Chines New Year and Braised Pork Knuckles

Chinese New Years is a time for good food, fun times and lots of family.

On the Eve of Chinese New Years the family will gather and have a reunion dinner. Just like holidays that many of us celebrate the ladies of the family will prepare a feast. The table will be crowded with traditional Chinese food like braised pork knuckles, braised ducks with yam, steamed fish and other great dishes. 

Many of us celebrate New Years Eve and stay up late. On Chinese New Years Eve the tradition is to stay up late as well. Piles of goodies will be prepared and lots of stories of what is going on will be told as well. Traditional goodies of cookies, roasted nuts, seeds and candies will be set out as well. Tasting will take place as more stories are told. 

During the period of Chinese New Year visits to families far and near will take place as well. Many families that are visited will have treats to share as well. Visiting clothes of dressy red will be wore as well. The game of Mahjong will be played. 

Sounds like a great time to me:

2 pork knuckle

5 Chinese mushroom

6-8 dried oyster

6-8 water chestnut

20g peanut, soak at least 4 hours

20g ginger

20g green onion

1 tablespoon sesame oil

Seasoning

2 tablespoons soy sauce

1 tablespoon dark soy sauce

1 tablespoon sugar

1 tablespoon oyster sauce

1 teaspoon salt

1. Soak the peanut for an hour.
2. Soak mushroom until soft and save the liquid. Peel the water chestnut. Soak the dried oyster for an hour, add Chinese cooking wine.  Steam it for 5 minutes.
3. In a pot, add water, ginger, green onion and pork knuckle.  Bring it to boil and blanch it for 5 minutes, drain and set aside.
4. In a pot, add oil on a medium high heat. Cook the pork knuckle until golden brown, add mushroom, water chestnut, peanut and 1L water.
5. Add mushroom liquid and the seasoning, bring it to boil. Cover the lid and reduce the heat to medium and cook for 2-3 hours until the pork knuckle is tender.
6. Add the oyster in the last 45 minutes and cook until soft and the sauce is thicken.  Drizzle with sesame oil and serve.