Teochew Fishmonger @ Geylang Serai Market 芽笼士乃巴刹的潮州鱼贩

One afternoon at Geylang Serai market, I was on my way home after my lunch when I noticed this 70 plus elder pushing a cart of gutted fresh fish around the market, trying to clear his stock at a discount. Many stallowners in the market had already packed up and gone home.

He approached me and asked if I would like buy some fish so he could finish selling them and go home early. I noticed his Teochew accent and replied him in Teochew.

"The fish are fresh but too big. There are only two of us eating, we cannot finish it." That's when the delighted Teochew brother started a conversation about his grown up children.

He was so happy to have a listening ear that I was worried he might not be able to finish selling his fish. I decided to buy two fish. He selected them for me.

On a card placed next to his fish was written the words "one fish $5.50", but he collected only $7 from me. Seeing the confused look on my face, he laughed and said "Kakinang! Kakinang!" (means belonging to the same group of dialect)

How to cook the fish?

I remember I have a packet of tau si (fermented black beans) my brother-in-law from Hainan island sent me. When I opened it, the fragrant was heavenly and it was quite salty.

I fried the two fish in some oil and then braised them with the fermented black beans.

Ta-da! Serve my hubby sweet potato porridge with braised fish in fermented black beans. *smiles*

下午两点多, 这位70多岁的潮州老哥推着一车鱼在芽笼士乃巴刹里便宜兜售。巴刹里许多摊位都收档了, 老哥没卖完鱼很心急。他要求我帮他买让他早点回家。清理干净的鱼挺新鲜但太大尾了。勉强买了两条, 一条$5.50, 两条收我$7。咦?!

 "家己人! 家己人!" 老哥挥挥手, 笑哈哈。

我怎么处理这两条鱼呢?
蕃薯粥配豆豉烩鱼

注 : 烩指将原料油炸或煮熟后放入锅内加辅料、调料、高汤烩制的方法。吃蕃薯粥可以正氣、養胃、化食、去積、清熱。