Chinese New Year 2006

[aznsailorboi]

Hi everyone!!!! I know new year havn't even passed yet but I'm more excited about Chinese New Year, Lunar New Year for other SEA nations celebrating it on the same day(Didn't want to offend no one ). Anybody have an idea for their menu's yet? I do but it's still very incomplete, I wanted to do a nine course banquet, and I need help with ideas. Auspicious symbolic dishes. So far the only thing I'm definitely serving is 8 treasure chicken (pa po kueh), coz its been served on my family's CNY spread every year since the 1930's when my family moved from XiaMen to the Philippines, dunno how my grandparents managed to make that happen during WWII, but thats irrelevant since they survived and the recipe survived and we still continue that family tradition. Our version of Thanksgiving turkey asian style. hehehe

This yummy chicken deal is stuffed with sticky rice, chinese sausage, shallots, lotus seeds, chestnuts, black mushroom, black wood ear mushrooms, the rice mixture is seasoned with dark mushroom soy sauce, xiaoshing wine, star anise, and a small piece of ginger. All of this goodness is slow baked or double steamed for a few hours, till the chicken is tender melt in your mouth. collect the juices at the bottom as there will be alot, add young corn, button mushrooms, leeks, more soy sauce if needed(use light soy so it doesnt turn black) and a little bit of sugar to balance all the flavor, thicken with slurried cornstarch and pour all over the chicken. (I'll post a more detailed recipe form if requested)

[Kent Wang]

Eight treasure rice is mandatory in my family.

[I_call_the_duck]

Buddah's Delight, (or Stir-Fried Lotus Roots w/ Dry Conpoy) as seen in hzrt8w's pictorial, whole steamed fish, and boiled chicken is always seen at our table.

[annachan]

We got to have fish, hairy fungus, dry oyster on the table. Mom likes to skip on tofu and wintermelon for New Year.

[Dejah]

Po-Po insists on fu jook tong with dried oysters, fun see with dried baby shrimp, siu jook, dong goo, steamed chicken, Buddah's Delight (with fat choi, dow lam, dow see, roasted soya beans, fun see, fried tofu, siew choi - so good wrapped in lettuce leaves ), sesame glutinous rice flour balls, steamed rice flour cake, etc, etc. My s-i-l does all this for my Mom. I don't get to partake as I can't visit until the second day of the new year, so I will have to cook my own...

The most important dishes at my Mom's table are the chicken with head and feet intact, siu yook, and good temperment!

[aznsailorboi]

Po-Po insists on fu jook tong with dried oysters, fun see with dried baby shrimp, siu jook, dong goo, steamed chicken, Buddah's Delight (with fat choi, dow lam, dow see, roasted soya beans, fun see, fried tofu, siew choi - so good wrapped in lettuce leaves  ), sesame glutinous rice flour balls, steamed rice flour cake, etc, etc. My s-i-l does all this for my Mom. I don't get to partake as I can't visit until the second day of the new year, so I will have to cook my own...

The most important dishes at my Mom's table are the chicken with head and feet intact, siu yook, and good temperment!

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yummmyyyyyy.......wow Deja all of those sounds good. bad timing when I opened up eGullet, I'm currently starving, but now I think im beyond that.LOL

[aznsailorboi]

In the Philippines we have this sweet sticky rice cakes for CNY called TIKOY. Usually given as gifts to families to symbolize togetherness. They are sliced about 1/4 inch thick rectangles, dipped in beaten eggs and then pan fried till golden brown. From my research and description, I think its the same as the "Nian Kao", but im still not sure, coz I havn't seen one labeled under that name. Can someone verify?

[Dejah]

In the Philippines we have this sweet sticky rice cakes for CNY called TIKOY. Usually given as gifts to families to symbolize togetherness. They are sliced about 1/4 inch thick  rectangles, dipped in beaten eggs and then pan fried till golden brown. From my research and description, I think its the same as the "Nian Kao", but im still not sure, coz I havn't seen one labeled under that name. Can someone verify?

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They are the same item, Nian goh and tikoy.

We usually buy it, but I found a recipe for my s-i-l last year and she made them. Not really a favourite in my own family. Hubby and I will have a slice, and the kids will if Po-Po insists. I usually take the cakes into class for my students from China.

[aznsailorboi]

hahaha so do we Deja, not really very fond of it, but we end up with piles and piles from family and friends. We end up giving them away.... just like mooncakes in September, recycled gifts, I always wonder how many times its been passed around.LOL

[hzrt8w]

aznsailorboi: Welcome to eGullet! And Happy New Year! Well, the solar new year first...

There had been a long threaded discussion on Chinese New Year banquet menu last year (and lots of fun ). You may find it here:

http://forums.egullet.org/index.php?showtopic=60810

I happen to like mooncake. But I wouldn't know what to do with "neen gou" (not that I ever received it as a gift...).

Edited January 2, 2006 by hzrt8w (log)

[mochihead]

Jai and nien gao is a must for our family. Our family and relatives always like eating nien gao, but then our family loves sticky rice desserts. It's great freshly made, but it's also good toasted or simply cut into pieces and fried in butter.

Jai is something I can eat for days and not get tired of. It's "monk's food" made with hair seaweed, gingko nuts, bamboo shoots, chestnuts, lily buds, tofu, cabbage, etc. Every family seems to have a different recipe and it's usually vegetarian, although my mom makes a separate batch flavored with pork belly.

[aznsailorboi]

Thank you for the welcome hzrt8w glad to be a part of eGullet, and thanks for the link, I will definitely check it out this afternoon at work, my concentration at home is different when I'm at work. haha I tend to pay more attention there. adult ADD? but thanks again. and HAPPY NEW YEAR to everyone here!!!!!

[aznsailorboi]

aznsailorboi:  Welcome to eGullet!  And Happy New Year!  Well, the solar new year first...

There had been a long threaded discussion on Chinese New Year banquet menu last year (and lots of fun  ).  You may find it here:

http://forums.egullet.org/index.php?showtopic=60810

I happen to like mooncake.  But I wouldn't know what to do with "neen gou" (not that I ever received it as a gift...).

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Don't get me wrong with the mooncake, I love mooncake, prefer the one with lotus paste and double yolk myself. but when the boxes pile up you just have to start giving them away, otherwise the stale ones will get staler( if there's such a word lol), and the only ones we eat are from my uncle who's living in HK, and its Maxim's brand, very popular, seems like everyone on the mooncake thread knows about this too.

Back to Neen Gou/ Nian Kao/ Ti Koy now that I know they're all but the same. it's a very simple rice cake made of ground sticky rice, sugar( sometimes light brown, white, palm, or dark brown sugar) and water, enough to make a not so thick batter almost like a pancake batter consistency then they steam it. after steaming they're taken out of the mould which is a plain seamless circular cake pans about an inch and a half in thickness. Flavoring is sometimes added, I've had ones with banana essence, almond essence, and sesame flavored ones. and then after steaming it gets packaged. And then you get it from friends and family, you never really buy your own, unless you're intending to give it to others as gifts, coz it just comes by. Here's the fun part. keeping it or giving it away. we keep a small one for our family, and give the rest away. It starts to harden once packaged, its actually better that its hard, its easier cut into 1/4inch thick rectangular pieces like the radish cake/ turnip cake which is sometimes also a part of our CNY spead. Like Mochihead said its best served toasted or fried, we dip ours in egg then fry but same concept( i think the egg makes it not stick to the pan if you're not using non stick), its good, but personally I can only have three slices max , serve with strong Ti Kuan Yin Oolong<<good stuff to wash away the greasy mouthfeel afterwards.

[hzrt8w]

[...]I can only have three slices max , serve with strong Ti Kuan Yin Oolong<<good stuff to wash away the greasy mouthfeel afterwards.

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Is the a blend of Ti Kuan Yin and Oolong?

[aznsailorboi]

[...]I can only have three slices max , serve with strong Ti Kuan Yin Oolong<<good stuff to wash away the greasy mouthfeel afterwards.

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Is the a blend of Ti Kuan Yin and Oolong?

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honestly not very sure about the specifics of the tea composition. thats how my mom called it. whatever we had at home.. silver can with kwan yin image embossed on the can, me thinks its a brand. but it is oolong tea. havn't seen one in the stores here in the US. My mother would usually have food stuff at home from asia that nobody's seen before sent by my uncles and aunts from HK and the Phils....and it never fails that she shows them off to her non-asian guests whenever they're around...either amazes them in a good or bad way( I swear one of these days her friends would think she practices asian vodoo on them using her rare herbs and deer horn slices and a splash of soy sauce lol)

oh BTW I started reading the thread you suggested, very informative....as to deciding if I wanted to go all out traditional vs compensating with american-familiar food to compensate for my non-asian guests, I think I will go traditional, shoot I only get to eat those great food once in a while as the ingredients are quite pricey...sea cucumber(thnks to Tepee for the soaking technique link), dried scallops, abalones and things like that. What I hate to see is precious food get wasted, so I also carefully planned all the people going to my sit down dinner for CNY at home.....and I will post pics as well. That thread from last year's CNY got me all motivated!!!

[hzrt8w]

honestly not very sure about the specifics of the tea composition.  thats how my mom called it. whatever we had at home.. silver can with kwan yin image embossed on the can, me thinks its a brand. but it is oolong tea. [...]

oh BTW I started reading the thread you suggested, very informative....as to deciding if I wanted to go all out traditional vs compensating with american-familiar food to compensate for my non-asian guests, I think I will go traditional, shoot I only get to eat those great food once in a while as the ingredients are quite pricey...sea cucumber(thnks to Tepee for the soaking technique link), dried scallops, abalones and things like that.[...]

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Ti Kuan Yin (鐵觀音) and Oolong (烏龍) are 2 different types of teas. Ti Kuan Yin, or some calls it "Kung Fu" tea, is typically very strong and bitter. It is kind of like Espresso in the tea world. Drunk in very small tea cups with concentrated dose. Oolong is less as strong.

As for the CNY banquet dishes... yeah there has been a lot of discussions last year. I don't want to retype something that's already said before about the symbolic meanings of some dishes for Chinese New Years. Feel free to spin off new questions and I am sure many on this board will respond. (Gastro888... where are you??? Where is the Gai Mo Soo??? )

Edited January 3, 2006 by hzrt8w (log)

[aznsailorboi]

  (Gastro888... where are you???  Where is the Gai Mo Soo???  )

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HEHE I remember seeing that on quite a few occasions on that thread.

[aznsailorboi]

Ok a new spin off......we always talk of auspicious symbolic food but nobody's talking about foods you should avoid during some of the days(talking about the full length extended 15?? day celebration) of the CNY.

I saw one of the post said that they'd rather had jook with century eggs and grated ginger...something like that for CNY. And i was like "WHAT SACRILEDGE!!!" That's one of the no-no-oh-no foods that my family dont eat during the eve and the day, coz its said that jook is what poor people eat back in the times of hardships so if you eat it, you're claiming to be broke and being broke( literal or metaphorical ) during the first of the year will cause you to be broke the whole year.....well aint that a b*tc*!!!

have you guys noticed? we put focus on money with a lot of stuff like symbolism in food, couplets, customs, etc. , I personally don't have a problem with it, hey the more prosperous the better.

but what other foods should you avoid during this time of the year?

[I_call_the_duck]

For starters, anything with ham ha. My brain is really starting to develop some serious memory lapses, because mom told me why we couldn't just a week ago. I'm sure someone here will be able to revela the vision, but if not...stay tuned, and I'll ask mom tonight.

[nakji]

Here in Korea, I'm hoping to wrangle an invite to my boss's place. Along with the requisite kimchi, there will be ddeok-guk (beef or fish soup with thick rice cake slices in it - my boss's wife always uses ddeok flavoured with squash, spinach, or sometimes red bean, to make it really colourful), buchingae (?) (various fried pancake thingies, such as pajeon and kimchi jeon) and loads of homemade mandu (steamed pork and tofu dumplings). Last year I went over to his house for an epic mandu-making session with the whole extended family and gorged myself. Nothing like a dumpling fresh out of the steamer!

Maybe this year I'll convince them to teach me how to play gostop.

As for foods to be avoided - I'm not sure, but I'll ask some of my students. I'm always looking for fun cultural questions for my free talking classes.

[aznsailorboi]

For starters, anything with ham ha.

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Whats Ham ha(Cantonese)? Can you explain further? I might know it under a different name (speaks Hokkien=ok and Mandarin=a little better)

[I_call_the_duck]

For starters, anything with ham ha.

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Whats Ham ha(Cantonese)? Can you explain further? I might know it under a different name (speaks Hokkien=ok and Mandarin=a little better)

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Sorry. Ham ha is fermented ground shrimp paste. It's kind of a purple-pink-gray color, and very salty.

ETA: And yes, ham ha is the Cantonese pronunciation.

Edited January 3, 2006 by I_call_the_duck (log)

[Dejah]

For starters, anything with ham ha.

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Whats Ham ha(Cantonese)? Can you explain further? I might know it under a different name (speaks Hokkien=ok and Mandarin=a little better)

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Ham Ha is fermented shrimp paste often used as a flavouring or steamed on top of meat - ham ha jin jee yook...

Here's an interesting site:

http://www.educ.uvic.ca/faculty/mroth/438/...e_new_year.html

The only food they list as unlucky for Chinese new year is fresh tofu because of the white colour - indicating bad luck.

[aznsailorboi]

Ham Ha, ok thanks guys. xian xia in mandarin. hmm i wonder what makes it unlucky? probably coz it smells like a rotting corps sometime hahahah just kidding, but seriously some stink some dont.

[Ben Hong]

Bitter melon (fu gua) is a definite no-no.