Chinese New Year Dinner

It is this time in a year that I get to eat extravagantly which later I’d felt a sense of guilt of being gluttonous as if it was a sin to devour each course with full intention to bloat myself without shame because it was Chinese New Year.

All the expensive dishes with special ingredients were exotic to taste. First there was the Yee Sang. It’s a must for starters in Chinese dinner during Chinese New Year. It’s made out of several colorful condiments with seven colors to resemble the rainbow. I would like to name all of the ingredients but I wasn’t paying attention to the details as I was hungry at that time. I know there were shredded pamelo fruit, nutmeg, orange pickle, raw fish, crackers, fried crispy bee hun, cinnamon powder, pepper and some sesame oil plus blackcurrant sauce. There were other unidentified things in it too. I’ve never tasted Yee Sang before. It had filled my mouth with an explosion of flavors. The blackcurrant sauce was the binder for the dish as the pungent sweet and sour taste with pleasant aroma invites you to eat more of it. It was tradition for everyone at the table to stir the dish with their chopsticks together. You have to pick up the shredded ingredients with your chopsticks as high as you can. This symbolic gesture was to welcome increasing wealth, fortune, health, etc.

I’d want continue to describe all the food I had that night but it would not really fit the purpose of the whole event as there were other things going on that night too. The dinner took place in my dad’s restaurant in Bukit Antarabangsa (international hill). It was a gathering for the mualaf (converts) especially Chinese Muslims to celebrate Chinese New Year. My mom and dad are Chinese Muslims who are also members of Chinese Muslim Association. The members would always get together for Hari Raya Aidilfitri and this year for Chinese New Year.

There were about 15 tables with 10 people at each one. Many familiar faces were present. A lot of them I’ve known since I was small. They came in their vibrant colorful Chinese outfits. Everyone looked happy to meet friends. My mom was the pretties that night with her white and soft pink satin Chinese dress. I swore I couldn’t take my eyes off of my mother that night. She shines more with the soft pink veil embedded with glittery pink sequins. She’s a beautiful goddess.

My dad was the busiest that night. He did not have time to sit down to eat properly as he had to attain the guess. I find that he has always been good with people. He has a very good PR with even strangers. I think it came with the experience of being a salesman to managing a factory and now a restaurant. He had met thousands of people and travelled to so many different countries throughout his life. Indeed he is old and wise. I’m glad they married.

It was my first time sitting at a table with my dad’s sons and daughter-in-law. They were really nice people. At the same table as us was a veteran actress named Shariza Mahmod. I don’t really know her but I’ve seen her acting in a few TV series. She’s nice too. My dad said that she is one of the strongest supporters for the Chinese Muslim Association.

Earlier that day, my family and I had gone for a last minute shopping for clothes to wear that night. My parents were busy that we had to do it on the day itself. I’ve got myself a cute Cheongsam! It’s very colorful~ I really like it!

It has always been an interesting part of my life to have diverse culture and celebrations. Although I don’t really get all hyped about it, but I do try to get into it as much as possible. For younger generations, some traditions are followed from the family and it will be much later that they really practice on their own. In a country with so many cultures and traditions we some how intertwine with one another. Having to hear the elders speak and tell stories about traditions is something to treasure. It is like a wrapped up gift which you hand down to someone else that will hopefully open it and tell others after them about the gift. Myths and mythologies. Secrets and folklore. It is what makes them interesting and something to talk about and shared with generations to come.

As we left the restaurant at midnight, we passed a parade of lion dancers going up the hill! Too bad the camera was out of battery~ there were also characters of the Chinese mythology like the Gods and others. It must’ve been an expensive occasion because there were about 20 lions and about 30 big colok (which costs about 100 bucks each according to my dad) plus to hire the characters/actors. But I think it was worth it to them to celebrate this Tiger year with all out grand occasion on top of the hill. The scenery that stretches your eyes through the horizon of the lighted city, added the whole occasion its mystical and Godly atmosphere. Some do spend heaps of money just to recreate what we don’t see everyday that only exists in myths into this modern reality. The firecrackers resonated as the clock stroked twelve to invite the auspicious New Year with a roar.

GON XI FA CHAI XIN YI KUAI LE. ANG POW NAI LE.