Crave 4 Jan 2013 Revised by Crave Malay Mail

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FRESH AND FAST

Reboot the daily repertoire with tangy and fresh Vietnamese flavours

VIETNAMESE GRILLED SQUID SALAD

MONKEYING AROUND IN JAPAN

(MAKES 2 SERVINGS) 100g squid, peeled and sliced into 2cm lengths marinade 1 tablespoon fish sauce 1 tablespoon soy sauce 1 tablespoon cooking oil 1 shallot, peeled and chopped 1 clove garlic, peeled and chopped 2 teaspoons ground palm sugar dressing 4 tablespoons fish sauce 3 bird-eye chillies, sliced juice from 2 limes 2 tablespoons Thai chilli sauce 1 tablespoon sugar 4-5 frisee lettuce leaves, torn roughly 50g cucumber, shredded ¼ cup fresh Thai basil leaves ¼ cup coriander leaves 1 handful fresh mint leaves 1 tablespoon toasted peanuts, chopped

Marinate the squid with marinade ingredients for 20 minutes. Place onto a greased netting over charcoal flame and grill till thoroughly cooked. Remove squid. To prepare dressing: In a bowl, combine all the dressing ingredients. To serve: Toss the grilled squid, lettuce, cucumber, Thai basil leaves, coriander and mint leaves with the dressing. Serve immediately garnished with peanuts. — Recipe by Debbie Teoh. Photography by Kenneth Lim, Gray Studio.

Taster Comments: This was quick to assemble and I liked the fresh greens with the tangy sauce that perks up my daily routine of meals.” RACHEL MAH, Student

COVER RECIPE

VIETNAMESE SPRING ROLLS (MAKES 4 SERVINGS) These rice paper rolls are simple to assemble by just rolling and not tucking their sides. With this serving method, each bite of the roll can be accompanied with juicy grilled prawns for a satisfying meal. dipping sauce 3 red bird-eye chillies, sliced thinly 2 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped 30g caster sugar 3 tablespoons lime juice 2 tablespoons fish sauce, or to taste 80ml water 2 tablespoons Thai chilli sauce 300g medium prawns, peeled leaving tail intact ½ teaspoon caster sugar salt to taste 12 sheets rice paper 6 frisee lettuce leaves, cut into half 1 cup fresh Thai basil leaves 1 cup fresh mint leaves 100g bean sprouts, cooked briefly in hot water and drained 2 sprigs fresh coriander, sliced ½ cucumber, cut into julienne

Check out the digital edition as we explore 2am dessertbar’s Janice Wong’s culinarystreak in creating sweet masterpieces. See www.mmail. com.my for the link.

To make dipping sauce: Combine all ingredients in a bowl. Season to taste and set aside. To prepare grilled prawns: Marinate the prawns with the caster sugar and salt for 30 minutes. Heat a grill pan and sear the prawns until cooked. Set aside. To prepare rolls: Dip one sheet of rice paper into a bowl of hot water and lay over a clean kitchen towel. Place half of a frisee leaf on the bottom part of the paper. Arrange a little bean sprouts, Thai basil leaf, coriander and cucumber on top. Roll the paper up like a cigar tightly without tucking in both ends. Repeat with the remaining rolls. Place the rolls on a plate, top with grilled prawns and serve with the dipping sauce on the side. — Recipe by Debbie Teoh. Photography by Kenneth Lim, Gray Studio.

Taster Comments: “I’ve always seen these in Vietnamese restaurants and never knew it was so easy to make them at home. This complemented my salad beautifully.” RACHEL MAH, Student

WACK DINING Bob Blumer, host of TLC’s Surreal Gourmet and Glutton of Punishment takes us on his next adventure in World’s Weirdest Restaurants, which starts on January 7, airing on TLC. Better known as the toaster-van chef and the energetic participant of crazy food challenges who is also a seven-time Guinness World Record holder, Blumer takes on a quieter role as a diner, with a wacky twist. The television host who admits he has the best job in the world, decided to shake things up with his new show. “The only way to keep my job was to reinvent myself,” he says. In this 13-episode series, Blumer takes on a different role, as the guide to a wild crazy romp around the world to ﬁnd the wackiest, craziest and downright strangest places to grab a bite. “Last year, I went to 55 restaurants on 4 continents and these were the weirdest and most wonderful restaurants with the most eccentric owners,” he says. Blumer’s global adventure took him to countries like United States of America, Japan, Taiwan, Germany, Amsterdam, Czech Republic and his home country Canada. Each episode featured Blumer’s offthe-wall dining experiences. “It was pretty crazy as I had monkeys bringing me beer in Japan.

EDITORIAL NOTE

I ate curry out of toilet bowls in Taiwan. I sat beside naked people in a nudist restaurant in New York,” he says. Blumer also describes, one of his weirdest experiences in Japan, where the diner throws a fishing line into a lake, and whatever was caught will be dinner. “In a sense, you do not chose what you are having but your dinner chose you,” he says. Blumer discovered some of the restaurants during his travels filming Glutton for Punishment. “Some of the restaurants were also from research and recommendations but we’re always looking for more as we’re filming the second season” he says. Footage for the show was shot by a small production crew and each episode groups together four different dining experiences for customers. Sometimes, even the customers are not human, like one eatery that Blumer describes, that is literally gone to the dogs that wolf down multiple course meals. Whether it is a ninja themed restaurant or a Brighton beach restaurant

by Lee Khang Yi

Happy New Year! Kick start your year with some fresh ingredients, with our Vietnamese inspired ﬂavours. If you’re lazy to make them, how about a cheap and cheerful spot for Vietnamese

Crave Editor

cuisine, in the most unlikely spot BB Plaza. It’s an exciting issue, as we met up with Bob Blumer to talk about his new show on TLC. Not one to go the easy way, Blumer’s show

FRIDAY 4 JANUARY 2013

THE MALAY MAIL

Food Bites IPPUDO TO HIT OUR SHORES Ramen lovers will be salivating in 2013 as famous Japanese ramen franchise Ippudo is set to open its ﬁrst Malaysian outlet here. Touted as one of Japan’s top ramen brands, the outlet is speculated to be located at Pavilion Kuala Lumpur following a posting of its proposed location on their Facebook page. The mall is already a popular spot for ramen aﬁcionados who often make a beeline for another Japanese offshoot, Hokkaido

Ramen Santouka at the Level 6 Tokyo Street. Last December, Kyo-ei Tokyo Ramen opened its doors there. Shigemi Kawahara or the “King of Ramen” founded this small ramen shop that started in Fukuoka in 1985. Kawahara is said to be the only person who won a nationwide ramenmaking contest three years in a row. Ippudo has now spread its ramen empire to more than 60 outlets all over Japan and

cities like New York, Seoul, Shanghai, Taipei, Sydney, Hong Kong and Singapore. Fans queue up for their tummy-satisfying bowl of springy Hakata styled noodles served in their signature tonkatsu broth. Other signature eats include their BBQ Pork buns. Follow Ippudo Malaysia on their Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/ IppudoMalaysia)

BRING A BIG APPETITE TO THE XXXL RESTAURANT IN GERMANY

KY G with a quirky owner who makes eccentric hats and sings songs about it, the show is all about fun. “With four segments in one episode, there is a juxtaposition of different styles of restaurants that makes it fun,” he says. According to Blumer, the individual segments are cut like MTV videos so there’s never a dull moment. And for Blumer’s favourite eating experience, it’ll have to be the Monkeying Around episode, where a trained monkey serves him beer inJapan.

GET ABUSED BY THE RUDEST WAITER IN DICK’S LAST RESORT

BUDGET VIETNAMESE EATS YOU’LL BE IN SAFE HANDS IN THE HEART ATTACK GRILL

NINJA DINING, BOB BLUMER STYLE

BOB BLUMER TAKES ON THE KING CRAB

“You can’t beat monkeys and beer,” he says. Blumer who is currently shooting the second season already has another new favourite, a restaurant called Flying Chicken in Thailand. Think Angry Birds, as it involves a catapult, whole roasted

chicken doused in booze with ﬂames and a man on a unicycle with a helmet that has a skewer, for your dining pleasure. Catch Bob Blumer in World’s Weirdest Restaurants on TLC (Astro Channel 707) from January 7 (Monday), 9pm. ADVERTISING SALES

is all about the crazy wacky world of restaurants. And while we don’t have monkeys to bring us beer, our columnist Eu Hooi Khaw explores a cafe in Taman Tun Dr Ismail. Ramen lovers can also look

forward to Ippudo opening soon. In our digital edition, we talk to the young but creative Janice Wong from Singapore’s 2am: dessertbar. Keep in touch and email me at khangyi@mmail.com.my.

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

Zoom in to this under-theradar place for a Vietnamese meal under RM10. This small shop that trades from the well-hidden BB Plaza food court is a popular hangout of Vietnamese immigrants, searching for a taste of home. Place an order for the vermicelli bowl for RM6.50. The

fresh tasting bowl with salad leaves, doused with the fish sauce dipping sauce, is topped with Cha Gio, or deep fried spring rolls. Complete your meal with rice paper rolls stuffed with vegetables and sliced prawns, served with a toasted peanut dip (RM6.50 for 4 rolls). Other good dishes include their

fried rice, lemongrass beef or even its home-styled tofu and vegetable dishes. The place only serves pork-free items. Vinh City Enterprise, BB Plaza Basement Food Court, Lower Ground Floor, JalanBukit Bintang, Kuala Lumpur. Tel:0166487798 or 016-6014256. Open: 11am to 7.30pm.

friDAY 4, JANUARY 2013

BEETROOT JUICE WITH ORANGE AND GINGER

In the Kitchen

with Eu Hooi Khaw IF you want to have a healthy liver, gallbladder, digestive and lymphatic system, include beetroot in your diet. The beetroot’s rich supply of beta-carotene and minerals speeds up tissue repair and nourishes and detoxifies the blood. It’s also high in two amino acids (glutamine and asparagine), betaine (which aids brain function), and B complex vitamins especially folate. The leaves of the beetroot are also very nutritious - they strengthen the

joints and vascular system. They are rich in Vitamins A and C, and calcium, potassium and iron. Beets were a staple in the Roman diet as far back as 4 BC. They were used to relieve headaches and toothaches in ancient times, and even back in the first century AD was already recommended as the perfect laxative, probably because of its high fibre content. How do you eat beetroot? Roll the whole beetroot in oil and salt and bake it in a preheated oven at 160C for 20 to 25 minutes. Then peel off the skin, and slice. You can also use it for salad, boil it with meat to form a soup or even risotto. One simple way is tossing grated beetroot with orange zest and fresh orange juice. This refreshing dish goes well with grilled meat or fish.

FALLING IN LOVE WITH THE FIRST BITE

THE MALAY MAIL

It’s good to drink beetroot juice every day especially if you often feel constipated. Drink it together with the fibre to get its goodness. The earthy smell of beetroot is alleviated with the addition of oranges, lime juice and ginger.

1/2 beetroot, peeled and cut into slices 2 oranges, peeled and separated in segments juice from 3 calamansi limes 2cm young ginger, peeled and sliced 300ml water honey (optional)

Place everything in a blender and blend till it becomes a fine puree. Drink it together with the fibre and sweetened with a little honey (optional). If you can’t consume all, freeze it in a box with a lid. On a hot afternoon, enjoy it half thawed for a healthy chilled drink.

nonya laksa

aromatic chicken satay salad

mango snow ice

meehoon siam pie tee

aglio olio spaghetti

BY Eu Hooi Khaw

IT’S a café I have noticed in my neighbourhood for a year now and I have not walked in until a friend with a good and trusted palate told me she had been eating there regularly. We found that Love at First Bite in Taman Tun Dr Ismail does live up to its name. First the Aglio olio spaghetti (RM15.80) with prawns and New Zealand green mussels was a cut above that served in some of the better known cafes in the city. The pasta was perfectly al dente. We loved the garlic and the heat from the chilli flakes on it, with the sweet flavours from the juicy mussels and prawns. We also sampled the Lamb shank (RM28) that was served on a

creamy buttery potato mash. My friend had recommended it – she had bought five of these for her Christmas dinner! She was not amiss in her judgment. The braised meat was tender and well infused with rosemary. The Aromatic chicken satay salad (RM12.80) got our vote too, for the slices of roast chicken breast laid over a mixture of pineapple slices, crushed toasted peanuts, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, onions and salad leaves, all tossed with a creamy toasted sesame seeds dressing. We couldn’t get enough of this fragrant dressing, a nice balance of tart and sweet flavours, and asked for more. It was served with two slices of cranberry and walnut bread spread with garlic butter and toasted, which complemented the salad, and tasted so good. The café bakes their own bread

for sale, so expect all kinds of bread for sale at the front, including this cranberry and walnut bread, coconut buns, mini cheese buns, Japanese red bean toast, multi-grain bread and butter rolls, among others. There are local favourites on the menu such as Penang fried kway teow, Penang curry mee, Penang asam laksa, Nonya laksa and Meehoon Siam. The café has its own take on Nonya laksa (RM9.80), which turned out rather well, with the right nuances, helped along with finely chopped torch ginger flower (bunga kantan) and fresh mint leaves, that top smooth rice noodles. There were springy fish cake slices,

prawns and quail’s eggs in the rich, aromatic curry broth. Similarly, their Pie tee (RM6.80) is a little different. Each pie tee case was filled with shredded yam bean (bangkuang), carrot and egg, and topped with half a prawn deep fried in a light batter. The only flaw was the rather thick pie tee shell, though it was undeniably crispy. The Meehoon Siam (RM9.80) was delicious. It was moist without being soggy, delightfully sour and hot, and

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each time you turned over the noodles there were prawns, chives, beansprouts, fish cake and egg. The scent of the torch ginger flower (bunga kantan), and lemongrass in the tom yam paste fried with the noodles, all added to our enjoyment of it. While we could have a choice of cakes such as Tiramisu, New York cheesecake, Mascarpone cheesecake and Red velvet cake, as well as macarons provided by a third party, Epicurean Cuisine & Patisserie (which are very popular here) but we picked the lighter Mango snow Ice (RM7.80). It was very fine shaved mangoflavoured ice topped with fresh mango slices, and peppered with white colour balls that pop in the mouth to release its

sourish yoghurt filling in the mouth, which we enjoyed tremendously. The café also serves other snow Ice flavours such as durian, strawberry, chocolate and green tea. Other items on this porkfree café’s menu include Crab wantans, Fish and chips, Lasagna and Chicken mushroom soup served in a bread bowl, among others. There are also vegetarian options such as a vegetarian Meehoon Siam and Mushroom aglio olio. For the weekend, it serves a special Nasi lemak. There are weekly specials, and for next week it will be Muar Mee Bandung. Love At First Bite, 27 Jalan Tun Mohd Fuad 3, Taman Tun Dr Ismail. Kuala Lumpur. Tel: 03-7726 4082. Open: 8am to 10pm (Monday to Saturday), 8am to 8pm (Sunday).

Friday JANUARY 4, 2013 S P E C IAL

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PASSIONATE DESSERTS

Dive into the creative world of 2am:dessertbarâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Janice Wong

FRIDAY 4, jANUARY 2013

THE MALAY MAIL

JANICE WONG, DESSERT EXTRAORDINARE Expect the unexpected with this creative pastry chef Janice Wong is excited. The petite lass just came back from a market along Old Klang Road and she’s picked up a whole basket of ingredients. “There’s fresh coconut milk, torch ginger flower, young ginger, durian and gula Melaka,” she recites. Full of ideas, the proprietor of 2am: dessertbar is all ready to come up with a new dessert for the students of Academy of Pastry Arts in Malaysia for her class. With her background as one of the most exciting pastry chefs from Singapore who picked up the 2011 Pastry Chef of the Year award in the World Gourmet Summit, everyone is eager to taste the surprise dessert.

The sweet journey Like all pastry chefs, Wong started her studies in pastry school, her choice being Le Cordon Bleu in Paris. Even from the beginning, Wong already knew she would be creating sweet items with a difference. “I’ve always had the mindset I’ll be different in the pastry world,” she says. Nevertheless, basics still matter. “You need to go back to classics, as you cannot excel without knowing them,” she says. After Paris, she plunged into the heady culinary world of New York to learn from top restaurant owners, such as Wylie Dufresne from WD-50 and Grant Achatz from Alinea. Wong was blown away with

Achatz’s approach to flavour pairing. “It was always sweet and savoury, sweet and savoury, moving back and forth like a ball. It was interesting as I never expected it,” she says. That topsy-turvy taste experience in Alinea had her projecting lots of “what ifs” and how it would have changed her own flavour memories. Armed with her experiences, Wong returned to Singapore about five years ago, to open 2am: dessertbar. Located in Holland Village, the dessert bar borrows its name from the time it closes. There’s also a double significance with the digit 2. “If you see how the number 2 is written, it’s like a splash which is versatile,” she says.

Wong was also determined to be different, since most places in Singapore weren’t open late. “I was determined to create a place where a crowd of people can enjoy their sweets past midnight,” she says. Wong also launched her book titled Perfection Imperfection in 2011. The hand stitched black book is a visual feast on its own that captures her creativity and her inspiration. For the book, she even went blind to set her imagination free. “I went sightless for 3 days that was pushing the boundary,” she says. Constantly evolving, Wong also opened 2am:lab - a think tank for experiments, that are showcased in degustation dinners.

THE MALAY MAIL

FRIDAY 4, jANUARY 2013

The art of creation Peek into Wong’s book, and you will enter into a wonderland of sweet creations, that resemble landscapes of craters, or even paintings with splashes of colours and flavours. She draws on various experiences to come up with her creations, first starting with flavour. “Flavour is very important, as it can be very beautiful but there’s no point as you can only remember its taste,” she says. When she creates a dessert she stresses, you need to eat it first like a patron and not as a chef. “When you eat an entire dish outside the kitchen it changes your perception,” she says. Next it is texture, temperature and lastly, aesthetics. Despite her fame, Wong has no qualms about sharing

how she creates with others, a philosophy she picked from other chefs she has worked with. Her approach for her creations is like a mind map, first starting on a flavour. ”The way I work is I start off with one flavour then I work my way with the connectors,” she says. She also draws on her memory bank for various flavours such as childhood memories and her travels and each chef’s philosophy she has worked with. “I’ve travelled around 14-15 countries so I have a taste memory of the flavours I have tasted,” she says. Each ingredient is also used, from its skin to the seeds. In her dish created in Malaysia, she uses durian seeds, which is usually discarded. In her travels, she draws

The next step Despite its relatively young (5 years) heritage, things in 2am: dessertbar is constantly evolving from what they do to even their signature dishes, as Wong believes they need to create their own story. For instance, the Shades of Purple dish, featured in the book is now different. “It is already evolved to its fourth to fifth version,” she says. In future, Wong hopes to bring 2am: dessertbar’s unique experience to a bigger audience. “I’m currently working on my sweets project to retail artisan sweets in the shop and globally,” she says. There are also plans to create small edible architectures, she does for events. One long term project she’s working on is her next book that focuses on Chinese dim sum. “I had a wake-up call when I was in Spain’s Arzak restaurant and they asked me how to make a ramen. I was embarrassed that I had no idea,” she says. The enterprising chef is slowly learning and playing around with various dim sum items. Her latest venture is deep fried yam puffs or wu kok. “I did one with a durian custard and salted egg yolk sauce,” she says. It’ll be a long process that she estimates to take around two years. Wong will also be incorporating some techniques, she has discovered during her experiments including an entirely new vocabulary for textures she discovered.

on the country’s culture and lifestyle to also challenge her creativity to come up with a new dish. “You taste their food, see their lifestyle and their culture, then you go to the market and create something out of it,” she says. It is also a practice she uses on guest chefs from overseas, making sure they don’t bring anything. “They’re famous where they are but we don’t want them to bring what they already know. So we encourage them to go to the markets and bring them to the farms and the locals are always interested in how they interpret the flavours,” she says. Nevertheless, it still boils down to taste. “My simple approach is whenever I cook something is whether I’ll eat it again,” she says.

FRIDAY 4, jANUARY 2013

THE MALAY MAIL

BASIL WHITE CHOCOLATE, TEXTURES OF PASSION FRUIT basil white chocolate 2.4 kg white chocolate 120g sweet basil leaves 1.2 litres UHT whipping cream passion fruit pate de fruits 400g passion fruit puree 300g caster sugar 12.5g yellow pectin 75g liquid glucose 7.35g citric acid passion fruit blanket 500g passion fruit puree 2g Xanthan 6g pectin NH yuzu calamansi sauce 270ml calamansi juice 370g liquid glucose 75ml yuzu juice 90g trimoline 9-10g agar agar powder passion fruit crisps 100g water 100g caster sugar 100g passion fruit puree 17g egg white powder 3.4g gelatine powder cocofoam 100g coconut milk 150g cream

To prepare basil white chocolate: Place white chocolate and basil leaves and seal in a vacuum bag for 3 hours. Remove the leaves and place white chocolate in a pot. Alternatively, melt white chocolate over a bain marie and crush in the basil leaves to release its oil. Sieve the basil leaves, after 15 minutes. Bring to boil the cream and pour over the basil infused white chocolate to combine. Pour 600g of the mixture into a siphon and charge 2 charges. Rest the siphon in the chller for 2 hours. Heat to room temperature before use. To prepare pate de fruits: Mix the pectin and 100g caster sugar together until there is no lumps. Heat the puree and the pectin sugar mixture until it melts. Add glucose and remaining sugar. Heat until 107C. Remove from the heat and add citric acid. Leave it to set in the tray to cool down. Cut into small rectangles. To prepare the blanket: Heat puree in a saucepan. Add Xanthan to thicken. Heat mixture to 60C and add pectin. Drum sieve the mixture, and spread thinly on a silpat mat with a spatula. Dehydrate at

41C for 4 hours or until dry. You can peel the blanket and fold them into roses. To prepare sauce: Mix all the ingredients together and sieve to remove any solids. Reserve in chiller. To prepare the crisps: Heat water and sugar together. Combine the bloomed gelatine powder with the sugar mixture. Combine egg white powder with passion fruit puree until to lumps and add to sugar and gelatine mixture. Sieve the mixture. Rest for 6 hours in the chiller. Place mixture in the mixing bowl. Whisk until it is light and fluffy with firm peaks. Spread on a silpat and dehydrate overnight at 60C. Alternatively, you can also put it in liquid nitrogen. To prepare cocofoam: Mix all the ingredients together and add into siphon. Charge with two charges. Set aside. To assemble: Siphon the basil white chocolate in the middle. On its side, siphon the cocofoam. Arrange a crisp on the side. Dot with sauce. Scatter the pate de fruits around. Top with the passionfruit blanket. Serve immediately.

Note: You can replace the sweet basil leaves with fresh stevia or mint leaves and even spices.

CHOCOLATE H20 This light chocolate dessert was inspired by a piece of rock Janice picked up in a San Sebastian beach in Spain. Chocolate H20 mixture 600g dark chocolate (at lease 70% cocoa mass) 600ml mineral water 120g egg whites 12g egg white powder salted caramel sauce 400g caster sugar 400ml cream (at least 35%) 80g unsalted butter 20g sea salt cherry yuzu sorbet and iceberg 1 kg cherry puree 60g trimoline 240g yuzu or water 60g caster sugar 4g stabilizer 2.5g pectin 3 gelatine sheets

To prepare Chocolate H20: Mix the egg white powder and water to hydrate. Rest for 1 hour. Add liquid egg whites to mixture. Blend well. Incorporate the mixture into melted dark chocolate stirring in one direction, until everything is blended. Sieve mixture and pour it into a siphon. Charge 2 cream chargers.

To prepare sorbet: Combine the sugar and stabilizer until there is no lumps. Heat the puree, yuzu on high heat. Add the dry ingredients and the soaked gelatine sheets. Transfer into a siphon and charge with two charges. Alternatively you can also put it in liquid nitrogen but reserve some sorbet.

To prepare sauce: Melt the sugar in a saucepan over low heat until it caramelizes. Stir in cream. Add butter when mixture cools to 40C. Add salt, to taste. Set aside.

To assemble: Place a chocolate H20 on the side followed by a sorbet treated with liquid nitrogen. Dot with salted caramel sauce and remaining cherry sorbet.

Note: If you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have any liquid nitrogen, you can cling wrap the Chocolate H20 mixture and place it in a blast freezer to create a similar effect.

THE MALAY MAIL

FRIDAY 4, jANUARY 2013

MISO CARAMEL BAVAROIS, PRALINE POP ROCKS miso caramel bavarois 500ml cream (at least 35%) 500ml milk 225g egg yolks 650g caster sugar 50ml water 30g gelatine sheets, soaked in water 125g red miso 1 litre UHT whipping cream, chilled and whipped into soft peaks praline pop rocks 500g praline 250g pop rocks

200g milk chocolate (at least 40% cocoa mass) lemon curd 200ml lemon juice zest from 1 lemon 275g caster sugar 125g egg yolks 188g egg whites lemon crispies 500g lemon curd 50g malto dextrin seaweed marshmallows 300g caster sugar

To prepare bavarois: Make a crĂ¨me anglais by heating up cream, milk, egg yolks and 300g sugar in a pot. In a separate pot, slowly heat remaining sugar and water to form a caramel. Slowly pour the caramel into the crĂ¨me anglaise to combine, while whisking continuously. Add the drained gelatine sheets, red miso and mix to melt. Sieve the mixture and fold in the whipped cream. Set in bowls in a freezer overnight. You can also set it in liquid nitrogen. To prepare praline poprocks: Melt the milk chocolate and combine with the praline. Once cooled, fold in the poprocks, just before serving.

Note: These poprocks need to be coated in melted chocolate to prevent them from exploding on its own. When folding in the melted chocolate with the poprocks, it must not be too hot or it will keep it from popping.

To prepare the lemon curd: Place the lemon juice, zest and sugar in a bowl. Heat over a bain marie. Whisk egg yolks and whites into mixture, until it thickens. Remove and set aside to cool. To prepare crispies: Mix the lemon curd and maltodextrin in a pot over medium heat until it dissolves. Strain. Spread thinly over a Silpat mat and dehydrate at 45C overnight or in the oven.

225g trimoline 400g water 18g gelatine powder, bloomed in a little water seaweed flakes (nori) to taste chocolate soil 140g unsalted butter 85g caster sugar 200g cocoa powder a pinch of salt 60g egg whites strawberry puree

To prepare marshmallows: Boil the sugar, 100g trimoline and water to 109C. Melt the remaining trimoline and place in a bowl in an electric mixer with bloomed gelatine. Whisk and gradually add the hot trimoline sugar mixture slowly until it forms soft peaks. Remove and fold in the seaweed flakes. Transfer mixture into a piping bag. Pipe into desired shapes on a silpat, Leave overnight to dry. Toss in a mixture of half icing sugar and half corn flour. To prepare the chocolate soil: Mix all ingredients in a food processor. Rest the mixture for 1 hour. Spread mixture on a silpat. Bake in a 165C oven. Remove and crumble into soil. To assemble: Place the miso caramel bavarois in the middle. Dot with lemon curd and strawberry puree. Sprinkle the chocolate soil on the side. Top with one seaweed marshmallow, lemon crispy and the praline poprocks. Serve immediately.

DURIAN, GINGER FLOWER, CHOCOLATE 1 durian, deseeded and the seeds reserved torch ginger flower ganache 350ml cream 70g torch ginger flower (bunga kantan), chopped finely 800g white chocolate dark chocolate ganache 41g trimoline 96g butter, melted 166g cream 80g young ginger juice 120g milk chocolate, chopped 120g dark chocolate, chopped 1 mango, peeled and frozen 4 mangosteens, peeled and spilt into segments

To prepare caramelised durian paste: Place the durian pulp in a small pan and continuously stir over low heat until it caramelizes. You can sieve the paste to get rid of the fibre. Spread on a silpat and dehydrate overnight into sheets. To prepare durian seeds: Place the durian seeds in a small pot. Add water to cover the seeds. Bring to boil. Lower the heat and simmer until the seeds are soft. Remove from the heat and leave to cool. To prepare torch ginger flower ganache: Slowly heat up the cream and the torch ginger flower together and cook over 60C to infuse the cream. Combine the hot cream with the white chocolate and stir till it melts. Chill in the refrigerator to set. To prepare dark chocolate ganache: Mix the trimoline with the melted butter. Heat the cream over low heat to a temperature of 60C. Add melted butter mixture and stir in the ginger juice. Combine with the milk and dark chocolate and stir until it melts. Chill in the refrigerator to form the ganache. To plate: Scoop the torch ginger flower ganache and chocolate ganache with a spoon to form a quenelle. Place on a plate. Grate over the durian seed. Top with the caramelised durian paste. Grate the frozen mango and top with mangosteen segments. Serve immediately.