Showing posts with label chilli sauce. Show all posts
Showing posts with label chilli sauce. Show all posts

Monday, March 27, 2023

CHINESE PALACE’S NEXT LEVEL HOT POT EXPERIENCE


It still takes an old chef to teach the industry new tricks. Upping the ante on good Chinese food is none other than Chef Frankie Woo – one of the few Chinese chefs in Malaysia with an almost cult-like following. The industry veteran turned consultant chef now displays his mettle at Chinese Palace, a newish Chinese restaurant adjacent to the stately, whitewashed Chinese Assembly Hall building.


Having notched up decades of experience at several five-star hotels in Singapore, Hong Kong and Malaysia: think Shangri-La KL, Grand Hyatt Hong Kong, the Regent KL, and Concorde Hotel Singapore to name but a few, and the now-defunct Gu Yue Tin restaurant, Frankie’s stellar reputation is now drawing hordes of admiring fans to Chinese Palace.


Tastefully conceived, Chinese Palace’s interior combines classic Chinese and rustic Old Malaya elements, amidst a soothing green and burgundy-red colour scheme to splendid effect. A warren of seven private dining rooms accords privacy for those who wish to entertain in discreet comfort.


Together with Executive Chef Sam Loo, distinctive dishes such as Sliced Cold Pork Knuckle (RM38 per portion) reign supreme here. This Shanghainese ‘yuin thai’ (cold pork knuckle) starter boasts Frankie's inimitable twist; the slippery-smooth and slightly gelatinous pork faintly perfumed with aromatic star anise, cinnamon and cloves thanks to its being simmered in a braising broth of the said spices.


Another exemplary speciality is Shanghainese-style Smoked Fish Fillet (RM38 per portion). Boneless smoked toman fillets come slicked in a glossy sauce of caramelised rock sugar, mustard and Chinese vinegar.


The Insta-worthy Sichuan-style Shredded Kampung Chicken in Chilli Oil (RM28 per portion) is almost too pretty to eat. Succulent smooth shredded chicken is hidden beneath a pretty dome of daintily cut ladies’ fingers. It’s almost criminal, us destroying the nice presentation in order to mix the okra, chicken and peanuts together with the piquant chilli oil (coarsely ground chilli-infused oil with Sichuan peppercorn, black vinegar, and sesame seeds).



From now until 30 April, Chinese Palace is promoting Hot Pot with housemade premium ingredients. You can select Fish Maw Chicken, Beef Tendon, Hong Kong Style Beef Brisket, Giant Garoupa Head with Yam, Spicy Mala or Dang Gui Gou Qi Zi for your hot pot of single or dual soup base.

 


During our visit, we savoured *Braised Pork Tendons (RM88 per pot, *subject to availability). Braised with superior stock for over 1.5 hours, the tender, toothsome pork tendons were superbly delectable whilst chunks of radish lent subtle sweetness.


We had a field day loading up on the rich, gelatinous gravy and pork tendons before Frankie poured in more superior stock, elevating and transforming the dish into a hot pot.

The soup was further enriched when Lamb Slices and American Beef Slices (fei ngau or Hong Kong-style short rib slices) were cooked in it. For extra textural interest and substance, we enjoyed the inclusion of Handmade Prawn Dumplings, Handmade Prawn and Cuttlefish Balls, and Deepfried Beancurd Rolls. Mind you, these are not your run-of-the-mill prawn, cuttlefish or pork balls and beancurd rolls as everything is made in-house using fresh, premium produce. One bite and you'd detect the difference.

 

Maximising on the flavourful stock, we added Hong Kong Ee Foo Noodles alongside two types of mushroom, sliced beancurd, and fresh romaine lettuce to it, transforming the hot pot medley into a most soul-satisfying offering. By now, the pork tendons had turned melt-in-the-mouth tender and went like a dream with the noodles and accompanying ingredients.


Two housemade green and red chilli dips bestow some variation to your enjoyment of the various hot pot ingredients but TBH, with such premium ingredients, there is hardly any need for dips or sauces. After this incomparable hot pot experience, we agree Chinese Palace's version would be a hard act to follow.

For reservations, call Chinese Palace, tel: 03-2022 1339 or 016-833 6228. Address: 1, Jalan Maharajalela, Kampung Atap, Kuala Lumpur. Open daily: 11am to 2.30pm, 6pm to 10pm


Thursday, January 06, 2022

HUNG CHUN POPO X RED CUISINE CHINESE REUNION DINNER


To reinforce the popular adage, ‘the proof of the pudding is always in the eating’, Hung Chun collaborated with Pullman KLCC Hotel to introduce Hung Chun’s three new products: Popo Black Vinegar, Popo Garlic Chilli Sauce and Popo Oyster Sauce recently.

After a welcome address by Hung Chun Sdn Bhd Director Peter Yee (bottom pix) followed by the customary curtain-raiser of Yee Sang, the versatility of Hung Chun Popo sauces appeared in the Hot & Cold Combination. 

Chef Fong explained he used Popo Soya Sauce, Chilli Sauce, Vinegar, Oyster Sauce, and Dark Soya Sauce to prepare the Crispy Chicken and Prawns Money Bag, Squid with Chilli and Garlic Crisps, and Stir-Fried Pacific Clams with Dried Chillies.

For the tantalising serving of Marinated Jelly Fish with Fungus and Aged Vinegar, Hung Chun Popo Soya and Chilli Sauces along with Vinegar played key roles in the dish. Chef Fong said, “Popo Black Vinegar is layered in its complexity yet its taste is gentle on palate; allowing you to drink it neat without having to dilute it.” 

Based on a traditional formula passed down from older generations, Popo Black Vinegar uses premium grade key ingredients such as “dang gui” and natural rice vinegar, to bring out its best flavour – great for mums in confinement. 


We then sampled Double Boiled Chicken Broth with South American Fish Maw, ‘Hong Kong’ Ginseng, Boneless Chicken, Prickly Sea Cucumber and Chinese Tea Mushroom.

Founded in 1946, Hung Chun started as a humble cottage industry but its dynamic efforts saw it conquering the export market in Singapore, Thailand and Brunei.

As the first local sauce manufacturer to adopt modern German technology pasteurization process in sauce-making, quality remains Hung Chun’s main priority. The company’s careful selection of raw materials, well-trained staff and the usage of advance machinery combine to ensure the products are not only of the highest quality, but also the most hygienic, safe for consumption and best-tasting.


The show-stopping dish of Braised Goose Web with Dried Oyster, Mushroom and Green Vegetables incorporated Hung Chun Popo Oyster Sauce and Popo Soy Sauce. Granted, the smooth fall-off-the-bone tender goose web was not for the faint-hearted but it hit the spot for those who enjoyed its wondrous texture and the richness of Popo Oyster Sauce.


To showcase Hung Chun’s newly launched Popo Black Vinegar,  executive Chinese chef, Fong Teik Fei imbued his creation of Baked Five Spice Chicken Roulade with Szechuan Cucumber, Green Vegetables and Shimeji Mushroom with Hung Chun Popo Black Vinegar and Soya Sauce.

A saucy concoction of Hung Chun Popo Soy Sauce and King Soy Sauce with Chicken Essence and ‘Hong Kong’ Ginseng Superior King Sauce enhanced the ‘Hong Kong’ Style Poached Grouper. The fish’s delicate sweetness was discernible despite it being overdone.


Ditto with the Steamed Stuffed Jumbo Fresh King Prawn. A splash of Hung Chun Popo Soya Sauce amplified the sea-freshness of the crustacean which was stuffed with pickled vegetables and ‘Bentong’ ginger atop steamed truffle paste egg white.


Toppings of chicken floss and scallion lent textural and flavour accents to the Claypot Waxed Duck Meat Rice. Naturally, Hung Chun Popo Oyster Sauce, Soya Sauce, and Dark Soya Sauce are the essential sauces in the preparation of this festive delicacy.


Doubled-boiled Fuji Apple Aloe Vera Broth with Glutinous Balls rounded up our celebratory meal on a sweet note.


For diners who are keen to sample the Hung Chun Popo X Red Cuisine CNY Reunion Menu, it’s priced at RM280++ per person.


Popo Black Vinegar, Popo Garlic Chilli Sauce, Popo Oyster Sauce and other Hung Chun’s products such as Popo Soy Sauce can be found at various supermarkets, hypermarkets and Shopee. 

Sunday, November 11, 2018

HOT STEAMBOAT NIGHTS AT CHATZ BRASSERIE


Kimchi. Ma La. Tom Yum. Herbal Chicken Soup. Chatz Brasserie at PARKROYAL KL aims to lure hot pot enthusiasts with its Steamboat promotion, every Sunday to Thursday for dinner.


Priced at RM83 nett per person, you can enjoy the Steamboat (minimum two diners per table) from 630pm-1030pm. The most distinct choice of soup base is Kimchi, followed by the tongue-numbing Ma La stock concocted from Sichuan peppercorns. Crowd-pleasing Tom Yum and Herbal Chicken Soup are available too.

Our favourite soup is the tangy-savoury Kimchi soup. Despite its oily appearance, the mildly zingy Ma La soup soon warms our hearts up with its stealthy hotness and long, lingering finish. Both the Herbal Chicken and Tom Yum gain greater appeal after the numerous ingredients enrich the initial soup base.
We urge you to refrain from dumping every ingredient into the hot pot simultaneously. Strategise. When the soup comes to a rolling boil, start by adding more solid items such as assorted Mushroom: button, abalone and shitake into it. Enoki requires less time to cook so keep a close eye on this. The various fungi tastes great when soused in Herbal Chicken, Tom Yum or Kimchi soup.
 
Then fish rolls and fishballs from the selection of Ocean Seafood can go in followed by the day’s catch of fish fillet, Sulu sea prawns, half shell scallops, flower crabs, jellyfish, crabsticks and Norwegian salmon fillet. Avoid overcooking the fish and seafood in the steamboat as they taste best at the right doneness. Delicious regardless of the type of soup used, the seafood’s inherent sweetness shines clearer in either Herbal Chicken or Tom Yum stock.
 
Also on the steamboat menu is Red & White Meat: Australian beef tenderloin and tripe, New Zealand mutton and free-range chicken strips. From our sampling session, the slices of gamier beef and mutton fare better in more piquant broths of Ma La or Kimchi. Timing is everything so never leave the meaty slices languishing in the steamboat too long or you’d end up with tough, rubbery meat.
Likewise, treat the Garden Picks of Tianjin cabbage, Chinese leek, Cameron lettuce and Hong Kong choy sum with care when popping them into the hot soup. IMHO, a lightning-fast blanching will do justice. Black fungus is the only item that can withstand prolong boiling. Best soup choices? Herbal Chicken and Kimchi.
Hearty eaters will find adequate substance from Fish Noodles, Glass Noodles, Meehoon (rice vermicelli), Emperor Noodles, Beancurd and Eggs. While the fish noodles doesn’t hit the mark (the Chatz team promised to make amends on this), the different noodles prove to be excellent tummy fillers as are the beancurd and eggs.

Condiments and Dipping Sauces comprise the ‘tried and tested’ chopped garlic and red chilli, house-made bird’s eye chilli dip, sukiyaki sauce and black and white sesame dipping sauce. A tad ho-hum for seasoned steamboat lovers but we presume the hotel’s main target market comprising in-house guests and foreign visitors are unlikely to fault the assortment available.
For reservations at Chatz Brasserie, call tel: 03-2782 8301. Address: Lower Lobby, PARKROYAL Kuala Lumpur Hotel, Jalan Sultan Ismail, KL.




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