Instructions: I used Cornish Game Hens, but you could also use a cut up chicken. If you cant get winter melon, watermelon will work. Winter melon is white, very mild tasting and a tad denser than watermelon. I think you could get away using something like Honeydew too. Have fun!

Chef: Yip Kwai-sing

Thirty-year-old Hong Kong-born Mr. Yip has spent half his life in Cantonese restaurant kitchens. He is best known for his fai choy chicken speciality and sharks fin dishes. As the leader of a South Villa Restaurant team in one of the Display Classes, he won also a Culinary Award Bronze Medal.

Establishment: South Villa Restaurant, 58-60 Cameron Road, Tsimshatsui Kowloon.

Chinese Cuisine Practical Class Platinum Award - Poultry

"Happy Bird Crosses The Golden Bridge" presents an attractive image featuring the pigeon, a symbol of happiness to the Chinese. The inclusion of winter melon, a summertime seasonal vegetable, as the imagined "golden bridge" is a culinary play on words: the dish combines two traditional dishes providing a bridge between their contrasting textures and flavours. The garnish - flowering chives - is more than an aesthetic detail, symbolizing the greenery growing along the waters edge.

To prepare:
1. Mix the marinade and coat pigeons with it for 2 to 3 minutes.

2. Remove skin of winter melon and cut 12 slices about 5 cms wide,

3 cms long and 2 cms thick. Make a slit sideways on the longest side of each piece and insert one ham slice.

To cook:
1. Deep-fry pigeons over a medium flame until golden.

2. Heat the wok or pot, add 1 tbs oil. When it is very hot, stir- fry ginger and shallots for 1 minute. Then add above stewing seasoning ingredients and pigeons, cover and braise over a slow flame for 20 to 25 minutes. Remove pigeons.

3. Reserve 1 cup of the pigeon braising stock, to make sauce later.

4. Double the remaining braising stocks liquid volume by adding water, then immerse winter melon slices. Cook for 5 minutes, then turn off heat. Cover wok, leave winter melon slices for a further 5 minutes (thus ensuring they do not lose their shape through excess direct cooking).

5. Mix sauce ingredients with reserved cup of pigeon braising stock and heat.

To present:
1. Cut pigeons into pieces and arrange across serving dish.

2. Place 6 overlapping winter melon slices on each side of pigeons.

3. Pour sauce over, and garnish with flowering chives.

Makes 12 servings.

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