2020 Year Of The Rat Basin Feast       2020/1/31

Year Of The Rat Basin Feast     2020/1/31

After celebration of New Year 2020, Lunar New Year Of The Rat arrived. Many Chinese families in the world, starting from lunar calendar year end day 30th evening,  would go out or stay at home to prepare rich and delicious foods to celebrate reunion and the arrival of new year. Due to COVID-19, my friend Sunny decided to avoid the crowds at restaurants, changed to invite several friends to go to his neighbours Taiwanese Xiong's home on lunar year 7th day "everybody's birthday" to celebrate Year of the Rat by hosting the Basin Feast. I Chef Kar was invited to prepare this feast, including  designing the menu, purchasing ingredients, and cooking. Beside Sunny's 3 family members and I, there were other 4 families, total of 12 people. very bustling. Some guests brought their foods, making the feast more prosperous and rich. Every body ate plenty and got drunk. Some guests took the leftovers home.

          《Basin Feast Menu》

                    Main Dishes

      ▲ Clear and Logical ♦ Peaceful  

           頭頭是道 ♦ 竹報平安

Rockfish Head, Bamboo Fungus, Silk Tofu Soup

Ingredients: rockfish head, bamboo fungus, bamboo shoots, baby corn, seafood mushrooms, black fungus, snow fungus, silk tofu

     ▲ Full Basin ♦ Full House Of Gold & Silver

          盆滿缽滿 ♦ 金銀滿屋                                

Basin Meals

Ingredients: Candy abalone, dried scallops, fish maw, hair moss (nostoc), golden oysters, shiitake mushrooms, stir fried tiger prawns, grilled golden thread fish with tomato sauce, stuffed tofu puffs with minced dace fish, 3 cups chicken, 5 spices beef tendon, stewed daikon , lettuce leaves

Secret Sauces: Japanese teriyaki sauce, seafood sauce, golden thread fish tomato, 3 cups chicken sauce, secret braising sauce (Zhu Hou Sauce)

     ▲ Ride On The Crest Of Success

          大展鴻圖

Great Plan E-Fu Noodles

Ingredients: E-Fu noodles, crab meat, egg white, shiitake mushrooms, green onion, salt, corn starch, soya sauce, vegetable oil, chicken broth, white pepper, sesame oil, Shaoxing wine (Hua Diao) , water

     ▲ All Big Roads

          條條大路

 

Korean Glass Noodles Japchae

Ingredients: Korean Glass Noodle, cabbage, carrot, red bell pepper, shiitake mushrooms, onion, Korean soya sauce, salt, sugar, black sesame oil, black sesame

                   Dessert   

    ▲ Gradually Rise to Eminence

          步步高升

Split Pea Pudding

Ingredients: Split peas, corn starch, condense milk, coconut milk, sugar

Decorations: purple yam + dried daylily flower + black sesame (mouse), dates, goji berries, lotus seeds

▲ Clear and Logical ♦ Peaceful  

     頭頭是道 ♦ 竹報平安

Rockfish Head, Bamboo Fungus, Silk Tofu Soup

Ingredients: rockfish head, bamboo fungus, bamboo shoots, baby corn, seafood mushrooms, black fungus, snow fungus, silk tofu

▲ Full Basin 

  ♦ Full House Of Gold and Silver  

  ♦ Get rich, good market

  ♦ Dragon Essence and Fierce Tiger

  ♦ Surplus Year After Year.

▲ 盆滿缽滿 

  ♦ 金銀滿屋 

  ♦ 發財好市 

  ♦ 龍精虎猛

  ♦ 年年有餘盆菜

▲ Basin Meal Ingredients: Candy abalone, dried scallops, fish maw,  hair moss (Nostoc) , golden oysters, shiitake mushrooms, stir fried tiger prawns, grilled golden thread fish with tomato sauce, steamed stuffed tofu with minced dace fish, 3 cups chicken, 5 spices beef tendon, stewed daikon , lettuce leaves

 

Basin Meal is the traditional cuisine of original natives in the New Territories ,  Hong Kong. It has over hundred years of history. During special celebrations particularly new year eve and day, the villagers of the New Territories will host basin feasts.

This basin meal consists of 9 different famous dishes. Their ingredients are combined together to form this basin.

▲  Candy abalone  

      Full House Of Gold and Silver 金銀滿屋

 

《1》 Candy abalone 溏心鮑魚 

Since the shape of abalone looks like ingot,  a common saying: "one bite of abalone is one bite of gold".

 

Method of Preparing Candy Abalone:

First, remove the flesh of abalone from the shell; cut off the intestine and small piece of gristle at the head end; trim off the frill and lip. Sprinkle some salt on the meat and brush the surface of the meat with tooth brush. Rinse with cold water.

I invented a new method of braising fresh abalone: Pour the secret abalone sauce below into a stainless steel container. Put the cleaned abalone in the sauce. Place the container over a steaming pot. Cover the steaming pot with lid. Use extremely low fire to braise for 4 to 5 days. Be patient.

Main Ingredient: frozen fresh abalone

Secret Abalone Sauce: chicken soup base, ginger, shallot, garlic, onion, Shaoxing wine (Hua Diao), oyster sauce, light soya sauce, dark soya sauce, rock sugar, salt

▲ Fish Maw 花膠、魚肚 

《2》 Braised Fish Maw , Shiitake Mushrooms  冬菇燜花膠

Fish maw is the swim bladder from the big sea fish like croaker, slate cod croaker, and sea bass. Is price is dependent on types, size and thickness. Fish maw contains high quality collagen, vitamin, calcium, iron, zinc. According to "Compendium of Materia Medica", fish maw can tonify kidney and replenish essence. It can nourish the muscles and meridians. It can cure kidney deficiency, slippery essence and postpartum rheumatoid arthritis.

It is suitable for people who has soreness and weakness in waist and knees; and weak body to consume.

Ingredients: fish maw 50g, 8 shiitake mushrooms, ginger 9 slices, green onion little bit, soya sauce 2 tea spoon, soju 2 tea spoon, sugar 1 tea spoon, oyster sauce 1 tea spoon, water 

Method:

1. Soak fish maw and shiitake mushrooms in cold water overnight to become soft and swollen. Squeeze out water from mushrooms. Keep the soaking water.  Put them aside. 

2. Boil a pot of water. Put 3 pieces of ginger, green onion and fish maw into the water until boiling. Take out the fish maw and rinse with cold water.

3. Use a pair of scissors to cut the fish maw open to form a big piece. Wash and drain well.

4. Heat up a wok and then add oil. Put 3 pieces of ginger, then fish maw,  soju 1 tea spoon, soya sauce 1 tea spoon fry under medium fire. Take them out and put aside.

5. Heat up a wok and then add oil. Put 3 pieces of ginger, then mushrooms, soya sauce 1 tea spoon, soju 1 tea spoon,  sugar, soaking water of mushrooms, and more water to cover up all ingredients.

6. Add fish maw, use high fire to boil up, then change to low fire to braise for 45 minutes. 5 minutes prior to finish, add oyster sauce and mix well.

▲ Hair Moss and Scallops

《3》Hair Moss and Scallops  發財多子瑤柱甫

This dish steams whole dried scallops. The Japanese big, golden colour dried scallops are suitable.  

When washing the dried scallops, only slightly rinse the surface with cold water. Washing with too much water will take away the fragrant of the scallops. When soaking dried scallops, only just covering up the scallops is good enough. Too much water will take away the taste.

Ingredients: 8 dried scallops, hair moss 5g ，garlic 100 g， ginger, green onion,

chicken broth, oyster sauce, salt, sugar, corn starch, dark soya sauce

Method:

1.Wash dried scallops slightly with cold water. Place them in a bow of cold water and soak them overnight. Take the soaked scallops out and steam them for 1 hour, drain the water. Keep the scallop soaked water for making sauce later.

2. Soak hair moss in water for 20-30 minutes. Split it and wash with cold water. Put ginger, green onion, oyster sauce, chicken broth, salt and sugar in the wok and heat up over high fire. Add hair moss, steam for 10 minutes. Put aside.

3. Deep fry garlic until golden. Add to steamed scallop, steam for  12-15 minutes. Put aside.

4. Use step 1 scallop soaked water, add oyster sauce, corn starch to make a thick sauce. Pour the sauce over scallops.

▲ Hair Moss, Golden Oysters, Shiitake Mushrooms  發財好市

《4》Hair Moss Golden Oysters Shiitake Mushrooms 髮菜金蠔燜冬菇

Ingredients: golden oysters, dried shiitake mushrooms 500g, mushroom soaked water 1 bowl, hair moss, shallots 2, ginger 1 piece, Shaoxing wine (Hua Diao) 45ml, corn starch 2 table spoon, oyster sauce 2 table spoon, peanut oil, brown sugar 2 table spoon, mirin 45ml, dark soya sauce.

Method:

1. Soak shiitake mushrooms for 2 days until soft. Keep mushrooms aside.
2. Drain out water from mushrooms, add mirin, brown sugar and corn starch to marinade.

3. Dry the defrosted golden oyster with cloth. Soak hair moss for half an hour. Put aside.

4. Heat up the wok with oil in medium fire, stir fry golden oysters. Put aside.

5. Put ginger, shallot in wok to stir fry to fragrant. Put ingredients and pour in remaining oil

     into the wok. Use medium fire to heat up.

6. Add Shaoxing wine and mushrooms, stir fry quickly, add mushroom water, continue to  cook.

7. Add hot water until covering mushrooms, cover the wok with lid, change to medium fire to bring to boil.

8. Add oyster sauce, golden oysters and hot water to cover all ingredients, medium heat to braise for about 30minute.

9. Lastly, put in hair moss, braise 10 minutes to reduce water.

 ▲ Tiger Prawns  龍精虎猛

《5》Stir Fried Tiger Prawns  紅燒老虎蝦 

Ingredients: big tiger prawns, light soya sauce, ginger, green onion, dark soya sauce, corn starch, water 

Method:

1. Defrost tiger prawns. If necessary, trim tentacles, remove eyes and spikes of head. Press ginger with a knife.

2. Turn of fire and pour oil. Wipe dry tiger prawns  and stick them some corn starch. Put them on a pan or wok to grill until red on both sides. 

3. When both sides are red, put some pieces of ginger, slightly stir.
4. Pour some light soya sauce and dark soya sauce by the rim.

5. Slightly stir, cover the lid, and steam cook for 1-2 minutes. Finish and plate.

 ▲ Golden Thread Fish  年年有餘

《6》Grilled Golden Thread Fish with Tomato Sauce 蕃茄烤紅三魚

Ingredients: Golden Thread Fish 300g, 4 tomatoes , 1 small onion, vegetable oil 2 table spoon, ginger, green onion slices

Marinade: salt half tea spoon

Sauce: Lea & Perrins Worcestershire sauce, seafood or vegetable soup 100ml, Heinz tomato sauce 2 table spoon, sugar 2 tea spoon

Method:
1. Remove internal organs of fish and wash well with cold water. Drain dry. Marinade fish with half tea spoon of salt.  Slice onions  and cut tomato to cubes.  

2. Heat up a wok and add oil. Grill the fish on low fire to golden brown on both sides for about 10 minutes.

3. Fry onion with oil on a wok, add soup, tomato, tomato sauce, sugar, ginger, stir. Turn off fire, pour Worcestershire sauce.

4. Plate the fish. Pour the sauce onto the fish. Put some green onion slices.

▲ Stuffed Tofu Puffs With Minced Dace Fish  年年有餘

《7》Stuffed Tofu Puffs With Minced Dace Fish 鯪魚肉釀豆腐卜

Ingredients:  tofu puffs 200g, dace fish meat 300g, green onion

Condiment: salt 0.5 tea spoon, sugar 0.5 tea spoon, white pepper powder, corn starch 1 tea spoon, sesame oil

Method:

1. Wash tofu puffs. Use paper towel to dry the tofu puffs. Cut  tofu puff into half. Remove the puree.

2. Add condiment to dace fish meat and mix well.

3. Stuff the tofu puffs with marinade dace fish meat.

4. Heat up a pan with oil, put tofu puff with fish meat face down. Fry four sides to golden colour. 

 

▲  3 Cups Chicken 三杯雞

《8》3 Cups Chicken 

Ingredients:

1. 3 Cups Chicken: garlic 50g; vegetable oil 200 ml; marinade chicken middle wings and thigh meat; garlic oil 30ml; black sesame oil 20ml; ginger 20g; rock sugar 5g; Taiwanese rice wine 100+30ml; soya sauce 30ml; soya sauce paste 30ml; water 200ml; basil 15g

2. Marinade chicken middle wings and thigh meat: chicken middle wings + chicken thigh meat 800g; soya sauce 15 ml; salt 2g; white pepper 1g; vegetable oil 30ml

Method:

1. Marinade chicken middle wings and thigh meat for 10 minutes. See ingredient 2.

2. Make garlic oil: Fry garlic with oil until golden brown. Remove garlic, keep the oil. Use this oil to fry chicken middle wings and thigh meat for medium rare, no bleeding is OK.

3. Use the garlic oil and sesame oil to fry ginger pieces. Add the fried chicken middle wings and thigh meat, stir fry and add rock sugar.  Frying until rock sugar dissolve. Add rice wine,  soya sauce, soya sauce paste, water, mix well, cover with lid, use medium fire to cook for 5 minutes. Use high fire to reduce sauce, finally add basil, stir fry.

▲ Beef Tendon + Daikon 金銀滿屋 

《9》5 Spices Beef Tendon + Daikon 

          五香金錢牛腱 + 炆蘿蔔 

Ingredients: Beef tendon 2，ginger 6 pieces, green onion, brine juice, water 4 cups, salt 1 table spoon, dark soya sauce 1 table spoon

Method:

1. Wash beef tendon with cold water.  Put tendon in boiling water with ginger pieces to remove blood. Peel of the skin of daikon radish and cut into cubes.

2. Add brine juice, water, salt, dark soya sauce to a wok in high fire, bring to boil. Add beef tendon and wait for the brine juice is boiling. Reduce the fire to low. Stew for 2 hours, add daikon cubes, stew for another half hour till daikon becomes soft. Put aside.

3. Slice the beef tendon and plate. Pour the brine juice. Done.

▲ Ride On The Crest Of Success 大展鴻圖 

Great Plan E-Fu Noodles  鴻圖伊麵

Ingredients: E-Fu noodles, crab meat, egg white, shiitake mushrooms, green onion, salt, corn starch, soya sauce, vegetable oil, chicken broth, white pepper, sesame oil, Shaoxing wine (Hua Diao) , water

Method:

Put E-Fu noodle in a bowl of hot water. Take out the noodle and put in a pot of chicken broth, add condiment, braise and put aside.

Pour wine into a wok, add broth, crab meat, salt, white pepper, sesame oil, corn starch water, bring to a boil and shut the fire. Add egg white and stir.  Put the noodle on a plate, put the egg white on top, add some green onion slices.

▲ All Big Roads 條條大路 

Korean Glass Noodles Japchae 韓國粉條雜菜

                                

Ingredients: Korean Glass Noodle, cabbage, carrot, red bell pepper, shiitake mushrooms, onion, Korean soya sauce, salt, sugar, black sesame oil, black sesame

Method:

1. Soak mushrooms for 3 hours. Cut into strips. Slice onion, carrot, cabbage and bell pepper.

2. Put noodle in warm water to make soft. Cut it to 10cm in length, put in hot water to cook for 7, 8 minutes. Take the noodle out and wash with cold water and then drain well.

3. Pour oil in a wok on high fire, when heating up, add green onion slices, stir fry , add carrot, cabbage, red bell pepper, mushroom. Continue to stir fry.

4. Add noodle to wok, add sugar, salt, soya sauce and black sesame. Plate and add black sesame seeds.

▲ Gradually Rise to Eminence   步步高升

Split Pea Pudding 

Ingredients: Split peas, corn starch, condense milk, coconut milk, sugar

Method:

1. Wash split peas with cold water. Boil split peas in a pot of water until soft. Drain and put aside.

2. Mix corn starch with 1 cup of cold water.

3. Add sugar to 3 cup of water in a pot and bring to boiling. Immediately add condense milk and coconut milk.

4. When it is boiling, remove the pot from fire, add split peas, finally add corn starch water slowly and mix well.

5. Pour the batter into a wetted baking pan, cool down and put into fridge.

▲ Decorations of Split Peas cake : purple yam + dried daylily flower + black sesame (mouse), dates, goji berries, lotus seeds

Before enjoying the feast, we took pictures together. Cheers!

Next, 

《2020 New Year Italian Seafood Feast》

Publisher： Chef Kar Delight