Halal yee sang selections

The baked white shell prawn with spicy breadcrumbs and curry leaves could have had a little more kick with a dash more of chilli powder

HALAL yee sang can be tricky to find during Chinese New Year.

Crafting a wholesome halal meal is challenging as most staple ingredients are not usable.

“To make it halal, I substituted some of the ingredients or have omitted them,” said Grand BlueWave Hotel Shah Alam Chinese chef Patrick Ng.

Fortunately, you can toss your way to good fortune, this year, at the hotel’s Tung Yuen Chinese Restaurant.

Designed by Ng, the restaurant offers five different set menus with a choice of four types of yee sang selections, namely yee sang with either salmon and or sliced abalone, jelly fish or vegetarian yee sang.

Ng said jellyfish and salmon yee sang are popular favourites.

Though the jellyfish sampled at a tasting resulted in a spike in saltiness, the salmon variety offers a much more fulfilling bite to the appetiser.

A harmonious blend of textures that is sure to warm every heart at the table is the Braised Crabmeat and Dry Scallop with Assorted Dry Seafood Broth. Served hot, the wholesome soup does not feel overwhelming.

The Roasted Chicken with Chinese Herbal Sauce is tender and succulent. Each fragrant piece of chicken was doused in the strong herbal essence.

Ng went on to explain his technique in cooking halal dishes.

“Like vinegar from China, for example, if you do not study the ingredients inside it, you won’t know if it contains spirits (alcohol).

“I only use Yuen Chan black vinegar which is locally made and I do not use rice wine at all,” explained Ng, who has been cooking halal Chinese food for 10 years.

True enough, Ng’s expertise means none of the core ingredients are missed in the Roasted Chicken with Chinese Herbal Sauce dish.

“Different herbs have different characteristics. For this dish, I used six different types of herbs.

“Some, like the red dates are to improve blood circulation and good health overall and others are particularly good for women,” he said.

Ng and sous chef Lee Chee Hou preparing to toss the yee sang at Tung Yuen Chinese Restaurant.

Tender and succulent, each fragrant piece of chicken was doused in the strong herbal essence, which however, did leave a somewhat bitter after taste.

Instead of the usual butter prawns dish, Ng chose to do something different, this year, by preparing the baked white shell prawn with spicy breadcrumbs and curry leaves.

The prawns could have had a little more kick with a dash more chilli powder, but of course, this is a matter of taste.

Easing off the seafood and meat dishes into greener munches, the steamed fu chuk flower and black mushroom with broccoli dish is a welcome relief.

Easing off the seafood and meat dishes into greener munches, the steamed fu chuk flower and black mushroom with broccoli dish is a welcome relief.

Flavourful with every crunch, the vegetable dish is made special with its rich sauce that envelops the mushroom’s soft exterior with the well seasoned broccoli.

Dressed with tightly wrapped lotus leaf, the fried rice with chunky yam cubes and dried shrimp was not sufficient to appease those with large appetites.

Ending the meal on a sweet note, the chilled longan with sea bird’s nest jelly and white fungus dessert soothes the belly with its lightweight ingredients and right level of sweetness.

The Chinese New Year menu promotions are available until Feb 29 and reservations are best made seven days in advance.

TUNG YUEN CHINESE RESTAURANT, Level 1, Grand BlueWave Hotel Shah Alam, Persiaran Perbandaran, Seksyen 14, Shah Alam, Selangor. Tel: [phone]). Business hours: Noon to 2.30pm, 6.30pm to 10.30pm.

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