May 9, 2015

Sibu Tales : Making Crispy Roasted Pork

We loved having Char Siew made by our father's friends. Occasionally Dad would bring home one or two pieces of crispy skinned belly pork from the market, i.e. his Cantonese friend's stall.

Foochows did not make Siew York or Siew Niik like the Cantonese.

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The thin belly pork would be chopped finely by Dad and we would have a very nice dinner. In Foochow we would call this, guan siew niik, meaning carry or buying belly pork (home for the evening).. Because in the early days of my parents' marriage in Sibu, they did not have an oven to do Siew York, even though we suspected that Dad was able to make a fine one.

Later, Dad bought my mother a New World oven, but she never made Siew York. Dad said it was easier to just buy from his friend's stall. Dad never liked messy places. He was very spartan in his needs and very minimalist in his approach to life.Image may contain: food

Later, our neighbour's daughter married a pork seller who was Cantonese. And we had gifts of Siew York during the Chinese New Year, but during the Festivals.my mother would politely buy one or two katis of the Siew York, for the frying of our Noodles and Long Cabbage. She was too frugal to have a huge platter of Siew York, Waxed Duck, roasted Chicken.

Fast forward 50 years, I have two sons in law who are Cantonese and both can really good Siew York.


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