On the Plain of Plenty
Now destined to become part of the Northern Metropolis, the plain of the plenty is in a state of flux. In this moment, how can we savour this place with artistic sensibility?
Chewing on food-related sites, six artists have cooked up our “Main Courses”. In a variety of artistic mediums and languages, these multisensory art projects ruminate on the substance of sustenance. “One the Side” is a dramaturgical presentation of small bites en route from Yuen Long town centre to Little Southeast Asia, Ping Shan and Lau Fau Shan. “Chefs’ Recommendations” stocktake culinary mementoes of the collaborating art and cultural practitioners. Sharing makes taste better--while filling your plate in this arts tour, you can share memorable flavours on a limited-edition postcard and on social media.
Please relish the depth of flavour in this loaded place. Bon appétit!
"Main Courses" Artists: Ray Chan See-kwong | Tim Chan | Cho Wing-ki | Monti Lai Wai-yi | Tang Kwok-hin | Yip Kai-chun
"On the Side" Research and Presentation: Lee Ho-sang * With kind permission of The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts for the internship programme.
On the Side
If the city is a theatre and small bites are its protagonists, what is the plot of their roadside encounters?
On the Plain of Plenty provides a lively stage for a student dramaturg from the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts. From Yuen Long town centre to little Southeast Asia, Ping Shan and Lau Fau Shan, a snacking trek sets scenes and tastes into action.
Embark on your small-bite road trip! Share flavourful moments on social media to extend # On the Plain of Plenty!
Route: Hop on and off Bus No. K65
Research and Presentation
Lee Ho-sang majors in dramaturgy at the School of Drama, Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts. Interning at On the Plain of Plenty, he treads through Yuen Long in search of small bites and their stories. A narrative about food, the city and its relationship with nature unfolds in text, sounds, images and taste.
* With kind permission of The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts for the internship programme.
Yuen Long Town Centre
The best known culinary spot in Yuen Long is the Main Road. There are famed hundred-year-old shops and popular eateries which come and go in fads. Amidst all these, some local small shops have quietly thrived for decades. What makes them special?
Three minutes away from the Main Road, the fresh aroma of egg rolls surrounds Chun Heung in a small alley. The family business has a history of over 70 years and is now in the hands of their third generation. With popular demand, they could have gone big, but they haven’t. Egg rolls are still handmade on a daily basis. They are usually sold out at around noon, and then the shop closes.
Across the road is Tai Tung Bakery. Atop the building, a sign grandly shows “Tai Tung 1943” in golden characters. Once upon a time, there was a two-storey neon sign. The memorable icon was recently taken down, but old bakers still persisted with traditional flavours. A signature product is pastry with a whole century egg, whose ingredients are mixed with edible wisdom of balance. Their old wife cakes also make a lasting impression.
A few blocks away, Kei O sells all kinds of snacks. The Chiuchownese owner has been selling hometown sweets here for decades. Every day, the staff makes these treats at the shop front. Freshly made banana mochi rolls are exceptionally popular. In its fresh softness, one can taste hard work.
Little South Asia
In 1948, the Nepalese Gurkhas came to Hong Kong to guard the borders. Together with the British army, they were stationed at Shek Kong Barracks. After the handover, their service became history but the food culture remains.
Next to Tong Yick Market, Wang Fat Path is flanked by Southeast Asian restaurants and groceries. There kids chase pigeons, diners chat and people shop. In this small community, food connects.
In display cases, there are always fried treats. One is particularly intriguing: made of corn starch and syrup, Gulab jamun is simply sweet. It’s a homely dessert to people in the neighbourhood. Perhaps its sweetness does not only come from sugar but also people’s interactions.
A few shops away is a grocery selling dry ingredients and spices. Every weekend, those who have left home and made their home here come to shop and chat. Among the goods, the krupuk under the shop’s sign really stands out. This Indonesian treat looks like coils of white noodles. Depending on the ingredients, it can be garlicky, or tastes like fish or prawn cracks. An interesting affinity across cultures.
Ping Shan
Not far away from the town centre, Hang Mei Village sits in the Ping Shan Heritage Trail. After passing the Kung Ting Study Hall, visitors will find the Tangs’ Ancestral Shrine with its lasting architectural grandeur. Built over 700 years ago, it is the main shrine of the Tang clan in Ping Shan.
Right next to the shrine, a little stall sells different kinds of treats. Besides traditional Weitou snacks, there are also Chiuchow sweets.
Peanut candies offer a range of flavours–original, black sesame, ginger, etc. These sweets are for weddings. Some are shaped like a goose’s neck. Why are there Chiuchow candies in a walled village? The story goes that once upon a time, three Chiuchownese candy masters smuggled to Hong Kong. The Tangs let them stay here, and they made a living with their craft. Now the masters have all retired but the trade was passed onto their apprentice.
A few canons nearby tell another story. Once the area was all paddy fields. Food was precious back then, so villagers built cannons to defend their crops.
To make best use of the harvest, rice is made into different foods, such as rice crispies and toasted rice cakes. The latter are made of peanuts, sesame and toasted rice, and are sometimes called “flung cakes” because packed ingredients are flung out from a mould. Many people find these cakes teeth-crushing, but there is actually an insider’s way of eating them. Just put one on your palm and press the centre, the cake will easily break into pieces to become a nice tea-time treat. Rice crispies are made with popped rice, syrup and peanuts. At a time when food was not abundant, ingenious cooking methods turned simple ingredients into delicacies.
Lau Fau Shan
Lau Fau Shan is located on the southern shore of Deep Bay. It is a shallow brackish beach at the junction of Shenzhen River and the Pearl River. Its salinity is suitable for raising oysters, so oyster farming has been a major trade since the last century. Since the 1970s, these farms have gradually shrunk amidst development of the new town. Nonetheless, trade in the area is still inseparable from its natural resources.
Upon arrival, a lane by the bus stop leads to every single step of food production and consumption. From farming to processing, cooking and selling, food is not only commodities, but also a heritage passed on from generation to generation. Jars of dried fish and shrimps line up at the stalls. These local snacks are made of local catches. The shop owner said the recipe is a family secret. People in the neighbourhood enjoy them, so he has been making them for decades.
At the end of the lane, one can see fishing boats and oysters everywhere. Sitting on plastic stools, female workers opened oysters with knives. Baby oysters from Toi Shan are transplanted to farms in Shenzhen Bay. It takes three to seven years for them to mature. After hand-harvesting, they can be eaten fresh, or sun-dried to become golden oysters.
Golden oysters can be cooked in a variety of ways. The most original method is to steam, pat dry and then pan-fry them. Seasoned with honey when they are still warm, the dish is a classic festive treat. Gatherings are ephemeral. Yet, if the oysters are from here, memories of these get-togethers stay forever in the sediments of shells along this coastline.