Crave 22 March 2013

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COOL COCONUT Beat the heat with these refreshing coconut recipes

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COCONUT JELLY WITH MANGO AND POMEGRANATE (MAKES 4-5 GLASSES) bottom layer 2 teaspoons agar-agar powder 75g caster sugar 800ml coconut water, from 2 large green coconuts coconut flesh from 1 coconut, cut into thin slices top layer 100ml water 1/2 teaspoon agar-agar powder 2 tablespoons caster sugar ¼ teaspoon salt 160ml thick coconut milk 2 mangoes, peeled and cut into cubes 50g pomegranate seeds

To prepare the bottom layer: In a small saucepan, combine the agar-agar powder with sugar and half of the coconut water. Bring to boil, making sure the agaragar powder is dissolved. Divide the coconut flesh into the 4-5 glasses. Turn off heat, mix in the balance of coconut water and pour the jelly mixture into the glasses. Leave to set.

To prepare the top layer: While the coconut clear layer is setting, prepare the top layer. Bring water, agar-agar powder, sugar and salt to a boil. Once the agar-agar

YOUNG COCONUT SALAD (MAKES 4 SERVINGS)

200g young coconut flesh from 2 coconuts, cut into strips and chilled 60g cucumber, cut into shreds 50g pomegranate seeds 10-12 yellow baby tomatoes, cut into half 20g coriander leaves 2 bird-eye chillies, sliced (optional) dressing juice from 3-4 calamansi limes 1 tablespoon caster sugar, or to taste 1 ½ tablespoons fish sauce, or to taste

Chill the salad ingredients. Combine the dressing in a bowl until the sugar melts. Toss with the salad ingredients, adjusting the seasoning to taste. Serve the salad immediately. – Recipe by Debbie Teoh. Photography by Kenneth Lim, Gray Studio.

Note: Remove any brown skin from the coconut flesh before serving and mix the salad just before serving or the cucumber and coriander leaves will go limp.

Taster Comments: I could not stop eating the chilled salad that was easy to make and ideal for the hot days.”

RACHEL MAH Student

Taster Comments: “Another winner with its refreshing taste. It’s also easy to play around with the flavours for a cool dessert after a humid day.

The next time I’ll just use

dissolves, add the coconut milk.

Once tiny bubbles start to appear, turn off heat, mix in half of mango cubes and pour over the set clear coconut layer. Leave to completely cool and refrigerate.

To serve: Just before serving, top with mango cubes and pomegranates. — Recipe by Debbie Teoh. Photography by Kenneth Lim, Gray Studio.

Note: When pouring each layer of jelly, the mixture needs to be hot for each layer to stick on each other. young coconut to make the jelly and top it with mango cubes — my own favourite combination.”

RACHEL MAH Student

FRIDAY 22 MARCH 2013

FOOD BITES MILLESIME means “good harvest”, and this posh dining spot in Solaris Dutamas, definitely delivers a bounty of modern European food with French accents. Opened in 2010, it was originally a private kitchen setup with no structured menu, where diners ate what the chef whipped out. Nowadays, the restaurant offers diners, an a-la-carte menu that changes weekly. The restaurant, also serves 3-course lunch for RM60++ per person, and 5-course dinner or “The Milles-

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Grilled Angus beef ribeye with red wine jus

FINE FRENCH ime Experience” for RM200++ per person. The subdued grey interior is the perfect palette for the open kitchen action where Chef Patrick Keith holds court together with Chef Sukito. Chef Patrick has worked with Millesime co-founder Max Chin since Max Kitchen & Wines, Chin’s first venture in Tengkat Tung Shin. Julia Child, the doyenne of French cooking will approve of Millesime, as it upholds the French way of cooking, using tons of butter to create a rich and decadent meal.

Carnivores will be brought to their knees, as it is meat heaven. Think slow braised wagyu beef cuts, or well executed steaks you can savour au naturel. On the plate, expect to find a local touch, in the form of vegetables like spinach or even local fish such as seabass, which Chef Patrick smokes and add a bit of tandoori spices. Decadent epicureans can hit heaven with their foie gras dishes, the chef’s forte. Go for the Duck Liver Cromesquis, an item that once made its famed appearance in Anthony Bourdain’s television show, No Reservations. As the sharp-tongued chef described, the liquefied foie gras with brandy, port and cream is simply “obscene in a good way”.

The restaurant also houses top end French wines to complete your superb dining experience.

Millesime, G1-01-3, Menara Kencana Petroleum, Solaris Dutamas 1, Jalan Dutamas 1, Kuala Lumpur. Tel:0362110648.

Millesime Interior

NEW CHEESE ON THE BLOCK NEW ZEALAND’S Fonterra launched their latest product, Mainland cheese in conjunction with New Zealand Week, held from March 11 to 15. Fonterra Brands Malaysia Managing Director David Ross is proud to bring the cheese to Malaysia. “Mainland Cheese was developed in New Zealand in the 1950s” says Ross.

Fonterra has been in Malaysia since 1975 with leading consumer brands, such as Anmum, Anlene and Chesdale. The launch was officiated by New Zealand Minister Economic Development The Honourable Steven Joyce.

The minister also holds the tertiary education, skills and employment, science and innovation and finance portfolios in New Zealand. “Many

THE MALAY MAIL

Fonterra Head of Food Services Linda Tan with New Zealand Minister Economic Development The Honourable Steven Joyce and Fonterra Brands Malaysia Managing Director David Ross launching Mainland Cheese

New Zealanders grew up with Mainland including me,” Joyce says. The cheese’s secret ingredient is time to develop its flavour, as reflected in their tagline “good things take time”.

Grilled button mushrooms with Mainland Colby cheese

Six different types of cheese will be introduced, including Mainland Vintage, Mainland Tasty, Mainland Tasty Light, Mainland Colby, Mainland Edam and Mainland Gouda.

Each of these cheeses, have their own characteristics.

Most of the cheeses are mild tasting, except the Mainland Vintage aged for 24 months with a distinct extra sharp taste with a crumbly texture, which pairs well with wine. Similarly, the Mainland Tasty is a full-bodied cheese aged for 16 months, which is a good overall cheese for snacking and cooking. In addition, melting cheeses such as the Mainland Colby and Mainland Edam will also be brought in. The cheese is set to hit stores this June and will retail for RM17 to RM20.

Smoked seabass

Roasted pumpkin soup with smoked herring

Homemade marble cheesecake

Pan fried golden snapper

Seared foie gras with duck liver Cromesquis

MEXICAN FEAST HOLA! Mark your calendar from April 1 to 15, as InterContinental Kuala Lumpur will be presenting their Mexican Fiesta for the second year running. Mexican chefs Tania Gonzalez and Salvador Vasquez from Presidente InterContinental Mexico will be flown in specially to cook authentic Mexican dishes. The Mexican cuisine was recognised by the UNESCO list of intangible cultural heritage of humanity in 2010. The rich cuisine is full of distinct tastes, and cultural diversity that revolves around ingredients such as corn, beans and chillies.

Highlights of this promotion include the healthy and refreshing Cactus salad, Mexican meatballs or abondigas, barbequed lamb in Hildago style, a fork tender lamb dish slow cooked over an open fire, which is a personal favourite of the Embassy of Mexico in Malaysia Deputy Head Madam Lourdes Sosa Marquez. Various quesadillas, corn and wheat tortillas with different fillings will also be served. Sweet lovers can dip into deep fried crispy churros, crème caramel and the rich rice pudding. For the buffet spread, expect around 20 Mexican items, together with other

Quesadillas with roasted tomato salsa and guacamole

international dishes and local favourites. There will also be a cooking station manned by one of the Mexican chefs, featuring items cooked a la minute.

The Mexican Fiesta will be served at Serena Brasserie,

EDITORIAL NOTE

by Lee Khang Yi

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InterContinental Kuala Lumpur for lunch and dinner. It is RM82++ per person for lunch, and RM98++ per person for dinner. For reservations, contact 03-27826228 or email foodandbeverage@intercontinental-kl.com.my ADVERTISING SALES

Crave Editor

The weather has been crazy hot every day that we thought you’ll like some cool coconut recipes. Try the salad as it’s addictively good. Or just pop by the places we recommend for a refreshing coconut treats.

Meat lovers can enjoy Millesime’s superb steaks, or just go for the oozing foie gras dish. Simply decadent! Email me at khangyi@mmail. com.my

Rajan Gopal Senior Manager, Direct & Classifieds Direct line: 03 74951282 rajan@mmail.com.my

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FRIDAY 22 march 2013

STEAMY CUISINE

By Eu Hooi Khaw

THE NAME, the Steam Room tends to conjure up visions of a sauna or even a spa. In this case, it is all about steamed eats at this Chinese restaurant, which doles out steamed dim sum, soups and even one-dish rice offerings. Keeping in mind their customers’ varied tastes, it also serves a variety of homestyled dishes using various cooking styles, and desserts such as sweet broths.

I wanted to have the Steamed rice with minced pork and cuttlefish (RM12.80) the minute I saw it on the steamed rice menu, and I wasn’t disappointed. The pork patty was redolent with the strong aroma and sweet taste of the chopped cuttlefish. It

with chicken and herbs in whole coconut (RM16.80). Despite the tedious long cooking process, where the soup had been steamed for five hours in an old coconut, together with black chicken, and Chinese herbs like yok chok, red dates, dong sum and kei chee, it had a lingering stale coconut aroma that ruined its overall taste.

We also sampled some items from their all-day dim sum menu. The Prawn dumplings (RM9.80) made delicious bites with its smooth skin and firm prawn paste filling. This was accentuated with the punchy taste of chilli oil and chopped garlic, which it was served with. When I ordered, the Shanghai dumplings (RM8.80), I thought these were xiao loong bao or steamed soup dumplings. However, I was disappointed, as they turned out to be large, meaty dumplings, with a tasty minced pork filling.

Since it was dinner, I also added several more dishes, such as the Fried chicken soft bones (RM8.80) that turned out to be a good appetiser. The bones, which you could crunch on, were still full of meat, and deep fried to make crispy bites. This was stir fried with long beans, dried chillies and curry leaves, to give it a spicy kick The Hakka style pork belly in claypot (RM18.80) stood out for its fork tender, slightly fat pork belly meat smothered in a red fermented bean curd sauce, together with crunchy wood ear fungus.

was topped with slivers of fried cuttlefish, chillies and spring onions. It was a tasty one-dish meal, as all the delicious sauces had trickled down and coated each fluffy rice grain during the steaming process. The steamed rice menu is quite extensive, and you have a choice of toppings such as assorted waxed sausages, pork ribs in black bean sauce, and stewed pork belly with preserved vegetables.

There’s even the same pork patty, but filled with preserved vegetables.

I also loved the Double steamed pork loin and apple soup (RM11.50) for its sweet taste that I drank every drop.

The soup was made with green apple slices, snow fungus, red dates, Chinese almonds and dried fig. I didn’t fare too well with its Double steamed soup

Fried chicken soft bones

Stuffed beancurd with prawns and vegetables

Double steamed soup with pork loin and apple

French beans with Hunan sauce

One of the restaurant’s special dishes is the Chef’s signature village chicken (RM23.80). The poached chicken was smooth and delicious, but the ginger sauce served on the side was too mild for my taste. We also enjoyed the smooth taste of the Stuffed beancurd with prawns and vegetables (RM18.80), that was topped with spinach. You dig deep within the deep fried eggy bean curd to discover a “treasure chest” of chopped prawns and some crunchy kai lan stems. The French Beans with Hunan Sauce (RM16.80)

Ais kacang topped with young coconut strips

order of young coconut juice with the flesh — the perfect elixir for these hot days.

Tucked away in suburbia, you will find Coconut Grove Dessert Corner (C-B-02, BU11, Oasis Business Centre, Lebuh Bandar Utama, PJU6, Petaling Jaya. Tel:016-2051121. Open: 11am to 9pm). This small dessert shop’s draw is the refreshing coconut jelly for RM5.20, best eaten straight from its chiller. Technically made from agar agar powder, the slightly wobbly opaque jelly is encased in the coconut shell. Savour each bite of the jelly with the sweet flavour of the young coconut water. Once you finish, dig deep to enjoy the tender white

Cool coconut jelly

fell a little short, as the sauce did not live up to its spicy Hunan promise. Instead, the sauce was more sweet versus spicy. Nevertheless, the young French beans were crunchy and we liked fried ikan bilis and minced pork in the sauce.

The restaurant also offers a variety of hot and chilled sweet broths, and at night there is an offer for two desserts for RM2 each. We took the Bubur cha cha and the Peanut soup, which was decent. We did have some scrumptious egg tarts (RM6.80), but that was on another visit

All in one - steamed rice with minced pork and dried cuttlefish

at lunch. Between 3pm and 6pm from Mondays to Fridays, there is a 36 per cent discount on the food. The service was excellent, especially from Zaw, a Myanmar waiter there.

Steam Room, Block C-8-G, Sunway Giza, Jalan PJU5/14, PJU5, Kota Damansara, Petaling Jaya, Tel: 03-61416608, 012-705 9066.

Open daily:10am -10pm (Last order is 9.45pm). They also have branches in Cheras’s Viva Home Mall and 1 Mont Kiara Mall.

COMFORT RICE

COCONUT REFRESHERS It’s sweltering hot out there — the perfect time to cool down with some coconut treats. One of our favourite pick-me-ups in this crazy humid weather, is a bowl of Ais Kacang, or shaved ice. In the heart of Brickfields, drop by this Stall (at the corner of the 7-Eleven, on Jalan Padang Belia, Kuala Lumpur. Open: 10am to 5pm), for a unique shaved ice treat topped with an abundance of young coconut strips. Dig deep under the cool white mountain to discover finely shaved ice with an assortment of goodies: tiny soft red beans mixed with kidney beans, cendol strips, grass jelly cubes and corn. For just RM4, it makes a great heat buster. Or recharge your batteries with an

THE MALAY MAIL

Lovelocks luscious coconut ice cream

coconut flesh. You can also opt for various toppings with the jelly like cendol, red bean, aloe vera, green tea jelly or nata de coco. And for some brain freeze, opt for their coconut shake — a concoction of vanilla ice cream blended with coconut juice and flesh. The popular afternoon pitstop also serves shaved ice desserts, sweet broths or tong sui and steamed chocolate cake Visitors to Penang can drop by Lovelocks (318, Chulia Street, George Town. Open: 11am to 10pm) for luscious coconut ice cream. The tempting treat was inspired by the owner’s trip to Thailand. You can pair the cool treat with the deliciate coconut aroma, with all kinds of toppings like cornflakes, jellies,

Bust the heat with coconut shake

and even palm seeds or atap chee. Prices start from RM6 for four small scoops with a choice of three toppings.

The parlour is housed in a quaint shop filled with padlocks, a symbol for sweethearts to declare their love. Love seems to be in the air here as just round the corner, there’s one of most photographed scenes in Penang — a broken heart painted on two phone booths, connected with the words happy ever after.

Crave pays for all its meals and all its reviews are conducted anonymously.

Brave the traffic and crazy parking around Plaza Damansara to discover this lunchtime treat. This stall located on the grounds of the mosque, serves up delicious steamed rice or nasi kukus, together with freshly fried chicken marinated with spices or ayam goreng berempah. One can’t get enough of the delicious concoction all wrapped in a brown paper package — slightly warm fluffy rice soaking up the delicious thick beef curry or gulai poured all over it eaten together with the crispy chicken. For some red-hot action to tingle your tongue, look for their spicy sambal laden with chillies.

Nani who runs the stall with her husband Farid, hails from Kelantan where this rice dish is popular. Expect to fork out RM5 for a packet with fried chicken, while the highly sought after village chicken, or ayam kampong costs RM7. Regulars often ask for

extra chicken (RM3.50 for regular or RM5 for the ayam kampong) as one is never enough. And for those worried about parking, make a beeline for Menara SBB and walk across to the stall.

Farni’s Nasi Kukus Ayam, Stall at Masjid Damansara Heights, Opposite Menara SBB, Jalan Medan Setia Satu, Damansara Heights, Kuala Lumpur. Open: 11am to 2pm (Monday to Saturday). Closed on the first Saturday of the month. Tel: 0127102206.