Snails and Health of the Foochows

 The Fujian people have always loved dishes of good snails from the pristine river banks.

I was treated to some when I went to visit Minqing and the surrounding districts a few years ago.

When in Minqing, Fujian, China, I knew already that my aged mother would never be able to see China. She was getting too old to travel and I felt really bad when I talked to her about my travels. I could see that she had that special longing in her eyes, and faraway look. But being stoical all her life, she never expressed any regrets. I could not even say that I travelled on her behalf!!

When she was in her 70's she had wanted to see the Great Wall of China and eat all the food my grandmother had mentioned to her and her siblings when they were growing up in Nang Chong Village.

My China born Grandma had mentioned how good the river snails were. Yong Tai district had snails which gave out a green soup which has health benefits. The green snail soup is given to those who have poor lungs.  

When I visited Yong Tai, I was given a treat to taste the green snail soup with my friends, courtesy of the local welcoming committee and friends. The soup was memorable and very sweet. Now I have photos to prove. Both my grandmother and mother would have loved the photos I took.

During the Japanese Occupation my mother and her sister, Aunty Yung, all Sarawak born, went along the river Rajang mud banks to look for  snails. Two kinds of snails could be found on the mud banks. One was what the local Ibans call Tekoyong Apong or just chier loi in Foochow. These were not as plentiful as the ah moh loi or the round ones.

Today, we Foochow cook this dish of the longer and triangular shaped snails (below) with a lot of thick black soy sauce and ginger, sometimes with chillies and lemon grass. The round ones can also be cooked with thick soy sauce, or just boiled with ginger.

During the Japanese Occupation every one would go and pick river snails ( ah moh loi in Foochow) and place them in their metal buckets. It was like a race to pick the most within a short time. Those who went late, when the sun rose high above their shoulders, would no longer be able to find any. sometimes my mother would go as early as 6 am when it was barely daylight. Then she would be able to collect half a bucket. Many would even go to pick the ah moh loi when there was a full moon. It seemed they came out in full force then.

My mother said that it was most frightening to see a snake or two whenever she went snail picking.

But to my hardworking mother,the resulting half pail of snails would be enough to feed the whole extended family for two days at least. Mum said the snails were part of their limited protein source in between chickens and pigs during  the festive season.

My maternal grandfather who was a good cook would add more water to make more sauce so that every one could have the snail sauce with the sweet potatoes or the rice porridge. Boiled tapioca would even be delicious dipped in snail sauce. It was a pity he passed away during the Japanese Occupation and he did not enjoy the good days after the liberation. He suffered so much pain cause by lack of medication but he looked after the whole family well.

The Foochows who lived by the Rajang River banks were thankful that they had snails to eat during the Japanese Occupation and may be that was why not many of them died from vitamin deficiencies or beri beri. 

Many Foochows continue to believe, rather morbidly,that when legs are swollen, death is near.

Today river snails have become very expensive and is often part of restaurant menu in Sibu and elsewhere.

Different kinds of snails are still very popular restaurant dishes in Fujian, China.