Poon Choi or pen cai - Basin Vegetable dish for Chinese New Year

Poon Choi, also known as pen cai or Big Bowl Feast, is a traditional type of Chinese dish with layers of different cooked ingredients.

It was said that pen cai was invented during the late Song Dynasty. When Mongol troops invaded Song China, the young Emperor fled to the area around Guangdong. To serve the Emperor as well as his army, the locals collected all their best food available, cooked it, and put it in wooden washing basins.

Despite it's humble beginnings, pen cai has been given an exotic makeover with many five star restaurants serving it as an exotic and expensive dish during Chinese New Year with chicken, oysters, abalone, prawns, mushrooms and vegetables.

www.fehd.gov.hk/.../poon_choi.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poon_choi

http://forums.chef2chef.net/viewtopic.php?t=502909

Steamed meat 蒸肉饼

The Chinese name of this dish is "zheng rou bing" or steamed meat patty.

Diced meat, mushroom, waterchestnut, pickles. Mix with egg, flour, sauces and sesame oil and steamed under medium fire to a perfectly soft and crunchy texture. This dish is available in some Chinese restaurants that serve traditional southern cuisine.