taugeh

Remember when we were kids (mostly us girls since ahboy never had to it :P) and mum would make us peel the 'ends' of taugeh for taugeh char kiam hu or the skin of peanut for soup? I used to dislike doing that, especially the taugeh ones, because it takes forever! But that's how we were brought up. Everytime we buy taugeh, we have to peel the ends and we got used to eating 'cleaned' taugeh. While I never did volunteer to do them, it will still be something that I will make my kids do one day. It wasn't just the taugeh that we had to peel but it was helping mum in the kitchen, spending time with mum and sometimes with dad and ahmah too. Sometimes we'll talk about what's going on in school and work..or we'll just pop in an oldies cd and sing along. Of course sometimes I'll talk too much and get the 'kah meh pek lah..kong uah ah ne cheh'. But if was definitely bonding time.

Today, people doesn't seem to be doing that anymore..or maybe it's just people here. Was having dinner at a chinese restaurant - char hor fun with chicken. They don't peel the ends of the taugeh! This morning, bought a bag of taugeh and started peeling the tails when roommate walked into the kitchen. 'Ping, do you know that it's okay to eat the that (refer to the ends)?' I told her that I know it's edible but I've been taught to peel them before cooking or eating them. Maybe it's just me but I'm pretty sure a lot of us were taught the same thing too. I even remember that you'll see some of the hawker sellers sitting by their stall after the lunch crowd peeling their taugeh..or maybe not anymore since I haven't seen any for a long time. But while I was eating the char hor fun, I just couldn't help thinking - don't they peel off the ends before they cook them???

Unsatisfied, I cooked my own char taugeh with hae and some sambal belachan from Hup Loong...after peeling off the ends. Even if the taste is not much difference with or without the ends, it still looks better without it.