Poon choi: A Cantonese highlight of Spring Festival

Cheng Chi Keung, executive Chinese chef at Yue, the Chinese restaurant at Sheraton Grand Beijing Dongcheng Hotel. [Photo provided to China Daily]

Where did you have this dish last year?

At home with my family in Hong Kong.

How many ingredients are there in the dish?

Usually between 10 and 20.

How are the ingredients organized in the basin?

Vegetables such as radish and taro are placed at the bottom so they can be bathed in the broth longer to get a richer taste. The premium ingredients such as abalone, fish maw and scallops are placed on the top. The rest of the ingredients such as tofu and pork are placed in the middle.

What's the correct way to eat it?

Start from the top, and enjoy as it is prepared－layer by layer.

On Spring Festival eve, do people cook this dish at home in Hong Kong?

Yes, it is a tradition. But nowadays, more and more people prefer to eat in the restaurant or have it delivered to their home. Many Hong Kong restaurants have poon choi delivery service.

How long do restaurants sell poon choi during Spring Festival?

Usually until the 15th day of the first lunar month.

Besides Spring Festival, when else is the dish served?

When there are celebrations, such as weddings, birthdays and during ancestor worship.

Jiang Wanjuan's Best Bites of Beijing is published online on Fridays at chinadaily.com.cn and covers the latest happenings in the capital's dining scene.