Cheong

I am the third child in my family. In Kuala Lumpur, in Malaysia, the extended Liew family consisted of about 200, all of whom used to gather regularly for the major annual events such as Chinese New Year, All Soul’s Day and grandmother’s birthday.

We lived on High Street, now known as Jalan Bandar, very close to the Ampang Station, a travel depot where people caught buses to other states in Malaysia. It was a natural site for a market where travellers could buy clothing, trinkets and food. My favourite stall was that of the Indian kachang man. He sold kachang puteh, roasted white beans; muruku, like an Indian version of a pretzel made from chickpea flour; vadai, which resembles felafel; and a variety of fried beans and lentils. Just across the road were numerous restaurants—Malay, Indian, Chinese—including the Chinese barbecue stalls with the most basic of tables and chairs, selling the equivalent of fast food.