The General Manager of Vistana Hotel Penang, Wayne Lee, recently invited the hotel’s corporate clients, friends, media, and bloggers to the Vistana Penang’s Yee Sang Dinner 2017 at the hotel’s Grand Ballroom.
Chinese Banquet Master Chef Ng Wing Lam flew in from Hong Kong to share innovative recipes with the excellent Vistana Penang’s chefs for Chinese New Year (CNY) celebratory dinners.
Taoist Chinese god of prosperity, “Caishen,” led two lively dancing rumbustious lions amidst clashing cymbals and roaring drum rolls to kick off the dinner.
Chinese New Year (CNY) dinner is a multi-dish roundtable gathering of family and friends. This appetizer or cold dish symbolizes “good luck” and a great start to the New Year.
Yee Sang Dinner
Time for the annual “Lo Hei” or Prosperity Toss.
They are traditionally eaten at a Lunar New Year feast with the family or company’s annual dinners.
This feast at Vistana Hotel has the Yee Sang dish, a colorful platter of shredded vegetables is arranged by color with the raw salmon pieces placed last.
Crunchy bits, pickled ginger slices, sesame, peanuts, and spices are scattered on top, drizzled with a tasty sweet plum sauce before the BIG toss.
My first “Lo Hei” or Prosperity Toss with this Teochew-style Yee Sang is loud, boisterous, and happy.
Everyone yells “Lo Hei” in unison and toss the ingredients in the air.
Being in the company of food bloggers is lovely.
Everyone takes time to take photos. Criz Lai even provided the lighting, carefully angling his flash, so we all took great shots!
We got to upload and post. Spend time online while we wait for the next course. Chatted.
Bliss.
Here are the rest of the best-loved Chinese New Year dishes.
Double Boiled Chicken Soup with Ginseng and Chinese Herbs
Double boiling is a gentle way of cooking soups.
In the hands of a Master Chef, the soup is clear and lightly flavored with a hint of ginseng and Chinese herbs.
Taking the gentle approach, this way of cooking soups takes time.
The double boiler seals all the ingredients’ goodness in, the water level does not evaporate, and the soup remains clear.
The woody herbs retain their shape and do not break nor disintegrate, thus clouding the soup.
I like this delicious, nourishing soup as it isn’t overpoweringly; the balance of Chinese herbs is subtle.
The chicken breast meat is soft, succulent, and suits the poaching method.
Fried Boneless Chicken with Spicy Mayo Photo: Doris Lim
Steamed Red LionFish with Superior Soya Sauce Photo: Doris Lim
Braised Broccoli with Black Mushrooms, Pacific Clams, and Fatt Choy. Photo: Doris Lim
Chef’s Special Deep Fried Prawns Photo: Doris Lim
Gemini Fried Rice with Assorted Meat and Vegetables. Photo: Doris Lim
Double-boiled dried longan and red dated with glutinous rice balls and Sweet Rice Cakes! Photo: Doris Lim
Double Desserts
Double-boiled dried longan and red dated with glutinous rice balls and Sweet Rice Cakes!
Double Boiled Dried Longan and Red Dates with Glutinous Rice Balls
Usually eaten during Chap Goh Mei or the Lantern Festival, the northern Chinese call this Yuan Xiao.
The southerners call these Tang Yuan and eat them to celebrate the Chinese winter solstice.
My first black sesame-filled rice ball was in a food court in Singapore years ago.
Hawkers in Singapore would sell this in sugared water, some slices of ginger, and a massive bundle of pandan leaves.
As sophisticated tastes develop, soybean milk is used instead.
This delightful dessert and an excellent filling touch to the delicious dinner.
General Manager of Vistana Hotel Penang, Wayne Lee with the editor of www.smartdory.com, Doris Lim
For more information:
Vistana Hotel Penang’s Chinese New Year Yee Sang Banquet is from 8 January to 11 February 2017.
For reservations, please contact
Vistana Penang Bukit Jambul
Call: +60 4 646 8000
Email: [email protected]
Vistana Kuala Lumpur Titiwangsa
Call: +60 3 4042 8000
Email: [email protected]
Vistana Kuantan City Centre
Call: +60 9 517 8000
Email: [email protected]
