Chirp chirping year

How embarrassing but it did seem like I missed last year's Chinese New Year post.
Not that we did anything different before but this year is special. I am beginning to enjoy it (more). Maybe I am just getting a hang of it.

We welcomed the year of the rooster at home with some home cooked meal. Mostly courtesy of my aunt.

This isn't quite home cooked, only store bought. Quite sad that most of my yee sang this year was lackluster to say the least. However, I hold onto the hope that they would still work their magic on the year.

If there's one thing that my family enjoys, it'll be chili. In many different reincarnations. On the bottom right is spicy pork liver. Don't ask me but that's how my family rolls.

Braised pork intestines. When done right, these can be quite mean. However, it is still a very much acquired taste.

Roast duck which my sister bought from Petaling Street. While I am no roast duck aficionado, why does every rave over these? So much so that you need to make reservations ahead to collect them in time for reunion dinner.

Fish maw stir fried with pineapple and chilli. Sweet and slightly spicy, these are more bearable than the pork organs.

Mushroom and pork stew. These go very well with white rice. Yes, I ate quite a bit of those =(

Chinese waxed meat. Duck, sausage, pork, you name it, it's probably here. The only thing that these are good for is making the rice fragrant and more inviting by lending the rice some of its oily goodness. The flavor also permeates into the rice if left to cook together long enough. That's how my mother fattened me up as a kid. fml.

Vegetarian dish. Many Chinese people go on vegetarian mode on the first day or at least for the first meal. We really don't carry that tradition but do like this awesome dish. My aunt makes a very good one. It just looks like a lot of effort and I'll pass.

Rendang chicken. Something non-conventional for a reunion dinner but I like it. Similar to the Malay version but less coconut milk and more spices.

Tomato sauce prawn for the kids. Apparently, fishermen (and the likes) would haul up their catches from the sea weeks (or maybe months) in advance and deep freeze it. As the lunar new year approaches, they'll slowly introduce these 'fresh' catch back into the market at higher prices. Unethical. Also, I am never ever going to buy frozen fish to cook at home ever again. Not because they weren't fresh (not so obvious unless steamed) but my lack of fish cleaning skill means whacking the heads off.

Anyway, our reunion dinner was like the year before but it wasn't. For starters, I exerted enough self control not to over eat. Nor did I have a second helping of rice. Concentrated more on the veggie and meat and soup. Best part is, no overdose on Coke. Or oranges. Or cookies. But that's not to say that I didn't gain any weight.

Actually, I don't really know because I stopped weighing myself eons ago after my jeans got tight.

The celebration in Klang used to be on a much grander scale. At any time during the peak hours, you will be dazzled by fireworks at every direction. Over the years, things have subdued. There are still dazzling displays of money going up in smoke but the skies aren't as brightly lit now.

This is the view from my bedroom. From my PJ room, I get an overview but here, it's akin to standing underneath them. The noise is unbearable regardless of location.

On the first day of the rooster year, we hung out at home, watching the idiot box. No gambling, not much visiting. My aunt made some tong yun with chopped peanuts to roll them over like mochi from the night market. Not too sweet but I prefer my tong yun in a ginger soup, thank you.

My aunt's faithful companion, a Jack Russell named Brandy. So faithful it was that it wanted to come inside the house via the front grill. Brandy didn't realize that it was no longer the small or fit puppy it used to be and got stuck. While trying to free it, I couldn't help but to laugh. You so fat that you cannot pass through.

Steamboat is another popular choice for reunion meals. An obvious choice when you are too tired after having slaved in the kitchen for the day.

Fresh greens and mushroom. Fried bean curd skin. All bought. All fresh.

Home made pork balls which are really the leftover filling from the dumplings. Fake abalones on the top left. I love these.

Commercial fish ball, fish paste. These were a bit too fishy tasting.
I like baby corn. Why do people have canned baby corn? Just odd.

Couldn't google what's that top left but it's another favorite of mine. Overcooked and it gets rubbery but damn, it goes very well with chili. Chopped or blended, it doesn't matter. Must have noodles to finish off the meal properly though at this point, we had way too much food.

More prawn for a happy year and fish maw because we had leftover.

I wish that this will not be the last of it.