在圍村吃盤菜 Eating Poon Choi

盆菜源自中國南部，在過去幾十年一直是香港圍村過年及主要喜慶時的餐食。
Poon Choi originated from southern China, and in the past decades has been a common dish in the rural villages of Hong Kong, eaten over the Chinese New Year or when there is a major event or celebration. Strictly speaking it is a meal in itself as poon means a big bowl, and choi means vegetable or food. All the food are served in a single big bowl hence its name.

盆菜裏面的材料沒有特別的規定，但通常底層是腐竹，炸豆腐，白蘿蔔及豬皮等比較便宜以及能吸收菜汁的食物。之後一層是鯪魚球，魷魚乾，冬菇及蔬菜。而蔬菜一般是芹菜或豌豆，這些可以較長時期熬煮而不會爛的蔬菜。再上一層是炆豬肉，這是盆菜的精髓，往下流的肉汁，被底層的豆腐及豬皮吸收，變得特別美味。因為盆菜是圍村菜，所以食物不會太過豪華，最上面的一層通常是白切雞，有時會有蝦子。這對傳統圍村人來說已算奢侈。近年一般香港人都流行吃圍村盆菜，但很多酒家為了可以買得更高的價錢，加入很多山珍海味。這根本就不是傳統的圍村盆菜。我覺得有點討厭，把這美食弄到越來越偏離傳統，有點不倫不類。
The ingredients in Poon Choi are layered into the bowl, normally with beancurd, white radish, fried pig skin at the bottom. These are the cheaper ingredients and can soak up the yummy flavour from the upper layers. The other ingredients varies, but normally next on are fishballs, dried cuttlefish, dried mushrooms and vegetables such as pea pods or celery. The next layer is braised pork which is the essence of the meal as that's where most of the flavour comes from. Since this is a rural village meal, there aren't normally any expensive ingredients, and the final top layer is chicken and sometimes prawns, these being the most extravagant ingredients for the villagers. There has been a revival in the popularity of Poon Choi in Hong Kong in recent years, but the restaurants have added all sorts of really expensive ingredients to it so they can sell at a much higher price. It really annoys me when people mess up something traditional in order to profit from it.

我的祖先是香港圍村人，也是所謂的原居民。每年在正月十六村裡都會舉辦盆菜宴。盆菜宴會在圍村裏的陸陞堂舉辦。陸陞在廣東話跟六姓讀音接近，代表當年村裡六個不同姓氏的家族。
In my ancestoral village in Hong Kong we have Poon Choi every year on the 16th day of Chinese New Year, this day signifies the end of the Chinese new year celebrations. The event is held at the communal village hall called Luk Sing Tong. Luk Sing represents the six surnames (original families) of our village and Tong means communal hall.

村民會每四年輪流負責舉辦盆菜宴。以前我們是自己煮盆菜，功夫蠻多，需要在幾天前開始準備。盆菜會在陸陞堂裏面的公用廚房用這個用柴燒的大鑊煮。
There is a four year roster where families takes turn to organise this event. When I was a kid, we used to cook our own Poon Choi which was a mammoth task. Preparation would start a few days ahead and cooking would be in the communal kitchen using this massive wood burning wok.

兒時我會跟嬤嬤(爸爸的媽媽)一起去吃盆菜。那時候的盆菜宴較簡單，沒有桌椅，還需要自備筷子及飯碗。每幾家人大概十個人會一起共享用一個盤菜，自己找道矮牆放盤菜或直接把盤菜放在地上圍著吃。雖然聽來有點原始，但兒時卻很開心，可以玩又可以吃。

今年村裏的盆菜剛在這個星期六舉行。現在盆菜宴較舒服，有桌椅和碗筷供應。村裡年青人越來越少，所以現在已再沒有自己煮盆菜，而是從外邊買回來。除了年青人，其實村民人數也不多。從相片中可以看到大概有四五十人，大部分都是仍然住在村裏較年長的一輩，其他很多人不是已搬到市區就是去了外國。不過，有些在外工作及生活的年青人也會回來享用這每年一次的盆菜宴。這些照片就是多得我的哥哥及弟弟參與這次盆菜宴並幫我拍的。

I used to go with my grandmother when I was a kid. The event was pretty informal and primitive, and we would have to bring our own rice bowls and chopsticks. A few families, around 10 people would each take a Poon Choi and share it between us. There were no tables or chairs, so we would find a ledge or just place the Poon Choi on the ground and gather around it.

This year's event in our village happened this Saturday just gone. Nowadays, it is more civilised and is a sit down event. Due to the lack of resources (dwindling young men), we now buy in the Poon Choi instead of cooking it ourselves. Our village is quite small and you can see probably around 50 people here. Most are the elderlies who still live in the village with a handful of the younger ones who have come back for this annual event, including my brothers who helped me to take these photos. Thanks bro!