盆菜的起源

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公元1276年，南宋軍民抵抗蒙古入侵已經40多年，都城臨安於2月4日終於淪陷。蒙古軍俘虜了年僅五歲的南宋恭帝，南宋滅亡。但陸秀夫、楊亮節、陳宜中等南宋遺臣在福州擁立恭帝的兄長趙昰稱帝，改元景炎，號召各地軍民勤王復國，不久蒙古軍攻陷福州，南宋小朝廷出海南逃，大軍經過現時的東莞長安及新界錦田，得到村民盛情款待，用僅存的豬肉、蘿蔔，再加上現捕的魚、蝦煮飯。在倉猝之際，村民找不到足夠的器皿盛載食物，只能使用木盆把菜餚一層層疊放在一起，這就是盆菜的起源。

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時至今日，新界的圍村人每逢喜慶節日、嫁娶婚事、生日壽辰、新居入伙等，都會在祠堂或者村內較為空曠的地方大排筵席，成為一道儼然不可或缺的菜式。大家一同分享喜悅，有著滿堂吉慶、豐衣足食的含義。而盆菜不單是新界圍村人的風俗，更是香港飲食文化的一部分，不少酒樓、餐廳，甚至是快餐店、大排檔等增設盆菜席、盤菜外賣，大家可自行在家加熱享用。這樣，引發了香港人每逢新春喜慶節日吃盆菜的熱潮。
 

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The origin of Poon Choi

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After 40 years of resistance against Mongolian army, the Song Dynasty was finally defeated. Lin'an, the capital of Song, fell in 1276. Emperor Gong of Song surrendered to the Mongolian. Some senior officials, Lu Xiufu, Yang Liangjie, Chen Yizhung still wanted to fight back. They set up a new government of Emperor Duanzong in Fuzhou. Unfortunately, the new capital fell shortly too. The Song army fled to the coastal area of Guangdong. When they passed Kam Tin, the local people served the Emperor, officials, and the soldiers with the “best” food they had (i.e. pork, chicken, seafood) . At that moment, they didn’t have enough tableware for thousands and thousands of soldiers. They put different kinds of food layer by layer into a pot (called “Poon” in Chinese). This is the origin of Poon Choi, meaning “food served in pot”.

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Now it is a tradition in the New Territories villages that people hold Poon Choi banquets in festivals and celebrations, such as Lunar New Year, wedding, moving into a new home, the birth of boys in Ancestral Halls.

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從團村走出城市

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盆菜宴不同於其他宴會形式，它具有獨特的文化意義。 它的意思是「團結」。主人家只要在祠堂門口張貼通告，村裡的鄉親便會自動出席宴會。在聚會中，不論是有錢人還是窮人，也享受著同一樣的食物，可以說團結與平等的象徵。除了美食之外，一班鄉親團在桌子吃盆菜，談天說地，把酒言歡，樂也融融，把平時寧靜的鄉村一時間變得熱鬧非常。

 

近年，城市人也被盆菜的傳統特色及氣氛吸引，這個傳統習俗已經由圍村走到城市，也喜愛訂購盆菜與家人朋友一起慶祝節日。而當中盆菜的食材也在轉變，演變出不同口味，有不少盆菜加上貴價的食材，也有素盆菜的出現。而盆菜近年更被納入香港非物質文化遺產。

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From village tradition to Hong Kong Culture

 

The Poon Choi banquet is different from other banquets, it has a unique cultural significance. It means “unity”. When a Poon Choi banquet is held, a piece of red notice will be posted at the village hall, then the villagers will automatically show up at the banquet. In the banquet, all the villagers, no matter if they are rich or poor, enjoy the same bowl of food, so it somehow represents ”equality”. Apart from the delicious food, the villagers love the atmosphere most. They sit around the table, sharing the food, chatting and drinking. It is a very enjoyable moment in peaceful village life.

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Poon Choi is a tradition of the indigenous people of walled villages. Nowadays the people in City area also like Poon Choi. They will order Poon Choi in their apartment to celebrate some Chinese festivals with family and friends. This tradition becomes trendy again. The recipe has been modified also. For example, some expensive ingredients have been served; vegetarian Poon Choi is also invented
 

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盆菜裡有什麼？

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充滿鄉土風味的盤菜看似粗糙，但食材用料、烹煮方法，甚至是擺盤都絕不馬虎，分別要經過煎、炸、燒、煮、燜、鹵後，再層層裝盆而成，需要眾多人手準備。圍村人講究好意頭，傳統盆菜則有較多的本地材料。它的特色是「一盆」，先將預先煮熟的食物一層一層地放在盆裡，把一般的食物到昂貴的食材一層又一層由下到上依次鋪上，味道濃郁，讓人大快朵頤，寓意盆滿缽滿。

 

盆菜一盆共有三層，最豪華的叫 「九缽」，即將盛滿九個大碗的食物放入盆內，其次是 「兩杉四缽」。 食材有雞、鴨、魚丸、冬菇、生蠔、蝦、鮑魚、鱔和其他貴價海鮮，而兩杉就有豬肉、豬皮、魷魚和枝竹等。盆菜也有季節性的，如冬季放蘿蔔於最低層，吸收湯味，而夏天則會用竹筍代替蘿蔔。然而，食材的選擇很少是綠葉蔬菜的，因為農民已經是每天在吃蔬菜。因此傳統盆菜當中一定會具備「炆豬肉」，因為對於以前的村民來說，豬肉是一種最昂貴的食材，在喜慶日子一定要拿出最高級的食材，是對這些日子的尊重，也是對他人的祝福。

過去，盆菜只能在圍村裡品嘗。現在，不少市區的食肆也有供應，更加入了一些新口味，如客家盆菜，海鮮盆菜和素盆菜等。

What are inside Poon Choi?

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In the past, Poon Choi could only be tasted in the village. Now, many restaurants also have its supply, some introducing new flavors, such as Hakka style, seafood style and vegetarian style. The traditional Poon Choi will mainly use local ingredients. 

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The pre-cooked food will be placed layer by layer in a pot, from bottom to top, from general to expensive food. The highest class of Poon Choi is called “ 九缽 / 9 bowls”, in which 9 bowls of foods are served. The general kind of Poon Choi is called “兩杉四缽 / 2 dishes 4 bowls”. Mostly, there are chicken, duck, fish balls, mushrooms, dried oysters, shrimps, sea eels and other valuable seafood, or 2 dishes with pork , roasted pork skin, squid and Tofu skin . Poon Choi dishes also have seasonal differences, such as the lowest layer of radish in winter, absorbing the sauce as its flavor; in summer the radish is replaced by bamboo shoots. However, leafy green vegetables are never served in the pot as they are too common in village life. 
 

盆菜跑簡介

 

2024 盆菜跑返黎啦！農曆新年作香港人最重要、最隆重的傳統節日之一，代表新一年新開始，期盼美好的開端。在農曆新年期間，每個人也帶著這些寄託去跟親友拜年，互相祝福，也是一年難得可以與親朋戚友歡聚之時刻。

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在香港，新年互相祝福的習俗在跑界亦非常盛行，很多跑友之間也有一個習慣，在新年期間相約一起跑步，一起吃開年飯，象徵著新一年身體健康，順風順水。

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既然跑友也習慣一起吃開年飯慶祝新年，而盆菜又是新界圍村的獨有風味，有甚麼比在新年與跑友一起圍爐吃盆菜有意思呢！

2024 Poon Choi Run is back ! The Lunar New Year is one of the most important  traditional festivals for Hong Kong people. It represents a new beginning and looks forward to a good start. In the meanwhile, everyone will have gatherings with relatives and friends, blessing each other.

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In the local running community, it is quite common that many runners will come out and have new year runs and gatherings. They greet each other wishing good luck and health in the coming year.

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A Poon Choi gathering for runners will be a very unique, interesting and traditional way to celebrate the joy of New Year with friends. Let’s join Poon Choi Run!
 

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