Vignettes of the World
The day was bright. I looked for a straightforward trail that does not require research, but comes with some climbing. I decided to visit the Hok Tau Reservoir via the Lau Shui Heung Country Trail. The last time that I visited the Lau Shui Heung …
Having done the Eagle’s Nest Nature Trail in the previous week, we decided to vary our itinerary this time for just a little. The day was overcast, and in fact the weather forecast predicted squally thunderstorms. We tried our luck.
The Eagle’s Nest Trail connects to a route running east-west all the way to the Lion Rock on eastern Kowloon. Beacon Hill is about a third of the way into Lion Rock. The Chinese name of the hill is descriptive of the shape of the hill, which supposedly looks like a “pen holder.” As to the English name, Wikipedia references this interesting history:
“The hill’s name date back to the Great Clearance between 1661 and 1669, which required the complete evacuation of the coastal areas of Kowloon in Hong Kong in order to fight against and then subsequently defeat the anti-Qing movement that was first started and largely led (initially) by surviving Ming Dynasty loyalists (carrying on the struggle against the new Manchu-formed Qing Dynasty). Qing military garrisons were created and stationed throughout most of Kowloon’s coastal areas to enforce the Qing government’s decree in locations which later became referred to as beacons.”[i]
Travelers who enter the New Territories via the Lion Rock Tunnel would notice Beacon Hill and the structures at its top, including a big white globe. These are structures maintained by the Civil Aviation Department of Hong Kong.[ii]
The itinerary was simple. At the entrance of the Eagle’s Nest Nature Trail, we took the opening on the right. From what I remember last time hiking the trail, this opening is closer to the route that connects to Beacon Hill than the one on the left. We hiked for a little more than half hour and came upon the pavilion:
The stairs on the right will lead one onto Lung Yan Road. This road was built by the government to access the aviation facilities on top of Beacon Hill. At 457 meters tall, Beacon Hill and thus this section of the hike is rigorous. There is a map on Lung Yan Avenue showing the route to Lion Rock. Lying right ahead is the set of stairs that would lead one onto the intermediate height of Beacon Hill. These stairs take about 20 minutes. It was tough, to say the least.
Left: Lung Yan Road is paved. Right: Eagle’s Nest Trail when entering via the opening on the right.
Once up on the next level, lying ahead is another set of stairs that would lead one onto the white globe. We declined on that route, it was too much stair-climbing already. Instead, we walked on the paved road toward the towers.
The weather was with us that day. There were some dark clouds and yet not one drop was rained down on us. However, it did affect the views of Kowloon. Given a clear day, it would have been a great view.
To descend, we chose the paved road instead of the rigorous stairs. It was circuitous but it would not be so hard on our knees.
This trail takes about 1 hour to 1 hour and 20 minutes. This time, we did not see any monkeys, but we saw some unleashed dogs.
[i] The Wikipedia on Beacon Hill.
[ii] Id.
The Eagle’s Nest Nature Trail is an easy walk around Eagle’s Nest Hill (also known locally as Tsim Shan). The Eagle’s Nest Hill is also where the Eagle’s Nest Tunnel is. The 1.5-hour loop is a pleasant stroll, without rigorous uphill climbing but rapid steps …
Since the 19th century, Danang has replaced Hoi An as the preeminent trading port in central Vietnam. It remains as such today. In terms of the American War in Vietnam, Danang was the first location in South Vietnam that received the U.S. Marines. Apparently, this …
In the evening, we came back to Hoi An and found it bustling with festivities. The night market has opened. Music filled the air, food stalls lined the streets, and the colorful lanterns decorated the sky with the full moon above us.
We had a meal in a restaurant, but that would be just the first on the night-long tasting menu.
“This is so much better than Pho,” my companion said. He chewed big bites from his bowl of Mi Quang. Mi Quang means “Quang-styled noodles.” Quang as in the Quang Nam Province, where Hoi An is. Instead of the beef or chicken that commonly feature in the Pho, the Mi Qang comes with pork slices. There are shrimps as the supporting actor, then thrown in the mix are shrimp crackers, lime, green sprouts, perhaps half a boiled egg, and a generous handful of herbs over thick yellow noodles. Sitting in the bottom is an unnamable sauce that gives the noodles moist and taste.
Mi Quang is not soup-based and therefore a diner would naturally mix the whole bowl of goodies by reaching this sauce at the bottom before digging in. The Mi Quang triggers rich sensory pleasures: the succulence of the meat, the crispiness of the shrimp crackers, the aroma of the herbs, the chewiness of the noodles and the flavors of its sauce, all present in each single bite.
I agree with my companion’s assessment. Pho is certainly a very nice dish, but Mi Quang is waiting to be discovered by the world outside of Vietnam.
Heading right into the night market, we had skewered meat and foot-long Vietnamese spring rolls. We saw pancakes with minced meat and generous herbs. All very tempting but we had no more room in our tummies.
We then greeted a scene of community celebration along the riverside. People engaged in all kinds of group games and contests. The joy was pervasive. As we cheered those people taking away their prizes from the contests, I felt a full involvement in the festivity. No language was necessary for us to appreciate this occasion.
Finally, we paid to do a boat ride. We rode for about 45 minutes on the boat, passing under both of the footbridges that connected the small An Hoi Islet off the shore. There were many boats making their rounds that evening. We lit candles and made our wishes by placing them on the river. It was touristy, for sure, but nonetheless a very pleasant time spent. Forever remembered on my mind was the lit candles and their fickle all over the river. I wished for myself a very happy future. I was not having the best time of my life then because our old family dog had passed away.
The day was more than perfect for me. We rode our bicycles through all the festivities, into the quiet and calm of our hostel. We would be returning to Da Nang the next day. Our last evening in Hoi An was fun, memorable and celebratory.
We joined a biking tour on this sunny day. The Nu Eatery Lunch was at the Nu Eatery. The restaurant was known for its fusion touch on traditional Vietnamese cuisine. We had to try our luck as we did not make a reservation, and …
The hike of the day was the Ho Pui Reservoir in Kam Tin. The Trail to Lui Kung Tin At the Ho Pui Village we passed through the store and the village to enter the route up the hill. The hike up the hill was …
“This cleaver of yours,” Chef Tong Li began the cooking instruction with displeasure, “is not even good enough for cutting bean curd!”
James Li, Chef Tong Li’s son, said that his father was very demanding when it comes down to cooking. Chef Tong Li had yelled at him so much that one time he ran out of the kitchen, broke down and cried.
Photo: Big Brother Biu (James Li) Cuts the Duck.
I knew that Chef Tong Li’s comment to me was very mild as compared to his expectations on his son. I felt honored as he was willing to teach me some basic techniques in cooking. The session proceeded to Chef Tong Li’s demonstration on how to sharpen a cleaver.
“Place the cleave over the whetstone at 45 degrees,” Chef Tong Li placed the cleaver at an angle, “first sharpen this side by sliding ten times,” he then let me take over. “Good, then do the same on the other side for ten times too.” I took this task with care. “You must whet the exact number of times on both sides, otherwise the edge becomes uneven.”
This demonstration is a good glimpse into Chef Tong Li’s approach to cooking. He is keenly aware of the technical aspect of making food. He has often told me that he cooks with a scientific precision.
For every dish that Chef Tong Li makes, he works on a balance of six key principles. The first is the quality of the ingredients. Secondly, the ingredients must also match in the right proportions. The ingredients must be prepared in the right way before cooking. During the cooking, one must be very precise in the temperature and timing. Finally, the right use of salt enhances the natural flavors in the food.
The razor clam would illustrate what Chef Tong Li meant by precision. Back in the late 1980s, the razor clam was still unknown to the restaurants of Hong Kong. Chef Tong Li was the first to find foot-long razor clams in Scotland and introduced them to Hong Kong’s diners. After many experiments, he came up with the rule for steaming razor clam: at exactly 1 minutes and 45 seconds.
What Chef Tong Li has never made clear to me was his art of cooking. I have shadowed him in his teaching a few times over the years. The art of his cooking is something that is revealed, and then experienced, rather than taught.
Perhaps of all the dishes he has shown me, the five-spice duck was what gave me a glimpse of the art of Chef Tong Li’s cooking. There are some seven to eight steps in preparing the duck before it goes to the steamer. Each of these steps is technical. Chef Tong Li demonstrated these steps in detail, and he would explain why these steps were critical.
Photo: this is the Eight-Treasure Duck, which requires much more skills to prepare than the Five-spice Duck.
For example, in the stuffing there are all kinds of spices. The art is to know what these spices do, and prepare the duck accordingly. There are onions, shallots, and ginger in the stuffing. Chef Tong Li recommended that the ginger and the shallots be “walk on the oil” (wok-fried) before going into the stuffing, because that would enhance the aroma. Ducks have a natural gamey taste, and the aroma of a combination of spices will serve to dampen the gamey taste of ducks.
I have made the five-spice duck for over ten times by now. After so many attempts, I have slowly learned the art of making it. To give the duck the right color, and thus the right presentation, a critical step is to rub dark soy all over it. To coat the duck, I would have to fry it in quite a bit of oil, thus adding color. I learned that after rubbing the dark soy and before it goes into the wok, it should be aired and dried a bit. That would allow the dark soy to coat the duck better.
One aspect of art that I never handled well was the art in cutting the duck into pieces. This goes to the presentation of the dish. It takes a precise understanding of where the joints are for landing the cleaver. Chef Tong Li would cut the duck, and arrange the pieces in the shape of a duck in spread wings.
And finally, one thing that students of cooking would never be able to learn, neither from practice nor from experience, is the passion for making food. The love for cooking must come naturally within each chef, and I have seen it loud and clear in Chef Tong Li. In every turn of his career he was always motivated by the passion for serving great cuisine. It was his pride as much as it was his passion. He fully understood the play between techniques, skills, experimentation and creativity. Chef Tong Li has fully retired from the kitchen of his restaurant. But even now he would still experiment in his home. He has come up with “great food for the elderly,” which was tasty, but also nutritious and easy on the stomach.
Chef Tong Li’s son James has also experienced the flow of joy in cooking. After having learned the ropes of his father’s cooking, he experimented on his own. In the interview on the radio show The Gold Plated Plaque, he said when he began making his own dishes, and succeeded, “the creativity was explosive.”
The Prawn Toast is James Li’s own innovation
Chef Tong Li has passed the baton to his son in overseeing Big Brother Biu’s Seafood Restaurant. His spirit of perseverance, persistence, ingenuity and faith shall remain as the epitome of Hong Kong’s Lion Rock Spirit.
Photo: This is Vinegar and Ginger with Deer Tendon, an Award-Winning Dish at Big Brother Biu’s Seafood Restaurant.
Sources:
Interview with Chef Tong Li of Brother Biu’s Restaurant.
Interview with Chun Biu Li and Cindy Li of Brother Biu’s Restaurant, The Gold-Plated Plaque, Metro Radio, 176th Session (in Chinese).
Tong Li, the Undefeated Playbook of a Chef (in Chinese) (2014).
I asked Chef Tong Li whether he thought that God was always with him, even before he came to know and accept Jesus Christ. The answer was a resounding yes. The first cuisine with which Chef Tong Li would make his name was the snake …
