Date:  Feb 3, 2013

This year CNY is special for our family.

1)  Jay Jay is 7 years old, and he is in P1 now.  What this mean is, we can no longer take “unlimited” day off during CNY.  The school start on the 4th day, and we got to be back for Jay Jay’s school.  Otherwise, need to “apply leave” from the principal office.

2)  Because of that, we will be going back to Setiawan 2-3 days earlier.  So, that Friday afternoon, after Jay Jay and Kay Kay celebrate their school CNY party in their school, we will start driving back to Setiawan, and will be in time to have reunion dinner with my in-laws.  This shall be a first.  🙂

3)  Because of that, we will be pushing my family reunion dinner a week earlier.  Which is on Feb 2, 2013 Saturday night.  

4)  Because of that, we have a chance of having all the sisters and brother siblings gathered together once again for CNY reunion dinner (although is 1 week earlier) for the first time in 25 years, since I went to Canada on 1989.  Although from time to time, all the 4 families gathered for dinner or lunch, but for CNY, this shall be the first.  Most of the years, my sisters celebrate CNY reunion in their in laws place.  So, I can’t recall we ever have 4 of us having reunion dinner ever since 1989.  Cool!

So, yesterday, at my place, we cooked the following dishes …

1)  盆菜 x2 big bowl since we have 21 people in our family.  My mom lucky to have a dozen grand children.

Of course, after so many round of practising during the last 2 months, every body enjoys the Pen Cai very very much.

And of course, the ingredients got to be tip top too.

Let’s cook it!

2)  Yu Sheng.  How can we not 捞鱼生 during CNY reunion dinner.  The salmon is from Sakura fish market at West Coast Park.

满地黄金！Plenty of gold this year.  And 年年有鱼.

3)  Garlic Steam Roasted Chicken 薑蒜蒸烤烘鸡.  Special featured here.. http://miniliew.blogspot.sg/2013/02/cook-with-ken-garlic-steamy-roasted.html

I must say, the chicken is really good!  Tasty and spicy.

4)  猪脚米粉 Braised Pork Leg Bee Hoon.  We cooked this using the iCook wok.  No need to fried, just 闷 (braised).  Cool!  It goes very very well with the Pen Cai potent gravy.

5)  Steam Fresh Flower Crabs.

6)  Steam Fresh Big Prawns.

7)  Steam Fresh La-La Clams.

Now, here is a big tip.  Do you know that how to make all the la-la clams to open their big mouth and vomit all the sands out?  Throw in 1-2 chilli padi.  Remember, do not put salt.  The la-la clam is a sea products.  So, it is salty by nature.

8)  Kueh Pai Tee?  Huh?  CNY reunion dinner?  My wife great idea.  🙂  Not too bad.

9)  猪脚醋 Vinegar Pork Leg.

10) Steam Groupa.  Here is my big steam fish.  1KG big.

Want to make the steam fish soup sweet.  Place the la-la clams underneath.

Like this.

Tomatoes.  Gingers.  Chinese Wine.  Soya Sauce.  Salt.  Thats allt he ingredient need for a fresh steam fish.  Arghhhh… I forgot all about the tofu.

Wait now.  1KG.  Better cut into half in the middle, and lie flat facing up.  Not side way.  So to have a fully cooked fish.

年年有鱼.

11)  虾枣.

12)  Chicken nuggest for the kids.

13)  [Backup dish]  Char Siew, Roasted duck and Roasted pork.

14)  [Backup dish]  Pan fried Wagyu Steak.

Let’s start to 捞鱼生.

The chef push out the dishes one by one at a rate of 5-10 minutes per dish.

This is tok panjang.  A long table.  Combine all the table together.  And place all the food on it.  

After dinner.  The siblings all sit down and watch TV.  Chit Chatting, and enjoying the family time.

 Let’s gather up for a 全家福！

What are they doing on my bed!

Oh… Playing Monopoly.  My Monopoly.  The cousins first time seeing such high tech Monopoly.

OK.  Now, funny face.

Happy Chinese New Year 2013.