When I was growing up in Hong Kong, I often bought fish balls on skewers from hawkers and smothered the fish balls with Chinese mustard sauce before eating them. A big bowl of fish ball noodles is to die for. I eat fish ball noodles whenever I am in Hong Kong. I am now in the US and am craving for a bowl of fish ball noodles, but it’s not available even in Chinese restaurants here. A skewer is a long thin wooden stick. The word “smother” has several meanings but used this way means to cover the fish balls with sauce.
If something is to die for, it means it is excellent or you want it very much. To crave something means to have a very strong feeling of wanting it. Fish ball noodles or just fish balls on skewers are like comfort food for me. Comfort food is food that makes you happier or comfortable when you are sad. I was disappointed when I saw the news that the Kam Wing Tai Fish Balls eatery on Cheung Chau Island will close after 48 years in business. I liked going to Cheung Chau with friends when I was younger. I remember eating Kam Wing Tai fish balls because they are much larger than other fish balls in Hong Kong.
For me, fish balls from hawkers or eateries like Kam Wing Tai always taste better than those sold in convenience stores. But there are no more fish ball hawkers in Hong Kong. The government should re-issue permits for them after ensuring hygiene standards.
我在香港長大時，不時會去小販檔買一串串（skewers）的魚蛋吃，吃前還會裹上厚厚的（smothered）中式芥辣醬。一大碗魚蛋麵真是好吃到讓人升天（to die for）。每次我在香港都一定會去吃魚蛋麵。我現在身處美國，非常渴望得到（craving for）一碗魚蛋麵，可惜遍尋不獲，就連這裏的中式餐館也沒有供應。A skewer是幼長的木串。Smother一字有幾個意思，在這裏是解作用醬汁厚厚覆蓋着魚蛋。
若某事物是to die for，意即它非常誘人，你奮不顧身也想要得到。To crave something是指有非常強烈的感覺渇望得到某事物。魚蛋麵又或單單用木條串（skewers）串起的魚蛋對我來說就像是comfort food—— comfort food是當你難過的時候，令你更快樂或舒暢的「安慰食物」。當我看到新聞報道指，在長洲經營了四十八年的甘永泰魚蛋將要結業的時候，我非常失望。我年輕的時候很喜歡跟朋友到長洲遊玩。我很記得有吃過甘永泰魚蛋，因為他們的魚蛋要比香港別處的魚蛋要大得多。
對我來說，從小販檔又或像甘永泰的小食店那裏買的魚蛋，總是比便利店買到的魚蛋美味得多。但現在香港已再沒有魚蛋車仔檔了。政府在確保小販能符合衞生標準後，好應重新發牌。
[email protected]
Michael Chugani褚簡寧
中譯：七刻
