THE desire for Cantonese cuisine has shifted emphasis from flavour to diners wanting nourishing and wholesome dishes.
With this in mind, chef Keith Yeap has combined timeless classics with healthy ingredients in his latest menu at Shang Palace, Shangri-La Kuala Lumpur.
“Customers now prefer healthier, low-sugar and more nutritious food,” said the hotel’s Chinese executive chef of his menu available from Sept 29 to Oct 6 in conjunction with Mid-Autumn Festival.
Starting the meal is woo kok (taro dumpling) – a popular dim sum delicacy – cleverly shaped to resemble honeycomb duck floss.
Crispy from being deep-fried, the crust made of just butter and flour envelops savoury, wok-tossed duck meat, diced water chestnuts and pine nuts.
This delectable appetiser is also served with a sweet, citrusy mango sauce.
The next course is Ficus Root Nourishing Brew – a hearty bowl of goodness.
The slow-cooked herbal broth with chicken, red dates, and water chestnuts is clear and refreshing.
The Hong Kong typhoon-style Crispy Pepper-fried Grouper Fillet turns up the flavour.
Using spotted grouper from Sabah, the fish fillets are tossed with fragrant garlic, chillies, fermented soy beans and a signature spice mix.
Yeap said this was a traditional dish enjoyed in Hong Kong.
For something a little closer to home, there’s Supreme Soy Cantonese Free-range Chicken with Hong Kong Kai Lan.
The poached free-range chicken is glazed in fragrant soy sauce, served with blanched kai lan that has a satisfying crunch.
If you are looking for something filling, the Crab Meat and Seafood Ginger Fried Rice has the perfect amount of wok hei.
Combined with crab, egg and Hokkaido scallops, it is finished with a fragrant ginger and spring onion sauce for that hint of colour.
For dessert, the Osmanthus Red Bean Coconut Jelly is particularly unique with its flower shape and three distinct layers – red bean at the base, creamy coconut milk pudding in the middle and fragrant osmanthus jelly on top.
As for mooncakes, guests can expect low-sugar flavours in the hotel’s 2025 Mid-Autumn Collection.
There is even one with a hint of savouriness due to the XO sauce.
The XO Sauce Mung Bean mooncake stands out with its taste of fragrant dried shrimp.
“This brings back the history of XO sauce and how it has been savoured widely in Hong Kong and even here in Malaysia, particularly in fried rice or as a condiment,” said Yeap.
Not to be mistaken with the XO liquor, the umami-rich condiment is typically made with dried seafood, chilli peppers, shallots and garlic.
To commemorate the hotel’s Ruby Anniversary this year, the Red Bean Paste with 40-Year-Old Dried Tangerine Skin mooncake has mellow sweetness.
The distinctive, aged citrus aroma from tangerine peels cuts through the richness, creating a uniquely complex and refined flavour making it truly special.
Two other modern indulgences, namely the Yuzu Lotus Seed Paste with Bird’s Nest mooncake and Osmanthus White Lotus Seed Paste with Yolk mooncake are also highly recommended.
For durian lovers, the Musang King Snow Skin mooncake encased in soft, chewy, snow skin is a delight with its sweet and complex creamy filling.
The mooncakes are also available in different gift sets, including the Imperial Lunar Luxe, Celestial Grace, Limited Edition: 40th Anniversary “Decade of Harmony”, Moonlit Bloom, Blossom and Celestial Gold Musang King Treasure.
SHANG PALACE, Shangri-La Kuala Lumpur, Level 1, Jalan Sultan Ismail, Kuala Lumpur (Tel: 03-2074 3900 ext 3904) Business hours: 11.30am to 2.30pm (Monday to Saturday), 10.30am to 2.30pm (Sunday and public holidays) and 6.30pm to 10.30pm daily. Pork-free.
This is the writer’s personal observation and is not an endorsement by StarMetro.
