Foodie Friday: Kok Chai

Kok chai: golden fried puffs filled with sweet peanut bits Yes, the Lunar New Year feasting is still continuing in my household. I got a batch of homemade kok chai delivered to me (thanks, fam!). These golden pastries are also known as mini peanut puffs. If you’re a peanut lover, these are an excellent snack! They’re like fried dumplings but instead of being filled with meat and vegetables, they have sweetened peanut bits. The ones I ate also had yummy coconut pieces mixed … [Read more...]

Lunar New Year 2022

Happy Lunar New Year 2022! It’s time for snacking! Honestly, some of my favorite treats pop up around this season. I’m a sucker for those nut-embedded and sesame-studded sticks. They have that winning combo of crunchy and sweet. Tang yuan balls are also fun to eat. I didn’t grow up having these around Spring Festival, but I enjoy their glutinous chewy exterior and hidden interior treasure. (It’s no surprise that, of course, I like the tang yuans with peanut butter filling—see above … [Read more...]

Lunar New Year Feasting

Sihk Gau Daaih Gwai: to have a rich meal like a kingIn Ancient China, the number of dishes served to a person during a meal signified their social ranking. The emperor received nine, while feudal kings got seven dishes. A nobleman ate five dishes, officials three, and ordinary people only two. In those days, people also used vessels called gwai to hold their food; most of these containers were made of wood, although some were created from bronze or bamboo.  Happy lunar new year! Yesterday was … [Read more...]