Poon choi, milk tea and herbal tea: only three types of local fare on Hong Kong’s cultural heritage list
From an initial 480 entries of various traditions, the selection has been narrowed to 20
Hong Kong may pride itself on being a “food heaven”, but only three types of local fare managed a place on the city’s first representative list of cultural heritage that the government has pledged to protect.
The three are: Hong Kong-style milk tea, herbal tea and poon choi, a communal dish particularly popular in rural areas.
Poon choi, or “basin vegetables”, comprises a mix of layered ingredients in a large bowl, with prized items such as roast duck, prawns and abalone placed on top. It is traditionally served at occasions such as weddings or festivals where clansmen gather to celebrate unity.
The three food items are among a list of 20 selections that the government has taken some 10 years to come up with, following rounds of deliberation and public consultation.
The list, released on Monday, also includes entries such as ancestral worship rituals, the sewing of traditional gowns for brides and the building of bamboo theatres for Cantonese opera.