Poon Choi is a traditional Hong Kong Lunar New Year dish popular in both Hakka and Cantonese homes. The dish is built in three layers: a bottom layer of ingredients that absorb flavours from above, a middle layer of flavourful dishes with rich sauce, and a top layer of more expensive pre-cooked items. The dish celebrates fermented tofu as a signature Hakka ingredient, paired with stewed pork belly, seafood, and vegetables—ideal for family gatherings and special celebrations.
white daikon radishboiled for about 10 minutes until softened, cut into large pieces
pork rindpurchased dried and soaked to soften
fried tofu skin stickssoaked and softened
fermented tofu (nam yu)sold in bottles, cubed
minced garlic
dried squidsoaked overnight to soften
onionhalf for pork stew, half for squid dish
1
shiitake mushroomspurchased dried and soaked overnight
pork bellyfor the main stewed pork belly dish
shallots
saltto taste
sugarto taste
black vinegar
ginger
fennel seeds
star anise
dried tangerine peelsoaked for about 30 minutes, white layer removed
oilfor stir-frying and frying
waterfor cooking
chickensteamed, drizzled with sesame oil and sugar for colour
fish balls
fishcut into pieces, coated with cornflour before frying
cornflourfor coating fish
prawnsfried until orange in colour
black peppera dash for seasoning
broccolifresh vegetable for colour
sesame oilfor drizzling over chicken
Steps
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1
Prepare the pork belly stew by heating oil in a pot, then stir-frying minced garlic, ginger, and shallots until fragrant, then add onion and fermented tofu.
2
Add pork belly and render the fat slowly over medium-low heat, then add fennel seeds and star anise.
3
Add dried tangerine peel and black vinegar, pour in water, bring to a boil for 5 minutes then simmer for about an hour over low heat, seasoning with salt and sugar.
4
Prepare the pork rind dish by heating oil in a pan, stir-frying garlic until fragrant, add fermented tofu, then the softened pork rind.
5
Add water to partially cover, bring to a boil then simmer over low heat until the pork rind is even softer.
6
In the same unwashed pan, add oil and remaining garlic, add the other half of onion, and sauté over low heat until fragrant.
7
Add fermented tofu and soaked dried squid, season with salt and sugar to taste, increase heat to medium and continue cooking.
8
Pour the soaking water from the rehydrated mushrooms into the pan, bring to a boil to extract all flavours, then set aside.
9
Fry the prawns in hot oil until they turn orange in colour, flip and cook through.
10
Fry the fish pieces by coating them with cornflour seasoned with pepper and salt, fry until golden brown, then drain on kitchen paper.
11
Cut daikon into large chunks and boil for about 10 minutes until softened; soak and soften the fried tofu skin sticks.
12
In a casserole or deep bowl, begin layering the bottom layer ingredients: place daikon, fried tofu skin sticks, and pork rind, then heat over medium heat.
13
Pour the reduced gravy from cooking the pork rind, then layer the middle ingredients: squid, shiitake mushrooms, and the stewed pork (without gravy).
14
Top with the final layer: fish balls, fried fish, broccoli, and other pre-cooked items, then pour the stewed pork gravy over everything.
15
Bring to a boil for 5 to 10 minutes to let all the flavours meld together, then keep warm over very low heat while serving.
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