AUSPICIOUS HAINANESE DISHES FOR CHINESE NEW YEAR

25/1/2015
Sunday

With the Chinese New Year around the corner, many families must be busy planning what to cook for the Reunion Dinner.   It was a great weekend of learning  how to cook some authentic Hainanese festive dishes including the Hainanese Chicken Rice....

Thean Hou Temple - a suitable venue for the event, as the property belongs to the Persatuan Hainan Selangor and WP 

Panoramic view of the city of KL 

The temple features ancient Chinese Architectural designs of beams, balustrades, ceilings etc.   

While waiting for the event to start, we make our way upstairs to offer year-end thankgivings and pray for blessing and guidance for the coming New Year. On left is the Goddess of the Waterfront, The Heavenly Mother (centre) and Guan Yin, the Goddess of Mercy (right, not in the photo)....   

This is the event... cooking demo by the Hainanese Ladies Association

The main sponsor... Lam Soons Oils 

The Chair-woman of the Association (left) and Madam Chan... one of the senior member 

Madam Chan taught us how to cook the popular Hainanese Chicken Rice and her secret recipe for the famous chilli dipping sauce!  She told us that through this event, she wanted to share and hope that the traditional food will continue for the next generation.   

Chef Hoe Yee-  from the Famous Cuisine magazine. 

Her dish of "Yat Tuen Woh Hei" a slow braise of pork with black fungus, fu-chok sticks in soy sauce.

Another veteran - she is almost 80 years old!

Her speciality- Hainanese Chicken Chop.

Chef Hoe Yee also demonstrated how to cut the chicken - a feat not everybody can do well!

Look at the chicken.... each piece evenly cut and the eye-catching assembly!

The ladies also made these rice-balls- pressing them while the rice is hot!

Braised Duck with Yam..

Blanched pork belly  served with a chilli, garlic dipping sauce, simple and delicious.

For dessert, we were shown how to make the Hainanese sweet tri-angle dumpling. The glutinious rice dough was filled with a mixture of sweet melon, sesame seeds, peanuts and grated coconut and form into triangle shape and steamed..

After the cooking, the ladies also taught us how to make the "flower ball" --a decoration for the Chinese New Year.

Finale... before we had our lunch....

We sat down to taste the wonderful lunch provided by the ladies... 

The spokesperson for Lam Soon Oils.... Hongkong TVB actor ..

Wayne Lai- surprise and special guest appearance...

 There were too many camera men around including the crew from Astro too and was glad that I managed to take this. Infact this event was later broadcasted on Astro 301 at 8.00pm the same night. 

This new year delicacy... puffed rice crackers were made by the ladies and for sale at only RM10.00 each.   

Madam Chan had throughout the event emphasized how they desire and want to share with us these true Hainanese cooking and told us that her recipes are published in the Oriental Cuisine magazine this month, if you are interested to get hold of these precious treasures!.  

Here's my Cantonese-take of  the Hainanese Chicken chop.  

Got some pork loin slices in the fridge.  First use the back of knife to light pound the slices to tenderise them. Season with salt and pepper.  Dredge them  with egg and then coat them with fine breadcrumbs. 

Instead of deep frying, I just pan fry them till golden brown. Dish up and set aside.  

The sauce/gravy: equal amount of tomato sauce and chilli sauce, sugar, water... according to your own preference.   I saute some sliced onions and added some cherry tomatoes instead of using frozen mixed veggies. .. Verdict:  Very good and delicious imitation D:

Enjoy the weekend