Poon Choi

Poon choi is a village dish of the New Territories: a large basin filled with layers of separately cooked ingredients, stacked so that the juices run down through them, and set in the middle of the table for everyone to eat from. The order matters, with dried and absorbent items such as radish, pork skin and tofu at the bottom and the more expensive things, roast pork, chicken, prawns, dried oysters, abalone and mushrooms, on top. It was made for clan gatherings, weddings and festivals in the walled villages, cooked outdoors in quantity, and it is still eaten that way, though it is now also sold in city restaurants and packed for takeaway at Lunar New Year.

What to look for

• Layers stacked in one basin - juices running down through the ingredients.
• Communal eating from the middle - one vessel for the whole table.
• Village clan feasts - the setting the dish was made for.
• Lunar New Year takeaway versions - the city adaptation of the tradition.

When to go

Year round, though it belongs to festivals and is most widely available around Lunar New Year. Two to three hours for a meal. Village versions usually need ordering a day ahead and a minimum number of people.

Good to know

It is designed for groups and a table of two cannot realistically order it. Quality varies enormously and cheap versions are dominated by filler. The lower layers can be heavy and greasy. Village restaurants often require advance booking and cash.

Nearby

Kat Hing Wai and the walled villages are where the tradition sits; Yuen Long lies at its centre.