What I Ate During CNY - Part II

Long long time ago, on the second day of the Lunar New Year, a baby was born. His mother would have thought of him as being rebellious. Why on such a day? If anything is a gift from God, you do not do the choosing. Many moons later, it all came together - almost. After celebrating my birthday on the second day of the Lunar New Year, I got to celebrate again on the seventh day of CNY too and then some. 

A few people got confused when they saw others wishing me a happy birthday because the seventh day of the Lunar New Year is 人 日 (ren ri) or "yan yat" in Cantonese which well is every body's birthday. They thought it was a joke but it was my birthday completing yet another year of wisdom intake. Ancient Chinese understood "creation" and so they celebrated 人 日 literally translated means human's day. Let me quote Genesis 1: 24-31 -

²⁴ And God said, “Let the land produce living creatures according to their kinds: the livestock, the creatures that move along the ground, and the wild animals, each according to its kind.” And it was so. ²⁵ God made the wild animals according to their kinds, the livestock according to their kinds, and all the creatures that move along the ground according to their kinds. And God saw that it was good.

²⁶ Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals,^[a] and over all the creatures that move along the ground.”

²⁷ 

So God created mankind in his own image,

    in the image of God he created them;

    male and female he created them.

²⁸ God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground.”

²⁹ Then God said, “I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food. ³⁰ And to all the beasts of the earth and all the birds in the sky and all the creatures that move along the ground—everything that has the breath of life in it—I give every green plant for food.” And it was so.

³¹ God saw all that he had made, and it was very good. And there was evening, and there was morning—the sixth day.

So after creation, humans in ancient China celebrated Man's first birthday on the seventh day. So there you have it, my birthday was every body's birthday. I saw all that He has made and it was very good. I mean cannot complain lah. If I were the creation of a great designer I won't need to change a thing - the nostrils can be too big, hair too little, smile too crooked, whatever and be a plastic surgeon's nightmare. Therefore, I cannot merely exist, I have to live! Live I must and live for others.  Failing to live for others will just make yourself seem all too important and can lead to a person's downfall.

And so I humbled myself to remember my first birthday. Naked I came and naked I shall go, I reminded myself. None of us are any different. We are of the same stock.

I promise, everything shall become better. All we need is a little optimism and more CNY food!

One thing that has been prevalent has got to be the hamper. Every CNY the delivery guys are so busy delivering them. They usually pack stuffs and stack them up like a pyramid and you can see the most expensive stuffs like XO brandy or abalone right at the top but even hampers have evolved as you can see here.

Pek Tor He, 白 肚 鱼 or 拜 年 鱼 aka 发 才 鱼 is a kind of fish that is special to the Chinese and the Chinese especially Teochew traditionally love to eat the Rabbit Fish. Maybe this fish comes in great numbers during the CNY period but if it were so why are they so expensive? Do the Chinese eats them like abalone and shark fins till they become expensive or the Chinese just like to eat expensive things? The government should buy some for every family and then after eating them couples can boost their reproduction like rabbits.

Maybe Chinese believe this fish comes to wish you happiness and prosperity. Chinese leeks and chilli are chopped finely and added with vinegar to create this sauce for dipping your rabbit fish. 

Mum's home cooked dishes are truly the best. Actually most mums who cooked do them the best but mum's food are truly awesome not just because I say so but all relatives and friends who have tasted can easily agree. Even those who do not really like vegetables would eat the "chap chai" and slurp them up.

My children are totally agreeable and I can simply have this with plain white rice. They told me that it is better than what they serve at restaurants. A better way to enjoy this simple dish is to add a dash of belacan to the vegetables.

If all else are good, mum's curry is unbeatable! There is no better curry than this after combing the earth. If only I had a more entrepreneur spirit, I would have sold this curry around the world.

I love curry so much I would drown the rice like it was just hit by a flash flood. Or at least ponding. World's most awesome!

And thanks to Jonathan for helping to get these Heineken.

I used to be able to get some lovely cuttle fish but these days the quality are not consistent. Then I discovered this hawker stall tucked into a corner at Chinatown. They have a few people grinding the cuttle fish over a roller then dipping in a chilli sauce and finally turning them into crisp pieces in a plastic bag. Mama mia, these are awesome especially with beer.

If you all rush down to buy, I do not know how those folks are going to thank me. 

Then my favourite only nephew made a try of ice cream. How good but terrible is CNY with so much rich food.

When the meals were heavy you will yearn for something simple and light. Porridge is always kind to your stomach and adding abalone makes it a lot more fun.

For desserts, mum's ginkgo nuts are awesome! Gingko trees are prized for their longevity due to their resistance to pest and diseases. They can grow to more than a 100 feet. The trees' medicinal qualities are recognised n China, Japan, Asia and even the West. Extract from the leaves of Ginkgo Biloba are used to treat memory loss. 

So I have as many as possible. Having some dried longan to go along with the soup with orange peel makes it so delicious. Memory loss can be a frightening thought. 

Then my dear daughter who has made some very good brownies and cupcakes did some very good pudding which is similar to one of my favourite ice creams - green tea with red beans. 

Every one who tried, love them! Awesome! Mmm...I am gonna sell them some day.

Fast food is not something I do when I want them fast. I do so when I know not what else to eat and since they shout prosperity why not? Haut Ah!

I visited my cousin Ronnie and he got the prata man to come to do fresh prata on the spot. There was nasi bryani too with more different types of curry and you finish off with teh tarik. Nice!

Thanks to Neilson and Jeanna, the best Nasi Padang in town. Absolutely fabulous! It is dangerous because I could eat it everyday. Really awesome.

I still could not understand why yu sheng 鱼 生 is so expensive. Just some shredded vegetables like carrot, cucumber and radish with condiments and sauces. 

Because Lo Hei is auspicious and will bring fortune? It is like a "Prosperity Toss". What is your favourite type of fish used? Salmon or Mackerel?

The ingredients below described how much goodness you should have in accordance to the meanings symbolised. 

When they serve you at a restaurant, the waiting staff will recite what is almost like a poem to you. He/she will begin with 恭喜发才 (congratulations to your wealth), 万事如意 (may all your wishes be fulfilled). When adding the raw fish they would go 年年有余 (abundance every year), when pomelo or lime is added it is 大吉大利 meaning (best of luck and smooth sailing). A dash of pepper becomes 招才进宝 (to attract wealth and treasures). When adding oil it is 才源广进 (wealth from all directions), carrots are 鸿运当头 (good luck is coming). Green radish or cucumber would be 青春常驻 ( a wish to be forever young). White radish means 步步高升(reaching a higher level with every step). Peanuts = 金银满屋(having your household filled with gold and silver). Sesame = 生意兴隆(prosperity for your business). The last one added would be the deep-fried flour crisps = 满地黄金 (your floor will be full of gold). If you have all these it could be quite frightening.

With so much going on, you better play safe and have some right? Or you will be left behind. If you sell yu sheng you will be having your wishes fulfilled, having abundance every year and prosperity for the business. 

I wish you and your family good health first and foremost. Peace and joy always. May you have a slithering good time in 2013! The official CNY celebrations ends this Sunday.