Big Bowel Fest

Poon Choi Every winter, people eating tainted poon choi (盤 菜) develop serious food poisoning.

Discover Hong Kong explains how poon choi is made:

"Poon Choi" or "Big Bowl Feast" - a type of food served in wooden basins rather than traditional porcelain or metal - has become so popular that many people visit the New Territories specifically to try this age-old delicacy.

The tradition dates back to the late Sung (or Song) Dynasty (AD1270s), when the Yuen army invaded China and the imperial family was forced to flee south to Hong Kong.

Villagers in the New Territories were forced to use big wooden basins to serve the imperial entourage as they could not find sufficient porcelain or metal containers to hold the Big Bowl Feast.

The emperor was doubtless satisfied with his meal but it certainly couldn't compare with today's Poon Choi, which often includes pork, beef, lamb, chicken, duck, abalone, ginseng, shark's fin, fish maw, prawn, crab, dried mushroom, fish ball, squid, dried eel, dried shrimp, pig skin, bean curd sticks and radish.

Once cooked the mouth-watering ingredients are layered in a basin, with ingredients that can absorb sauces such as radish, dried eel, dried shrimp, pig skin and bean curd on the bottom. Braised pork is placed in the middle layer while traditional village delicacies such as chicken, duck, fish and prawn are left till last.

Poon Choi is normally eaten layer by layer instead of "stirring everything up", but those who cannot wait will often choose to pick up the juicy radish at the bottom first using shared chopsticks.

Formerly a dish exclusive to walled villages and served only during religious rituals, festivals, special occasions and wedding banquets, Poon Choi can now be enjoyed at many restaurants in the autumn and winter or on special occasions throughout the year.

The bacteria vibrio parahaemolyticus, which causes gastrointestinal problems such as diarrhea, abdominal pain and vomiting is the probable culprit. Folks must ensure poon choi is well-cooked and that they consume it at one sitting.

That way the Big Bowl Feast doesn't turn into a Big Bowel Fest.

← Older Posts · 早前 | →