Sunday Supper Series #5: Chinese New Year-Superbowl edition

Yesterday is the day that comes but once a year where I actually look forward to sitting in front of the TV for four hours. For awhile there, especially after the Colts lost, I was a little concerned that there would be no one of interest to watch, but then I decided to cheer for the Packers, simply because I am no Steeler's fan. That said, it was a good night, although for a few stretches it was somewhat of a dull game and even a bit anti-climactic at the end.

Since Superbowl Sunday fell right after Chinese New Year, I decided to combine the two, but go easy and simple so I could spend my time in front of the TV and not in front of the stove. I made shao mai (cute open faced pork dumplings) and char siu (Cantonese-style roast pork).

Here are the shao mai before the steaming.

Both came out great, especially the char siu. Only I am not sure it can be recreated unless you have parents who have become close friends with a Chinese family from Vietnam who run the local Vietnamese/Chinese restaurant, and unless those friends of your parents are willing to make you their homemade char siu sauce and mail it to you across the country in old Vietnamese chili sauce bottles (yup, the kind with the green caps and the rooster on the front).

So obviously, it is one of those special occasion things that I mostly like to look at in the fridge, but not use. I have one and one eighth bottles left and I need to be judicious in what I use it for. Last year we roasted a Polyface turkey in the sauce to rave reviews. This year, I did a Polyface ham steak. I forgot to take a photo when it came out of the oven, it smelled too good actually and I just wanted to cut into it, so this will have to satisfy.

It was a rather elegant Superbowl meal, with not a chip or pizza box in sight.