First Repast in the Rabbit Year

Delicious Start to the Rabbit Year

Man, its been months since I last posted. Not to say I wasn't stuffing my face, oh no, but with this and that happening, writing in this ere blog was not given a high priority. All this is going to change in the Year of the Rabbit (I hope) as one of my resolutions is to update my blog more frequently. Speaking of resolutions, I sure am glad I am a Chinese with a Christian background. This means that if I break my New Year's resolutions there is still the second chance via the Chinese New Year*.

*Much to the chagrin of my wife, family and friends.

But I digress and so on with the eating. This post may be a bit of a disappointment as I am not going to highlight a particular place but am instead blogging this for posterity. Yes, you guess it, its the pre-New Year dinner. No its not the much anticipated Reunion Dinner (which I may blog about)but the dinner before the eve of the New Year.

I must say that my mom, and assorted aunts, really outdid (again) themselves this time. Although each of them is already, IMHO, a top notch cook, them cooking together takes dishes to a whole new level.

Just like any normal Chinese meal, there is no courses involved and all dishes are laid out on a round table for the diners to help themselves. Like a buffet in other words. First thing that caught my eye (and on my plate) was the Hakka meatballs. Those crispy-tender balls full of porky goodness were the first down my greedy gullet. The recipe* apparently has been passed on from generation to generation so you know its good when your ancestors insist that it be passed to the next generation.
*Must get recipe from mom so I can recreate them anytime I want.

Next up was the Nyonya style fish*. Fried fish which is than marinated in a sweet-sourish vinegar sauce until the flesh soaks up all the tangy goodness. Not really my cup of tea but my wife, and the rest, were all over it like snow on Mt. Everest. I think it was the first dish to finish too.
*I'm not sure of the actual name but I was told the name was such.

Now, what self-respecting Hakka family gathering won't have a pot full of vinegar pork trotters. Not my family definitely. So there it was in all its inky glory (black Chinese vinegar is used and so the black color) and it was good. Porky + tangy + vinegary = a piquant mouthful that is hard to beat. Top it up with eggs which has been soaking in the gravy for hours and one gets a unique taste and texture sensation of sour and sweet and smooth eggy-ness respectively.

The meal was rounded out with a stir-fried vegetable medley enriched with briny, succulent pacific clams and a juicy roast duck which was bought from a nearby restaurant. The vegetables do what vegetables do; a palate cleanser while I gave the duck a miss as it was too gamey for me.
And before I forget, there were top hats and fried anchovies. Those crispy fried shells filled with tender radishes and perfumed with shiitake mushrooms were a treat. Must have had dozens as they can be quite pricey when eaten in restaurants. The fried anchovies were addictive with their distinct umami blast. They truly are the savory bombs of the sea.

So that's it for the pre-pre Reunion Dinner dinner. Hopefully I can stick to my (re)new resolutions by updating this blog on a more frequent basis. Thanks for reading and have a Blessed and Happy Rabbit New Year.