Poon Choi 盆菜

Poon Choi, or 'basin dish,' is a traditional Cantonese festive dish served in a large wooden, porcelain, or metal basin. It is made of many layers of different ingredients, each cooked separately and then carefully arranged together, representing unity and prosperity. The dish typically includes a rich array of meats, seafood, and vegetables, all braised in a flavorful sauce.

Nutrition (per serving)

Ingredients

• 500g Roasted Pork Belly, cut into pieces
• 500g Braised Pork Belly
• 4 pieces Chicken Thighs, bone-in
• 100g Dried Oysters, rehydrated
• 300g Large Prawns, shelled, deveined
• 8 pieces Dried Shiitake Mushrooms, rehydrated
• 1 kg Daikon Radish, peeled, sliced
• 500g Taro, peeled, sliced
• 200g Fried Tofu Puffs
• 100g Dried Bean Curd Sticks, rehydrated
• 20g Black Moss, rehydrated
• 1 head Broccoli, florets
• 1 liter Chicken Broth
• 4 tbsp Oyster Sauce
• 3 tbsp Light Soy Sauce
• 1 tbsp Dark Soy Sauce
• 2 tbsp Shaoxing Wine
• 20g Rock Sugar
• 0.5 tsp White Pepper Powder
• 4 cloves Garlic, minced
• 3 slices Ginger
• 2 stalks Spring Onions, chopped
• 2 tbsp Cornstarch
• 4 tbsp Water (for cornstarch slurry)
• 2 tbsp Cooking Oil

Steps

1. Peel and slice Daikon Radish and Taro. Fry Taro until lightly golden.
2. Rehydrate Dried Shiitake Mushrooms, Dried Oysters, and Dried Bean Curd Sticks. Blanch Dried Bean Curd Sticks and Black Moss.
3. Cut Chicken Thighs into pieces. Pan-fry Chicken Thighs until skin is golden. Pan-fry Large Prawns until cooked.
4. Mince Garlic, slice Ginger, and chop Spring Onions.
5. Heat Cooking Oil in a pot. Sauté Ginger and Garlic until fragrant.
6. Add Chicken Broth, Oyster Sauce, Light Soy Sauce, Dark Soy Sauce, Shaoxing Wine, Rock Sugar, and White Pepper Powder. Bring to a boil.
7. Add Daikon Radish to the sauce. Simmer until tender.
8. In a large clay pot or deep dish, arrange the braised Daikon Radish as the bottom layer. Add Fried Taro, Fried Tofu Puffs, and Dried Bean Curd Sticks.
9. Arrange rehydrated Dried Shiitake Mushrooms, Dried Oysters, and Black Moss on top of the first layer.
10. Arrange pan-fried Chicken Thighs, pan-fried Large Prawns, Braised Pork Belly, and Roasted Pork Belly on the top layer.
11. Pour the remaining sauce over all ingredients. Bring to a simmer over low heat.
12. Blanch Broccoli florets.
13. Garnish Poon Choi with blanched Broccoli and chopped Spring Onions. Serve hot.

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