Stewed Whole Abalone with Homemade Beancurd. — Photos: LEONG WAI YEE/The Star
Eight distinct set menus for Chinese New Year at restaurant chain in Klang Valley
METICULOUSLY selected ingredients in the hands of skilled chefs are the expected standards for a sumptuous Chinese New Year (CNY) feast to kickstart a prosperous lunar year.
These criteria are met at Grand Imperial restaurants with their eight distinct CNY set menus for the Year of the Fire Horse.
One of the sets, carrying the themes of success and good fortune, is touted as their most popular one.
Starting off a CNY feast is certainly Yee Sang, and Grand Imperial’s version in this set features shredded mixed fruits, vegetables and tiger prawns wrapped with ham.
The crunch of the fruits and vegetables is elevated by the plum sauce’s sourness, immediately awakening the diners’ taste buds with a refreshing touch.
Meanwhile, the fleshy and succulent tiger prawn is delicately infused with the sesame sauce’s sweetness that dances on the diner’s tongue before a crescendo of flavours kicks in.
Next up is the Double Boiled Golden Coin Shark’s Fin with Black Garlic, Matsutake Mushroom and Chinese Cabbage.
Double Boiled Golden Coin Shark’s Fin with Black Garlic, Matsutake Mushroom and Chinese Cabbage.
The essence of the matsutake mushroom and shark’s fin is incorporated into the soup, giving it a strong mushroom flavour with an umami touch.
Enriching the dish is the black garlic which retains its sweetness even as it reaches a melt-away texture.
Up next is the menu’s star – Roasted Whole Suckling Pig accompanied by Chilled Ice Plant.
The succulent meat, crowned with a layer of crisp crackling, is delicately complemented by a sweet glaze that heightens its rich and savoury taste profile.
What makes the dish truly stand out is the chilled ice plant that comes with the “Xi Shi” sauce which carries a tingling spiciness.
Delicacies from the sea are also featured in the menu, with the Stewed Whole Abalone with Homemade Beancurd being the real treat.
The pleasantly chewy abalones are placed on top of the soft and fragrant beancurd, offering diners a contrasting yet fulfilling combination of texture.
According to Grand Imperial master chef Banker Pang, the beancurd is infused with shredded spinach which is the key to its aroma.
Pang unveiling the ‘Yee Sang’.
“The gravy accompanying the dish is made by stewing chicken and ham for long hours, granting the abalone and beancurd its umami kick,” he revealed.
Another ocean treat is the Steamed Dragon Tiger Grouper with Minced Garlic and Glass Vermicelli, which tantalises with a strong garlicky aroma as the dish is brought to the table.
Possessing a delicate texture, the vermicelli thoroughly absorbs the gravy’s flavours, umami and all, enriching the fish with flesh that has a nice bite to it.
The Steamed Rice with Chinese Waxed Meat in Casserole is also a memorable dish.
Each grain of rice is wrapped in the fragrance of the oil of the lap cheong (Chinese sausage), lap yuk (Chinese bacon), lap ngaap teoi (Chinese cured duck leg) and yun cheong (Chinese liver sausage) that are included in the casserole.
The lap yuk is the star among the meat, carrying a delicate balance between its fat and lean parts which further enhances the taste of the rice.
For desserts, the Steamed Nian Gao (rice cake) with Shredded Coconut accompanied by Baked Pastry with Lotus Seed Paste and Sesame is a major indulgence.
Both the nian gao and pastry are infused with a layer of saltiness.
Grand Imperial executive dim sum chief chef Fanny Foo said the palm sugar used to make the nian gao was imported from Indonesia.
“Unlike gula melaka which is widely used locally, the palm sugar from Indonesia has a salty touch.
“The same applies to the sesame used for the pastry, which is imported from Japan.
“This mild saltiness makes the nian gao and pastry stand out,” she said.
Another sweet treat is the Double Boiled Peach Gum with Snow Fungus and Mandarin Orange Peels, which is refreshing despite being hot.
Each of the eight set menus caters to 10 people.
The set menus are priced between RM1,688++ and RM8,888++.
They are available at all the seven Grand Imperial branches in the Klang Valley from Jan 10 to March 3.
GRAND IMPERIAL. (Tel: 03-7960 9223). Details of its branches can be found at its website at www.grandimperial.com.my
This is the writer’s personal observation and is not an endorsement by StarMetro.
