Our first encounter with Poon Choi was some four to five years back, while on a business trip to Kuala Lumpur.
And our first home-cooked Poon Choi was in 2009, since then we have been looking and tasting this unique Hakka delicacy when opportunity strikes.
There were good ones and bad ones, and there is a variety of versions that are available on offer by many established restaurants.
Poon Choi is traditionally a Hakka dialect delicacy that is myth to have fed a Song Dynasty Emperor who was seeking refuge from the ensuing Mongols.
Our first encounter with Poon Choi was some four to five years back, while on a business trip to Kuala Lumpur.
And our first home-cooked Poon Choi was in 2009, since then we have been looking and tasting this unique Hakka delicacy when opportunity strikes. There were good ones and bad ones, and there is a variety of versions that are available on offer by many established restaurants.
Poon Choi is traditionally a Hakka dialect delicacy that is myth to have fed a Song Dynasty Emperor who was seeking refuge from the ensuing Mongols.
As the Hakka’s live in the mountainous regions with scarcity in luxurious ingredients and a not so plentiful life, they prepared and cooked what was the best ingredients they could manage or find and layered them into a wooden basin that was then served to the emperor and his loyal subjects.
As time goes by, this unique dining practice has turned into a delicacy that has found its way to Hong Kong’s Yuen Long and made famous by the constant exposure in TVB serials and Hong Kong movies.
Our most recent encounter was at HoHo Food World, where we had the privilege to experience what they could deliver in terms of flavours and ingredient selections in a private sampling session prior to it being officially included in their menu and for 2012 Chinese New Year celebrations.
The Poon Choi is made to order through a lengthy preparation and cooking process which usually takes up to 8 hours. Thus, the Poon Choi is only available by reservation of at least one day before dining.
It is all prepared by their chef who has had years of experience in preparing Chinese cuisines in reputable restaurants in Penang and Kuala Lumpur.
The most luxurious would be the firm and springy sea cucumber, the
flavourful fish maw, the earthy dried scallop and dried oysters, the savoury sea asparagus and freshly fried prawns, and last but not least the smooth firm abalone.
Note that they serve individual abalone for each individual diner, and their Poon Choi caters to 5 persons for the smallest order and up to 12 diners for the biggest set available.
Then there was the well prepared creamy yam and chicken, the smoky roast duck and chicken ham, the firm clam slices, the irony green broccoli, and an array of stewed mushrooms, carrots, radish and Chinese cabbage.
The gravy of the Poon Choi has a light sweet, earthy and nutty flavour with a creamy end from the yam used. It is not soupy like those with have encountered previously, it had a thick consistency which we have been searching for.
Address:
1301, Bagan Bukit Tambun,
14110 Simpang Ampat,
SPS, Pulau Pinang.
Tel: +6016 5205535
Our intentions are simple; they are to share our experience be it good or bad with fellow foodies.”