Let me show you what an ordinary family in Jiangnan has for dinner.

My mom’s cooking is getting more and more creative these days! It’s been a while since I had dinner at my mom’s place.

A few months ago, I helped my parents move to an apartment in the neighborhood right next to mine. Now, it’s only a three-minute walk to her house for a meal.

But unfortunately, I’ve been so busy that I rarely get a chance to stop by for a bite. Last night, I went to my mom’s for dinner and specifically told her to keep it simple. Still, she prepared a whole feast—way more than we could finish! I noticed quite a few new dishes, and apparently, she learned them from online videos. Here’s the lineup:

1. Cabbage-Wrapped Meatloaf, neatly plated too.
2. Crab Roe Wontons, quite a luxurious treat!
3. Pan-Fried Fish Fillets, which I really liked—boneless and delicious.
4. Sweet and Sour Pork Ribs, one of my mom’s signature dishes.
5. Braised Pork Bones in Sauce, though they didn’t seem very flavorful. I was too full to eat, but my dad enjoyed a big one.
6. Crucian Carp Soup with tofu and fried egg. Mom said she didn’t add any MSG, and the soup turned out to be quite fresh.

7-8. Huadiao Drunken Crabs, which I had marinated myself and brought over. This time, I used 10 female crabs, all with incredibly rich roe. Once you’ve tasted the complex flavors of drunken crab, you’ll never go back to plain steamed crabs. As for my retired dad, he was happily munching on a Yangcheng Lake hairy crab and gnawing on a big pork bone, saying, “Life is really good now. We can eat whatever we want, and the pension is enough. All I hope for is to stay healthy and not trouble you kids.” Looks like his happiness index is pretty high!

So, which dish would you like the most? Let’s chat!