又中又英｜Comfort food

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.

我在香港长大时，不时会去小贩档买一串串（skewers）的鱼蛋吃，吃前还会裹上厚厚的（smothered）中式芥辣酱。一大碗鱼蛋面真是好吃到让人升天（to die for）。每次我在香港都一定会去吃鱼蛋面。我现在身处美国，非常渴望得到（craving for）一碗鱼蛋面，可惜遍寻不获，就连这里的中式餐馆也没有供应。A skewer是幼长的木串。Smother一字有几个意思，在这里是解作用酱汁厚厚覆盖着鱼蛋。

若某事物是to die for，意即它非常诱人，你奋不顾身也想要得到。To crave something是指有非常强烈的感觉渇望得到某事物。鱼蛋面又或单单用木条串（skewers）串起的鱼蛋对我来说就像是comfort food—— comfort food是当你难过的时候，令你更快乐或舒畅的「安慰食物」。当我看到新闻报道指，在长洲经营了四十八年的甘永泰鱼蛋将要结业的时候，我非常失望。我年轻的时候很喜欢跟朋友到长洲游玩。我很记得有吃过甘永泰鱼蛋，因为他们的鱼蛋要比香港别处的鱼蛋要大得多。

对我来说，从小贩档又或像甘永泰的小食店那里买的鱼蛋，总是比便利店买到的鱼蛋美味得多。但现在香港已再没有鱼蛋车仔档了。政府在确保小贩能符合衞生标准后，好应重新发牌。

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Michael Chugani褚简宁
中译：七刻