Lunar New Year Crispies

One of my most vivid food memories was going to my maternal grandparents’ flat, which faced the Happy Valley Racecourse, before Lunar New Year. The tiny kitchen would be bustling to prepare for visiting family and friends who would come and pay respects to my Goong Goong 公公 and Pau Pau 婆婆 over the three-day festival. This included making a large jar of cha pao 茶泡—a snack mix of thinly sliced strips of taro and sweet potato and peanuts, all deep-fried to perfection.

While this snack