When we were younger we were exposed to some very archaic Foochow terms.
My mum would ask me to go and "carry" a pork leg for Ngie mah's visit. Guang Tii Kar or carry a pork leg.
Whenever I went to the pork market to see Uncle Lau, he would immediately choose a good one for me to carry home.
It cost only $5.00 each in those days.
Once the pork leg was placed on the table, my mother would lovingly clean the leg and pull out all the hidden hair with a tweezer. She had such patience. Later she would pour hot water over the leg.
I remember the pork leg being very fair and clean.
It was her way of welcoming her mother for a visit.
And soon a good pot of pork leg would be doubled boiled in the big kuali. She would use dried shitake mushroom and cuttlefish which she had pre soaked, and lots of garlic.
Garlic in those days was better as the aroma from the boiling would filled up the whole kitchen!!
Again, I feel that the pork leg in those days tasted better than today's product.
Our pork leg soup would finally have a few tablespoons of Foochow red wine and it would be ready for lunch. Grandma loved to have mee suah with her pork leg soup.
The gentle preparation of the pork leg soup was my mother's role modelling. We must treat our elders with the greatest of respect and love.
Each time I cook pork leg soup, it was more for the memories than for the eating..I would think of how much my mother loved her mother and all her wonderful ways of showing her filial piety.
2 comments:
Those were the days when people treated each other with respect.
I am a Foochow from Sibu now retired and staying in Klang and/or Shah Alam. Actually bought a "pig leg" this morning. My wife cooks it slightly different without the red wine and mushroom. Garlic and of course dried cuttle fish ( from China bought at Ta Kiong in Sibu ) are must add on ingredients. A wonderfully delicious dish/soup.
Post a Comment