… and the duck, and the prawn, and the, er, sweetcorn. A banquet of many courses is the only proper way to celebrate Chinese New Year, a time that is great for feasting with your family – though that's as many as 70 people in Australian chef Kylie Kwong's case. Her style of cooking – as showcased in her TV programmes and books – may be modern, but it's traditional Cantonese techniques learnt from her mother that form the bedrock of her style. Here, she shows how to blend the old and the new to create a stunning Chinese spread.
My family name, Kwong, was brought to Australia in the Gold Rush days by my great-grandfather, Kwong Sue Duk. Aged 30, he sailed to the north of Australia from his home in Guangdong Province, southern China, in search of new opportunity.
He settled in Darwin, obtained four gold-mining leases and managed the general store. Over the next ten years he travelled back and forth between his two homes and acquired four Chinese wives. Together they produced 22 children and adopted two more.
I am the first daughter of the fifth son of the third son of the third wife of Kwong Sue Duk, and I am 29th-generation Kwong. Our clan is the largest Chinese immigrant family in the history of Australia. My mother, father, two brothers and I were all born and bred in Australia and none of us speaks either Cantonese or Mandarin. As unfortunate as this is, we do make up for it in the kitchen. My mother cooked Cantonese fare for us six nights a week as well as holding Chinese cooking classes three times a week.
Mum and Dad each has ten brothers and sisters. Every Christmas Day the number of family guests grows; last year was a record, with 70. We always celebrate Chinese New Year with family and friends. Traditionally, Chinese people take three days off at this time of year as it is the most sacred of celebrations in Chinese culture. As decreed by an ancient almanac, Chinese New Year marks the start of spring. It's a 15-day festival; in China itself that's 15 days of non-stop celebration.
There is a lot of superstition and tradition surrounding Chinese New Year: never open your business on the first, second or third day; never sweep the floor on those days in case you sweep the luck away; and of course, always have the freshest and best of food. Apart from this last practice, my very Australian family does not adhere to the strict rules; for us, it's more of an excuse to have yet another family feast and get-together.
My mother, her four sisters and I usually do all the cooking. My mother is famous for her white-cooked chicken with ginger and shallots, and her fried rice. My aunties usually steam pak choi, slice up Chinese duck sausage and make lots of delicious desserts. I bring my own style to Chinese New Year. The recipes I have included here are personal favourites and, I suppose, really reflect why people call my food 'modern Chinese'.
Mouthwatering crispy-skin duck with fresh orange sauce is the perfect special-occasion dish: majestic and noble. The red-braised brisket can be made the day before and just warmed through for serving, and the roasted pork is delicious either hot or cold; any leftovers taste wonderful, sliced up and fried with rice. My prawn, mint and scallop salad is designed for those who like a lighter style of food; the flavour of the mint gives the whole dish a lift. Chilli, salt and pepper squid is a great starter – add as little or as much chilli powder as you feel like using.
In my restaurant, Billy Kwong, we hold two evenings of special Chinese New Year banquets; among many other dishes, I serve mud crab with black bean and chilli, and steamed, line-caught fish fillet with ginger and shallots. I love the festive feeling around Chinatown during New Year. As a child,
I revelled in the loud firecrackers going off left, right and centre, and I have always been completely charmed by the mesmerising Chinese Lion Dance. There is something about that particular drum beat that seems to move my very essence – it is an incredibly primitive experience.
So, Happy Chinese New Year to you all! Eat well, drink plenty, play hard and be sure to embrace your beautiful families.