Browsing through the supermarket shelves recently, I came across a product that had remained practically unchanged since the 1960’s …. this can of Ve-Tsin (msg). In Cantonese, we call it “mei cheng” (See photo 1). It reminded me of the time when my siblings and I used to cook our own dry noodles at home to fix our hunger pangs. The noodles we used came in rectangular slabs like those in Photo 2.
Interestingly, the Ve-Tsin design looked exactly the same as it did before except for a difference in the lid. Can you spot the difference? In the old design, there is no lid or cover. To open the can, you needed to use a turn-key like the one in Photo 3 below. I seem to recall that the sardine cans of old too came with this type of design. Such design is quite rare today, and after much searching I found this can of luncheon meat. Wasted another $3+ because the meat tasted horrible. Likewise, had to discard my $1.90 can of Ve-Tsin after taking a few photos as MSG is practically banned in our home nowadays – my wife’s bias, not mine.
26 comments:
I don’t seem to recall that the old Ve-Tsin tin uses a turn-key. I thought it has a lid on the top but not like the one in your photo. The lid makes a sort of “depression” on the top of the tin when you close the tin. In the early 60s my mother would send me on errands to the village provision store to buy salt, sugar and “bee-cheng” (that was how she pronounced it in Teochew). You could buy specific quantities of “bee-cheng” (half a kati, for example), just like sugar and salt. As for sardines, my favourite is the Ayam brand. I still buy them from the Asian grocery stores here. I fry the sardines with lots of shallots and chillies.
The latest design in John West canned sardines has a “pull-ring” on the top. To open the can you lift the metal ring on its top and slowly pull it backwards. It is much neater, quicker and safer than the turn-key design or those which requires a can opener.
Edward. Are you sure you remember correctly? 1/2 a kati is a lot of bee cheng! Normally we just add a pinch of it. They say that MSG causes hair loss.
Is it true that many Caucasians are allergic to MSG?
Nowadays, most of the can foods come with the rip-off design. That's why I had a tough time finding a product (Photo no. 3) to illustrate. A picture is worth a thousand words. But I tore off the paper so as not to show the product brand.
OMG Chun See, no wonder I’m going botak! All these years I thought Brylcreem was responsible. Now I know “bee cheng” is the culprit.
It is true during the earlier years Japanese products were shoddy so many singaporeans were afraid of buying them. One day my uncle next door, one of the earlier buyers of a toyota car, bought a bottle of sankyo hair tonic for us to use, but no one dare to take up the challenge, keeping it at arm's length, frightened of being a botak after using it. Now this same bottle of hair tonic is sold locally for at least $17.00, the former price was $3.00 (in early sixties). Ajinomoto wasthen blamed for nearly everything that causes bad health, including the pet 'theory' of falling hairs. After a much thinking through, I believe there is 'some' truth in this rumour.
The Ma Ling brand luncheon meat was quite popular in Singapore. You can still get them in the Asian grocery stores here. We have something quite similar called Spam, freely available in our supermarkets. As a general rule I avoid all processed meats – luncheon meat, corned beef, bacon, salami, sausages, etc. Sodium Nitrite is used as a preservative in processed meat. Apart from being carcinogenic, it also has other harmful health effects. The few pieces of lup cheong in the char kway teow that I occasionally have are the only times I eat processed meat. However, not many would agree with the extent of my self-imposed abstinence. Bacon, sausages and salami are still widely popular here. From the early 80s education and the media played a major role in increasing our awareness of health and medical issues. During the 60s some of us may be vaguely aware of the negative effects of MSG. My mother used it sparingly at home. We were also told that the meals sold in the hawker centres contain substantial amounts of MSG. You must think that I am a health-conscious freak, but in my early years here I thrived on junk foods. I guess I am moving from one extreme to the other, after suffering a series of health setbacks, contributed primarily by my poor diet.
Chun See, many Caucasians with existing health problems may exhibit allergic reactions to MSG. I have read of cases of asthmatics experiencing bouts of attacks after consuming meals flavoured with MSG. In rare cases the allergic reactions could be fatal, especially when medical attention is not immediately sought. MSG is also linked to other serious health problems. Health-conscious customers often specify “no MSG” when ordering their meals in restaurants, cafes or food courts. Of course, it is not always possible to entertain such requests as many pre-cooked meals have MSG included amongst its ingredients.
It's not so clear cut to attribute health problems to MSG. Japanese people for example takes lots and lots of MSG and yet they are among the world's healthiest and have one of the highest longevity in the world. That is in spite of their stressful work lives and smoking habits.
When I was attending training in Japan; I ate daily in the company canteen. At the table, there were several bottles of 'stuff' that people generously sprinkled onto their food. Most tasted like MSG to me.
There have been many researches done on the longevity of the Japanese, especially in the island of Okinawa. Okinawa is reputed to have the world's highest known concentration of centenarians. Genetics, diet and lifestyles are cited as the primary contributing factors to longevity but the extent attributed to each of these are debatable. It appears that later generations of Japanese of Okinawan descent in Hawaii did not enjoy the same level of longevity and health as their ancestors who remained in Okinawa.
The results of many researches have pointed to the harmful effects of MSG. The warnings and restrictions imposed by many health authorities in western OECD countries attest to the general acceptance of these findings. Of course there are minority interest groups (such as the glutamate industry) who reject these findings are conclusive or even acceptable.
Zen, this is what inflation does to the cost of Sankyo hair tonic. Anyway when you are botak you don’t have to worry about hair tonic, hair cream, shampoo, conditioner, dye, gel or whatever they put on their hair these days. The only thing you can do is polish your head.Or wear a hat.
Practically nothing can help falling hairs especially in men, though I am no expert in this area, but it is a known fact that eunuchs do not have this problem. So from this observation, we can deduce that falling hairs have something to do with male hormone, and I believe men would prefer to safeguard their masculinity more than losing their precious hairs.
Though u ate the round type noodle, I ate the "foot pan min" type. My mother would scoop a spoon of lard which had been frozen in the fridge.
Talking about lard used, it was not "Chee Yeow Char" but actually the oil derived from frying the fresh pig fat bought from the wet market. After colling down the temperature, the liquid oil was kept in the firdge. Then it solidifed into a white solid from which my mother took one scoop.
With that lard, some tomatoe and chilly ketchup stirred right into the nooddle, we at. There was no need to add ingredients bcos the lard provided the "kick".
Our lard and chee yau char were placed in a big white porcelain bowl with blue pictures. Just like those in Tai Tung restaurant.
Besides the dried noodles, we also used the msg with 'kai see chook' or shredded chicken porridge. My mother made the best kai see chook. We usually had that on Saturdays, after we moved out of the kampong and stayed at Farrer Road. She would fry tang hoon to sprinkle to the porridge together with light sauce, sesame oil and a bit of msg. Wonderful!
Hey Zen, I rather be botak than a eunuch. Poor eunuchs – most of them don’t have a choice. Some say that bald men are more virile; this is probably a myth perpetuated by baldies.
I have always enjoyed pork fat. Now I avoid it because of its high saturated fat content. I remember Ah Seng often gave me extra “bak yew” for my noodles but he has warned me not to over-indulge in it. Pork fat or pork oil really enhances the taste of the food, even in dishes like char kway teow. In my early years I would buy pork fat from the supermarket or Victoria Market, cut them into blocks, then fry them till they are crispy and crunchy. These are then used for cooking other dishes. So yummy, but bad for your heart. Although I stopped using pork fat I still crave for their taste.
It is interesting to note that many chronic diseases become more apparent and harder to tackle after the advent of hydrogenated oils in the earlier part of the 20th century. Prior to this people were generally more healthy and were not afflicted with so many types of modern ailments. Eating saturated fats like butter and lard with part and parcel of daily living then. Though many people may have longer life now, but not to forget how many of them are actually healthy, mostly propped up by 'bagful' of drugs or nicely described as medicines to extend their longevity. Just drop into one of the many polyclinics early in the morning, we will be instantly reminded of this sad fact of life.
In 19th century Australia rural households used dripping to make candles. The dripping came from roasting meat or cooked fat of an animal. Dripping was sold in tins or kegs by the local butcher. Those who could not afford butter used cheap dripping to make cakes and scones. The poorer households derived most of their calories from bread and fatty dripping.
How fortunate we were to have bread with butter, jam, kaya or peanut butter! One of my favourite for breakfast was bread with butter and sugar.
Hey Chun See, how do you cook the shredded chicken? Do you boil the chicken (like Pak Chang Kai) and then shred it or is the chicken fried first? Also, how do you fry the tan hoon (bean thread)? I thought it should be boiled, like a soup dish.
The chicken is cooked (boiled) before shredding the meat. The tang hoon is deep fried. Do you know the Chinese dish, Yam Ring. They usually surround the piece of yam with such fried tang hoon. And don't forget the yu char kway.
The tang hoon (bean thread) that we get here comes in a packet like bee hoon (rice vermicelli). I usually boil them with other ingredients and eat them like noodles. I never knew they could be deep fried. Yew char kway is made from freshly kneaded flour mix which is then deep fried. The first time I saw this process was in Nee Soon market in the late 50s. I was fascinated by how a tiny strip of kneaded flour can expand into a much bigger and longer strip almost immediately in the hot oil. I always order pei tan choke during yum cha; it comes with a few pieces of yew char kway. Yummy.
Edward. You can see a photo of the Yam Ring with fried Tang Hoon here.
Thanks Chun See. That’s the first time I’ve seen a Yam Ring. Yes, I can see the fried tang hoon outside the Yam Ring. Looks delicious. I suppose they are only available in restaurants. I have never seen them in hawker or food centres in Singapore or Melbourne. I remember how yam tasted like in the Bo Bo Cha Cha I had in the Esplanade in Singapore.
Are you serious Edward? You can order this yam ring dish in any zhi char stall in hawker centres and coffee shops. In Cantonese we say; Fatt Poot Piew Hiong.
Chun See, I can assure you that Yam Rings were not available at the food centre and kopi tiams in Sembawang Hills Estate. By the way Kopi Tiam Mamak in Melbourne has now been converted to Papa Rich. I had lunch there this afternoon. There is another branch in Doncaster (too far) and another will be opened in Chadstone next month. They serve a wide range of Malaysian hawker dishes (but no Yam Rings though).
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