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Saturday, January 28, 2006
Starting up good fortune
Abundance and wealth. That’s what all of the ingredients in a traditional Chinese New Year feast signify to call in a prosperous year.
In a dish called jai, which is usually found on the Chinese New Year table, the ingredients are:
* Lotus seed - signifying having many male offspring
* Ginkgo nut - represents silver ingots
* Black moss seaweed - a homonym for exceeding in wealth
* Dried bean curd is another homonym for fulfillment of wealth and happiness
* Bamboo shoots - is a term which sounds like “wishing that everything would be well.”
And of course there’s the Yee Sang which brings good fortune and wealth in the coming year. It’s a salad made of raw fish, shredded vegetable , herbs and spices.
The Tea of Spring restaurant in Shangri-La’s Mactan Island Rersort and Spa, has special new year’s menus which the media was given a taste of. Yes all are superdilicious and you won’t regret spending new year’s day there, eating away.
On January 29, the restaurant is welcoming whole families for a delicious feast of authentic Chinese culinary treats especially prepared from the choicest ingredients.
In ancient Chinese belief, according to Shangri-La, these dishes symbolize wealth and abundance for the coming year.
One can choose a spread of these traditional specialties in set menus. The savory samplers from Menu A: braised seamoss and sun dried oyster with baling mushrooms, simmered chicken with herbs and scallops and warm peanut cream and glutinous red beans dumplings. Menu B offers delectable dishes such as steamed red garoupa with supreme soya sauce, stir-fried minced pork with black bean sauce and suckling pig and chilled sweetened puree of strawberry and sago pearl with mango ice cream. One may make reservations on 231-8224.
The Yee Sang or Chinese New Year Salad completes the special menu.
Made from slices of raw fish, shredded vegetables, herbs and spices, the Yee Sang is believed to bring good fortune and wealth in the coming year.
Once it is served, says Shangri-La, family and friends gather and engage in a friendly banter while tossing and mixing the ingredients shortly before the meal. It is otherwise known as Low Hei, symbolizing liveliness, prosperity and longevity. In Cantonese, it is also known as Loh Sang, which literally means, “stir up life”.
Translated to business and other endeavors, it means to see something
materialize and become a success.
For Bisaya stories from Cebu. Click here. (January 28, 2006 issue)
Write letter to the editor.Click here.
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