Saturday, May 18, 2013

The Peace Bun at the Bun Festival Cheung Chau

長洲太平清醮 ‧平安包‧搶包山‧
If you visit Hong Kong in the recent few days, you would have noticed the Bun Festival which attracts a lot of attention. Thousands and thousands of people flood into Cheung Chau to take part in it.

What is Bun Festival?
In fact, the name itself does not fully describe what’s up at Cheung Chau. The proper name of the activities going on is called 太平清醮.    太平 means peace. will need a little more words to explain. It is a high profile and large scale cultural ritual which consists of a series of events and the Bun Collection Competition is the highlight to wrap up the whole function. May be for easy understanding to foreigners, people simply call it Bun Festival. In fact, to be more accurate, it should be called the Peace Ritual.

What about the Peace Bun?
It is a kind of bun specifically made for the Bun Festival.  As the event origination is for peace acquisition, each of the buns had a big red chop carrying the Chinese character 平安 meaning ‘peace’. 

平安包
 
In terms of stuffing, it is usually lotus paste and sesame paste.

 
Peace Bun is a respectful food. Nowadays people have lots of foods to eat, and there are often left-overs on the table. Please do not treat the Peace Bun that way. If you want to eat a Peace Bun, please eat the whole bun.If you think that’s too much, share among friends. If you throw away any left-over bun, it is believed that you’ll bring bad luck to yourself, as well as receiving unfriendly eye sights from local villagers.

Chopping the Ping An Buns

Queueing to buy Ping An Bun

Climbing of Bun Pyramid
Bun Collection Competition 搶包山

Origination of the Peace Ritual

There are different versions of legends.  But generally it is related to ‘peace’.  It was said that at some stage, some villages had plague attack and many people died.  The whole society was feeling unsecure and thought that the disasters were brought to them by spirits or souls from the underworld.  And there was a cultural believe that these underworld spirits are afraid of loud, noisy atmosphere and the collective energy produced when a large number of people gathering together. Hence to get rid of these unwelcomed spirits and to acquire ‘peace’ again, villagers held the ‘Peace Ritual’. The series of events include but not limit to monks set up the altar worship, parade, dragon and lion dance and finally the Bun Collection Competition, nowadays people call it Bun Festival. 

There are many types of Peace Ritual held at different regions in Hong Kong (usually at out lying islands and new territories) and at different intervals.  Some places have it every 5, 10 or even 60 years.  But the one in Cheung Chau is held annually, usually around early to mid April in the Chinese calendar.  Although many people go there for fun and see it as a festival, the origination of the whole event is not a festival and not for fun.
 
Hong Kong Food Blog - The Ping An Bun

Saturday, May 11, 2013

Pre Mother's Day Dim Sum - No Discount

No Discount Dim Sums

Like I said in my last post, restaurants are cutting discounts on Sunday.  Since tomorrow is Mother's Day, they cut discounts today as well.  So we had to pay everything on full price.  Apart from that, many restaurants are being blocked for private parties.  It's really difficult to find somewhere to eat.  As for tomorrow, I think I better stay home and do some cooking myself.

Deep Fried Tufu 椒鹽脆豆付 HK$38
This deep fried tofu is served with fine pepper, salt and vinegar (in separate dish).  I would like it to be more cruncy and more golden brown.  I know I'm a little demanding, but that's the way this dish should be.
 
 
Stir Fried Rice Rolls with Dark Say Sauce 豉油王炒腸粉 HK$28
Rice roll is one of the most popular breakfast items in Hong Kong.  We usually eat steamed ones over breakfast, but there are many ways to serve it.  As for lunch or brunch, we like to have the stir fried ones.
 
 
Stir Fried Noodle with Bean Sprout and Dark Soy Sauce 豉油王炒面 HK$38
This is another popular Cantonese breakfast item in Hong Kong.  Didn't realise that we ordered 80% vegetarian dishes today. 
 
Steamed Pork Liver Dumplings 懷舊豬潤燒賣 HK$22
This is the only meat dish we had for today.  The restaurant named it 'old fashion'.  May be people are afraid of high cholesterol of liver, therefore fewer and fewer restaurants sell it.  But we love it, it's really delicious.
 
 
Deep Fried Fluid Egg Yolk Bun 炸奶王包 HK$22
Fluid egg yolk bun is usually steamed.  Today we found a deep fried one on the menu, so we tried to go for it.  It's cruncy outside and soft inside, although the colour can be more golden brown, but taste is really good, the lava-like egg yolk inside is very hot and fluid.  Well done, but need to take care when eating.
 
Insdie the Egg Yolk Bun

May 11, 2013, Saturday
Dim sum total:  HK$148 (We usually have 30% discount on Saturday, but not today!)
Tea: HK$8 per person
Service charge:  10%
Total:  HK$180 (US$23.1)

Hong Kong Food Blog - Pre Mother's Day Dim Sum - NO discount

Monday, May 6, 2013

Sunday Dim Sum No Discount

NO MORE DIM SUM DISCOUNT ON SUNDAY

I haven't posted dim sum photos for some time.  You know why?  Some restaurants offer very special prices, but we had to compromise on the presentation.  So I don't feel comfortable to show photos that are not attractive.  Recently the economy is Hong Kong isn't quite well, shop owners are not happy to offer discounts.  Special prices are only offered on Saturday and selected hours.

As there are no discount anyway on Sunday, so I've decided to go to a higher class restaurant which I haven't visited for some time.  There presentations are good, taste also good, but the bill is no good - pricy!!

Turnip Silk Pie Cake (M) 蘿蔔千絲酥
Truly made to order.  Even the plate is hot.  Very crispy outside, soft and juicy turnip slices inside.
 
 
Pan Fried Rice Rolls with Dry Shrimps (L)
脆煎蝦干葱花腸
This pan fried rice roll is really interesting.  It's crispy on one side and soft on the other.  Pan fried to golden brown.  Looks good and also tastes good.
 
 
Deep Fried Pork Belly Bun (L)
懷舊香煎燒腩卷
The Chinese name of this dim sum says 'old fashion'.  Indeed, few restaurants nowadays offer this dish.  Pork belly and taro inside.  May be weight watchers won't like it, but I love it.
 
 
Steamed Pyramid Dumplings with Mushroom (M)
雲南野菌水晶餃
This is a vegetarian dish made from mushrooms from Yunnan.  The dumpling wrap is very thin and transparent.  It's a proof of the chef's handicraft.  Well done!
 

Steamed Glutinous Rice Dumpling in Lotus Leaf (L)
瑤柱珍珠雞
I remember when I was a little girl, dim sum restaurants sold giant size rice glutinous dumplings.  Nowadays people usually sell mini size ones.  Its Chinese name is in fact called 'pearl chicken'.  But there is nothing related with chicken, neither does shape, taste or ingredient.  Interesting?  Actually there are many other interesting names like this in Cantonese dim sum restaurants.
 
 
Sweet Brown Dumpling HK$22
擂沙湯丸
As a matter of made to order, we waited 20 minutes for this dessert, however totally upset.  This restaurant used to produce very yummy sweet brown dumplings, but not this time. I gave it a 'fail' for this time.  It didn't look good, taste so so, the stuffing inside was too fluid and that it splashed everywhere and made our mouth and table very messy.

Sportful Garden Restaurant
(L) HK$25@ | (M) HK$23@
Tea HK$10 per person
Total bill:  HK$193 (US$24.8) for two persons, included 10% service charge

Hong Kong Food Blog - Sunday Dim Sum No Discount