Chinese New Year dinner feast at ATFT’s HQ
Gong Xi Fa Chai!
Hope you all had a great time celebrating Chinese New Year or an intimate Valentine’s Day over the last weekend. I definitely had a blast with friends up to the coast to celebrate with me over a dinner banquet feast. As this year is The Year of The Tiger, so the theme for the dress code is “feline”. I’m so glad all my friends are good sport and dressed up for the occasion in leopard prints, tiger ears headbands and tail, and even a drawn-on cat face! I love you guys!
I guess I will never learn. I promised myself not to go through what I’ve been through last year again, preparing a dinner banquet by the courses and frantically running between kitchen and dining room back and forth throughout the evening, and guess what – it happened again this year! My initial plan of a no fuss buffet dinner was soon scraped and the list of dishes to prepare growing gradually even without me noticing, I soon found myself slaving over the hot stove cooking up a storm of 12 dishes! But that’s what Chinese New Year dinner banquet is all about, an abundance of food and happiness to share with family and friends. This will be a pictorial post, and I totally forgot to take pictures of the entree and the soup as I was already stressing out with the meal, and taking photos of the meal is the last thing on my mind. But, let’s the feast begin!
Yee Sang (or Yu Sang) – the simplest and tastiest dish to prepare for Chinese New Year. Yusheng symbolises abundance, prosperity and vigor, so if you are preparing the dish, make sure there are lots and lots of fresh ingredients on the plate for everyone to toss, share and enjoy to the fullest. The Yee Sang should be vibrant and colourful because an ugly looking Yee Sang makes people sad. Also take your time during preparation and chop the vegetable finely as it does make a big difference to the presentation. I also bought a very expensive pomelo just for this dish, I had to have it and it definitely adds a whole new flavour to the dish. The core ingredients of an authentic Yee Sang are daikon, carrot, turnip, young ginger, pomelo, roasted peanuts, crackers, and most importantly, the “yu” – fish – and I used smoked salmon as I have guests that don’t like raw fish. Then, it is all about “tossing” the Yee Sang.
[video by yewenyi]
How to toss a good Yee Sang
1. Get everyone involved, standing up from the seats is preferable, grab the chopsticks and get ready.
2. The host will then sprinkle the white pepper, five spice powder, sesame seeds inside the red packets on top of the salad. Drizzle the plum sauce all over.
3. Toss all the ingredients together until well mixed. Everyone has to say auspicious wishes and phrases while tossing the Yee Sang wishing for a better new year!
4. The higher you toss, the more fortune you get, and get promoted in your career. The messier the better, means fortune is overflowing.
I’ve prepared an entree of Peking Duck pancake, beef tenderloin with horseradish dressing, and quail egg jelly which I forgot to take a photo of. I have also prepared Jane Lawson’s corn potage as the appetite opener, also totally forgot to take pictures of. FAIL! Anyway, here’s the rest of the dishes for the Chinese New Year dinner banquet.
I kept the fried rice simple as I have one and a half vegetarian guests at the party. I loosely followed the recipe of Ka Lun Lau’s A la Chef-God Fried Rice in the COCO book for my tobiko fried rice. The tobiko egg roe does add a new dimension of flavour and texture to the fried rice. I like my friends just gasped when they saw that thick layer of bright orange roes glistening on top of the fried rice.
I followed Ellie (AlmostBourdain) recipe of beef rendang and it works out like a treat. I prefer the beef rendang with a thick gravy instead of completely dry, always good to go with fried rice. Sorry for the ugly photo of a puddle of brown substance above, you just have to take my words for it that it is delicious!
This is always a popular dish with the vegetarians. I used Jane Lawson’s sichimi fried tofu recipe for last year dinner party and proven to be a hit so I did it again this year. Not to mention it is extremely simple to prepare. All you need to do is marinate the tofu fingers overnight and deep fried the next day when ready to serve. The sichimi (seven flavour seasonings) really brings the boring tofu to life, and also you can’t go wrong with a dipping of kewpie mayo on the side.
Another vegetarian dish from Jane Lawson’s Yoshoku cookbook. This is just a simple side dish of roasted pumpkins, butter squash, sweet potatoes and daikon. What makes it fascinating is the shades of golden yellow and orange colour like a full pot of golden nuggets. Gold = fortune, it is always good for Chinese New Year. 
Momofuku fried chicken with Octo Vinaigrette – enough said. You simply have to try the recipe yourself to understand what I am talking about. I am sure Momofukufor2 will agree and teach you how!
Stired fried vegetable hot pot – Someone has to do it. The Buddha’s delight (lo hon jai), a vegetarian dish I’ve prepared by using lots of Chinese vegetables like shiitake mushrooms, wood ears, baby corns, snap peas, and lotus flower. It tasted even better by reheating the leftover the next day and adding some shredded duck meat inside.
Roast pork belly with peanut butter – I have this crazy idea of glazing the roast pork belly with peanut butter that I would really like to try and suspect it will taste great. I took the risk and served the roast pork belly on a plate spread with peanut butter underneath and “OH. EMM. GEE!” It is sinfully amazing! Next time I definitely take extra effort by glazing the pork belly with peanut butter.
Boxing Chicken – I love finger food and boxing chicken will be the best bet for a dinner party. Another easy to prepare recipe by marinading the chicken overnight then deep fried. It’s deep fried, it’s good.
Last but not least, dessert!
Again, Momofuku book is fucking amazing! So as this Cereal Milk panna cotta! I really can taste Cornflakes in the panna cotta! The sweet and salty combination of cereal milk, chocolate “thing” and avocado puree are intense and insane! But I love it! (I know there are a lot of exclamation marks here, but I am truly excited!!!)
Friends. Food. Laughter. I am a lucky man. This year is going to be a good year. Chap Goh Meh is approaching, I wonder whether I should have another big feast like this? Just joking!!!
A Table For Two (ATFT) is Billy Law's food blog that features best eats in Sydney and around the world with drool-worthy food photography to salivate your appetite. I also throw in a smidgen of my food and travel photography for good measure. Billy Law also happened to be a contestant on MasterChef Australia 2011. 
omg I’m so sad that I didn’t get invited to this spectacular event. Everything looks so good. I’m surprised you were able to cook all of these dishes on your own, Kudos to you!
hahah don’t worry the next feast will have food bloggers up here BUT i aint gonna cook them all! Everyone share a plate!
Woooooow. Yeah, all the slaving over a hot stove is absolutely worth it, well done for such a gorgeous feast!
Another year, another feast done. Now there’s just another 360 days till the next one! LOL Game on!
Wowowow what a feast! Your yee sang looks so bright and beautifully arranged
And your dessert!!! Loving the avocado puree. Everything looks delicious, I’m impressed you could do so many complicated courses, we were exhausted after preparing the yee sang alone!
.-= Steph´s last blog ..Violet Macarons with Lemon Curd =-.
Thanks Steph!
Cereal milk should be alright with you? no nuts I think. 
But your yee sang is a work of art!
Looks EPIC, peanut butter pork belly is insane haha! but I’d eat it.
oh yeah, pork belly with PB is totally up your alley! Make Linda roast it with PB!
Happy Chinese New year! What an amazing feast! The tobiko fried rice is so unusual! Have never thought of adding it to fried rice – will have to try that next time!
.-= Rilsta @ My Food Trail´s last blog ..The Cookbook Challenge: Week 13 Love recipe – Rick Katz’s brownies for Julia =-.
Gong Xi Fa Cai to you too!!! Yes this is also the first time I discovered using tobiko with fried rice and it definitely makes a dull fried rice looks a million dollar!
Wow what an awesome looking feast! (with lots of Momofuku recipes hehe) Never imagined pork belly and peanut butter as a winning combination but it sounds great!
.-= Jacq´s last blog ..Pancakes for Shrove Tuesday =-.
Hahaha, my obsession of momofuku has been revealed LOL.
Oh man, the dinner was just purely awesome – and I can’t believe that you managed to prepare these dishes!
I reeeaally loved the pork belly and of course the cerial milk panna cotta! Long drive under heavy rain, but totally worth it!
you are always welcome Yas.
Remind me to cook your favorite pork with boiled eggs next time! 
Amazing feast! Like the idea of sichimi tofu, certainly add more dimensions then just salt and pepper
Very intrigued by the quail egg jelly, is it quail egg inside or on top of jelly or is like a custard made with quail egg?
Not sure you have the COCO book, the recipe is in there. basically is a quail egg set inside a cube of broth jelly.
I absolutely love the first photograph with the capture of the action…excellent post!
Stop by my post for a free giveaway!
.-= Baking is my Zen´s last blog ..Happy Valentine’s Day ~ A Giveaway for You =-.
Thank you for kind words!
Fabulous! The tofu fingers look especially amazing, but once again the photos are excellent!
.-= joey@FoodiePop´s last blog ..Tomislav (Modern Australian) – Darlinghurst =-.
The tofu seems to be a hit. Thanks Joey
Oh yummy! What a fantastic way for you to start the new year. The dessert looks absolutely stunning!
I am just glad is over! LOL but it was a great fun. I definitely will make that dessert again!
You are so talented and I love the effort you put in to create such a fabulous spread of food for your friends.
” The Yee Sang should be vibrant and colourful because an ugly looking Yee Sang makes people sad.” – So true
.-= Ellie´s last blog ..Claypot Bak Kut Teh (肉骨茶) =-.
hahah thanks Ellie! Did you make a yee sang for your CNY? I bet yours will be like out of this world!
Omg peanut butter and pork? Jezus I want! When am I gonna score an invite to one of your awesome dinner parties
.-= Karen´s last blog ..Beef and Beer Tasting Dinner @ Mumu Grill, Crows Nest =-.
DOnt worry i will organise a party and make everyone up here sooon but i aint going to cook 12 courses! LOL
Will you marry me!?
WOT THE?! LOL!
Pork Bellies with peanut butter – yummo!
Yeah it is surprisingly good!
Yet again, I privileged to have been part of the party. Your CNY feasts have become a gleaming highlight in my gustatory calendar, and I’ll be raving about this one for a while yeat. Thank you, thank you, dear friend! xx
Thanks for coming up for the weekend and even dressed up as the tigress! LOL You are always welcome up here for the weekend !
What a beautiful and gorgeous looking feast! You’ve really outdone yourself here! All the best for Chinese New Year!
.-= Peter G @ Souvlaki For The Soul´s last blog ..P.L.T.-Prawn, Lettuce and Tomato Roll =-.
Thanks Peter G, I hope you had a good weekend celebrating and up to mischief! LOL
tossing the salad.
thanks for the video brian
You are amazing!…churning out a feast like this. I love all your dishes. The tobiko fried rice is brilliant! I can imagine the roe popping with every mouthful of rice, what crunch! Also, I will need to try Ellie’s Beef Rendang, they do look delicious. And of course, you’ve mentioned Jane Lawson’s book so many times, I think I will have to get it… you should ask the publisher for a commission!
.-= shirley@køkken69´s last blog ..Chicken Congee – Working With CNY Left Overs… =-.
hahahaha I dont do think very often as you can see.
I hope you find the Yoshoku book, there are some good recipes in there worth to keep in the repository. 
Wow, your cereal milk looks AMAZING and I totally want to eat the fried tofu fingers! What kind of tofu is it? Firm?
Looks like your new year is off to a great start!
.-= steph´s last blog ..How your slow-poached egg shouldn’t look =-.
Steph, yes it is firm white tofu, had to squeeze all the water out first before marination. I hope you had a wondering new year, celebrating with David Chang! well at least his food!
It was fantastic… and actully I think you did great keeping your cool and taking it in your stride as you prepared the mamoth feast. Same time next week?
.-= Peter´s last blog ..Kurrajong, NSW =-.
errr yes, your turn to cook right? I cant wait!
that’s one colourful and creative feast man! And I bought the momofuku book because of you, too haha! It’s actually a really good read
.-= Lex´s last blog ..Merry Christmas! =-.
HAhaa it is ia good cook worth to own and keep.
Man now I feel like going to dine at ur resto before u become another superhero! LOL
Yum~~~
love the idea of Tobiko fried rice..i love love tobiko…
.-= yuki´s last blog ..It’s Jazz Apple Cafe again! =-.
hehehe i love tobiko too, especially i want to pop them individually, even though it can take forever! LOL
I’m also amazed by the amount of food you’ve prepared!! did u have a kitchen hand or a helper?
Ohnn…i always wonder how u make the pictures look so bright and colourful even when they were taken in a low light environment.
My photos usually turn out yellow, any solution for that?
.-= Yuki´s last blog ..Ojo Cafe & Bar =-.
Wait, Billy .. so fellow Ipohan can get an invitation ah?
Oooh, I am very intrigued by the chicken wings now, Momofuku huh?
As simple as it sounds, a great fried chicken recipe is really hard to come by. I think I am going to try making our Malaysian (very popular in Penang) belacan fried chicken. YUM.
Gong Xi Fa Cai and may all your dreams come true.
Billy this is a ginormous feast and ohmygoodness I don’t think I have the stomach stretchable enough for this. Wait. Scrap that. I DO have a stretchable stomach and even if I don’t I’ll still stretch it just for this! Eeeeeeee boxing chicken hurrah hurrah!
.-= Trisha´s last blog ..Valentines Day Post: Lebkuchen Chocolate Covered XO Cookies & A Valentine’s Edible Blooms Bouquet =-.
Oh Gosh…. drool and double drool. It is hard to cook so many dishes. I struggle with it. So I stuck to steamboat!
.-= penny aka jeroxie´s last blog ..Meatless Day Challenge #9 – Carrots & peas risotto =-.
WOAH! What a feast Billy!! Everything looks amazing! Well done on doing this all by yourself. And the presentation of the dessert looks amazing! Damn. I’m jealous of those lucky friends that got invited. Lol!!
.-= Betty @ The Hungry Girl´s last blog ..Spice I Am Restaurant, Darlinghurst =-.
All the food looks fabulous (naturally), but the cereal milk panna cotta sounds amazing!!! Definitely on my list of dishes to make!!! You’ve got me all excited!
.-= Belle@OohLook´s last blog ..Friday Night Pizza – Moroccan Lamb PLUS a Giveaway =-.
Oh wow, what a feast you guys must have had. Love the vidoe and guidelines on tossing yusheng. Hope you had a great CNY and a good start to the Tiger year.
.-= jo´s last blog ..Bang Bang Chicken Salad =-.
Gong Hei Fat Choi Billy. What an awesome spread, well done!! I had to Aussie-a-fy my Yu Sang with smoked salmon as well for the in-laws. Also tried your Bo Saam pork recipe which took 6hrs for a 4kg forequarter – like you said…totally worth the wait *drools*.
.-= Shanks´s last blog ..The BLACK TRUFFLE of Potato Chips =-.
Billy, Happy New Year to you! That is one heck of a meal. The tobiko fried rice is just genius!!! If I didn’t know, I would be the 12346273th person to mistake your blog for a restaurant
Your food looks THAT good.
.-= The Little Teochew´s last blog ..Yam Rice =-.
Man, this looks like it was a seriously great feast! What a fantastic way to see in the new year (at least from a Chinese perspective).
Whooahhh great feast you set up there!! and OMMGZZ PB&PB?!?! Sounds awesome! A must try!
.-= FFichiban´s last blog ..Hayashi – Miyajima Island, Japan. =-.
Happy Chinese New Year Year, Billy! You are one ambitious soul for doing all this work for one meal but you are blessed to have friends who appreciate it =)
.-= mademoiselle délicieuse´s last blog ..Ozeki, 21 Nov & 7 Dec 2009 =-.
Hey Billy, my relos in Sydney want to eat Rainbow Yee Sang during this coming CNY banquet, where would u recommend.. the yummiest CNY banquet that also cater Yee Sang?? Thanks
I probably would suggest go to Alice’s at Thornleigh, they are a Malaysian restaurant that do Yee Sang.