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Chinese New Year is a time of celebration, gathering, and, most importantly, food. This year, my celebration took a slightly different turn when I decided to try something that I've never had before: poon choi. Thanks to David and Datuk Tony Looi, I managed to order one online. Their live video introducing the dish caught my attention, particularly when they showcased the star ingredient — abalone. it is not just any abalone, but one with that is velvety with a soft, luscious core.
This particular soft-core abalone, with its flavorful body, has always seemed like a delicacy reserved for banquet tables or, more famously, scenes from Hong Kong dramas like Tong Sam Fong Bou. Despite being Foochow (and not Cantonese or Hakka), I was intrigued. For the love of God, I had never tried poon choi before, nor had I ever tasted the legendary abalone. Curiosity got the better of me, and I placed my order — even though it meant the dish would be delivered all the way to Sarawak the hefty way, via total cold-chain delivery.
The beauty of this poon choi was its simplicity. According to the instructions, I didn’t need to know how to cook; all I needed was basic reheating skills. This was exactly what I was looking for! The process was straightforward: drop the package into a deep wok, fill the wok with water, and steam it. Simple, right?
Well, my culinary skills (or lack thereof) made the experience slightly more interesting. Some water accidentally seeped into the dish, which left me pouring out the excess liquid. Thankfully, this mishap did not affect the taste at all. In fact, the flavors remained intact, and each bite was a delightful experience. The seafood was tender, juicy, and tasted incredibly fresh — a testament to the quality of the ingredients.
I must confess, I didn't serve this poon choi during a grand family gathering. It was more of a personal indulgence — a luxurious meal for one. While the flavors were remarkable, something felt missing. For any New Year dish to truly shine, it needs more than just taste; it needs atmosphere. It needs a crowd.
Chinese New Year celebrations are meant to be noisy, messy, and filled with the laughter and chatter of family members. That’s the essence of our tradition. Poon choi, with its layers of meat, seafood, and vegetables, is a dish meant to be shared. It’s a communal experience, a symbol of togetherness and abundance.
So, while my solo poon choi experience was delicious, I’ve made a note to myself: next year, I’ll serve it as it’s meant to be — surrounded by loved ones, with everyone digging in and savoring each layer together. After all, the best New Year dishes are not just about the food on the table but the people around it.
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Faith Wong is a content creator under the Newswav Creator programme, where you get to express yourself, be a citizen journalist, and at the same time monetize your content & reach millions of users on Newswav. Log in to creator.newswav.com and become a Newswav Creator now!
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