SELANGOR HOSTS STATE LEVEL CHRISTMAS CELEBRATION

Yang Amat Berhormat Dato' Seri Amirudin bin Shari, the Chief Minister of Selangor handed over a mock cheque amounting to RM 593,460.00 as donation to the Selangor Christian House of Worship, the Executive Body of the religious section in the LIMAS group (Buddhist, Christian, Hindu, Sikh & Taoist) and 55 Christian NGOs during the 2022 Selangor State Christmas Celebration and Open House.

Held at the Civic Hall, Petaling Jaya City Council, the annual initiative is one of the Selangor State Government’s efforts to accommodate the various religions and races in the State of Selangor; to increase harmony between races and religions.

Violinist Dr Joanne Yeoh, FGT Church Choir, GA611 Church, Roman Catholic Church and Kaya Band performed at the community event as invitees were treated to complimentary buffet.

Honourable Mr. Hee Loy Sian, Tourism and Environment Exco said "the uniqueness of this Open House celebration in the State of Selangor symbolises our multi-racial identity and culture. Such events can also attract tourists to come and visit Selangor, and highlight Selangor as a harmonious state with close cooperation from various races and religions.”

CONCORDE HOTEL KL LIGHTS UP MID-AUTUMN FESTIVAL

The LED lid lights up when you switch it on after charging

Lifelike 3D images with LED backlight adorned circular mooncake boxes from Concorde Hotel Kuala Lumpur for Mid-Autumn Festival this year.

Photo courtesy of Concorde Hotel KL

Choose from four eye-catching designs: a pink crescent moon with pretty blossoms, a goldfish frolicking amidst lotus flowers, a pair of birds perched on delicate floral branches, or a lotus flower in full bloom with a pair of gold fishes adorning the lids of the gift boxes.

Priced at RM168 nett per set with 4 x 180g mooncakes, take your pick from these sets available:

A.             Pure Lotus Double Yolk, White Pure Lotus, Pandan Pure Lotus, Green Tea Red Bean Paste

B.            Golden Pandan Pure Lotus Single Yolk, Japanese Red Bean, Assorted Fruit Nuts & White Pure Lotus Paste

C.             Snowskin with Red Bean Paste, Snowskin with Green Tea, Snowskin with Pure Lotus Single Yolk & Snowskin with Yam Paste Single Yolk

Mine was Set B and the batch of baked mooncakes seemed on-point: the knife came away cleanly after I cut into each mooncake – an indication of the good quality paste and crust. 

The red bean paste was deliciously rich with that irresistibly sweet ‘beany’ taste I love. For savoury-sweet variant with vanilla-like fragrance, the golden pandan pure lotus single yolk won't disappoint.

Since I’m partial to fruits & nuts, the slightly chewy, nutty filling scored with me too. TBH, I know some folks may eschew this variant altogether. The white pure lotus paste should please purists as it left no room for complaint.

Handmade with pure musang king durian flesh, the Hotel's yearly best-selling Snowskin Musang King Durian Mooncakes (RM198 nett for a set of 4 pcs) again proved winsome. A cooler bag (while stocks last) is provided to keep the mooncakes chilled upon collection. Remember, the delicate mooncakes are best kept in the fridge to maintain their freshness and should be enjoyed soonest possible.

Once hailed as the best snowskin durian mooncake in town by a major newspaper, it’s the next best thing to eating the actual king of fruits. They’re decadent and you’d find it hard to stop after the first mouthful.

Credit cardholders of CIMB, Citibank, Hong Leong Bank, Maybank, OCBC, Public Bank, RHB, SCB and UOB are entitled to 20% discount for mooncakes under Set A-C.

For more information, WhatsApp +6 012 399 5021 (office hours) or email: fbkl@concorde.net

ROAR-SOME CELEBRATION AT DORSETT GRAND SUBANG

Patrons of The Emperor can look forward to a roar-some Chinese New Year (CNY) celebration at Dorsett Grand Subang thanks to the award-winning culinary prowess of Senior Sous Chef Liew Yin Wah (right) and Dim Sum Chef Chan Chee Loong (left).

With a plethora of Prosperity Yee Sang, CNY a la carte specialities, and 3 celebratory set menus to choose from, hotel guests will be spoiled for choice to welcome the Year of the Tiger from 1 – 15 February.

Chef Liew, whose accolades include 3rd placing in Battle of the Chefs at the 13th Penang International Sales Gastronomique in 2011, and part of the winning Malaysian team at the 2019 Salon International De L’alimentation (SIAL) Competition in Shanghai, proved adept at serving up treasured festive classics for the 8-course Wealthy Set Menu (RM899 nett for a table of 5-6 diners) we sampled.

Fervent wishes of good health, return to normalcy and reunion with our near and dear ones were uppermost in our minds as we tossed and enjoyed the customary platter of delicious Salmon and Shredded Young Mango Yee Sang. The mixture of shredded vegetables, pickles, and crisps hit the spot with a tantalising plum sauce that wasn’t too thick nor cloying.

Wholesome and nutritious yet light on the palate, the Double Boiled Sea Whelk, Bamboo Pith and Farm Village Chicken Soup proved on-point. A dish that’s likely to gain the approval of the fussiest matriarchs.

Reminiscent of grand banquets past, the timeless Roast Crispy Chicken with Prawn Crackers made it a show-stopper in this menu. Roasted to perfection, the paper-thin crispy skin and juicy meat would have tasted even better had it come accompanied with the classic ‘jiu yim’ (salt with ground Sichuan pepper and perhaps a smidgen of five spice powder) dip.

The chef’s winning streak continued with Wok Fried Tiger Prawns with Superior Soya Sauce. Rarely has any caramelised sauce coating sauteed crustaceans’ came on par with the finger-licking level but this one did. Coupled with the sweetness of stir-fried onions, we abandoned decorum to savour every morsel of the sweet, fresh crustaceans.

Hong Kong Style Steamed Red Snapper is featured in the actual festive menu. However, the chef’s recommended dish of Braised Housemade Beancurd with Fish Fillet (RM68 – small, RM118 – medium, RM168 – large) proved such a hearty hit, we made short work of it in no time.

It would be remiss if Braised Black Mushrooms with Dried Oysters and Sea Moss wasn’t included in a festive meal. Eating plump succulent black mushrooms, smoky dried oysters and fine threads of black seamoss during CNY is akin to internalising everything fortuitous, good luck, prosperity, etc for the rest of the year. Now, who is going to argue with that?

Chef Liew also gave the traditional waxed meat rice a healthier spin by serving Steamed Organic Brown Rice with Glutinous Rice and Smoked Duck. We are glad to report the recipe worked well as the inclusion of brown rice lent the dish a nutty slant whilst lightening the denseness of glutinous rice.

Refreshing dessert broth of Chilled Sea Coconut with Lemon Slices and Dim Sum Chef Chan’s handiwork: Deep-fried Nian Gao with Sweet Potato and Yam, and Crystal Skin Mango Puree with Pandan Lotus Paste wrapped up our lunch on a high note.

You can also order CNY Steamed Radish Cake (RM38 nett) for takeaway. Packed in a convenient gift box, the radish cake is ready-to-eat with toppings of fried shallot, spring onion and chilli. In Hong Kong, it's a festive treat enjoyed among family and friends throughout the Chinese New Year celebration.

For reservations at The Emperor, call tel: 03-5031 6060 or email: bookfnb.subang@dorsetthotels.com.

  

A ZINGY TWIST TO MID-AUTUMN FESTIVAL AT FOUR SEASONS HOTEL KUALA LUMPUR

“Szechuan” Ma La Mung Bean mooncake anyone? Or perhaps a summer-inspired Mango with Lotus Seed Paste variant? These inventive conversation stoppers along with baked and snowskin creations form part and parcel of Yun House’s Mid-Autumn Festival cachet this year.

Trust Chef Jimmy Wong to imbue the traditional mooncake with a core of zingy-hot ‘ma la’ filling. When you bite into a wedge of his “Szechuan” Ma La Mung Bean (RM42), your tastebuds will tingle pleasantly when the sensation of burning heat blooms on your tongue before the confection's sweetness gradually creeps in.

Since gifting and sharing mooncakes is a beloved Malaysian tradition, Chef Jimmy has taken great pains to craft a variety of inventive and timeless selection for the Four Seasons Hotel Kuala Lumpur in conjunction with the Mid-Autumn Festival.

“This year, the ritual has taken on added importance, since many of us haven’t been able to meet loved ones and close colleagues for a long time”, said Chef Jimmy Wong. “Sending and gifting mooncakes expresses our good wishes, to remind people we care about them and a gesture to value their presence in our lives.”

His Baked Mooncakes with luxurious fillings include Pu Er Tea Paste with Tangerine Skin (RM42) and the summer-inspired Mango with Lotus Seed Paste (RM42). The former is subtly sweet with the citrus peel lending it a nice ‘bite’ while the latter yields a sublime candy-sweetness, remarkably similar to the fruit itself.

 According to the chef, mooncakes with egg yolk are symbolic of the harvest moon and good luck hence his Pandan Paste with Single Yolk (RM42), and Lotus Seed Paste with Single Yolk (RM42) offerings. For purists, there’s White Lotus Seed Paste (RM42).

 

Overall, the timeless selection are on-point and should please sticklers for tradition.

The mooncakes come packed in the Four Seasons gift box. Clad in theatrical red with a magnetic gilt clasp, the oblong box is embossed with the floral outlines of lotus leaves and butterflies, evoking feelings of joy and harmony with nature.

For more information, contact Four Seasons Hotel Kuala Lumpur: https://www.fourseasons.com/kualalumpur/dining/restaurants/yun-house/