April 30, 2010

Fuzhou : Special Niik Yien (wantan) in Three Lanes and Seven Alleys

1118 Foochows led by Wong Nai Siong came in three batches in 1901 to settle in Sibu. What were their thoughts? Even though they were leaving a great land impoverished by Manchu rule and even though they had been ravaged by famine and starvation the greens and the water of the Rajang must have seemed more a paradise than a impossible unbreakable jungle.

Would they have thought that they had jumped from a frying pan to a fire?

110 years have passed. Today 1118 stars have been embedded in the Wong Nai Siong Memorial Garden in Sibu to represent each one of them. Both my paternal and maternal grandfathers had a star each. As a young but keen listener their stories and their lessons made imprints in my mind - imprints of the food and of the humble homes that they left behind in China. My parents themselves had never been to Ming Chiang to see for themselves. Now I am in my senior years I am able to go to Fuzhou alas as a mere tourist-researcher of a different nationalisty even - not to return home (or tuon Dong San). Although I still speak the fossilised version of Ming Chiang Wah (my grandparents' accent) my Mandarin is only passable as I have been like my uncles and aunts educated in English.

When meeting face to face with any mainland Fuzhou or Chinese I had that kind of stranger's fear in my eyes!! We are similar in our blood and yet we are thousands of miles apart.

Even when taken to a "wantan shop" I was surprised that their Niik Yien was not what I thought to be - its making - its texture - and its taste although we were prepared by Mr. Huong that what we were about to eat was different from the Nanyang fare.

My Foochow forefathers must have missed their Niik Yien during the early days of the Sibu settlement. Did they miss the taste as much as I would miss steamed Foochow Red Wine kampong chicken when I was in England? Did they miss hearing the pounding of the wooden mallet on the chef's block during a festival like I missed hearing my mother's Chinese cleaver chopping on her ting peng? I know my maternal grandmother used to tell us that she missed the bamboo clapper and the Foochow songs . She missed the telling of the time when the "watch man" went around striking the LOH for the "watch" or every three hours.

For those who have not read up or who have not heard stories about this dish it would be an interesting study. Eating it is another matter in Fuzhou.

You will be so surpised that this is NOT wantan or wonton or Yun Tuan or bian niik! The skin or wrapper is entirely out of this world tasty. It makes all the difference. It was like a great gastronomical discovery.

Famous chef who is very charismatic and talented. The wantan skin is actually minced meat pounded to micro thin film with a wooden mallet. It is a very long and tedious process and it is no wonder that he has won many awards both in China and abroad!! He came to the front of the shop to welcome our group from Sibu. He is a personal friend of Mr. Huong who took us around this tourist area. Bless their hearts.


This is a bowl of Niik Yien - very different from the wantan that we have in Malaysia. So please have a few bowls of this wonderful Niik Yien in Fuzhou City....






 The poster says it all in Chinese - Old brand and award winning business.


April 29, 2010

Fuzhou : Three Fruits of Ming Chiang

Seasons come and seasons go. And if you live in Fujian for sometime you will know that soon a season ends by the appearance of a fruit or a disappearance of a favourite flower. Nostalgia can set in when you see that people are eating the last of your favourite fruit. And then you give a sigh - time passes by so quickly. And when you look at the mirror the first white hair has appeared!! Age has surely and firmly come upon you!

Or hope springs in your heart when you see your first watermelon! Perhaps your heart will give a stir for a summer adventure.

We are all different in how we perceive our world. Perhaps happiness for me is seeing the first rosebud.Perhaps happiness for you is seeing the first little rabbit jumping in the field!

With Spring and early summer many fruits will be harvested in Fujian.  April in  Fujian has given me the opportunity or even once in a lifetime chance to eat the glorious Fujian fruits of my ancestors. One of the popular ones is the peach:


This is the Fujian Pipa. Sweet and juicy. Even its skin can be eaten. But I understand that Taiwanese are particular. They will peel the skin off.


And this is the pride of Fuzhou : the Kana...still green it is tangy and has as little stickiness. I suppose it is an acquired taste. Having been brought up only to enjoyed the preserved types I find the fresh one a little difficult to eat. The juice too is not what every one may like. However people over there order it like we order Kalamansi  juiceor Air Limau here.



There are other fruits like little Li or li tzi and apples. I bought some nice plums and pittaya.

April 28, 2010

Gifts you can bring back to Malaysia

 Fujian has become as tourism-centred as Taiwan!! Almost every product is well packaged and well shelved. Some of the well appointed shops in fact are selling both China and Taiwanese products.  They all look so good.

The restaurant Cheng Zhai Cheng a Ming Chiang cuisine restaurant is still so new that we could not buy the products displayed at their tourist centre yet....but looking at the products were were very impressed how good and attractive the packaging is.


Fujian tea - one of the best in the world.


Good rice wine.


Ming Chiang has three important "treasures" - mi hoon - olive- chau chai  but actually there are many other good and worthy products as well.


Olives


Hoong Ngang or big rice vermicelli. (Won't become gluey and won't break)
Too bad we did not have enough luggage allowance to buy all these products.

Fuzhou : Min Opera (Pin Ju)

After a lovely lunch we headed towards a Pin Ju Theatre or Min Opera Theatre whose consultant is non other than our talented Mr. Huong (who is also an opera singer).I was literally transported to another transfixing fantasy world!! Mesmerizing indeed! Good music! Happy and sad stories! Intelligent bantering! Beautiful performance.


Yeh Fang standing at the beautiful door. The Chinese signage says "Fuzhou City Opera Troupe"



This is the frontage of the lovely refurbished Foochow opera theatre funded by the government and supported by the Foochows.

The wooden structure is the public gallery of the Foochow Opera House. All wood and very airy this is of the ancient design.  It overlooks the main hall downstairs. In the olden days landlords and wealthy families (sponsors of the shows) would have the front seats in the main hall and drink their tea while being served by their servants. The poor people crashed in and would stand shoulder to shoulder here to have a view of the beautiful opera. Today it is a nice verandah but its function is still the same except that there are fewer viewers and interested fans looking for a place here. Fans now can sit in  main hall which can sit more than 300 .

Mr. Huong welcoming us with the manageress of the theatre standing on his left. On his right is Wong Meng Lei looking at a Fuzhou product. The performance was personally and specially arranged by Mr. Huong for the visiting Foochows from Sibu. We are indeed very honoured by this welcome and warm gesture. One of a kind in this world.



This is the opening number - fairies landing on Fuzhou!! with all the major musical instruments. I have only seen this kind of performance on CCTV9 (but in a different dialect)!!


This young man is very talented and is following his famous father's footsteps - sing Foochow opera songs with the help of bamboo clappers  and  bronze gongs.

This is a beautiful and young singer who sings as she plays the very complicated Chinese "Chen" a string instrument.



"Chi liu pek liu mae bi hook chiu......" (Say that in Foochow) Do you know what that is?


It is so good to see young and beautiful people taking up the challenge to perform in Min Opera.


A part of the audience - obviously enjoying a great afternoon of Foochow entertainment - the benefits were greatly felt by the Sibu visitors.



Min opera, known as Fuzhou drama, is one of major operas in Fujian Province. It enjoys a good popularity in Fuzhou, Middle Fujian, East Fujian and North Fujian where Fuzhou dialect is spoken, as well as in Taiwan and Malaysia and Indonesia. It became one of the major Chinese operas (besides the most famous Peking Opera) in the early 20th Century.


The music for voices in Min Opera mainly consists of Yangge, Jianghudiao, Douqiang and Xiaodiao, with accompanying musical instruments including horizontal flute, suona, touguan, erhu, yehu, Qing drum, war drum, gongs, cymbals and chime stone.

Roles in Min Opera are also classified into "12 roles": Xiao-sheng (handsome gentlemen), Lao-sheng (virtuous old men), Wu-sheng (young warriors), Qing-yi (sedate ladies with dignity), Hua-dan (either vivacious young girls or viragos), Lao-dan (old females), Da-hua (actor with a painted face, category I), Er-hua (actor with a painted face, category II), San-hua (actor with a painted face, category III), Tie, Mo and Za.

There are more than 1000 plays of Min Opera, most of which originates from folk tales, historical novels or ancient legends, including such traditional plays as "Making Seal", "The Purple Jade Hairpin" and "Switching Fairy Peach with Litchi".

(You can improve your Foochow dialect by attending this kind of performances!)

Fuzhou : Juchuangyuan Lunch

 psst......I am borrowing this picture from Amoymagic...until I get a good one from my Sibu friends. On the day I took the outdoor photos my Sony went into a coma.

A special lunch was arranged for us by Mr. Huong (the man who has magical Foochow connections) at Juchuangyuan where we were putting up. Juchungyuan Hotel was established in 1860's.

It was a Foochow banquet with exquisite imperial cutlery and table settings. The lazy Susan is one of the biggest I have seen and the table was for twelve . It was the first time for many of us to have a taste of Fuzhou Olive Juice - one of the treasures of Fuzhou.


The hors doeurves(appetizers) were placed carefully and one by one on the table with a proper and almost imperial introduction by the pretty and well poised waitress.


Litchi Pork

Oyster Pancake - Fantastic.



Baos

Fresh and tender wine lees pork slices for the bao.


the lovely hot pot for the Big Combination Soup.


The Chak Hui Tuai Tong (Big Combination Soup)
This is a soup you can have several helpings because it is just too good. Drinking the soup in a cold day would remind you of your grandparents and send you down nostalgic memory lane! The goodness of the soup includes the expensive  razor clams and pig stomach and fish maw hides itself discreetly. The taro pieces will provide the sweetness of the fertile land.

I learned from Mr. Huong that Foochows eat razor clams before August for after that month they get pregnant and the taste of the flesh is changed entirely. I think we have to learn from our elders the wisdom of eating seasonal food and the biology of our seafood!!




Famous fish steamed Foochow style with soy sauce and tomato sauce with vinegar. Foochows have great fish for their banquets because it is a city  by the Min River and the sea is just a few miles away. You can be served two fish dishes even.


The juice of the local Fuzhou Ka Na - olive . Exquisite.

The impressive lunch with snippets of information from Mr.Huong and good wine made  the meal so unforgettable!

P/S The Big Combination Soup or Chak Hui Tuai Tong is a Big Dish for the Foochows since time immemorial. (Stay tuned for the recipe).

April 27, 2010

Three Lanes and Seven Alleys of Fuzhou

One of the lanes will lead to a huge portion of Ming and Qing living quarters.


One of the lanes has the history of Foochow Fish Balls
Image may contain: 4 people, including 邓万秋 and Wong Meng Lei, people smiling, people sitting and indoor

Tasting the authentic Foochow fish balls in Fuzhou - Yong Ho Fish Ball Shop
Image may contain: 4 people, including Wong Meng Lei


Image may contain: 2 people, outdoor

Fuzhou : What does it mean by "Three Lanes and Seven Alleys"?


A lovely Google photo of Fuzhou's Three Lanes and Seven Alleys.


The bird's eye view of Three Lanes and Seven Alleys

One of the most visited places in Fuzhou City is the Three Lanes and Seven Alleys Historical Site.

Each lane and alley in this ANCIENT complex has its own special name which is given by its own history and story.

The THREE Lanes are Yijin (衣锦) Lane, Wenru (文儒) Lane and Guanglu (官禄) Lane.

And the SEVEN Alleys are Yangqiao (杨桥) Alley, Langguan (郎官) Alley, Anmin (安民) Alley, Huangxiang (黄巷) Alley, Taxiang (塔巷) Alley, Gongxiang (宫巷) Alley and Jibi (吉庇) Alley.

In this complex visitors will be able to see a lot of architectural features and residences of many outstanding Foochows e.g. Lin Zexu, Bing Xin,etc.

Nanhou Street, the landmark of Three Lanes and Seven Alleys

A landmark in the Three Lanes and Seven Alleys is Nanhou Street sitting at the axes of the whole complex. It used to be an important business street where is gathered the most shops of traditional handcraft in Fuzhou, such as mounts and festival lantern's. The length of the street is 634 metres. Nowadays, this street has become a busy street with the modern businesses, like bars and cafes and shops of traditional feature.

Also, in Three Lanes and Seven, you can taste traditional Fuzhou dishes such as Fuzhou fish balls, litchi meat (fried pork with potato in sweet and sour sauce ), and Guobianhu (the crispy burnt rice at the botton and sides of the pan), and many more.








Source of information from :
Apple Travel Xiamen Office (Main Office)
Address Shop 18-20,Guanren Rd (behind the Marco Polo Hotel)
361006 Xiamen,
Fujian Province, China



-->

Fuzhou : Yu Shan


-->

Yu Shan In the heart of Fuzhou 

Yu San faces Wushan Hill (Wu Hill)  and is about 58.6 meter tall Image result for Yushan FuzhouImage result for Yushan Fuzhou

It is actually nine small knolls (Yu Hill / Nine-Immortal Hill) sprawling over an area of 11.9 hectares, swarming with scenic backdrops dotted with religious and historical landmarks. This picturesque tourist sight of Fuzhou resembles a gigantic turtle, while its name Yushan was derived from the ‘Yu Yue’ nomadic tribe who had occupied the area during the Era of Warring States.
Image result for Yushan  hai ta Fuzhou
It was already a resort since Tang Dynasty. It houses the Bai Ta (White Pagoda) on the western hillside , while its twin pagoda Wu Ta (Black Pagoda) is sited on southern hillside, opposite of Bai Ta. 


These two significant towers together complement the symbol of Fuzhou City.

Built in the year 905 AD, the White Pagoda which was formerly known as Ding Guang Ta, rose with an imposing height of 67 meters, yet in 1534 AD with a lightening strike, the edifice caved in. In 1548 AD reconstruction of the White Pagoda began and continued for 14 years to complete the pagoda that stands today. As a popular tourist sight in Fuzhou this 7-tiered octagonal tower is an ideal observation deck for visitors to capture a bird’s eye view of the breathtaking cityscape of Fuzhou, and the towering Wu Ta. 


Best of all during the festive season, the twin pagodas create a spectacular sight when they are illumined with myriads of traditional lamps.

Visitors can find easy accommodation at a hotel in the city such as Shangri-La Hotel Fuzhou and discover these fascinating tourist sights in Fuzhou along with other attractions nestled in the area including Wan Xiang Pavilion, Nine Immortals Cave and Zhuang Yuan Peak to name but a few.



-->

Fuzhou : Lin Xe Zu




Lin Zexu Memorial House is located in Macao Street, Fuzhou City, Fujian Province. It is sited in the famous Three Lanes and Seven Alleys.

Perhaps it is not known to many overseas Chinese that there was a great anti-opium hero: Lin Zexu. Chinese school books and many history books written for Malayan schools in the past would not have Lin Zexu in the syllabus.

This Foochow hero was a patriotic politician, ideologist, and poet in Qing Dynasty. He was born on Aug, 30th, 1785 in a poor family in Fuzhou, Fujian Province. When he grew up, he became an official of the Manchu Government. He was incorrupt and honest. He cared for the civilians and was admired by people of that time. During the Opium War, he advocated opium prohibition and was against the invasion of western capitalism. He confiscated and put to the torch a great quantity of opium in Humen in Guangzhou City, Guangdong Province. That’s the famous Destruction of Opium in Humen, an event that startled the whole country. Lin Zexu made great contributions to protecting the state sovereignty of China and the interests of Chinese people.

In fact Chinese historians  if not the others speak highly of him. Indeed Lin Zexu was the first Chinese in modern China who opened his eyes to look at the world.


The memorial house has an area of more than 3000 sq meters. It was constructed in the site of Lin Zexu Temple in 1982, which was built in 1905. The memorial house mainly displays Lin Zexu’s life stories. Inside the house, there are couplets, letters, manuscripts, and notes written by Lin Zexu. Besides, many objects used by Lin Zexu are displayed in the house.



Lin was  the first man who advocated Chinese to learn advanced technology from Western countries.

Flower Lane Church in Fuzhou City

Prayer meetings at Flower Lane Church : 6:30-7:30 and 7:30 - 8:30 every day from Monday to Saturday.

I had the opportunity to join these prayerful folks. Those who wanted to pray aloud would take turn to pray loudly and very fluently either in Mandarin or in foochow.

The moments I spent here were really intense and I felt that God's presence was amongst the people who were sincere and earnest in their prayers.

After the prayer meeting Meng Lei and I had a chance to speak with a few ladies outside the church.










The government has funds to improve the old church and indeed has plans for a huge new church in this plot of land but the congregation is not positive about demolishing the ancient buildings. Perhaps another piece of land could be given by the government for the purpose of a new church building. More 10 000 believers worship here every Sunday.

I was very touched by the caring attitude of these praying Foochows who come every morning to pray together and to petition to the Almighty for forgiveness and blessings. Many would kneel in the front after the session is over to say more prayers quietly.

I have walked on hallowed grounds with the ancient ones. Indeed a holy moment.

Foochow Long Yien (Home made Foochow Egg Pancake Noodle)

My documentation is not chronological . I am writing about the best and most impactful events first like the one that I am going to relate below.

During the early days of Foochow settlement in Sibu not many of the frugal rubber tappers would spend their hard earned money on snacks in the town . At the most they would buy a few cents worth of kong pian (guang bing or kompia). At home their wives and  their old China born mothers would be able to  make a special snack called Long Yien or Egg Pancake Noodle if they did not have mien sien or mee sua in their keep safe(recycled biscuit) tins.

My translation of the term "long yien" is still short of the real meaning of the term. (The name on the menu list is the second one from the right in the first picture.)

This trip to Kutien in Fuzhou gave my team and I a chance to taste the Long Yien Soup several times. Indeed we were glad that one contact in Kutien even arranged for a demonstration. How nice it was to taste once again the snack my grandmother and aunts used to make so long ago downriver in Ah Nang Chong (Lower Nang Chong Village).

Here the nice cook prepares the batter of egg and flour for the pancake. (22/4/20l0)

She fries the pancake using a wok. - This is what we call "long yien".

Long Yien waiting to be cooled and cut into strip-like noodles.

A deep wok of soup is prepared (clams and vegetables and minced meat) when it is boiling hot the egg noodles are added. Fantastic!

Here we are enjoying the bowls of long yien. The sweet Kutien lady standing tells us the intricate details of the long yien.

Sitting down next to the road with my friend Yeh Fang and Frank Shu I just cannot help but clarify my memories of my grandmother and how she cooked for us in the bygone days. The texture of the egg noodle is soft and gentle like the love of a grandmother.

suggested ingredients:
  • tea cups of  plain flour (cup could be any size you’ve at home, just make sure you use the same cup / size throughout)
  • tea cups of  best tapioca starch
  • 2 - 3  eggs
  • 1 tea cup of light veg oil
  • 6 – 8 tea cups of water (add in the water until the flour mixture is runnier than pancake mixture)
This dish is usually served on birthdays a long time ago........My grandmother Lien Tie loved this dish. My second aunt (Mrs. Lau Pang Kui) is best in making this as she was born in Fuzhou City. As far as I remember not many other people in Sibu can make this dish as well as she can.

Today long yien is still popular as a street food in Kutien (Fuzhou China)

I welcome my dear readers to give me the English name of this dish. Thank you.

For my readers who can read Chinese and for my children especially :
蛋燕是永泰县一道名闻遐迩的特色菜,而以古镇嵩口最具特色。蛋燕也叫太平燕,不管是结婚乔迁升官贺寿等喜庆宴会,还 是朋友相聚家庭接待等一般聚会,蛋燕都是一道必不可少的压轴菜,都是一道争先点名的大众菜。蛋燕象征着幸福美满,平安吉祥,健康长寿。     蛋燕本来是叫蛋面,它改名换姓是跟脍炙人口的“铁印直行”故事有关。我想,太平燕不叫太平面可能受此影响吧。 
    传说明朝正德皇帝曾来嵩口古镇,正值嵩口巡检司周大人下田耕作,司衙大唱空城计。帝令随从衙门口击鼓,紧接着,对面响起鸣锣,遥相呼应。不出一刻时辰,周大人与众兵丁,挽着高泥腿,握紧长锄头,齐集衙门口。帝见巡检司与众兵丁,官不官、兵不兵、农不农,心中纳闷,细问 之下,方知巡检司、众兵丁俸禄少得可怜,要靠自力耕作,艰难度日。再看厨灶锅中,仅蒸着数条番薯当午饭。乡民纷纷诉说,周大人为官不易,勤政爱民,廉洁奉 公,不涉民脂。帝心方悦。周大人猜想来头不小,愧无物奉敬,只能献上蒸熟番薯,暂且充饥。紧挨衙门的邻居煮了一道祖传蛋面送到衙门敬客。正德帝正皱着眉头 啃两口番薯,一看到黄澄澄、香喷喷的蛋面,立即举筷,啧啧赞叹;细细询问,乃知嵩阳名菜叫蛋面也称太平面,龙颜大悦,或许是乡音南北差异,帝将面听成燕, 连连称赞:“蛋燕,香也!”金口御言一出,从此蛋燕名动四方,扬名大江南北!帝返京都之后,颁下一枚铁印给嵩口司,嘱其有紧事直奏天听,行文无须经由府 县,嵩口司铁印直行遂风行闽省。
     蛋燕是传承文化的一本史书。
    小时候,家庭贫困很少做蛋燕,即使做了,也只下少得可怜的蛋;但记得母亲在灶台熟练搅拌、泼浆、翻煎、起锅,起锅时蛋燕就势手掌上转了一圈,啊!简直是在 欣赏艺术品制造。偷偷的摘下一小块,高高的举在空中,轻轻的放到嘴里,慢慢的品嚼着,幸福感迅速弥漫开来。现在,老婆经常做蛋燕,看到女儿吃得津津有味, 顿觉得家庭充盈、惬意、和谐。在酒桌,一遇见色彩黄橙,芳香四溢的蛋燕,就有一种回到家里的安逸感觉。
    蛋燕是承载乡愁的一叶扁舟。
    去年,中央电视台介绍嵩口古镇的特色小吃,把蛋燕的燕理解成燕子的燕,说是蛋燕薄、轻,身轻如燕,因此顾名思义。真是别有情趣的解释。
    蛋燕是传播文明的一个好片。
    蛋燕由精制番薯粉、上等鸡鸭蛋搅拌,再煎烙、切块煮成。
既可以充饥,又可以配酒;既可以干炒,又可以水煮;既有传统意义,又有现实需要;既可以独自出戏,又可以联袂登台; 既可以登大雅之堂,又可以作家常便饭。
    蛋燕色彩鲜艳,味美爽口;营养丰富但经济实惠;色香味俱全,老少壮皆宜。蛋燕取材容易,应用广泛,灵活多样,寓意深刻,是永泰人民生活,乡村文化底蕴重要 组成部分。在游览青山绿水、乡间民居之后,亲手制造并倾心享用一碗美妙的蛋燕,实在是人生的乐事。
    现在,蛋燕已走出了大山,挤进了都市,逐渐成为人们生活不可或缺的一部分。好友文想抓住商机,创办蛋燕生产,我相信这对丰富永泰文化,推动农业发展,加快 农民致富,改善饮食结构,倡导健康生活,都具有十分重要的意义。小小蛋燕可以做称大文章。我朋友也一定生意兴隆,财源滚滚。(Source: http://zhangpeifen.blog.sohu.com/142267296.html)

Soh Mien on First Day of Lunar New Year

 Today 10.2.2024 is the first day of the New Lunar Year of the Dragon. Yes I have cooked the chicken and made the soh mien. Happy New Year!!...