Before Malaysia turned from an agricultural society into an industrial society, majority of the families were living in poverty.

Generally, they were very thrifty. Some people miss those times as although they were lack of material comfort, they were happy.

We can now draw a picture in our minds that all the family members are sitting together on a round table, enjoying a hot pot of porridge, which is served together with a small plate of crispy peanuts, small salted fishes and pickled tofu.

All the family members share what they have and life is just that simple.

People used to cook porridge together with sweet potatoes in the past when they were lack of rice.

The then simple dishes could be expensive foods today. Particularly Taiwanese porridge. But you may still find cheap and delicious porridge in the market. Hokkien dried oyster porridge would be one of the choices.

If you are interested in the authentic taste, why not get yourself a hot bowl of dried oyster porridge from a 70-year-old porridge stall in a Chinese coffee shop at Penang Malay Street? (Sin Chew Daily)