. There, I drank hot tea with milk and ate rice with fried bamboo shoots as well as brinjals and long beans fried with ‘tempeh’ (a traditional South-east Asian food made from fermented soybeans).
Because there were so much bamboo shoots, brinjals and long beans with ‘tempeh”, I reserved some for my dinner.
That was how I ended up dining on plain rice with fried luncheon meat, fried bamboo shoots, brinjals and longbeans fried with ‘tempeh’ yesterday.
After learning that ‘tempeh’ is a good source of protein, fibre and several minerals and B vitamins with no cholesterol, I try to eat more of it everyday,
Now, back to canned foods. Soon, I have to buy new cans of luncheon meat to replace the one I opened yesterday.
Other canned foods I have to stock up are different types of canned sardines including those with tomato sauce or chilli sauce, canned chicken curries as well as canned fried fish with black beans.
Maybe I should also buy some baked beans, canned pickled lettuce and canned pork stew.
I find these canned foods very convenient because they can be eaten straight from the cans without cooking, especially when I’m rushing for time.
Canned foods, in my opinion, are essential for quick meals and can be a reliable source of food when other options are unavailable.
Although direct quotes from renowned chefs lauding canned foods are rare, chefs generally appreciate high-quality ingredients, regardless of their forms, with many acknowledging the practicality and value of pantry staples like canned goods in home kitchens.
Nowadays, many of us take canned foods for granted because they are readily available everywhere, especially in the supermarkets and grocery shops.
Do you know that eating canned food daily is less healthy than fresh food but it is still healthy?
And do you know that canned food was invented because the British and French navies experienced significant malnutrition?
In the late 18th and early 19th centuries, the French government, under Napoleon Bonaparte, offered a reward for an efficient food preservation method.
French confectioner and inventor, Nicholas Appert succeeded by creating a heat-sealed glass bottle system, the precursor to canning, in 1804.
In 1810, English merchant, Peter Durand adopted Appert’s idea to create the first tin can, making food more transportable.
This was a breakthrough because it allowed soldiers and sailors to have preserved food for long voyages and military campaigns.
An Englishman, Thomas Kensett, patented the tin can in the United States and established a cannery in New York; this helped spread canned food across the continent.
During the American Civil War, canned foods provided necessary rations for soldiers while during World War I, there was a massive increase in canned food because of the tremendous demand for food by millions of soldiers.
After the wars, companies that supplied the military with canned foods began offering them to civilian consumers. Today, canned foods are a staple for many families all over the world.
Under the Sumbangan Asas Rahmah (SARA) Appreciation Aid programme which is on until December 31, 2025, canned foods like sardines and tuna are among the essential items eligible recipients can buy with SARA RM100.
All the recipients have to do is to use their MyKads to redeem the essential items across 14 approved categories.
On second thoughts, on my next off-day, I think I should check the local supermarkets here to see what canned foods I can buy with my SARA aid in order to restock my kitchen shelf.
I heartily agree with those who describe canned foods as “unsung heroes of convenience.”
The views expressed here are those of the writer and do not necessarily represent the views of Sarawak Tribune. The writer can be reached at adelinel888@gmail.com.
