Chinese New Year Banquet Menu

[Pan]

Waxed meats? Could you please elaborate?

[hzrt8w]

Waxed meats? Could you please elaborate?

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I think they are talking about "Lap Yuk", "Lap Cheung", "Lap Aup" and such. Those are Chinese preserved meats (Chinese sausages, Chinese dried bacons, Chinese dried ducks). Much like salami or pepperoni to the Italians. (Did they learn it from us, like the pastas? )

[Pan]

Oh, in that case, I'm astonished if it's so hard to get them in Melbourne. No problem getting them in New York.

[Ben Hong]

The "waxed" meats are staples in a Chinese household. They should be available wherever there is a local Chinese/Asian food store.

[Shalmanese]

I know for a fact that you can get them in Melbourne and Sydney. They are usually sold in vacuum sealed plastic bags.

[PCL]

The vacuum bag product is the problem. Yes, the stuff can be bought here, but I'll only eat it if mum or grandma makes it.

[Ben Hong]

If you are waiting for mother or grandma to make the stuff, you might have a long wait. Most people don't bother making it at home. I have done so and it's not the same taste and not worth the effort.

[PCL]

Grandma (poh-poh) is coming over in a month or so I think. Will call her to find out. Otherwise, this thread will set me off on a mission.

[hzrt8w]

Grandma (poh-poh) is coming over in a month or so I think. Will call her to find out. Otherwise, this thread will set me off on a mission.

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The "waxed" meat take a few months to cure, doesn't it?

[Ben Hong]

Not a few months, but a few weeks definitely. Usually in the old days in the village in Toisan, my family would slaughter a few ducks, brine and season them, "rack" them out flat and hang them out in a fifth storey balconey, away from insects and animals. This was always done in the 11th month as the weather starts coming from the north direction dropping the temps down to 10-12C. The constant dry, cool winds aid in the drying process. After a couple or three weeks, the ducks are stored away. Lop yuk(belly pork) was done but not very often as people don't have a tendency to slaughter their pigs until later for the Chinese New year. Lop cheung (sausage) was never done at our house, for the same reason as before, but it was also too much work.

That season also marked the mass migration of hornets through our region. During this migration, they don't sting.

Edited February 23, 2005 by Ben Hong (log)

[Gastro888]

Bump bump bump

Have the festivities and merriment been had?  So, how did it go?  Where are the photos of cheongsams, kay po, etc etc etc? 

Gastro, where are you, girl?

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Hi y'all!

Well, I have been a bit, um, indisposed.

I was abroad checking out a school in Florence, Italy.

Sidebar: I met up with divina!!! She's the bomb diggity bomb!

Oh my gosh, a host of things happened to me on my short trip abroad.

In a nutshell - hit on by an Italian (who may have had a hidden agenda but I digress) , lost my favorite scarf from Greece, was nearly robbed , got treated like a 3rd class citizen by the school , got stuck in the airport, got stranded in Frankfurt and didn't get my luggage when I got home.

Oh yeah and my face broke out. Arughhh, that's going to be a doozy to fix prior to the banquet, which has NOT happened yet! 3 more days!

I was able to try on my cheongsam today. Fits but um, it's a little snug - let's just say the whole J. Lo thing hasn't picked up over in Asia....

[Gastro888]

Was wondering the same thing Aunty Yetti.

On the topic of waxed meats... I miss the stuff badly. Nothing like steamed rice with a selection of waxed meats on top, served with a soy based sauce with flavored oil, hint of fresh chopped chilli, and the crusty burnt bits of rice from the bottom of the pot!!

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Oh man, my parents have been making lap yook for the past two years. IT'S THE BEST!!!! We had alot of "bok fung" the past two years - perfect for making lop yook. (Bok fung - north wind, the coldest wind). Oh man, far superior than the store bought stuff.

I looooooooove waxed meats. Oh wow. Salted duck legs, lap cheong, lap yook...

I will bring my digital camera and takes lots of photos for y'all of the banquet and possibly of me in my cheongsam. My mom told me that it fits but I should've gotten one size up. Bah, I'm going to have to bring something to change in so that I can eat. The collar chokes me when I sit down. Forget the waistline, how did our ancestors swallow food in these things?!?!?!

[Gastro888]

Apologies for not posting this last night - my body was screaming for sleep and I passed out for about 15 hours yesterday. Whooo boy. Ok, below is a detailed shot of my cheongsam/kay po/outfit. It's a vibrant blue - not silk and not tailored to me but for USD 35.00 not bad. (Shipping was USD 15.00 from Shanghai...that's where they make profit, ya know?)

Here's a not-so good bigger picture of the cheongsam. Note to anyone who's going to purchase a cheongsam - buy one size up if you're curvy (aka J. Lo). If you're not curvy, just go by the measurements.

And here's the little trinket I'm giving away as party favors. It's supposed to say "Meen Yee" ("As You Wish", like a desire, heart's wish) on the drum (a different character on each side) but they just have the "Yee" character on both sides. *sigh* Ah, well. I hope they like it regardless.

My dad commented that it's Communist shorthand.

I tried to take better pictures (a la Auntie spaghetttti) but I'm new to the whole digital photography world (I prefer film...old fashioned girl!) so if y'all have any hints for me, please PM me as I'd like to post nice pictures of the banquet for y'all.

Edited February 25, 2005 by Gastro888 (log)

[Dejah]

Very pretty colour, Gastro.

Will we see a picture of you IN the cheongsam?

My Mom used to make lap yook years ago. She marinate the long strips of pork in soya, spices and wine. Then she'd poke a hole at the top so she can string each and hang them out in a shady place to "wind dry". They were so good because lap yook was not available commercially on the prairies. This was a real treat for my dad who hadn't had this for about 9 years!

[Gastro888]

Thanks!

I'll see if I can post a picture of me IN the cheongsam, Auntie Dejah. I wouldn't want Uncle Ben hijacking my photo and bumping up (or bumping DOWN) my price on the market.

Oh man, my parents' lop yook is sooooooooooooooooooooooo good. I have to ask them how they make it. Give me lop yook and rice and I am a very happy girl. I've noticed that it doesn't take much to make Cantonese people happy with food - simple dishes that are well prepared are the way to our hearts.

Speaking of which, mom is making yoon tomorrow for lunch! Yippy!

(Sidebar 1: This month's issue of Saveur has an article on bacon and it mentions lop yook as the ancestor of bacon...hey, I can dig it! )

(Sidebar 2: I think I can eat with the dress on, I'll just have to chew carefully...)

[Ben Hong]

I'm waiting........

[Gastro888]

9 organic roasted suckling pigs! At least!!!!

[hzrt8w]

My Mom used to make lap yook years ago. She marinate the long strips of pork  in soya, spices and wine.  Then she'd poke a hole at the top so she can string each and hang them out in a shady place to "wind dry". 

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If we don't have a place cool and dry enough, do you think one can use a dehydrator?

Speaking of which, mom is making yoon tomorrow for lunch!  Yippy!

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Indeed, Gastro, that's a pretty dress!

What is "yoon"? Sticky rice balls in soup?

[Gastro888]

Ack, no dehydrator! That'll just remove the moisture and not do the semi-freeze dry thing you want from the winter air. I think you definitely need "bok fung" for lap yook. The cold air is what makes it good. And no humidity, either. (Err, from what I understand. This ABC could be wrong...)

Thanks! I just need to get it steamed before the party. Hopefully my local dry cleaner will indulge me.

"Yoon" is Toysanese for "yuan" - glutonous rice balls. My mom makes them savory - in a chicken broth with lap cheong, beef, black mushrooms, loh bak, cilantro and scallions. That's what I'm having for lunch tomorrow. Woo hoo!

[Dejah]

Ack, no dehydrator!  That'll just remove the moisture and not do the semi-freeze dry thing you want from the winter air.  I think you definitely need "bok fung" for lap yook.  The cold air is what makes it good.  And no humidity, either.  (Err, from what I understand.  This ABC could be wrong...)

Thanks!  I just need to get it steamed before the party.  Hopefully my local dry cleaner will indulge me. 

"Yoon" is Toysanese for "yuan" - glutonous rice balls.  My mom makes them savory - in a chicken broth with lap cheong, beef, black mushrooms, loh bak, cilantro and scallions.  That's what I'm having for lunch tomorrow.  Woo hoo!

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Nope, dehydrator would not work! Wind dried . . . must be wind dried.

This term was used in my Immigrant Cookbook's recipe for lobak goh.

Amazing! My Mom and I decided that "hong yuen" is what we are having for lunch tomorrow. I am using rehydrated scallops, velvet pork, lapcheung, lobak (lots of this!), cilantro(lots of this too), and a dipping sauce of light soya and fresh ground pepper. YUM!

[Ben Hong]

Jeez, I gots to move to Brandon .

[Yuki]

Ack, no dehydrator!  That'll just remove the moisture and not do the semi-freeze dry thing you want from the winter air.  I think you definitely need "bok fung" for lap yook.  The cold air is what makes it good.  And no humidity, either.  (Err, from what I understand.  This ABC could be wrong...)

Thanks!  I just need to get it steamed before the party.  Hopefully my local dry cleaner will indulge me. 

"Yoon" is Toysanese for "yuan" - glutonous rice balls.  My mom makes them savory - in a chicken broth with lap cheong, beef, black mushrooms, loh bak, cilantro and scallions.  That's what I'm having for lunch tomorrow.  Woo hoo!

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Nope, dehydrator would not work! Wind dried . . . must be wind dried.

This term was used in my Immigrant Cookbook's recipe for lobak goh.

Amazing! My Mom and I decided that "hong yuen" is what we are having for lunch tomorrow. I am using rehydrated scallops, velvet pork, lapcheung, lobak (lots of this!), cilantro(lots of this too), and a dipping sauce of light soya and fresh ground pepper. YUM!

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My grandma still makes lap yuk (dried pork meat) and lap Ap (dried duck). She will try to get days that are cold and sunny to hang her meat at the backyard. We used to get so many questions from our neighbours.....

The dried duck is so good when they are still fresh(is that such a thing as fresh dried duck). Once they are placed into the freezer.... they start losing the soft texture when steamed.

[Dejah]

Jeez, I gots to move to Brandon   .

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Ahhhhh....Ben, the hong yuen was VERY GOOD!

I like the scallops much better than the dried shrimp.

As for the wind dried duck: You don't need to keep it in the freezer. I usually put it in a Ziplock freezer type bag, then in the small meat and cheese drawer of the fridge with the lapcheung, lap yuk, dried shrimp, mui choy, etc. If you first wrap the wind dried meats tightly with plastic wrap, then in a baggie, it seems to keep the duck pliable. I also do this with cheese to keep out mold.

OR, you can cut the duck up into pieces, put into a jar, then cover the duck with oil and keep in the fridge. I suppose this would be Chinese duck confitt?

[Gastro888]

Tonight was the big night of the banquet and it was a success! Par for the course, I was slightly late to host the event (hey, I am Asian after all...we run on our own standard time...late) but we had two full tables and everyone enjoyed the food. The restaurant did a fantastic job, I would recommend them to anyone.

It was hard for me to bop about between the two tables (c'mon - Cantonese host...we gotta make sure e'rythang is going well. It's not our nature to sit back and relax. Must have iron fist controlling the situation!) but it was fun seeing everyone enjoy the food and all.

Does anyone know the English word for "suet yee"? (Snow fish) Is it sea bass or black cod? We were debating the English translation of the fish that is normally served in filets.

The food was fantastic - the sucking pig was crisp, the prawns were delicious and the chicken was tender. I didn't get to eat much - too busy talking to everyone and making sure they were OK. That's OK as long as everyone was happy!

*sigh* Only one small, tiny problem. I didn't take any photos...I'm sorry!!!! People were hungry when the food started to arrive and there was no time for me to take shots - chopsticks were flying everywhere and I, in an Asian blonde moment, forgot to hurry up and snap photos amist the banquet melee.

I know, I know, I get a low score for not having photos. I'm sorry!!! *kowtows*

[Ben Hong]

Kowtows?? Kowtows you say??!!

MMmmmm. here I was sitting all evening by the computer waiting...waiting. I can't do my job as matchmaker without a true representation of what the er..ahh.. the "goods" look like. Must have the Toisan Mui in formal cheongsam, even if she is blonde