Happy Chinese New Year and Gong Xi Fa Cai to you!
This is the first time in the last 7 years or so that I spent Chinese New Year in Penang. The atmosphere here is quite a lot different from what it is at PJ, especially when it comes to firecrackers.
CNY countdown was spent with family, Haze, and relatives at late grandparent’s at Weld Quay where we have an extension on stilts with a view of Seberang Perai and Penang Jetty.
Good times. I’m enjoying the long holiday, hope yours is mighty fine too.
Huat ahhhhhhh!
Gong Xi Fa Cai! Have you had your Yee Sang yet?
Well I had, in fact, I had it thrice in 3 successive meals last Monday evening to Tuesday night. First one was with ex-uni mates, then a bunch of Chinese colleagues at Ducking, and finally with Mell at Lucky Loke (one of my favorite tai chau places) the very same night after that.
Mell is a yee sang addict
Yee Sang is originated right here in Malaysia and Singapore (yah I know wikipedia stated Sg., but I don’t care). For the uninitiated, the ingredients include raw/smoked fish (usually salmon), daikon, parsley, crackers, capsicum, jelly fish, and a squeeze of lemon juice. Of course, there’s the all important sesame oil, salt and peper, and plum sauce
Toss em up and yell some auspicious verse while leaving the table super messy is a must (I ended up with yee sang on my hair on my first session). Then enjoy, it’s yummy!
the fried pork belly is super yummy at lucky loke
After the very delicious yee sang, we proceed to order the fried pork belly and spinach with herbal soup to go with rice. That was, of course a little bit too much for just the two of us following a pretty big portion of the auspicious dish.
The fried pork belly was as awesome as usual, with 3-layered meat, a bit of cucumber, some onion, green onion, and generous amount of chili padi, it was hot and very addictive. The spinach too was very good.
Meal for two with Yee Sang – RM 45
Having a good relationship with ex – priceless
By the way, I was going into the cinema last night and there was this guy who got stopped at the entrance.
ticketing guy: “ahh you’re not allowed to bring outside food, what are these?”
chinese dude: “this one is.. yee sang, and this one is.. yok kon lor”
Gong Xi Fa Cai everyone!
Address:
Lorong SS3/59E
Petaling Jaya
47300 Selangor
GPS: 3.109577, 101.611776
It’s been the second year in the running that I get myself busy and cook the Chinese New Year reunion dinner for my family. It is quite a bit of work compared to pigging ourselves out at some fancy restaurant, but I don’t get many chances of cooking for the family, so why not?
gone with the old, in with the new!
Since my cheap old twin stove has rusted till the point of no return, I decided to get something more hardcore for the kitchen. After scouring around the few electrical appliances stores, I finally get my hands on this hardcore industrial strength Rinnai stove, made in Japan. This baby has a flame thrower ignition sequence, and come complete with thick metal stand that will last me decades. It was RM 185 well spent.
My first dish is the miso soup with Lala (clam).
Ingredients:
Steps:
Simple isn’t it? Of course, this is only the first of four dishes that I prepared for the night. A little bit of Japanese taste to the traditional Chinese occasion. I’ll blog about the other 3 dishes: Hong Kong Kailan with roasted pork, steamed pomphret, and beef with broccoli in the next few posts.
Gong Xi Fa Chai to you too!
