Pun Choi 盘菜 @ Subang

Growing in a conserve family, mother has trained us well to not waste any.

We finish all our food each time. The lights should turn off when it is bright enough. Off TV when not watching. Drink just enough water (kidding).

But no kidding, when I cook, I tend to do it simple. "Ham Pa Lang" (All) in one pot and eat as it is (eat with the pot).



I thought the way will not only save water and detergent during washing, my energy will be conserved because wash less plate.

You see, sometime laziness and saving environment can be concurrent.

*****

盘菜, a Chinese dish serving everything in one pot or basin as it call.


Now, let's have a look on the origin of the dish.

盘菜起源

根據史書記載， 南宋末年， 奸臣誤國， 以致元兵南下進迫， 文 天祥、 陸秀夫、 張世傑等自浙江安徽逃至福州， 立端宗趙 為帝 ( 公元 1276 年 ) ， 因受元兵窮追， 於是再經漳州而至九龍 ， 駐蹕於九龍灣西 [ 即今日之啟德機場， 當時為一小山丘， 後人在此建「 宋皇臺公園」 以誌其事， 現該地區尚存有二王 殿村、 金夫人墓 ( 金公主 ) 、 侯王廟等名稱或名勝， 可以為證 焉 ] ， 後移師向西， 經今日之新界， 新界居民以皇師抵境， 乃殷勤招待， 惟倉卒間， 盛菜餚用具不足， 遂以容量較大之 木盤盛之， 因而成為今日之「 盤菜」。

Dizzy? I bet you. Those are written in complicated Mandarin. Lucky I learned a few years in Chinese school. Let me translate it by using the latest technology... Google Translate service:



According to historical records, the end of the Southern Song Dynasty, Jian Chen misuse of that force into the south-yuan, Wen Tianxiang, Lu Xiufu, Zhang Shijie, such as Zhejiang, Anhui since fled to Fuzhou, Li Zhao-in to Dili  (Year 1276), due to yuan Soldiers pursue, and then again by the Zhangzhou to Kowloon, West Kowloon Bay in the Bi [that is, today's Kai Tak Airport, then to a small hill, and our successors in this building, "Sung Wong Toi Park" to mark the case, now in the region Surviving are two WANG Dian-Village, Ms. Jin tomb (the princess), Hou Temple, and other names or landmarks, will permit Yan], after the move to the west, as the New Territories today, residents in the New Territories to imperial division arrival, is the gracious hospitality However, hasty, inadequate appliances, dishes Sheng, Suiyi larger capacity of the wood-Shing, has become today's "set dishes."



Still dizzy? Well, in a more simple words:


Ancient time, a great general ran away from Mongolian army attack and reach somewhere near Hong Kong. The local was very grateful and prepared a feast for them. Unfortunately, they had no enough bowls and plates. So they used basin to serve for the welcome party. Simple English.

Oh! It was something special for this oily rice. Tasted fantastically good!

Served in a clay pot, first layer looks impressive. Roasted duck, fried prawn and vegetables.

It use green vegetables to divide the layers.

Muscles, mushrooms and vegetables.

The final layer was dong fen (冬粉) soaked with the nice gravy. Very sweet.