"Hoi Nin" Lunch on the Second Day of Chinese New Year

Since we didn't (not that we could) balik kampong this year, our (extended) families met again on the second day of Chinese New Year (CNY) for a hoi nin lunch.  Traditionally, this is the day where married daughters return to their birth parents home for a hoi nin fan (first meal of the lunar year).  This tradition is not something I practise though (since I only return to KL on the third day).

The spread for our hoi nin lunch, though simpler in terms of content and ingredients, seemed even more appetising to us and that's probably because these were more homey type of dishes (and mostly cooked)...and here's what we had.

#1 - Yee Sang

As usual, we started off with yee sang (this one's from Grand Imperial, if I remember correctly).  It was a last-minute addition and delivered just in time for our lunch.  If one wants a pretty shot of the yee sang, the photo should be taken before the flour crisps, nuts and sesame seeds go in, otherwise the colourful presentation will be all lost.

We weren't going to let this once a year tradition of lou sang pass us by (+ we're with close family members whom we know and trust to keep us safe) + it's also freaking delicious so why would we want to miss out on this dish that comes only once a year.....hah...hah! ;D

#2 - Braised Mushrooms with Fish Maw, Dried Scallops & Hoe See

A sister-in-law faithfully cooked her signature mushroom dish again this year.  She always uses fish maw and hoe see (dried oysters) in her version.  I was tasked with presenting the dish! ;)

#3 - Hakka Char Yoke

This plate of bought braised pork belly with wood-ear fungus failed to make it to the dining table for the group photo simply because my sis-in-law forgot all about it.  There was more lean meat than usual and (perhaps) the meat could do with a longer braising time.  Taste wise, I guess it was passable, just that I've eaten my fair share of better tasting ones than this. 

#4 - Prawns in Fresh Chilli Paste

My sister-in-law passed me the balance two boxes of large tiger prawns she bought and asked me to cook them.  I noticed that the heads were starting to come loose (a signal that the prawns were no longer at its optimum freshness), so I decided to deshell the entire prawn and remove the head altogether.  I cooked them with the freshly blended chilli paste I had in the freezer and it turned out to be a well-liked dish (it was a lot drier when I cooked this but I guess the steaming hot prawns leaked out a bit more water enroute to my sister-in-law's place).

#5 - Fried Lor Bak

This bought fried five-spice pork roll was certainly better tasting than the one we had on the eve of CNY (even the colour looks more legit).  My sis-in-law cooked it using her air-fryer.

#6 - Braised Abalone with Boiled Pak Choy

This second dish my sister-in-law cooked requires very little cooking.  It's an easy dish to put together.  Simply boil the Chinese cabbage till soft and pour over the reheated can abalone, sauce and all.  I enjoyed the simplicity of the taste of the softened cabbage.

#7 - Steamed Okra with Fried Shallots

The third and final dish that she cooked were these homegrown steamed ladies fingers (harvested from her own garden) drizzled with soy sauce and topped with crispy fried shallots and garlic.  Soft and tender, I like.

#8 - Stir-Fried Cabbage with Dried Prawns

I wasn't supposed to cook this but I found some cabbage in my fridge and decided to add this simple stir-fry vegetable with dried prawns to our lunch menu.  I always go for the rounder shaped cabbage and not the slightly flatter round type as I think it tastes much better with a crunchier texture.

And that was our simple kai nian lunch where the dishes didn't need a lot of effort to cook.  As simple as the dishes may be, it's the opportunity to meet-up and socialise that's more important (and enjoyable) after having been mostly confined to our own households since MCO 2.0 was re-implemented.