Chinese New Year 2006

[Julian Teoh]

I saw Yee Sang packages at the supermarket last week, I think. Everything but the fish.

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Thanks, Ben and Fengyi.

Many people have told me that yee sang is a "Malaysian Chinese" dish, while others have told me it was introduced to Malaysia. Does anyone know how popular it is in other Chinese communities and what different forms it takes? I've had versions in Sydney (run by HK restaurateurs) where I received a small serve of vegetables, a large serve of shredded omelet and an even larger serve of salmon slices.

Digressing slightly, I've seen innovation in cuisine for the sake of it, and Singapore appears to be one of the places where this trend is taking root, especially when they are trying to make Chinese food more accessible to the expatriate community. Follow this link below to see a fruit "yee sang" with avruga. It is being served at the Fullerton, a high-end hotel on the Singapore River.

http://www.asiacuisine.com.sg/features/feature08_01.htm

Having not tried it, I'll refrain from casting aspersions but I'm not sure I really want to celebrate my New Year with that!

[miladyinsanity]

LOL.

There's lots of strange, odd, 'fusion' stuff you can get in Singapore.

[wonderbread]

I can't get home to see my family for CNY, so I'm inviting non-Chinese friends over for dinner. I'm open to suggestions if you have them. Here's what I'm thinking:

Appetizer:

Oysters on the half shell - The live oysters here (Seattle) are fantastic. It's more ho, than ho see, but I figure it's good enough. How's that for a bad Cantonese pun?

First course:

Yu Sheng Salad. I am hoping to use Renee Kho's recipe, which can be found on Web archives since her site www.shiokadelicious.com is now gone...very sad. I've never had this before since my parents are from Hong Kong, but I think it will be fantastic with some sushi-grade Alaskan salmon.

Main courses:

5-Spice Roast Chicken. I have to admit, I'm partial to Tom Douglas' recipe in Big Dinners. It's not authentic, but damn, it is good.

Steamed tilapia with ginger and scallions

Stir-fried baby bok choy with Chinese ham

Noodle dish. For long life! I'm in search of an e-fu noodle dish, possibly with seafood - anyone have suggestions?

Steamed rice, of course.

Dessert:

Undecided. I don't like nian gao, and I doubt anyone is going to bring any. Possibly some kind of tong shui.

[aznsailorboi]

its coming up pretty soon guy!!!!

[jhirshon]

This is my New Year's Menu:

First Course - Lettuce-wrapped Oyster-flavoured Duck

Meanings: Lettuce: Prosperity; Oysters: Receptivity to Good Fortune; Duck: Fidelity

Second Course - The Hirshon Imperial Shark’s Fin Soup

Meanings: Shark’s Fin: Luxury

Third Course – The Hirshon Szechuan Noodles with Peanut Sauce

Meanings: Noodles: Longevity

Main Course: The Hirshon Steamed Cantonese Fish Sprinkled With Nori Shreds

Meanings: Whole Fish: Abundance, Togetherness; Seaweed: Good Luck

Dessert: 8 Treasure Rice Pudding and Fresh Oranges

Meanings: Oranges: Wealth; 8 Treasure Rice Pudding: Wealth

Wines to Include Rare Madeira and Tokaji

[Dejah]

This is my New Year's Menu:

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We expect pictures, of course!

[Gul_Dekar]

Group of us students are planning our own CNY dinner:

4 Seasons: Salad prawns, stir-fried (fake..students lah! ) sharks fin with egg, deep fried wantons and deep fried spring rolls

Veg: Stewed mushrooms with fatt choy and broccoli

Fish: Clear steamed bass

Chicken: Roasted...havent decided how to do it though

Dessert: Almond jelly and wuo bang (filled with red bean paste)

This thread reminded me to say thanks for the replies on the yu sang thread I posted last CNY, and here's a picture of last year's dinner:

We had to hand-julienne all the veges for it cuz the 10 dollar mandoline we bought didn't work too well, which is why this year no one wants to do it again!

[aznsailorboi]

Honestly I've never had Yu Sheng/ Yu Sang before...... I havnt seen it served by any of my aunts or my grandma whenever they host for CNY. hmm maybe i'll add that to my menu. anyone care to share their recipe?

[sassybat]

what should i bring to my grandma's house on CNY? i feel sheepish about arriving for CNY without bringing anything but my appetite. i can't bring tangerines because my uncle (who lives half a block away from her) has a tangerine tree, and it's ridiculous to bring her tangerines when his tree produces more than they can eat.

note: grandma lives 2 hours away and is very territorial bout her kitchen, so i can't cook anything while there.

[Ben Hong]

It's not what you bring, but the act that counts. Tangerines or oranges are perfectly good choices, even if they have a roomful. Just don't go empty handed. There are other token things like a platter of nuts, seed, preserved fruits, etc. that is very common at the time.

[I_call_the_duck]

what should i bring to my grandma's house on CNY? i feel sheepish about arriving for CNY without bringing anything but my appetite. i can't bring tangerines because my uncle (who lives half a block away from her) has a tangerine tree, and it's ridiculous to bring her tangerines when his tree produces more than they can eat.

note: grandma lives 2 hours away and is very territorial bout her kitchen, so i can't cook anything while there.

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Shoot! After reading your post, I realized that I forgot to get oranges when I was at the market today. grrr.

Anyway, it may seem pointless to you to bring your grandmother some fruit, but Mom taught me that oranges are an appropriate gift to bring. We sometimes bring dessert too, and that is always appreciated.

edited because I didn't proofread properly.

Edited January 25, 2006 by I_call_the_duck (log)

[Dejah]

what should i bring to my grandma's house on CNY? i feel sheepish about arriving for CNY without bringing anything but my appetite. i can't bring tangerines because my uncle (who lives half a block away from her) has a tangerine tree, and it's ridiculous to bring her tangerines when his tree produces more than they can eat.

note: grandma lives 2 hours away and is very territorial bout her kitchen, so i can't cook anything while there.

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Is there to be a "potluck meal" at grandma's?

Traditionally, you would take some fruit (oranges, apples, peaches, etc), red candies and pastries to your family's home on CNY.

That's what I will take to my Mom's on the second day...never on New Year's day because I am a daughter. I will most likely take apples and peaches, some Chinese Lucky candy, and steamed sponge cake with sesame seeds sprinkled on top- cut into large wedges. I must not take a "naked cake" in one piece, thus the sesame seeds and the wedges.

I have never taken anything that would be served as part of the meal.

We made sesame seed balls on the weekend. They turned out better than last year.

[Kent Wang]

How about those Rabbit-brand candies, or some other Chinese candy, pastry or snack?

[jo-mel]

--------- I must not take a "naked cake" in one piece, thus the sesame seeds and the wedges.

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Interesting! What is the reasoning, or traditional meaning behind it?

[Tepee]

what should i bring to my grandma's house on CNY? i feel sheepish about arriving for CNY without bringing anything but my appetite.

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As Ben-sook says, you shouldn't go empty-handed. There's plenty you can bring. We always arm ourselves with bags of gifts in the boot of our car because you must always be prepared for "Yau Lei Yau Hoey" (giving and receiving). Goodies include dried stuff (mushrooms, wolfberries, scallops, dried fruit, kuaci, noodles, nuts), canned stuff (abalone, or its cheaper substitutes), cookies (in nice cookie tins with a cut-out circle of red paper pasted on top), candies, neen go, and, etc. I would still include a pair of mandarin oranges for its auspicious significance, remember even numbers except 4).

Sign

TP, too busy making CNY cookies to stay and chit-chat.........

Edited January 26, 2006 by Tepee (log)

[aznsailorboi]

I turned 22 last friday.....I'm hoping I'm still entitled to ang paos from my aunts and uncles........ ughhhhh I'm getting old ..... and now I have too many nephews and nieces, that I have to use half the packet of ang paos for them...I'm obliged by my mother! oh well I guess I'll just disappear from the clubs for a month....then I'll come back fresh like the new year

[Tepee]

Happy Belated Birthday, aznsailorboi! 22 yrs.....OLD? Sigh...you make me feel ancient....but wiser, hopefully, lol??

Of course, you're entitled to receive angbaos...as long as you're not married, which, then puts you on the Giving end. My 49 yo SIL, who's single, still gets angbaos from us.

[aznsailorboi]

Happy Belated Birthday, aznsailorboi! 22 yrs.....OLD? Sigh...you make me feel ancient....but wiser, hopefully, lol??

Of course, you're entitled to receive angbaos...as long as you're not married, which, then puts you on the Giving end. My 49 yo SIL, who's single, still gets angbaos from us. 

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Toche Tepee, of course for the wiser!

I'm not married but I don't know if my family abide by that rule though. BUT if that was the case.......I'd be sure to hint them about that rule

[sassybat]

thanks, everyone! i think i'll find some fruit to bring.

Of course, you're entitled to receive angbaos...as long as you're not married, which, then puts you on the Giving end. My 49 yo SIL, who's single, still gets angbaos from us. 

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my family goes by that rule, too. i'm getting married this summer, so this is the last year i'll be receiving angbaos. i'll have to start giving them out next year!

[aznsailorboi]

thanks, everyone! i think i'll find some fruit to bring.

Of course, you're entitled to receive angbaos...as long as you're not married, which, then puts you on the Giving end. My 49 yo SIL, who's single, still gets angbaos from us. 

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my family goes by that rule, too. i'm getting married this summer, so this is the last year i'll be receiving angbaos. i'll have to start giving them out next year!

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KYONG HEE! KYONG HEE! (Congratulations!) Is it going to be an all out chinese wedding?

[Gastro888]

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

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I'm using it to clean my house!

Sorry I've been away, I've been preparing myself for my move to NYC where I'll be attending culinary school. Yay!

I'll be lurking around and posting when I can.

I want to wish everyone a Sun Neen Fai Lok and Gung Hay Fat Choy!

[I_call_the_duck]

Of course, you're entitled to receive angbaos...as long as you're not married, which, then puts you on the Giving end. My 49 yo SIL, who's single, still gets angbaos from us. 

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my family goes by that rule, too. i'm getting married this summer, so this is the last year i'll be receiving angbaos. i'll have to start giving them out next year!

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Kyong hee on your marriage, sassybat! I got married in August, so now I have to give angbaos to my little (some not so little) nieces and nephews--and I will no longer get any from my siblings either.

[sassybat]

KYONG HEE! KYONG HEE! (Congratulations!) Is it going to be an all out chinese wedding?

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thanks! it's not going to be an all out chinese wedding, because my fiance is white and although he's very receptive to other cultures, we don't want to frighten his relatives from minnesota. we're including some chinese food at the reception, but we also have some american dishes too.

[Tepee]

Kyong hee on your marriage, sassybat!  I got married in August, so now I have to give angbaos to my little (some not so little) nieces and nephews--and I will no longer get any from my siblings either.

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First year? According to cantonese custom (that is, if you're cantonese...if not, you're safe..or maybe not), you've to give DOUBLE angbaos. Have fun!

[I_call_the_duck]

Kyong hee on your marriage, sassybat!  I got married in August, so now I have to give angbaos to my little (some not so little) nieces and nephews--and I will no longer get any from my siblings either.

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First year? According to cantonese custom (that is, if you're cantonese...if not, you're safe..or maybe not), you've to give DOUBLE angbaos. Have fun!

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Yes, first year. It'll be six months on Feb 13th.

Yes, I'm Cantonese (half Toysanese, half HK), but Mom never said anything about DOUBLE angbaos. I don't remember if my sisters gave double angbaos the first year of their marriage. Now the moral question is, should I check with Mom, or should I be lucky that she didn't mention it? The youngest three are greedy little brats, and they'll remember that they got double one year and just one the next, without quite understanding tradition.