Deep-frying gives the bean curd a golden colour and a crispy texture in this easy to make bean curd recipe. This recipe was first published in Amy Beh’s column, Cook’s Nook. 

The post Deep-fried fresh bean curd skin with fragrant sauce appeared first on Kuali.

There’s nothing quite like Chinese New Year without the sharing of kam, in the form of mandarin oranges. Translated as “gold” in Cantonese, kam signifies the abundance of good fortune and wealth, which is why bags of mandarin oranges have long been a symbolic gift in this occasion. Now, prosperity is also just a few bites away with these melt-in-your-mouth Lucky Tangerine cookies. Recipe and photo courtesy of SCS Butter.

The post Lucky Tangerine appeared first on Kuali.

Oranges are aplenty during the Chinese New Year season. How about using the oranges to make a sweet cake? This recipe was first published in Flavours. 

The post Orange Chiffon Cake appeared first on Kuali.

Usher in the Year of Rooster with a prosperity toss of the yee sang. This recipe was first published in Amy Beh’s column, Cook’s Nook.

The post Gong Xi Fa Cai Yee Sang appeared first on Kuali.

Deep-frying gives the bean curd a golden colour and a crispy texture in this easy to make bean curd recipe. This recipe was first published in Amy Beh’s column, Cook’s Nook. 

The post Deep-fried fresh bean curd skin with fragrant sauce appeared first on Kuali.

Add some spice to your Chinese New Year meal with these crispy oyster mushrooms. This recipe was first published in Flavours. 

The post Crisp and Spicy Oyster Mushrooms appeared first on Kuali.

Nuts and seeds symbolically stand for fertility while dried fruit denotes sweet prospects. Combined together with the nian gao pieces, these auspicious ingredients that make up the Zhu Poh Nin Koh recipe resemble precious gems that adorn the sweet cake. This recipe was first published in Flavours magazine.

The post Zhu Poh Nin Koh (Nian Gao with Pumpkin Seeds and Cranberries) appeared first on Kuali.

Rice was considered a delicacy during the Han dynasty (202 BC-AD 220) and symbolises good fortune and happiness. To the Chinese, white rice is also valued as cultured refinement, as only the rich could afford to eat rice in the old days.

Taking a leaf out of an old la pa chu recipe – a sweet rice porridge with lotus seeds, red dates, almonds, two types of candied fruit, sweet bean paste and syrup to represent of the “eight immortals” – this eight-treasure rice recipe or Pat Poh Farn includes dried longans for longevity, assorted dried seafood for bountiful prosperity, pumpkin for its precious golden colour and sweet peas for a new beginning.

NOTE: For a vegan version, substitute dried oysters and bacon with lotus seeds and red dates.  Use vegetable stock or plain water to cook the rice. This recipe was first published in Flavours magazine.

The post Pat Poh Farn (Eight Treasures Rice) appeared first on Kuali.

The crab has always been revered by gourmands as one of the sea’s most precious treasures. The perfect morsels of jade-white meat that is prized out of the shell needs little or no embellishment.

With a little imagination and ingenuity, Chinese cooks can get more out of what precious little crab meat there is to make this luxurious ingredient go further on the festive table. Shaped like traditional Chinese coins, these Hai Choe dumplings are the perfect curtain-raiser for an auspicious Lunar New Year feast.

Note: These Hai Choe dumplings can be made weeks ahead. After steaming the segmented rolls, let them cool down before wrapping them up in cling film or store in air-tight containers for freezing. Defrost the rolls when needed and deep-fry before serving. This recipe was first published in Flavours magazine.

The post Hai Choe (Traditional Deep-fried Crabmeat Dumplings) appeared first on Kuali.

Fried prawns coated with salted egg yolk is another Chinese New Year favourite. This recipe was first published in Flavours. 

The post Salted Egg Yolk Prawns appeared first on Kuali.

A hotpot or steamboat is customarily eaten by Northern Chinese families for Chinese New Year. The gathering of kith and kin around the circular cooking vessel reflects family unity and the warming of family ties. Most families usually prepare six or more different ingredients for their hotpot meal, to showcase the bountiful abundance of the sky, land and sea.

There is symbolic meaning for each food that goes into the pot, and popular choices include prawns to represent happiness and liveliness, fish for abundance and surplus, pork for strength and wealth, greens for prosperity, mushroom for flourishing prospects, eggs for fertility and reunion, and noodles for longevity.

Here’s a simple recipe to prepare Hup Kar Foh Wor this Chinese New Year.

Note: Substitute any of the hotpot ingredients according to your own preference. Remember not to overcrowd the pot with too many ingredients at one go. Have extra stock available to replenish the hotpot as the meal progresses. Noodles and egg should be cooked last, to enable these ingredients to fully absorb the flavourful stock.This recipe was first published in Flavours magazine.

The post Hup Kar Foh Wor (Happy Reunion Hotpot) appeared first on Kuali.

[mappress mapid=”754″]

CHINA TREASURES,
Kuala Lumpur Golf and Country Club,
10, Jalan 1/70D, Off Jalan Bukit Kiara,
Kuala Lumpur.
Tel: 03-2011 9191
Business hours: 11.30am to 2.30pm
and 6.30pm to 10.30pm, daily.
Pork free.

EXPERIENCE Chinese New Year in style at Kuala Lumpur Golf and Country Resort’s China Treasures as it presents five set menus for the celebration.

Featuring exquisite Cantonese cuisine, the promotion until Feb 22 was curated to give diners a sumptuous gastronomic experience.

It is customary when sitting down to a Chinese New Year meal to enjoy yee sangand loh hei for a prosperous year ahead and this we did as we were treated to a five-course menu.

As soon as we had enjoyed the Norwegian Salmon Yee Sang, the kitchen brought out the Braised Sea Moss Oyster Rolls with White Jade Shell and Broccoli (top pic).

This very traditional dish is often featured during reunion dinners.

The crispy roasted chicken with Szechuan pepper hot sauce is perfectly cooked and flavourful.

The Crispy Roasted Chicken with Szechuan Pepper Hot Sauce was next up.

The chicken turned out to be an appetising dish, as restaurant executive Chinese chef Eddie Chua used a new method to prepare the chicken.

“I stuffed chilli paste, Szechuan pepper, herbs, salt and pepper inside the chicken and let it marinade for one day before frying it,” he said, adding that the chicken was tender and moist when carved.

Another favourite of mine was the Steamed Australia Jade Perch Fish, which is an oily fish.

Steaming is the best way to cook the jade perch, and the dish did not disappoint as I could taste the sweetness and soft flesh. The chef only used lime, ginger and salt to season the fish so as not to overwhelm the freshness of the fish.

The steamed Australia jade perch fish is fresh.

We also had Stir Fry Crystal Prawns with Honey Pepper Sauce.

This simple sweet and spicy treat is made by mixing up honey pepper, soy sauce and oyster sauce to add flavour to the prawns.

To pep up the taste further, Chua adds butter, onion and garlic to the prawns and tosses the ingredients together.

The crispy prawns had a slight sweet and spicy taste. A Chinese meal often ends with rice or noodles and on the menu was the Yong Zhou-style Fried Rice.

This tasty dish was cooked with eggs, soy sauce, salt and pepper, and topped with pieces of prawns and chicken.

The Stir Fry Crystal Prawns with Honey Pepper Sauce. Photos: YAP CHEE HONG/ The Star

The Chinese New Year dinner menu starts from RM922.88 nett, and can cater for a table of six to 10 persons.

The Wealth set menu, priced at RM3,288.88 nett, features items like Abalone and Norwegian Salmon Yee Sang with Chinese Pear, Double Boiled Bird’s Nest Soup and Braised Ten Head South African Abalone with Baby Sea Cucumber and Broccoli.

For the Prosperity menu, priced at RM2,688.88 nett, there are dishes like Norwegian Salmon and Haruan Yee Sang with Chinese Pear, Double Boiled “kampung” Chicken Soup with Abalone, Dried Scallops and Mushroom, Crispy marinated Szechuan Duck and Steamed Tiger Prawns with Crispy Garlic.

These two set menus come with a complimentary bottle of red wine.

The nine-course Fortune menu is priced at RM2,188.88 nett and highlights are the Hong Kong-style Steamed Dragon Grouper Fish, Hot Soybean with White Fungus, and Lotus Seed and Ginkgo Nuts.

The Abundance set menu is priced at RM1,162.88nett (per table for six persons) and RM1,688.88 nett (per table for 10 persons), while the Happiness set menu is priced at RM922.88nett for six persons and RM1,288.88 nett for 10 persons.

There are also a selection of yee sang such as Abalone Yee Sang, Norwegian Salmon Yee Sang, Fresh Haruan Yee Sang and Jelly Fish Yee Sang, ranging from RM91 to RM268.

This is the writer’s personal observation and not an endorsement by StarMetro.

The post China Treasures serves sumptuous fare to keep with tradition appeared first on Kuali.

[mappress mapid=”756″]

THE EATERY,
Lobby Level, Four Points by Sheraton Puchong,
1201, Tower 3,
Puchong Financial Corporate Centre (PFCC),
Jalan Puteri ½, Bandar Puteri, Puchong, Selangor.
Tel: 03-5891 8888/ Email: eatery.puchong@fourpoints.com
Business hours: 6:30am to 11pm.
Pork-free.

INDULGE this festive season as Four Points by Sheraton in Puchong offers the best of contemporary Chinese reunion family dinner dishes.

Savour delectable items such as the sun-dried oyster dumplings, wok fried tiger prawns and even create your own yee sang.

The hotel is offering a special lunar new year menu for private dining as well as a buffet menu at its all-day dining restaurant, The Eatery.

Naturally, a reunion dinner would not be complete without yee sang.

The Steamed Pearl Tiger Grouper.

Toss to the new year with the special Salmon Yee Sang, served with crispy shredded treasures and blackcurrant-plum dressing.

Alternatively, choose from the hotel’s five yee sang varieties to take away. Starting from RM65 nett, the salmon, jellyfish, snow shellfish, tuna and vegetarian options are perfect for sharing with family, friends and colleagues.

A nine-course lunch menu created from the three set menus available was presented at a media review recently, allowing us to taste the signature dishes from each menu.

We started off with the salmon yee sang.

Next came the Double-Boiled Chicken Broth with abalone, dried scallops, bamboo pith and vegetables. The warm broth had a smooth and pleasant taste.

For me, the highlight was the Wok Fried Tiger Prawns with chillies and garlic crumb (top pic), which was simply heavenly.

A mix of sweet and spicy, the prawns had a rich taste, one that seems to be unique to this hotel.

The prawns’ saltiness was hidden by the delicious flavours of spices, giving the dish a sweet aroma.

Another dish that deserves mention is the Steamed Pearl Tiger Grouper with golden garlic, julienne ginger and light soy sauce.

Packing quite a punch, the fillet’s texture was soft and melted in my mouth.

 

Yap showing some of the CNY signature dishes.

The hotel’s executive chef Yap Kim Hon said this soft texture was obtained by cutting the fish into pieces before cooking.

“As a result, the meat is tender as it is cooked thoroughly,” he said, adding that the only other ingredients used in the dish were ginger and some sauce. This is to retain the sweetness of the fish.

Yap’s signature dish is the Jasmine Rice Cooked with Chicken Fat, Smoked Duck and Mushrooms.

Jasmine Rice Cooked with Chicken Fat, Smoked Duck and Mushrooms.

He said the dish was not to be mistaken as fried rice.

The white rice is served in a claypot and topped with smoked duck and mushrooms.

When mixed with the rice, the taste was delightful and certainly unique. There was a tinge of saltiness from the duck, although not too overpowering.

For dessert, we had Sweetened chilled pear, dried longan, red dates and rock sugar as well as crispy deep-fried brown sugar cakes layered with sliced yam and sweet potato paired with lotus puffs.

Sweetened chilled pear, dried longan, red dates and rock sugar.

Going with the concept of hot and cold, the desserts captured the essence of the lunar new year.

The sugar cakes were crunchy on the outside while smooth and delicate on the inside.

Crispy deep-fried brown sugar cakes layered with sliced yam and sweet potato paired with lotus puffs.

The banquet menu, which includes delicacies such as Steamed Red Snapper and Double Cooked Farm Chicken, starts from RM1,488 nett per table and requires a minimum booking of three tables. It is available from Feb 8 to 22.

The hotel also offers buffet dining on Feb 7 and 8, priced at RM128 nett per adult and RM64 nett per child between the ages of 4 and 12.

This is the writer’s personal observation and is not an endorsement by StarMetro.

The post The Eatery makes it a sweet and spicy reunion appeared first on Kuali.

[mappress mapid=”757″]

DYNASTY RESTAURANT,
1st Floor, East Wing,
Renaissance Kuala Lumpur Hotel,
Kuala Lumpur.
Tel: 03-2716 9388 or email: rhi.kulrn.fb@renaissancehotels.com
Business hours: Lunch, noon to 2.30pm; dinner 6.30pm to 10.30pm.
Non halal.

A FOCUS on the use of traditional ingredients while emphasising on light and fresh flavours – that is the approach taken by chef Kok Chee Kin for Renaissance Kuala Lumpur Hotel’s Chinese New Year menu.

The executive sous chef and his team at Dynasty Restaurant have created an extensive festive menu that is set to appeal to diverse palates.

These include six types of yee sang, treasure pot or poon choi, claypot waxed meat rice, and dim sum.

The six yee sang options are: salmon, fruity fiesta (top pic), smoked salmon and salmon, lobster and salmon, three treasures and mini abalone and salmon.

Kok is particularly proud of the pork dishes served at Dynasty Restaurant, as he takes great care in coming up with new recipes and is aware that not many Kuala Lumpur hotels serve that meat.

The Fortune Combination Platter features four treasures – dragon beard roe, scallop with asparagus, money bag and banana seafood roe.

Take, for example, the Braised Pork Knuckle, Fresh Mushroom and Sea Cucumber dish. It is so nicely cooked that the meat simply falls off upon being picked apart with a pair of chopsticks.

“Unlike the typical method of deep-frying then braising the dish, I had the pork barbecued before braising, to give it a different flavour,” said Kok.

Other dishes that are new to this year’s menu are the Ocean Treasure Soup with Crab Meat, Grilled Prawns, Spicy Sauce and Green Chilli, and Fortune Combination Platter.

“The Fortune Combination Platter features four treasures – dragon beard roe, scallop with asparagus, money bag and banana seafood roe,” said Kok.

Sun-Dried Oyster, Fatt Choy, Flower Mushrooms and Pork.

For Chinese New Year, Dynasty Restaurant is offering five festive set menus catered for a table of two, six or 10 persons.

The Double Happiness Set for two persons is priced at RM468 nett, while the Chinese New Year Set for six persons is priced at RM988 nett.

A group of 10 can choose from three nine-course set menus, which are priced at RM1,598 nett (Happiness Set), RM1,988 nett (Fortune Set) and RM2,888 nett (Longevity Set).

Meanwhile, the two Prosperity Treasures Sets are ideal for a group of five. Priced at RM838 nett and RM1,088 nett, each set includes a Salmon Yee Sang and Prosperity Treasure Pot.

The yee sang is priced from RM108 nett for a half portion, and from RM198 nett for a full portion.

The treasure pot or poon choi, which is available for dine-in or takeaways, is priced at RM398 nett (Prosperity Treasure Pot) and RM888 nett (Golden Prosperity Abalone Treasure Pot).

 

The Grilled Prawns, Spicy Sauce and Green Chilli is new to Dynasty Restaurant’s menu this year.

The pot features premium ingredients such as sun-dried and fresh scallops, fish maw, stuffed dried oyster, flower mushroom, abalone, roasted duck, money bag, sea cucumber, tiger prawn and coral clam.

Those who prefer a lighter meal will enjoy Dynasty Restaurant’s dim sum. The festive selection includes Steamed Herbal Dumpling with Fish Maw, Steamed Dumpling with Fatt Choy and Dried Oyster, and Szechuan Dumpling with Chilli Sauce.

Dynasty Restaurant’s Chinese New Year menu is available until Feb 22.

This is the writer’s observation and not an endorsement by StarMetro.

The post Dynasty keeps the flavours light, fresh for Chinese New Year appeared first on Kuali.

[mappress mapid=”758″]

IMPERIAL GARDEN RESTAURANT PETALING JAYA,
3, Lorong Utara C,
Seksyen 51a, Petaling Jaya,
Selangor.
Tel: 03-7956 6868, 1800-88-2338
Business hours: 11.30am to 2.30pm
and 6pm to 10.30pm (Monday to Saturday), 
9am to 2.30pm, 6pm to 10.30pm (Sunday and public holidays).

ARE you bored of tossing the same yee sang ingredients each year during Chinese New Year?

This year, the Tai Thong Group’s Golden Fortune Yee Sang (top pic) which has assorted fruits and nuts is an interesting combination to usher in the Year of the Monkey.

The yee sang has more than 20 ingredients with eight types of fruits and eight types of seeds and nuts.

The mixed fruit and nut platter has jackfruit, dragonfruit, pomegranate, green apple and peach as well as pumpkin seeds, peanuts, pistachios and salted almonds. Dried berries such as cranberries and blueberries are included in this healthy yee sang.

The special sauce created by the chefs combine these nutritious ingredients to make the dish come together.

The yee sang comes in full and half-portion size.

The Fortune Seafood Treasure Pot.

Among the highlights were the yee sang, treasure pot and dim sum.

The Fortune Seafood Treasure Pot is not your common steamboat. Instead, the ingredients are cooked separately and arranged in a pot filled with broth.

The ingredients consist of baked cheese mussels, deep-fried Jade perch and tiger prawns.

A dish is judged not just based on its taste alone but also its presentation. In this pot of goodness, vegetables such as broccoli, mushrooms and carrots add colour to the dish.

 

The Double Boiled Dried Premium Seafood Soup served in a coconut.

The treasure pot comes in servings for five or 10 people.

Under the restaurant’s dim sum range, the simple looking Baked Dried Oyster Tart is a surprising flavour. It has a rich oyster filling and just one tart may not be enough.

For something soothing, the Double Boiled Dried Premium Seafood Soup is rich with dried abalone, fish maw and scallop. This refreshing soup is served in a coconut.

After a hearty dinner, the Chilled Nian Gao with Osmanthus and Sakura flower is not only tasty but a creative use of nian gao.

Instead of the warm nian gao famously served at the end of most Chinese multi-course dinners, the nian gao here is transformed and served as chilled jelly.

 

The Chilled Nian Gao with Osmanthus and Sakura flower.

The jelly is brightened up with a sakura flower embedded within. This is a unique dessert which is recommended.

Tai Thong’s Chinese New Year set menus are priced between RM538++ and RM1,188++ for six diners and RM828++ and RM1,928++ for 10.

For the set menu for 10, Tai Thong is giving out a complimentary premium gift set which has dried moss, dried oyster, duck waxed drumstick, dried mushrooms or wine sets.

All Tai Thong Chinese New Year promotions are available until Feb 29.

The Tai Thong Group has a total of 12 restaurants in Kuala Lumpur, Putrajaya, Selangor and Ipoh.

This is the writer’s personal observation and not an endorsement by StarMetro.

The post Imperial Garden offers special yee sang to start the new year appeared first on Kuali.

BY OH ING YEEN andSAN JOE KIM

[mappress mapid=”760″]

Sunway Pyramid Shopping Mall,
GF.43, Ground Floor,
Sunway Pyramid, Bandar Sunway,
Petaling Jaya, Selangor.
Tel: 03-7492 3688
Business hours: 11am to 10pm.

WITH Chinese New Year just around the corner, the Dragon-i Group of Restaurants is looking to provide memorable meals for its clientele with the Prosperity Abalone Treasure Pot and Signature Prosperity Abalone Treasure Pot.

Popularly known as poon choy, Dragon-i’s Prosperity Treasure Pot and Signature Treasure Pot were designed by its culinary team, who hail from Shanghai and Hong Kong.

The Prosperity Abalone Treasure Pot makes for a hearty meal as it is packed with 18 ingredients and can be enjoyed by six to eight individuals.

This savoury treat is rich with layers of braised premium Australian abalone, sea cucumber, Japanese dried scallops, Japanese dried oysters, premium mushrooms, Pantai Remis fresh sea prawns, roast chicken, braised trotters, golden money bags, pork balls, dried beancurd skin, yam, black moss, Chinese cabbage, broccoli, deep-fried beancurd skin and radish, stewed in luscious braised oyster and abalone sauce.

Tossing to a good year ahead.

Served in stainless steel pots, the dish is ideal for dine-in or takeaway.

For customers who prefer to enjoy the dish at home, the treasure pot can be delivered within Klang Valley at a delivery charge of RM20.

It is important to place your orders three days in advance as a lot of preparation is required to make poon choy.

Customers can have the Prosperity treasure pot, priced at RM438 until Feb 22.

The Signature version priced at RM688, is another option, and this is abundant with premium sea cucumber, shark’s fin, goose web, Brazilian matsutake mushrooms, shaggy mane mushrooms and bamboo pith. The dish is cooked in Dragon-i’s special broth.

 

Customers are required to make reservations three days in advance to order the dish.

Dragon-i card and HSBC credit and debit card holders will get a complimentary Raw Salmon Fish and Jelly Fish Yu Sheng worth RM68 when they order the dish.

Dragon-i Restaurant Sdn Bhd chief executive officer Datuk Henry Yip said each year, his kitchen team would brainstorm to improve this popular Chinese New Year delicacy.

“In the past, we used Chilean abalones but this year, we are using Australian abalones, as these are premium,” he said.

To reward customers for their continuous support, he added, Dragon-i had launched the “Spin & Win” WeChat game which is on until Feb 29.

Customers can participate by following Dragon-i on their WeChat account (dragonimy) and click on the “Spin & Win” button in the menu bar to fill in their details.

Prizes worth up to RM28,888 including a Prosperity Abalone Treasure Pot, cash vouchers and Chinese New Year pastries are up for grabs.

This is the writer’s personal observation and not an endorsement by StarMetro.

The post Dragon-i offers CNY dish packed with 18 delicacies appeared first on Kuali.

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Chynna,
Hilton Kuala Lumpur,
3, Jalan Stesen Sentral,
Kuala Lumpur Sentral, Kuala Lumpur.

TO TOSS or not to toss yee sang is not something one ponders over as there is only a short window to do so each year.

After all, yee sang is a festive offering associated with the Lunar New Year.

Those who believe in tossing yee sang for an auspicious year ahead, will certainly look forward to picking up their chopsticks to loh hei more than once.

As the mixed salad (top pic) of sorts is only available for a limited period, it is good to know that there are various types that have been concocted at Chinese restaurants, in and around the city.

It is no different at Hilton Kuala Lumpur as Chinese executive chef Lam Hock Hin spent a good half of last year thinking of an exciting yee sang flavour that would get tongues wagging.

To welcome the Year of the Monkey, Lam’s yee sang is like no other.

Hilton Kuala Lumpur executive Chinese chef Lam Hock Hin with the Mixed Salad with Squid Tentacles and Coconut White Curry.

So unique is his signature yee sang for 2016 that it can either win you over or make one frown at the lack of traditional ingredients often found in the dish.

The mere mention of The Mixed Salad with Squid Tentacles and Coconut White Curry will certainly raise an eyebrow because Lam omits regular yee sang staples such as pickled vegetables and strips of fried yam but uses salad leaves instead.

To make things more out of the ordinary, he throws in savoury sauce instead of sweet plum sauce to bind the ingredients together.

Indeed Lam’s new yee sang flavour got the conversation going as curious taste buds longed for a taste of this uncanny appetiser as soon as it was placed on the table.

Eight types of salad leaves, peanut oil, peanuts, fried anchovies and crunchy crackers get tossed with the star ingredient, which are the squid tentacles.

However, the squid shared the limelight with the thick and slightly spicy coconut cream sauce, pepped up with a sprinkling of curry powder, lemongrass, ginger, onion and of course, coconut milk.

Lam was ready for an onslaught of questions the moment everyone had their fill of the novel piquant yee sang.

Naturally, when the question “why a curry sauce” got thrown at him, as if he was returning a serve, he replied, “Because Malaysians enjoy curry.”

Then he elaborated, “I felt it was a little boring to have the same type of yee sangevery year so I decided to introduce one that has flavours Malaysians would like.”

And so that explained it all.

There is nothing like a menu that is redolent of local flavours injected into a Chinese New Year spread, especially when dining at Chynna.

The story with curry and spice did not end with the yee sang platter as there was more to come.

Steamed Giant Estuary Grouper Fillet with Homemade Assam Jawa Sauce gives the Lunar New Year menu a local flavour to a Chinese celebration.

“Most Malaysians like spicy food and I have a menu that will cater to the Malaysian palate,” said Lam.

In the Steamed Giant Estuary Grouper Fillet with Homemade Assam Jawa Sauce, the familiar use of curry leaf, tamarind and chilli got their pride of place on Chynna’s menu.

Another dish that got us wishing for more is the Wok-fried Omega Egg with Curry Flavour, Australian Scallop, Prawn and Garden Vegetables which was simply yummy.

Wok-fried Omega Egg with Curry Flavour, Australian Scallop, Prawn and Garden Vegetables is rich with ingredients and flavour.

Even in the soup course, Lam’s Braised Jade Soup with Monkey Head Mushrooms and Prawn Meat, the flavour profiles came through in each spoonful.

In this somewhat shocking green spinach soup, the soft heat of ginger caresses the taste buds.

Lam incorporates, other than ginger, garlic, chicken stock and includes prawns as well as inoki mushrooms to fuse the flavours together.

Claypot Stewed Abalone with Sea Cucumber, Sun-dried Oyster, Fatt Choy, Mushrooms and Bran Gluten is a dish that is filled with ingredients considered auspicious.

Lunch was a complete eight-course experience with Rock Salt-baked Chicken stuffed with Ginger and Tea; Claypot Stewed Abalone with Sea Cucumber, Sun-dried Oyster, Fatt Choy, Mushrooms and Bran Gluten and Poached Hong Kong Egg Noodle with Mince Chicken Beijing-style.

Priced at RM298 nett per person, my Chinese New Year meal was nicely finished off with a soft Panna Cotta, Crushed Peanuts Nian Gao.

The other yee sang options here include Traditional Norwegian Salmon Lo Sang, Jackfruit and Strawberry Lo San, and Caesar Salad with Grated Parmesan Cheese, Norwegian Lo Sang as well as a variety of set menus to make your celebration extra special.

The post Chynna: Curry sauce twist to the toss appeared first on Kuali.

CHINESE New Year is just around the corner. If you’re still wondering what cookies or cake you should bake for this festive occasion, we’ve got the perfect recipes for you here shared by Chef Alina Hew, co-founder of Café Madeleine and Madeleine Patisserie Sdn Bhd.

Having mastered her baking techniques at the renowned French chef school Le Cordon Bleu, Hew incorporates a refreshing French twist when baking her treats.

For Chinese New Year, Hew’s recipes feature eastern-based ingredients which are prepared and baked using European and French techniques that she has mastered over the years. Here are Hew’s baking tips and recipes:

1. Ensure all the ingredients are at room temperature. This helps to achieve better results in mixing the wet ingredients and dry ingredients.

2. Do not overbeat the cookie mixture. If the cookie mixture is overmixed, the mixture will be too sticky and, therefor, it will be difficult to handle and roll.

3. Adding in the eggs must be done in a slow manner, i.e. one by one. This will not make the cake batter curdled. Once the cake batter is curdled, it will not be baked evenly.

1. Jewel Cake. Click here for recipe.

2. Black Gold Cookie. Click here for recipe.

3. Ha Ha Happiness Cookie. Click here for recipe.

4. Golden Almond Cookie. Click here for recipe.

The post Chinese New Year recipes with a French twist appeared first on Kuali.

[mappress mapid=”763″]

Sky 360°
E-City Hotel @ One City,
Jalan USJ 25/1,
47650 Subang Jaya,
Selangor.

AS the year of the Monkey approaches, SKY360° at One City offers its patrons a dining experience that blends a fusion of the best of Chinese ingredients and European cooking styles.

Diners will be in for a splendid surprise as they feast their way through a delectable four-course sit-down menu that looks nothing like the traditional dishes served up during the season, but uses the same ingredients to elicit the same delectable flavours.

“We’ve added a little twist to our Chinese New Year menu this year. Instead of the standard course-by-course menu typical of a Chinese dinner, we are offering a Western-style set menu, with each dish being a fusion of Chinese and Western ingredients and cooking styles, showcasing the creativity of our young chefs,” says eCity Hotel general manager H.T. Khor.

The full dinner menu set, with the option of choosing between steamed cod fish and stuffed chicken roulade (bottom).

As always, the dinner menu starts with a delectable appetiser, Pan Seared Scallop served along with a lightly battered curry-flavoured prawn with a little Garlic Almond Puree on the side. This flavourful starter is then followed by a wholesome and herbal-tasting Double-Boiled Chicken Soup which is packed with different varieties of mushroom.

As for the main dish, guests can pick their dish from a choice of a chicken entrée or a fish entrée. The Char Siew Chicken Roulade takes the flavours from the Eastern char siew preparation, and pairs it with the typical roulade flavours of creamy spinach and Ricotta cheese combination which is stuffed into the chicken. Although the flavours may hail from opposite ends of the world, the fusion goes together beautifully. The dish is accompanied by spiced udon noodles, a selection of vegetables and a grilled slice of pineapple.

Steamed Cod with Almond.

If you select the Steamed Cod with Almond, expect a delicately steamed fresh piece of cod, topped with toasted almond and crispy ginger strips, and seasoned with light soya sauce and lime. A more typically Chinese dish, the cod was served on a bed of mash with a selection of vegetables and a piece of infused apple which adds a subtle tanginess to the whole ensemble of flavours.

Like all good meals, the fourth course of this scrumptious line up comes to an end with an exquisite dessert that speaks for the chef’s creativity in the menu. The Chilled Sweet Pumpkin is a modern twist on a typical Malaysian sago combination, but with a surprising addition of molecular caviar (little spheres of flavoured liquid). The pumpkin was pureed and flavoured to perfection, tasting nothing like what it would on the usual occasion. This, along with the Cinnamon Crème Brûlée tart with light orange mousse ensures a rich and satisfying end to the delicious fusion dinner menu.

Chilled Sweet Pumpkin with Cinnamon Crème Brûlée.

There is also the option of indulging in Salmon and Jelly Fish Yee Sang to start off the meal. The Chinese New Year Fusion set menu is available for dinner from Jan 27 till Feb 22, 7pm to 10pm and is priced at RM68nett per person, and an additional RM88nett for a large plate of Yee Sang.

For more information and to make reservations, please call 03-5115 9887 or email at sky360@miceatonecity.com.

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MAKAN KITCHEN,
Doubletree by Hilton Kuala Lumpur,
The Intermark,
348, Jalan Tun Razak, Kuala Lumpur.
Tel: 03-2172 7272
Business hours: 6am to 10.30pm.

Seafood is taking centre stage at Makan Kitchen with more than 80 different kinds of dishes to savour at its Chinese New Year buffet spread.

Makan Kitchen Chinese chef Chong Wai Yin, who crafted the delectable range at Doubletree by Hilton Kuala Lumpur’s signature restaurant, said he chose to present seafood as the main theme because it symbolises auspiciousness.

“For example, prawns symbolise laughter and happiness while hair moss symbolises wealth.

Makan Kitchen provides diners a comfortable and cozy ambiance.

“Diners will be spoilt for choice this Chinese New Year when they dine here,” he said.

Guests are treated to a nine-course dinner with dishes featured on the buffet, with three menus working on a rotation basis for this festive period.

Toss to a year of good luck and prosperity with the “Yin Yang” Prosperity Yee Sang accompanied with Norwegian salmon and Japanesse yellow fin tuna.

The unique part of this yee sang, Chong said, is the plum sauce, which was made in-house.

“The mixture has ginger, coriander and a little bit of bird’s-eye chilli that are finely chopped. This entire process takes an hour.

“It gives a smooth texture to the yee sang.

“Yin Yang” prosperity Yee Sang is served with Norwegian salmon and Japan’s yellow fin tuna slices.

“The herbal mix is then added to the plum sauce,” Chong said, adding that he had toned down the spiciness of the sauce to cater to children.

This appetising dish offered a balanced combination of sweet, sour and mild spicy taste.

Yee sang is available for take-away until Feb 22 with three choices to choose from – The Rainbow Salmon Yee Sang at RM195 nett for a whole portion (half portion for RM115 nett), Happiness Tuna Yee Sang for RM255 nett (half portion for RM150 nett) and the Abalone Yee Sang at RM325 nett (half portion for RM173 nett).

One of the Chinese New Year dishes that is not to be missed is the poon choy(treasure pot). With Makan Kitchen’s Prosperity Abalone and Assorted Seafood Treasure Pot, the search is over for the most awesome tasting dish of its kind.

It consists of abalone, tiger prawns, mushroom, oyster, dried scallop, roasted duck as well as broccoli braised in a claypot with oyster sauce and chicken stock.

The locally sourced tiger prawn with American ginseng has a distinctive ginseng taste.

Each item in the claypot was seasoned perfectly but I particularly enjoyed the juicy and tender roasted duck which was bursting with flavours with each bite I took.

The Steamed Live Tiger Prawn with American Ginseng is cooked to highlight the subtleness of the root and freshness of the prawn.

The locally-sourced prawns, offered a distinct ginseng taste that was not overpowering, making the herbal soup a pleasant dish to have.

We were also served the Braised Seafood Soup with Dried Scallops and Winter Melon, Hong Kong-style Steamed Dragon Garoupa (top pic), Stir-fried Sea Scallops with Spicy Scallop Sauce and Eight Treasures Lotus Leaf Fried Rice with Seafood.

Dig into the double boiled snow pear served with white fungus and red dates at the end of your meal.

To end our experience, we had Double Boiled Snow Pear as well as Deep-fried Rice Cake with Pumpkin and Cheese.

Double boiled for two hours, the heart of the soft snow pear is filled with white fungus and red dates.

It tasted sweet and went along well with the deep-fried rice cake.

Diners opting for the Joyous Reunion dinner from Feb 7 to 9, priced at RM145 nett per person, can enjoy a complimentary Prosperity Abalone and Assorted Seafood Treasure Pot with every sixth person dining at the restaurant.

The Longevity dinners are priced at RM125 nett per person starting from Feb 10 to 22, except on Feb 14.

There will also be a Weekend Prosperity High Tea on selective dates for RM98 per person and diners will get to enjoy Braised Seafood and Alaskan King Crab Soup with Baby Abalone served in individual portion with no additional charges.

The restaurant’s Chinese New Year business dinner packages start from RM1,618 onwards per table of 10, and is available until Feb 22.

Guests can stand a chance to win a three-day, two-night stay in China at Doubletree by Hilton Chongqing North by sending a picture of their dining experience this Chinese New Year.

This is the writer’s personal observation and is not an endorsement by StarMetro.

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