Gosh!!! I had had such busy weeks preceding the Chinese New Year festival so much so that I did not really have much time to get down to the preparations. That is why the decorations at my house were pretty minimal this year…
…using ang pao packets, mostly and some stuff from last year…
We had a simple reunion dinner at home – me, my missus and Melissa and my missus insisted on cooking a few dishes even though I told her not to bother – we could just go and tapao a few things that we all liked and that would be good enough.
She steamed this fish…
…as it is the customary practice that one must have that for the reunion dinner and she also cooked this five-spice braised duck…
…for the two of us. She does not eat duck herself so that is why she would not be cooking that on ordinary days.
She also made these lokan…
…and added some of her pounded chili, hence the stains of red that you can see in the photograph.
I fried this dish of bamboo clams, with tom yam sauce…
…and for the vegetable dish, my missus cooked this mixed vegetable dish with mushrooms and clams…
Those were the dishes we had that night – nothing much really, nothing elaborate but at least, Melissa felt delightfully thankful that she could spend the new year at home and we could all sit down and enjoy this very significant meal together.
So how was your reunion dinner? Bet it was a lot more grand than this and impressive to the max.
...STILL CRAZY AFTER ALL THESE YEARS! 
simple and nice…
Yes, otherwise will have to eat leftovers for weeks and weeks…
Wow so many dishes for the three of you? we had simple steamboat only this year, couldn’t eat much as i was not feeling well a couple days before CNY…..
Yes, I thought that was a lot for the three of us but traditionally, they must have all kinds of meat and seafood, fish mandatory, cooked in large quantities for their reunion dinner and they would eat the leftovers, heated and reheated, over the next few days till they finished everything…and for the rest of the year, they would eat plain rice with maybe, just a simple dish to go with it. Hope you’re ok now, fit as a fiddle.
I think I answered correctly on which dish you cook when you asked last week in fb!!
All homecooked. So super yummy. All my favourite. That lo ark looks nice. I myself being a Hakka have never cook lo ark before. My mum will cook and keep in container for me to bring over and eat. 😉
My missus is Hakka but my mum’s lor ark is the same though she’s Foochow/Melanau. Their phak lor too kha’s also the same – both a whole lot better than what I can get any place in town.
Home cook meal is still the best…
Goes without saying…
I have my reunion dinner is a week before cny!!!
So early? Then everybody took off and went their separate ways on holiday or something? Doesn’t sound like much of a reunion like that…but I do think the Chinese culture’s dying – will fade out eventually. Most aren’t bothered to practise and preserve it.
Cause my family “reunion” dinner is different, needs to have one with dad then one with mom, so usually have to have it earlier!!!
I see. It’s complicated.
Your house has three great cooks! NO need to go outside to eat so much like me.. 🙂 I would love to try your wife’s lokan… she only cook them during CNY? 🙂
When she buys some. Big ones available right before new year so she quickly bought to make.
I had a moderate reunion dinner with a new member of the family….
Have a great HORSIE year ahead n huat huat huat huat….
Hands full, very busy hor…
Gong Xi Fa Cai! 😀 we still have roughly 11 days of Chinese New Year celebrations still to be had. :D.. Now to post on some of the nice noms my mum made over the holidays :D.. yum
Two sons, none to inherit her culinary skills. You can learn from her and make next year. 😉
I consider this a grand reunion dinner. All looks so awesome. Love the pak lor ark & fish. Yummy!!!!
Ok lah, good enough for the three of us and even then, mostly left over.
ooo, looks like you’ve still got a nice full basket of juicy-looking oranges 😀 i like your dinner. all the dishes look delicious, and i’d be happy with the duck. cool clam recipes too, looks like your family enjoys that! 😀
My missus bought the oranges, we’re not really crazy about those – mainly for display… Gold = prosperity. 😉
“Gong Xi Fa Cai” – Happy New Year for 2014!
Same to you.
Happy Chinese New Year to you and Arthur 🙂
Huh? Never mind, and to you too.
I actually prefer home cooked food but there are 14 of us and neither me nor my mum have the energy to go about it! Your reunion dinner though simple is very nice indeed!
14!!! Good grief!!!! When my in-laws come, there are 12 of us. I can imagine how much cooking needs to be done if one is to do it all on one”s own.
Wow..each of you take turn to cook..hehhe. Awesome. Love the fish most.
No, I cooked early in the morning and then I got out of the way before “the storm arrived…” We are very different in our ways so best to stay out of the kitchen then. Hehehehehe!!!!
I love the fish! 🙂
Steamed fish like that is something I can’t resist. I saw deep fried cod at a banquet and took a little, thinking I wouldn’t like it (usually prefer steamed) but it turned out to be good.
…but not as good as steamed fish!
You’re the opposite of my daughter – she loves anything deep fried including fish, not steamed but she’s learning to eat it lately, unlike before.
That’s quite a lot and very impressive already, considering there’s three of you only. But more important is the significance of a reunion dinner.. 😀
Yes, I loved how my girl was all smiles and happy that we could enjoy the reunion dinner together. Guess it means a lot to her to be home and with loved ones for this auspicious event.
The kueh chap is making me salivate!!!
Wrong post. 😀
Aiks…kueh chap comment is here too? Hmmmm
What I meant to comment was its a yummy feast there. Lots of work to cook up such a feast! Bravo!!!
Not really if one paces oneself. Some things may be cooked earlier, some ingredients may be prepared earlier…. A little foresight and planning will go a long way.
Simple and yummy dinner!!
…and meaningfully significant! 😉