Sweet Vinegar with Ginger, Knuckles and Eggs

In Cantonese culture, there are specific foods that we distribute to relatives, friends and almost anybody to celebrate the birth of a new family member. They are namely:

• Chicken Wine Soup (when the baby is 12-day old)


• Sweet Vinegar with Ginger, Knuckles and Eggs (any time after the baby’s birth)


• Red Eggs (when the baby is one-month old)

Recently my niece gave birth to a baby boy and I was promoted to a grand-mom level. All of our family members were invited to her house to taste the sweet vinegar and the chicken wine soup to celebrate her baby’s 12-day.

While the baby’s parents are usually busy taking care of the baby, it is usually the grand parents taking care of the cooking of sweet vinegar. They started cooking the vinegar a month ahead of the baby’s birth. They kept cooking and cooking day after day to achieve the dark color. The longer the vinegar is cooked, the better it will be.

Sweet Vinegar with Ginger, Knuckles and EggsDon’t be scared by its dark color. It is very delicious. It is so delicious that some people like to eat it even though they don’t have a new born baby at home. And they don’t have friends or relatively with new born babies at home to give them this delicious food. Some restaurants therefore serve this as a dim sum. So next time when you are in Hong Kong, if you are lucky enough to go to a dim sum restaurant serving sweet vinegar with knuckle, ginger and eggs, make sure to order it.

I love these eggs so much. They are so yummy!

Me and My 12-Day-Old Grand-Nephew (No Name Yet!)

We were even given some to take home. Note: vinegar cannot go with plastic utensils. So the host gave us glass jars.

Why is this combination: sweet vinegar, knuckle (pig’s rear leg), ginger and eggs? It is a matter of Chinese wisdom. This combination is mainly for the benefit of the new mother. Sweet vinegar and ginger has medical functions of warding off body cold and rheumatism, it also improves digestive system. It generally strengthens the new mother’s metabolism. Knuckles will compensate her lost of collagen during pregnancy. Eggs are of course to give her extra protein.

Hong Kong Food Blog - Foods To Celebrate The Birth of A New Family Member

Sweet Vinegar with Ginger, Knuckles and Eggs

In Cantonese culture, there are specific foods that we distribute to relatives, friends and almost anybody to celebrate the birth of a new family member. They are namely:

• Chicken Wine Soup (when the baby is 12-day old)


• Sweet Vinegar with Ginger, Knuckles and Eggs (any time after the baby’s birth)


• Red Eggs (when the baby is one-month old)

Recently my niece gave birth to a baby boy and I was promoted to a grand-mom level. All of our family members were invited to her house to taste the sweet vinegar and the chicken wine soup to celebrate her baby’s 12-day.

While the baby’s parents are usually busy taking care of the baby, it is usually the grand parents taking care of the cooking of sweet vinegar. They started cooking the vinegar a month ahead of the baby’s birth. They kept cooking and cooking day after day to achieve the dark color. The longer the vinegar is cooked, the better it will be.

Sweet Vinegar with Ginger, Knuckles and EggsDon’t be scared by its dark color. It is very delicious. It is so delicious that some people like to eat it even though they don’t have a new born baby at home. And they don’t have friends or relatively with new born babies at home to give them this delicious food. Some restaurants therefore serve this as a dim sum. So next time when you are in Hong Kong, if you are lucky enough to go to a dim sum restaurant serving sweet vinegar with knuckle, ginger and eggs, make sure to order it.

I love these eggs so much. They are so yummy!

Me and My 12-Day-Old Grand-Nephew (No Name Yet!)

We were even given some to take home. Note: vinegar cannot go with plastic utensils. So the host gave us glass jars.

Why is this combination: sweet vinegar, knuckle (pig’s rear leg), ginger and eggs? It is a matter of Chinese wisdom. This combination is mainly for the benefit of the new mother. Sweet vinegar and ginger has medical functions of warding off body cold and rheumatism, it also improves digestive system. It generally strengthens the new mother’s metabolism. Knuckles will compensate her lost of collagen during pregnancy. Eggs are of course to give her extra protein.

Hong Kong Food Blog - Foods To Celebrate The Birth of A New Family Member

Hong Kong Chinese New Year Foods

Today is the 7th day of Chinese New Year. Chinese traditional call it 'Man's day', meaning the birthday of everybody. One of the Hong Kong Cantonese traditions is to eat congee. We've therefore decided to cook congee at home. In fact, we eat congee every year on this same day.

Congee in Cantonese is called 粥 which sounds like 足 which means 'satisfaction', meaning we are happy with what we have. Make good sense? That's why we eat congee on this everybody's birthday.

Anna eating congee at home on the 7th day of Chinese New Year

We've put lecttuce and fish balls in the congee. These are associated with good meaning as well. Fish - surplus 魚(餘), Lecttuce - create wealth 生菜(生財). See my big fish ball!!

Congee with Lecttuce and Fish Balls 生財鯪魚球粥

Here are the other foods we eat during Chinese New Year.

Assorted veggies cooked with preserved beancurd. This of course has a good meaning as well - 開齋 means 'a good start'.

Assorted Vegetables 羅漢齋

Candies Platter is what we prepare at home to welcome visiting friends and relatives. Yes, home visit is another Chinese New Year Tradition here in Hong Kong. The candies platter can be very creative. But roasted mellon seeds are among the musts.

Candies Platter 全盒

There are many kinds of roasted mellon seeds - black, red and white.

Dim Sum is a must. Here is what we had:

Puddings - growth 糕(高) - turnip pudding (see my previsou post); on the table, there were two kinds of puddings - the sticky one and the spongy one.

Pig's tongue - profit 利

Fish ball - surplus 魚(餘)

Oyster - good business 豪士(好市)

Hairy vegetable - lucky money 髮菜(發財)

Let's have a closer look.

Dumplings with pig's tongue, oyster and hairy vegetable

發財好市大利

Fish balls with hairy vegetable 髮菜鯪魚球
恭喜發財!
Happy New Year!

Hong Kong Food Blog - Hong Kong Chinese New Year Foods

Hong Kong Chinese New Year Foods

Today is the 7th day of Chinese New Year. Chinese traditional call it 'Man's day', meaning the birthday of everybody. One of the Hong Kong Cantonese traditions is to eat congee. We've therefore decided to cook congee at home. In fact, we eat congee every year on this same day.

Congee in Cantonese is called 粥 which sounds like 足 which means 'satisfaction', meaning we are happy with what we have. Make good sense? That's why we eat congee on this everybody's birthday.

Anna eating congee at home on the 7th day of Chinese New Year

We've put lecttuce and fish balls in the congee. These are associated with good meaning as well. Fish - surplus 魚(餘), Lecttuce - create wealth 生菜(生財). See my big fish ball!!

Congee with Lecttuce and Fish Balls 生財鯪魚球粥

Here are the other foods we eat during Chinese New Year.

Assorted veggies cooked with preserved beancurd. This of course has a good meaning as well - 開齋 means 'a good start'.

Assorted Vegetables 羅漢齋

Candies Platter is what we prepare at home to welcome visiting friends and relatives. Yes, home visit is another Chinese New Year Tradition here in Hong Kong. The candies platter can be very creative. But roasted mellon seeds are among the musts.

Candies Platter 全盒

There are many kinds of roasted mellon seeds - black, red and white.

Dim Sum is a must. Here is what we had:

Puddings - growth 糕(高) - turnip pudding (see my previsou post); on the table, there were two kinds of puddings - the sticky one and the spongy one.

Pig's tongue - profit 利

Fish ball - surplus 魚(餘)

Oyster - good business 豪士(好市)

Hairy vegetable - lucky money 髮菜(發財)

Let's have a closer look.

Dumplings with pig's tongue, oyster and hairy vegetable

發財好市大利

Fish balls with hairy vegetable 髮菜鯪魚球
恭喜發財!
Happy New Year!

Hong Kong Food Blog - Hong Kong Chinese New Year Foods

How To Cook Turnip Pudding

Turnip pudding is highly popular among Cantonese families as a Chinese New Year festival food. Many of us DIY at home and it's lots of fun. Today is the CNY eve and I have been busy making turnip pudding at home.

I don't have any professional recipe, all steps were inherited from my mother which in turn was from many generations before. There are many steps but we enjoy doing it.

How To Cook Turnip Pudding - Step by Step

1. Smash 3.6kg of turnips. This is good for 3 plates of 8 inches each.
2. Get some preserved meats such as lap cheung, dry shrimps or mushrooms and cut them into small pieces.
3. Boiled the smashed turnips. Add pinches of salt, sugar, chicken powder and any other seasoning such as pepper or seasame oil to your own taste.
4. Stir fry the preserved meats briefly.
5. Mix the boiled turnips, preserved meats and add 500 grams of rice flour (粘米粉) to the mixture. Use only 粘米粉 for the making of turnip pudding. Add rice flour bit by bit and stir well while adding.
6. Divide the pudding mixture into pudding plates.
7. Steam for 1.5 hours and start eating.

Warning: Do NOT Use These Cooking Oils

Cooking Turnip Pudding To Celebrate
Chinese New Year
蒸蘿蔔糕賀新年!

Step 1 - Smash the turnips 刨蘿蔔

Step 2 - get ready the meats

Step 5 - See I'm working hard in mixing

Here is my turnip pudding mixture

My sister is dividing them into various pudding plates

Going to steam

Ready to eat

Time to eat - enjoying my hardwork.

I enjoy eating turnip pudding immediately after cooking. This is the best time and most delicious way to eat turnip pudding. When it cools down, you need to reheat by steaming, pan fried or micro-wave. Honestly I don't like any of these methods as the turnip pudding will be less delicious. If you want to eat the most yummy turnip pudding, make it yourself and eat it immediately after steaming. Try it out. I'm sure you'll agree with me.

HAPPY NEW YEAR

KUNG HEI FAT CHOI !

Hong Kong Food Blog - Turnip Pudding

How To Cook Turnip Pudding

Turnip pudding is highly popular among Cantonese families as a Chinese New Year festival food. Many of us DIY at home and it's lots of fun. Today is the CNY eve and I have been busy making turnip pudding at home.

I don't have any professional recipe, all steps were inherited from my mother which in turn was from many generations before. There are many steps but we enjoy doing it.

How To Cook Turnip Pudding - Step by Step

1. Smash 3.6kg of turnips. This is good for 3 plates of 8 inches each.
2. Get some preserved meats such as lap cheung, dry shrimps or mushrooms and cut them into small pieces.
3. Boiled the smashed turnips. Add pinches of salt, sugar, chicken powder and any other seasoning such as pepper or seasame oil to your own taste.
4. Stir fry the preserved meats briefly.
5. Mix the boiled turnips, preserved meats and add 500 grams of rice flour (粘米粉) to the mixture. Use only 粘米粉 for the making of turnip pudding. Add rice flour bit by bit and stir well while adding.
6. Divide the pudding mixture into pudding plates.
7. Steam for 1.5 hours and start eating.

Warning: Do NOT Use These Cooking Oils

Cooking Turnip Pudding To Celebrate
Chinese New Year
蒸蘿蔔糕賀新年!

Step 1 - Smash the turnips 刨蘿蔔

Step 2 - get ready the meats

Step 5 - See I'm working hard in mixing

Here is my turnip pudding mixture

My sister is dividing them into various pudding plates

Going to steam

Ready to eat

Time to eat - enjoying my hardwork.

I enjoy eating turnip pudding immediately after cooking. This is the best time and most delicious way to eat turnip pudding. When it cools down, you need to reheat by steaming, pan fried or micro-wave. Honestly I don't like any of these methods as the turnip pudding will be less delicious. If you want to eat the most yummy turnip pudding, make it yourself and eat it immediately after steaming. Try it out. I'm sure you'll agree with me.

HAPPY NEW YEAR

KUNG HEI FAT CHOI !

Hong Kong Food Blog - Turnip Pudding

Mid Autumn Festival Dinner

Lunch date: September 22, 2010
Occasion: Mid Autumn Festival Dinner
Number of people: Four
Cost: HK$680(US$87.1), inclusive of 10% service charge
Restaurant name: Shanghai Xiao Nan Guo
Restaurant address: 12/F Time Square, Causeway Bay, Hong Kong
Restaurant telephone: 852-2874-8899

It was Mid Autumn Festival yesterday, we tried to book a table for a family dinner. In Hong Kong, the day of Mid Autumn Festival is a working day, but the day after is a public holiday. Reason being the moon is being admired at night, so people can still work during the day. But a holiday is granted on the next day due to late night sleep.

Because it was a festival day, the restaurant only allowed us to book either 6pm or 8pm just to maximise their business. However the restaurant owner might have over estimated his business. We were there at 6.30pm and was requested to leave before 8pm. However we saw some tables were vacant until we left. The food was served speedily. Well, that's the way they made us to leave on time. Here are our favourites.

Cold Cut - Sliced Chicken with Jelly Noodle

we had to stir up the dish with the sesame sauce

雞絲粉皮 (HK$58)

Sliced Chicken with Jelly Noodle (before stirring)

Noodle with Green Onion 蔥油辦面
(HK$78)
My Number One Favourite
Deep Fried Mini Yellow Fish
小黃魚 (HK$28@)
Very crispy and very yummy!!!
This is in fact a signature dish of Xiao Nan Guo

Stewed Pork's Knuckle
Another signature dish and our favourite
元蹄 (HK$188)

Soup: Salty Pork with Bean Curd Sheets 奄篤鮮 (HK$118)
They didn't present the soup -
only served a mini bowl for each of us - hence no photo

Hong Kong Food Blog - Mid Autumn Festival Dinner

Mid Autumn Festival Dinner

Lunch date: September 22, 2010
Occasion: Mid Autumn Festival Dinner
Number of people: Four
Cost: HK$680(US$87.1), inclusive of 10% service charge
Restaurant name: Shanghai Xiao Nan Guo
Restaurant address: 12/F Time Square, Causeway Bay, Hong Kong
Restaurant telephone: 852-2874-8899

It was Mid Autumn Festival yesterday, we tried to book a table for a family dinner. In Hong Kong, the day of Mid Autumn Festival is a working day, but the day after is a public holiday. Reason being the moon is being admired at night, so people can still work during the day. But a holiday is granted on the next day due to late night sleep.

Because it was a festival day, the restaurant only allowed us to book either 6pm or 8pm just to maximise their business. However the restaurant owner might have over estimated his business. We were there at 6.30pm and was requested to leave before 8pm. However we saw some tables were vacant until we left. The food was served speedily. Well, that's the way they made us to leave on time. Here are our favourites.

Cold Cut - Sliced Chicken with Jelly Noodle

we had to stir up the dish with the sesame sauce

雞絲粉皮 (HK$58)

Sliced Chicken with Jelly Noodle (before stirring)

Noodle with Green Onion 蔥油辦面
(HK$78)
My Number One Favourite
Deep Fried Mini Yellow Fish
小黃魚 (HK$28@)
Very crispy and very yummy!!!
This is in fact a signature dish of Xiao Nan Guo

Stewed Pork's Knuckle
Another signature dish and our favourite
元蹄 (HK$188)

Soup: Salty Pork with Bean Curd Sheets 奄篤鮮 (HK$118)
They didn't present the soup -
only served a mini bowl for each of us - hence no photo

Hong Kong Food Blog - Mid Autumn Festival Dinner