Baby Full Moon Fare

One thing for sure being chinese definately has its perks...we get to eat all the time. If we can eat in our sleep, we would have done so. When a newborn turns one month old, once again, it's time for a celebration feast. We call that a "Baby Full Moon Fare".

I had the priviledge to host a few of them this few years and it was a wonderful experience for me. This celebration is a modest gathering served at home and the guests are usually close relatives and close friends. These special dishes served are cooked following the chinese tradition.They are mainly the braised pig trotter in black vinegar, chicken in rice wine, curry chicken served with yellow glutinous rice, some red eggs, pickled ginger slices and a traditional dessert called "ang ku" which actually is a sweetened green bean paste wrapped in a red chewy pastry. I have some of these on photos just for your browsing pleasure.

My very own curry chicken recipe for this occassion

This recipe is more to my personal liking. You can make variations by adding some potatoes, kaffir lime leaves or tomatoes along to way. I like to use free-range chicken eventhough some may not appreciate it cos it is not very fleshy. As for me I love the tiny boney bits especially when it's totally soaked in the curry gravy.

1 free range chicken (1.5 kg) cut into bite size pieces 5 Tbsp olive oil for stir-fry

INGREDIENTS Combination (A) 1 bulb garlic 10 shallots 10 dried chillies (seeded and soaked) 6 fresh red chillies 6 fresh bird-eye chillies Combination(B) Curry chicken powder 1 Tbsp tumeric powder 1 tsp white sugar 2 star anise 5 cloves 1 cinnamon stick 2 sticks curry leaves

2 lemongrass

100ml full cream milk

sea salt to taste

1. Pound all combination (A) ingredients in a mortar will fine and paste like.
2. Heat up oil in a curry pot and stir-fry (tumis) combination (A) till fragrant.
3. Add combination (B)
4. Stir a while and put in all chicken pieces, stir till chicken is semi-cooked and add water a little at a time. Bring to boil then simmer for 30 mins.(I like my curry gravy to have a slow trickling effect when I dip in my toasted french bread and chomp it)
5. Add milk and salt to taste.