Poon Choi (盆菜)

Last Thursday, I went to eat Poon Choi with colleagues at Flemington hotel. What is Poon Choi?
When I googled, I found the below definition.

Poon Choi also known as pun choi or Big Bowl Feast, is a traditional type of food originated from Hakka cuisine. It may also be found in different parts of Hong Kong. It is served in wooden, porcelain or metal basin. Before the dish was served. We all were busy taking photos for each other. You took for me and I took for you.

Finally, the great dish arrived.

Here it was, the star of the night. Everyone was flashing their camera on it alone.

Second layer.

Third layer.

Fourth layer, the whole chicken appeared at the bottom of the dish.

Lucky me, got the drumstick.

The very last layer.

"Mei Ren Zhau Jing" (Direct translate will be beauty looks at mirror)

While taking dessert, we had the waiter taking a group shot for us.

The dessert was the longan and honeydew in blended ice-cream. Yummy!

Poon Choi includes ingredients such as chicken, fish maw, prawn, dried mushroom, squid, dried eel, roasted pork, yam, lotus, brocoli, Chinese radish and etc. Poon Choi is special in that it is composed of many layers of different ingredients. It is also eaten layer by layer instead of "stirring everything up", but impatient diners may snatch up the juicy radish at the bottom first using shared chopsticks. Traditional Village Poon Choi is served in large metal washing bowls with a perforated metal plate at the bottom to keep food from burning, as it is kept warm on a portable stove as it is being served. Some restaurants or providers change the poon choi and add fresh shrimp and fresh oyster instead of dried ones. This increases the potential risk of contamination by bacteria that causes disease. It has to be cooked thoroughly.

It is often served during religious rituals, festivals, special occasions and wedding banquets in open area of villages.