One of the great things about Hawai`i is our cosmopolitan heritage. My own family is a blend of Hawaiian, Pake (Chinese), British Isles, and European stock. Thus, I was reared happily celebrating a whole slew of holidays. Prominent among them was Chinese New Year.
This year, January 29 officially begins the Chinese Year of the Dog. When I was a girl, my family celebrated the holiday by going out for a banquet at Sun Sun Lau, a Cantonese restaurant owned by the Low family, who were friends of us Yuens. At that time, it was probably the largest restaurant on Moku Hawai`i, and even had a gift shop with wonderful carved furniture from China, dishware, vases, and huge glass jars - taller than a toddler - of Chinese preserved seeds, AND - delight of delights - the dining area had an indoor pond full of arm-length white, red, and gold Chinese carp.
These carp and I became fast friends, as when I behaved well through dinner I was allowed to buy a little baggie of carp food and toss the floating pellets into the water. Such a huge decision! Should I toss the pellets one by one, and watch the largest, fastest fish give a powerful thrust of its tail, surge through the lesser fish and snatch the prize? Or should I pour the entire baggie into my hand, toss all the pellets into the pond, and watch the silent regal fish erupt into a maelstrom of frenzied feeding?
My solution was to toss in a few pellets, and then the entire handful.
Sun Sun Lau no longer serves its fabulous multi-course banquets, having closed in 1999, after 67 years as a Hilo institution. So, I now cook a more modest New Year's meal at home for family and close friends.
In addition to special foods, other traditions were observed. I still practice a few. If you would like to get into the New Year Spirit, you can: Wash your hair just before the New Year begins so that your head will be purified and all the negative thoughts you have had in the past year can go down the drain. Wear new clothing to assure prosperity in the New Year. Sweep your house on the last day of the old year, not on the first day of the new. You don't want to sweep out the new good luck. Give li-see to children. Li-see are those little red envelopes, sometimes with gold printing or pictures. They are filled with money. Giving away li-see to children brings good luck to the giver.
Chinese salt lemon is a must-have in the Pake kitchen. This wondrous condiment seems to be disappearing from the islands, but it is so easy to make, and so useful, I would love to see a resurgence of it. Gather some ripe lemons and make sure there are no bruises or bug stings. Wash the lemons and place them in a large glass jar. We used to use gallon mayonnaise jars. Pack them in well, but to not squish them. Cover the lemons with rock salt, shaking the jar to be sure all of the spaces between the lemons are filled. Cover the jar tightly. We used to stretch plastic wrap over the mouth and then rubberband it before putting the lid back on. Now, set the jar out on the roof in the sun. Turn it around about once a week. In about six months, the lemons will be dark amber and floating in a dark salty sour syrup.
Traditionally this is used in a number of ways. A little piece of the skin is torn off a lemon and sucked to relieve sore throat. Many children also like it as a treat. A teaspoon of the syrup can be put in a glass of hot water and drunk to relieve sore throat as well. In cooking, the syrup and the pulp are rubbed on game, fowl, and mutton before roasting. It removes the game taste and mellows the flavors of strong meats, and brings out the color when browning off a roast.
Chinese New Year is actually celebrated for 15 days - from the New Moon to the Full Moon. This vegetarian dish is served for breakfast on the first day of the New Year. It was created by the 18 personal disciples of Buddha to avoid starting the New Year by taking a life. At other times of the year, it can be flavored with oysters and oyster sauce to become a rich, filling dish. It has a lot of ingredients, but is not really that much work. Each ingredient has a lucky meaning. We do not use fresh tofu in jai because the white color symbolizes death. But, other than that, there are as many versions of jai as there are cooks who enjoy serving it!
Lo Han Tsai (Monk's Food)
(4 servings)
2 c. hot water
2 T. sesame oil
Soak the following in the water, saving the liquid after use. Squeeze excess water from the ingredients back into the pan. The water will be used in making the gravy.
½ c. chin ngee (tree fungus) 1,000 years longevity
¼ c. lin gee (lotus seed) many children
¼ c. bak ko( ginko nuts) 100 grandchildren
½ cup fat choi (black moss seaweed) wealth (sounds like the New Year greeting)
6 gum choi (dry golden lily) gold and good luck
2 foo jook (dried tofu sticks) sounds like "rich enough"
1 bundle jun see (long rice) longevity, beauty, culture
Heat a wok and add the sesame oil. Stir-fry the soaked ingredients lightly, until just heated through. Add the fresh and canned ingredients and stir-fry until heated through.
½ c. sliced bamboo shoots longevity
½ c. sliced lotus root looks like Buddhist symbol - religious diligence
1 carrot, peeled, cut into "coins" red for luck, looks like money
1c. ho lan dow (Chinese peas) sounds like good luck, green color for new growth, peas are round like money
3 leaves bok choi (Chinese cabbage) green of spring
Thoroughly blend the following ingredients:
2 T. Chinese paste shoyu
1 T. cornstarch
2 tsp. cold water
Add them to the wok and stir quickly until the mix thickens and becomes shiny. Slowly add the soaking water, stirring well. When the gravy is hot and glistening, serve accompanied by freshly cooked rice.
Gung Hee Fat Choy! Happy New Year!
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