If there is one thing we can say about the Hong Kongers, it is that we all love our seafood (perhaps a little too much. The variety of seafood used in Cantonese cooking is simply astounding. From the sweet plump meat of prawns to the rich buttery texture of scallops, every type of seafood has its role in our culinary tradition. Seafood is so much more than food. With myriad of cooking styles, it has become a big part of our celebrations and our daily meals. To celebrate the Lunar New Year, a couple of seafood dishes comes to mind as the must-haves during every reunion dinner. Let’s look at some of the common auspicious seafood dishes in the Cantonese gatherings.
Steamed Prawns 🦐
Prawns symbolize happiness and joy (蝦 ha). Steaming them preserves their natural sweetness and vibrant colour, making them a delightful addition to your festive table. The Chinese style of seafood cooking typically revolves around celebrating the natural flavours of the ocean without much alteration. Steamed prawns often take the centre stage of a lavish banquet, showcasing the natural tastes of succulent prawns rather than overpowering the natural sweetness of the prized seafood.
Salmon Yu Sheng / Lo Hei (Prosperity Toss Salad)
Salmon is the star of Yu Sheng / Lo Hei, a traditional Chinese New Year dish where family and friends toss a variety of fresh ingredients to welcome prosperity. This colourful salad features thinly sliced raw salmon atop a medley of shredded vegetables, pickles, and crispy crackers.During the toss, everyone would shout auspicious phrases as loud as possible to bless the group with anything good – luck, prosperity, health.
The reddish salmon sashimi plays an important role in the Lo Hei as it symbolises abundance and good fortune. Laced with honey, sesame, and other fresh ingredients, it is one true delicacy everyone looks forward to during lunar new year.
Broccoli with Scallops 🥦
Scallop is one of the most decadent types of seafood in the Chinese culinary traditions. The Cantonese love their scallops both fresh and dried. The bigger the scallops, the more prized they are. This combination of scallop and broccoli is a banquet classic. A true crowd-pleaser, this recipe signifies wealth (scallops) and prosperity (broccoli). The crispness of broccoli paired with tender scallops creates a harmonious and flavourful dish. At times, the scallops are replaced by braised abalone for an even more luxurious banquet experience.
Steamed Toothfish 🐟
There’s something magical about how the Cantonese culture embraces the ocean’s bounty, with dishes that highlight the sweet, fresh flavours of seafood while respecting its natural taste. Steamed toothfish, with its delicate texture, is a centrepiece that conveys wishes for a harmonious family and successful endeavours.
Choosing a toothfish fillet is often simpler than choosing a whole fish. To start, you will need to understand that toothfish typically come from the deep seas in the coldest waters near Antartica or in sub-Antarctic islands of Australia, France, New Zealand, South Africa, and the United Kingdom. To transport them to Asia, they will likely need to be blast-frozen on the vessels first. This means that all the toothfish you see in the supermarkets, frozen or chilled, are all frozen at some point before. A commercially caught toothfish range between 80–140 cm long and weigh 10–30 kg. Given the large size of the fish, toothfish are usually sold in fillets or portions.
As toothfish is a priced fish with its extremely buttery smooth oily texture, the professionals managing the cold chain need to be very careful in preserving the supreme meat quality. If you wish to pick the best toothfish fillet, simply look for white flesh with no freezer burn and a tight vacuum pack without much frost building up on its surface. This would signify that the cold chain is well-managed. To whip up a simple steamed toothfish, clean the fish meticulously and scatter it with ginger slices and scallions. After steaming, add a dash of soy sauce and sesame oil to the fragrant and glistening fish. The taste is pure, unadulterated by heavy sauces, and that is how Cantonese families prefer to have their fishes. The texture of toothfish is so delicate yet satisfying. For Cantonese families, this fish dish is a must-have at Lunar New Year dinners and family gatherings.
Whole Cooked Lobsters or Crabs 🦞
Lobsters and crabs symbolise strength and resilience. These delicacies are a labour of love, requiring patience to crack open and savour their sweet, delicate meat. It’s messy but worth every effort. Serving lobsters and crabs are a sign of opulence and wealth, displaying the host’s generosity and love towards his/her guests. Eating crabs around a bustling table filled with laughter and chatter is a signature Cantonese gathering experience that stays with you long after the meal is over.
This love for seafood extends beyond the kitchen and into Cantonese culture itself. It’s no wonder that seafood takes centre stage during festivals, weddings, and family reunions. In fact, the Chinese’s love for seafood is more than just a culinary preference—it’s a way of life. And whether you’re enjoying a lavish lobster or a humble fish, the ocean’s treasures have a way of bringing people together, one delicious bite at a time.
