It's Chinese New Year Eve! For the Chinese community, it's time for a family gathering, a big hearty dinner, AngPow (red packet money) distribution and thereafter late-night fireworks. This year, my mom decided to do a different dish for our New Year's Eve dinner instead of the usual steamboat. Something she picked up from YouTube, Prosperity Pot or Basin Dish (of direct translation from the Chinese language) from mainland China.
This dish consists of a big pot of all proteins you can think of with underlying vegetable bed and submerged in broth. It starts with layers of semi-cooked vegetables at the bottom, like taro and cabbage. Followed by an interlayer of roasted pork, roasted duck, squid, fish maw, tiger prawns and the top was considered the gem of all food - abalone. The layering was intentional as it placed the most expensive dish on top (abalone is the priciest among all ingredient in this dish) which symbolizes prosperity to be placed above and lifted high. After the layering, thick pork broth (or you can use vegetable broth instead) poured in and the whole pot simmer in slow heat for 30 minutes. Be sure to cover with aluminum foil to maintain the heat within it. Traditionally in the mainland, people used a clay pot for this dish but because we do not own any, we used a Pyrex instead.
For a family of 4, this certainly is a big meal which can last us from breakfast to dinner. The broth itself it's already satisfying and makes you feel extremely full. Couple with a hot bowl of rice and some beer, this sure is one hearty meal to kick start your new year!
What's your new year family dinner look like? Looking forward to hearing from you all. Need to take a lime-infused water shower now! Happy Chinese New Year everybody!