LYJ Restaurant - Signature Dish

Photo taken from Malaysia Most Wanted Food

Last Saturday, I self-invited myself to a gathering Simeon's friends were having and found myself spending a lot of time on the road. The location was Sungai Buloh (Yup, the other end of the state from where I live). But I was willing to travel because the idea of feasting on Pun Choy was thrilling. Let me briefly explain the dish to you. Pun Choy (or better known as Basin Dish or Big Bowl Feast in English, I'll rather call it Layers Of Foodilicious) is a scrumptious meal cooked in a large wooden wash basins to be served to the multitudes back in the olden days. In today's world, the same meal is served in a huge round metal tray kept warm on a portable stove.

The last time I had this dish was about 10 years ago and I was too young to remember the taste of it. Mom said it came in layers with the most expensive ingredient (abalone) at the bottom of the pot while the top layer was mushrooms and vegetables. Can you imagine how all the sauces leak from the top to the bottom of the dish? The perfect synergy. However, the one which Simeon's friend bought from Restaurant LYJ took on a different approach; the Pun Choy was layered with braised pork knuckles and mushrooms at the bottom of the metal tray before topping various others (in yee sang style) such as fish stomach, chicken feet, prawns, roast duck and steamed chicken to complete the dish.The result of it: A less synergetic flavour.

Of course, it got better once we mixed it around the tray like rojak but the flavour simply wasn't well synergized. Strong flavour from individual ingredients could be tasted depending on where you scoop from and what you pile on your plate. The layout of the ingredients certainly make a whole lot of difference as far as Pun Choy is concerned. If all ingredients are layered like layers of dough on top of each other, it would have been superb and perfect. And more vegetables too! Unlike the original Pun Choy, the one bought from LYJ Restaurant was carnivorous. It was 95% meat and 5% vegetables - not a healthy blend. Nevertheless, it was good and satisfactory.

I have a feeling that my family would love it (we have a liking towards anything braised and meaty). Considering the price for each Pun Choy (which can feed at least 12 - 15 pax) is below RM300, I just might load all of us into the car for a grand feast. Such is our family's motto: It doesn't matter how far we go as long as the food is worth traveling for. So it's time for me to gear up my stomach for the next round. Anyone wants to join?