Chinese New Year is around the corner, and the cooler weather makes it a perfect time to enjoy a vegetarian poon choi banquet. For the uninitiated, “poon choi” or baisin meal is a large communal dish in which multiple ingredients are layered and doused in a rich broth. The dish is typically eaten during colder months, with plenty of lucky ingredients to boost your fortune in the coming year. The dish lends itself particularly well to vegetarian interpretations, with tofu, fungus, veggies and mock meats all mingling together in a hearty and delicious gravy.
Chinese New Year puddings are also a popular delicacy at this time. Traditionally made with shredded turnip flavoured with dried meat, vegetarian interpretations typically come studded with dried mushrooms for an umami kick. We’ve got the down-low on the best spots for vegetarian poon choi and CNY puddings this year.
Vegan Chinese New Year Pudding and Vegetarian Poon Choi at Veggie Kingdom
Veggie Kingdom is one of our favourite plant-based Chinese restaurants, and over Chinese New Year, they’re making sure that even herbivores can tuck into traditional festive treats. They’ve created a savoury Chinese New Year pudding that gets its flavour from mushrooms rather than the traditional cured meats. Try the classic turnip pudding, or the taro pudding for something a little different. If you prefer something sweeter, they’re also offering red date cakes, organic cane sugar rice cakes and water chestnut cakes with osmanthus. Veggie Kingdom is also offering a vegetarian poon choi at $888 for four to six diners, or $1,388 that will feed up to 10 guests. The basin comes filled with delectable veggies, fungus and mock meats galore.
Vegan Poon Choi at Vegmind
Hailing from Yuen Long, Vegmind offers both vegan and vegetarian poon choi dishes during the winter months, which you can order and get delivered to your home. Combining mock meats such as plant-based shrimp, abalone and chicken with mushrooms and veggies aplenty, this is a heartwarming plant-based feast to enjoy with friends on a chilly night. All the ingredients are lovingly layered and drenched with an umami sauce for a meal that’s hearty and healthy for both you and the environment. The team offers custom portion sizes so you can get just the right size for your group. Enquire via Whatsapp.
Vegetarian Poon Choi at The Royal Hotel
The Regal Hotel group has an impressive selection of poon choi and Chinese New Year puddings, and they’ve taken care not to leave out plant-based diners with their vegetarian poon choi. Topped with a whole vegetarian abalone, dig into the baisin to discover mock chicken and fish, as well as fragrant morel mushrooms, elm ear and yellow fungus. Other traditional ingredients include black boss, chinese yam and lotus root, all generously doused in a rich braised mushroom sauce that ties it all together. Order at one of six Regal Hotels citywide, or online via their eShop. $1,388 for a poon choi large enough to feed six.
Mushroom Pudding with Five-Colour Beans and Black Moss at Royal Delights
Royal Hotels’ popular patisserie, Royal Delights, does a roaring trade in Chinese New Year fare, and this year they have a delicious Chinese New Year mushroom pudding made with beans and black moss ($178.20). Simply slice and fry lightly in oil for an oh-so moreish and completely plant-based take on a traditional treat. Fancy something sweet? They also offer a chewy peach resin puddding with air-dried tangerine peel and rose sugar, available separately or as part of a vegetarian pudding set. Order online
