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When the Japanese arrived in Sibu, they were very much into taking over the town and running their government as they liked.
Food was scarce, people were scared and there was lots of bitterness too.
Girls were quickly married off for fear of rape and being forced to become comfort women.
My mother and her younger sister chose to be dressed up as boys and worked in the padi fields, with blackened face.
They worked hard but food was scarce.
One of the food on the table was the fermented shrimps which we Foochows called har chien. Cincaluk in Bahasa Malaysia. They had to be very frugal with even this dish.
They could only dip their chopstick into the sauce and ate some sweet potatoes. Sometimes when the har chien was gone, or had gone bad, it was only salt and sweet potatoes.
However after 3 years and 8 months, the Allied came and the Japanese surrendered.
4 comments:
Really really love your blog.
Thank you for visiting and reading. Will try my best to write more and more frequently too.God bless.
Your har chien reminded my late Dad used to buy it and nice with layered pork!
Many grannies cry at the sight of sweet potatoes, for they dredge up painful memories during Japanese occupation, but many remember how they ate cincalok sparingly with fondness. It is a confort food to me, despite the fact that I am allergic to it. With a squeeze of lime, the fermented krills are taken to a whole new level, making it increasingly addictive. Mum likes to mix in some Baijue when making it. I like to have mine with lots of sugar and cili padi. Over the years, it has grown on me despite endless scatching and taking of allergy pills.
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