The original dish was just sugared water, mee sua and one egg.  I struggled with this meal. Easy to cook but not so easy to eat! All grandchildren were forced to eat a bowl to wish Ah Ma 阿嬤 Longevity!!

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One birthday a rather rebellious cousin cooked this meal with a savoury stock! No adult was around and we got away with it

 

The significance of the family heirloom; I would like to apologise to Ah Ma for going against family tradition. Would it have mattered because she lived to ripe old age of 86. I know how to make her laugh. I shall remind her that I have inherited her feet. She loved to rub my feet when I was little

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During the early difficult years my grandma had to wash clothes to earn extra cash. When the soap was reduced to very small pieces, instead of throwing them away she would roll the small pieces in her silver belt. She used them to wash clothes for her own family and the soap was very caustic and smells of lye water. Clothes were washed by hand and scrubbed on wash board.

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My Ah Ma’s silver belt is now of antique value with the words (Stet Fortuna Domus, in Latin meaning Let the fortune of the house stand) The belt in Chinese tradition is a very precious possession for the patriarch or matriarch. It is believed that whoever inherits it will be lucky. It is always passed on to the favourite son or daughter. Belt sounds like brings prosperity 富带 (Chinese is a tonal language and "word play" is common).

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My Ah Gong left it to my Ah Ma and she in turn left it to my father her favourite son. It is common for family members to get into nasty squabbles over this “sought after” heirloom.