HAPPY NEW YEAR; GUNG HAY FAT CHOI ETCETERA

Chinese New Year is in two days (February 12, 2021), and naturally I have something new to wear. Which is very important. No intention of doing any serious house cleaning, but I shall probably light some incense and have tangerines on the premises. Food-wise, it may be a bust. The grocery stores will be shut, and in any case because of the pandemic the usual bustle and variety will be limited. Still, some things need to be done.

A dish suitable for the beginning of the year.
Reprised from a while back.

滷蛋紅燒豬肉
LOU DAAN HONG SIU CHYU YIUK

Two pounds streaky pork belly (五花肉).
Two or three slices of ginger.
Two or three hard-boiled eggs.
Two or three whole star anise.
Two or three stalks green onion.
Quarter cup or more soy sauce.
Quarter cup or more sherry or rice wine.
Five or six soaked black mushrooms.
Two TBS sugar.

Peel the eggs but leave them whole.


Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Dump the pork into the pot, boil for about ten minutes, take it out and let it cool. When it's cold, cut it into chunks.
Heat some oil on the bottom of a stew pot or kastrol, add the ginger, stirfry briefly and add the green onion, which you have cut into one or two inch lengths and whacked slightly with the blunt edge of your cleaver. Remove all solids before they brown with a slotted spatula, add the pork, and gild it. When it has good browned edges, spoon off some of the grease that the heat had released, add the sherry or rice wine to sizzle, stir loose the crusty bits, then put everything else in the pot with water to generously cover.
Simmer on low heat for well over an hour.

This is a soppy version, with plenty of juices.
Good on top of rice or noodles.

The number of hard-boiled eggs can be increased if there are more people.
Increase soy sauce and sherry or rice wine plus water appropriately.
Equal parts soy and wine, one to two parts water.
Plus slight modifications else.


Other foods which are customary (which I shan't be preparing):

Dried Oysters With Black Moss 好事發財
February 1, 2011.

Sea Cucumber 海參
October 1, 2011



Plus a whole list of dishes (and New Year Greetings):

Lucky Wishes Lucky Foods
January 30, 2011.

Basically, I do not intend to do much for Chinese New Year. As long as the day is fairly pleasant, the living quarters comfortable, and the food is good, it's all right.


Tangerines. Or oranges. And new clothes to start the year.
Maybe fish (for surplus: 餘 sounds the same as 魚).
No swearing, no arguments.
Peace.



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