Health, prosperity, longevity and the sharing of great food are the linchpins around which
the Chinese New Year celebrations revolve. In 2020 the day of feasting falls on 25 January,
the start of the lunar year, and it’s the best reason to cook a menu from a legendA feast to celebrate the
good things in life
TheChineseNewYearcelebrationwasthebiggest
holidayinmyfamily.We’dpaythetraditionalhomage
toourancestorsbyburningincenseatthesmallfamily
altarthatstoodatoneendofthelivingroom.Myjobwas
torubhoneyorsugarwateroverthekitchengodposter
onthekitchenwallsohecouldreportonlysweetand
goodthingstotheJadeEmperorinheaven.Thenthe
NewYear’sfoodpreparationwouldbegin.
AttheNewYeartable,certainfoodswerealwaysserved
becausetheysymboliseparticulargoodandnoteworthy
aspirations.Fish,whichrepresentsabundanceandgood
fortune,wasessential.Chicken,a symboloffortune,was
servedbecausewhatgoodareabundanceandgoodfortune
withoutthetimetoenjoythem?Mymother,beinga goodand
faithfulBuddhist,alwaysservedapples,symbolicofpeace,
whichiswhatshewishedforusandtheworld. CHEFKENHOM→KEN HOM’S TREASURED FAMILY RECIPES
60 deliciousmagazine.co.uk
THEMENU
(SERV ES4 - 6)
Steamedstuffedbitter
melonwithblackbean
sauce
%
CrispyCantonesefishrolls
%
Mymum’ssteamed
chickenwithChinese
sausage
%
Caramelisedappleswith
sesame