KAMPUNGBOYCITYGAL A MALAYSIAN FOOD & TRAVEL BLOG

Growing up in a traditional Chinese family, winter solstice is a rather big festival attached with great importance. My mum has always been telling us that we’ll be one year older after finishing bowls of brightly coloured tang yuan, which symbolizes reunion. For me, it is supposed to be a time of gathering with families and friends for a heart warming dinner as such:

(From L to R)

Steamed White Chicken. Stir Fried Assorted Vegetables. Braised Mushroom & Chicken Feet. Pan Fried Prawns. Siu Yoke & Char Siu. Sea Cucumber Soup with Cabbage, Fish Balls & Pork Balls.

There’s nothing as blissful as looking around the table and seeing faces you love and serving them good food.

Happy Winter Solstice everyone!

On the first day of Chinese New Year, we would wake up earlier despite staying up late the night before. It is a tradition in my family to lit joss sticks and gave lavish offerings to our god and ancestors, hoping that they would grant us a better year. Bear in mind that sweeping floor is a taboo on the first day, as the elderly believes that it will sweep all the good fortune away.

My siblings and I are always enthusiastic to wear something in red and to visit relatives to extend our loud and auspicious New Year’s greetings such as ???? (Gong Xi Fa Cai) but it is always followed by ???? (Ang Pow Bagi). Grin

This year, we were invited to witness one of the most spectacular sights during Chinese New Year; it’s a performance by a champion lion dance troupe from Johor. The drum rhythmic patterns are closely tied to the feline and agile movement of the lion. My parents never missed a single opportunity to take a picture with their most favorite people ( or god?) in the whole wide world too.

On the second day of Chinese New Year, traditionally married daughter will go home to visit their birth parents. However, this year my family has decided to visit the maternal side of our family another time where the traffic congestion would ease up. At our Ipoh house, we performed a simple ‘Hoi Nin’ prayer and lunch, wishing that we will be blessed with good luck and prosperity in business.

My wonder-mum actually whipped up a feast for our simple “Hoi Nin” lunch. Almost every dish has a symboli meaning and auspicious to ensure a prosporous New Year!

Steamed Whole Chicken – It symbolizes completeness and prosperity

My parents believe that having Siu Yuk (Roasted Pork) that was offered to our god and ancestors earlier will bring us luck.

Wang Choi Jau Sau (windfall profit with little effort) with Fat Choy Ho See (getting rich and good things happen). Pork trotters are braised together with dried black moss, dried oyster and mushroom for long hours until the trotters turn soft and chewy.

Nin Nin Yao Yu – Fish actually represents abundance or having more than enough to spend. Towards the end of the dinner, some part of the fish are left untouched to represent the meaning.

Ha Ha Dai Siu – I’m pretty sure that everyone knows that. Prawns in Cantonese (ha) sounds like laughter which is why prawns represent happiness.

(Non-Halal)

Ingredients

rice vermicelli (mai fun), soaked for 10–15 minutes until soft, and drained

1 egg

½ cup shredded carrot

½ cup shredded cabbage

½ cup long beans

1–2 tsp oil

3 slices ginger, finely chopped

1 tsp chopped garlic

Sauce ingredients – (combined)

2 tbsp light soy sauce

2 tbsp tom yam sauce

2 tbsp oyster sauce

¾ tsp thick soy sauce

¼ tsp pepper

½- ¾ tsp sugar or to taste

1 tbsp sesame oil

½-¾ cup water

Garnishing

A squeeze of lime juice

Chopped spring onion and coriander leaves

Method

Heat oil in a wok, fry the egg and set it aside, then fry ginger and garlic until lightly golden.

Put in carrot, cabbage, long beans and rice vermicelli. Pour in combined sauce ingredients. Do not stir but cover the wok for 7–8 minutes.

Remove the cover. Toss well for 3–4 minutes or until well combined.

Dish out and serve with a squeeze of lime juice and a sprinkling of shredded eggs, chopped spring onion, coriander leaves and some sinful crispy siu yoke brought all the way from Ipoh!

Recipe by Amy Beh from The Star Kuali (ammended and adjusted according to personal preferences)

Recipe from Rose’s Kitchen

Ingredients:

1 fish head (about 1 kg)
2 round purple brinjals, quartered
4 pieces tender lady’s fingers
3 tomatoes, quartered
2 sprigs curry leaves
4 green chillies, slit half way lengthwise
5 red chillies, slit half way lengthwise
2 big onions, sliced thinly
2 cloves garlic, sliced thinly
1/2 thumb-size ginger, shredded
1 tbsp mixed curry seeds for fish curry
4 tbsp curry powder for fish + 10 tbsp water
300ml coconut milk
50g tamarind mixed with 300ml water
6 tbsp cooking oil

Seasoning:

1-2 tsp salt
2-3 tsp sugar
1 tsp vetsin

Method:

1. Wash fish head and drain. Season with salt and vetsin and steam till cooked.
2. Heat oil in wok and fry the curry seeds and shredded ginger till light brown.
3. Add garlic slices and stir-fry for 1/2 minute. Add the sliced onions and fry till soft and transparent.
4. Add the curry paste and 300ml coconut milk. Stir-fry till the oil comes through.
5. Add tomatoes, lady’s fingers, brinjals, curry leaves and chillies.
6. Add the tamarind juice, vetsin, salt and sugar and continue to cook over a low heat. If gravy is too thick, add a little more water and let simmer for 5 minutes.
7. Add the steamed fish head, cover wok and let simmer till cooked.

Citygal decided to try some challenging recipe that are on par with those one can try at seafood restaurant. The ingredient list was extensive, giving me a hard time to gather everything. However, the steps are quite easy and simple. I play cheat by using instand curry powder for curry fish head and substitute the coconut milk with full cream milk.

I use Garoupa Fish head which is surprisingly full of succulent meat, it also contain staring eyes and fish lips which some said these are the best part! The verdict was good (surprisingly), my cousin said that the curry sauce was flavourful and aromatic. I picked a very fresh fish head judging from the moist, luctrous surface, firmly attached scale and crystal bright eyes. Suddenly I feel so proud of myself! Giggles.

Congrats to Wje Jon from Wantan Production and ST for their marriage! I’m wishing the newly weds the life of love and togetherness. Coincidently, as i ran through my old pictures, I found some home cooked wantan pictures.Ya, they look awful because this is my first time of making a wantan from scratch. Hmmm not really from scatch, as I bought ready made wantan skin instead of beating the eggs, flattening the dough and everything.

What I meant by from scatch is I cook the broth, marinate the minced pork and wrap the wantans myself. A great achievement for me indeed~!

I intended to use some shredded carrots and water chesnuts for some textures but we are just to lazy to drive out and buy some. So I use dried scallops for their superior taste and texture. Drop two or three to the broth can give the soup some ocean fresh aroma too.

It’s just a simple meal with some organic grains to go with the broth and wantans. Of course, some cili padis and soy sauce perfected the meal.