When I went to mom’s to learn Tee Pong (Red Cooked Picnic Shoulder), there was a theme that day. I was learning my grandfather’s favorite dishes, and after that fatty pig centerpiece, his next favorite was Eel with Yellow Chives. And just to let you know, he always finished every meal with oranges.
My grandpa insisted on eating these favorite dishes so much that my mom had to make it constantly, and we ordered it at restaurants too. Now, long after my grandfather passed away (in 1996), I realized that my mom hasn’t made Eel with Yellow Chives in years. I asked my mom why and she said it’s kind of a pain to make. Fresh eel requires a lot of cleaning. She also told me that sometimes she would be lazy and by frozen packs of prepped eel strips, ready-to-use, but in the last few years, she hasn’t seen it at the market. The yellow chives require some cleaning too.