Reunion Dinner 2011

I was pretty excited about this year's reunion dinner simply because we would be eating at home! That is something we have not done for a long time. Indeed for the past many years, the whole family would flock to a restaurant to eat forgettable dishes at exorbitant prices. Every year, we went home dissatisfied.

This year, however, due to Grandma's limited mobility, the family decided to eat at home. Everyone contributed a dish, and the tables were filled up in no time.

There were ...

A cold dish which consisted of salad prawns, smoked duck, drunken chicken, ham, bean curd, fruit salad, and a hot and spicy jelly fish. I liked the sweet, sour, tangy and crunchy jelly fish, and also the drunken chicken. The steamed fresh chicken flavoured in hua tiao wine was sweet, tender, juicy.

Roasted duck

Roasted chicken

Home-made Five-spice pork belly

Meat rolls
I don't usually like meat rolls. But this year, Mom's meat rolls are worth a mention.
The meat rolls are firm and bouncy. The minced meat and seafood did not overpower, and was nicely balanced in flavour.

Kacangma
Aunt used glutinous rice wine to cook the chicken with, and as a result the herbal broth was really sweet. Just the way I like it.

Beef rendang

Steamed White Pomfret

Mashed potatoes

Sea cucumber and Leek Stir-fry
I loved the assortment of textures and flavours in this dish that Mom cooked. The sea cucumbers and cuttlefish were really bouncy, the leek was chewy and the shiitake mushrooms was thick and had sponged up the flavours of the rich oyster sauce and hua tiao wine.

Stuffed Bittergourd Rings
Uncle stuffed the bittergourd with meat and fish. This taste was light and refreshing.

Crab Meat Lettuce Wrap
Aunt stir-fried shredded black fungus and carrots with crab meat and served on individual leaves of lettuce. Yum. I liked.

For dessert, we had agar-agar.

There were also 2 types of soup, which unfortunately, I forgot to take photographs of. Lol. First Aunt cooked Bak Kut Teh, and Mom made the traditional fish maw soup which is a must-have at home.

People say that it's not what or where you eat, but whom you eat with that matters. Well, I fully agree, except that if you eat what you like with in the presence of your loved ones, then it's all the better. I look forward to many more reunion dinners at home with the family. ;)