A Dish of Belly Pork and Potatoes土豆

My Fujian born paternal grandfather was a very meticulous man in everything he did. He was also a very careful man who chose his words wisely. He liked to befriend pastors and well educated people because he himself had only received some home tuition for a few years in Wunchieh, the hill village he hailed from.

Among his good friends were Rev Yao Shiao Khing who advised him on many aspects of life, and Rev Ho Siew Liong who was like a brother to him. Rev James Hoover was his best friend and mentor.

As a child, I used to visit him in his Sg. Merah house and enjoyed all the meals provided by our Grandmother Siew who was a very good cook. From time to time we had a special dish made from potatoes and belly pork.

Today many young Foochows just call potatoes as Huang Shu. To him that was not correct. He called them tudou or Earth Bean.

He was a good teacher and he taught my cousin Whye, myself and my aunts and uncle at certain critical moments regarding words and phrases. He was very stern when he gave us lessons. At times I was so scared of him that I could not hear anything he said.

60 years later, I had the chance of visiting my grandfather's home village and Fujian and I realized what I learned from him was just so accurate. Yes, on the menu was Tudou Stir Fry. Many of my fellow travellers even argued that the tudou stir fry was  some kind of beans or gourds. So how did this English educated Foochow girl know that it was potato? Well, my grandfather told me.....It wasn't a joke.




He had a very sweet tooth. He liked cakes, chocolate and often home grown sweet potatoes for snacks. He was a very slow eater, as if every mouthful was a blessing from God. He remained a very devout Methodist all his life.

And my grand parents and aunty Hiong  planted sweet potatoes (Huan Shu) and many kinds of fruits (Yong Toh or Star Fruit), Wong Dang, Huan Nii Liu, Ern Moh Dang (Rambutan) in the backyard. Grandfather had always believed in a very sustainable life style.