This Precious Life

It started a few years ago when a neighbor asked Mother to contribute a bestseller item at the Tsunami Fair. Mother decided to contribute nga ku chips (Arrowroot Chips), an increasingly popular snack.

As she was paying for the arrowroots, she mentioned in passing what all these arrowroots were for. The kindly old grocer refused to accept payment.

With Grocer’s arrowroots, Mother’s cooking oil and Suzana’s work, jars of arrowroot chips were successfully sold to raise funds.

After the Tsunami Fair, Mother’s friends began to inquire if she could get Suzana to fry more of these delicious chips. Arrowroots are less starchy and more digestible than potatoes so one can eat lots and still crave for more.

So, Mother got down to business. Every year, she will buy bags of arrowroots from the nearest supermarket. The ones pictured above are from Tesco. She pours out the arrowroots into a large basin and splash them in water for a  quick wash.

By the way, this is how an arrowroot tree looks like. You can buy a potted one at Ikea as an indoor plant.

Washed arrowroots, we can’t eat them yet.

We’ll need to peel the arrowroots with fingers careful and eyes wide open. Do not yawn, sneeze or do anything that might close your eyes lest you peel off the skin on your hands. The arrowroots are small and impossible difficult to firmly grasp.

Arrowroots, peeled.

Next, we’ll need to slice the peeled arrowroots with a mandolin. Slice one after another, until all 144,683 arrowroots have been sliced into equal 0.8mm slivers.

Don’t try to kill yourself with the mandolin just because you feel like giving up. Don’t try to gnaw off your own hands either.

Arrowroots, peeled and sliced. Whew!

Now, we get to the hot, sweaty and bothersome part.

Drop a small batch of arrowroot slivers into a wok of simmering oil. Fry.

We’ll be feeling sweaty and irritable now. Keep frying…

Fry some more…

Aha! Golden ngaku chips, ready to be munched. Pat dry and air dry before shaking them into jars.

Even Flame can’t bear the thought of preparing another round.

*faint ah*

RM30 per large jar. Worthwhile? ;)

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