2nd DAY OF CHINESE NEW YEAR

It is customary that on the 2nd day of the Chinese New Year, those married daughters in the family will return to the ancestral  home to pay respects to the parents.  Of course nowadays this is not necessarily so, the daughters can go back anytime to her parents home.  For us, we still had a dinner together on the 2nd day and each of us would contribute a dish, if possible.

 The Steamed chicken again (this is needed for prayers as well, thus it will always appear on the dining table).

My sister, Yoke cooked this Vietnamese style- minced prawns/pork skewered on sugar cane and deep fried.

Assam Fish- not so "chinese" cooked by Aunty- sourish, sweet and slightly spicy .

 

Stir Fry mixed vegetables

Steamed waxed meat with arrowroot- everybody's favourite once a year!

Roasted Pork (for prayers as well)

My contribution - Hakka Braised Pork Belly with Black Fungus- recipe from Flavours magazine.

Pork belly cut into bite sizes. Marinated with  fermented bean paste (nam yue- about 3 pieces for every 600gm of pork), 3 tbsp of oyster sauce, 2 tbs chinese cooking wine, 2 tbs of soya sugar, a tsp of five spice powder.

Coat pork with plain flour and deep fry till crispy and brown. These can be done days ahead.

To braise the pork, mix with about 1.5 litre of water with soya sauce and dash of dark soya sauce and chinese cooking wine. Bring to boil and simmer on low heat for around 30 minutes. Meanwhile, fry pre-soaked black fungus with minced garlic till fragrant. Add black fungus to pork and simmer for another 20-30 minutes till soft but still crunchy.  Adjust seasoning and thicken with some cornstarch solution, if desired.

Braised Mushroom with Dried Oysters and Fatt Choy

And of course, Yee Sang (from Overseas Restaurant)

 Maggie Mee with Yee Seng?!.

"Ladies we don't need any more "additives" to the Yee Sang"!

Sarah trying to get the perfect picture

Dinner stretches to 7 tables now


1, 2,3, lets the Loh Hei begins!

This blurred picture says it all- flurry of all things happening at the same time, noisy, joyous and boisterous!