BENGALURU: Family, festivities and of course, food – Yee Sang, Nian Gao, dumplings, spring rolls – mark the Chinese New Year, which will be celebrated today. Some, like chef Mark Qiguo Su, are trying to recreate the experience in Bengaluru, not to feel that they are missing out on the festivities back home.
A native of Jianyang, Sichuan, Su has been living in the city since November 2016 when he joined the Shang Palace at Shangri-La Hotel Bengaluru as an Executive Chinese Chef. As he misses family who are back home, Su says, “Chinese New Year is the time of reunion dinners and get-togethers. Families and friends come together to enjoy this auspicious time with numerous festive traditions. The whole city is decorated in red and people are out meeting their loved ones and gifting them red packets.”
Festive traditions like Yee Sang (also known as prosperity toss), Lion Dance (a dance to ward off the evil spirit and ring in new beginnings), Dumpling rolling and eating (for prosperity) and fire crackers to welcome the year are an important aspect to usher the lunar new year. And keeping up these traditions, Su will be at his workplace where the day will begin with the auspicious Lion Dance at the hotel lobby early in the morning.
“The lion visits every restaurant and offices performing to the rhythm of drums to scare off evil spirits and bring good luck and fortune,” says Su who specialises in Sichuan cuisine (recognised for its hot and spicy delicacies resulting from the liberal use of bold and flavourful ingredients, including garlic and chili peppers), one of China’s eight regional culinary traditions and one of the more popular ones. “We’ve put together a special menu which will include traditional delicacies that are served back home,” says the chef with 17 years of culinary experience.
Dragon chicken with Tien Tsin and Sichuan Peppers
Ingredients
Chicken thigh boneless cubes – 200 gm
Tien Tsin dry peppers- 15 gm
Chopped Garlic- 10 gms
Chopped Ginger- 10 gm
Egg- 1
White pepper powder- 5 gm
Light soya sauce- 10 ml
Dark soya sauce- 10 ml
Chinese cooking wine- 30ml
Breakfast sugar- 5 gm
Chicken Broth powder- 10 gm
Oyster sauce- 10 ml
Salt- to taste
Snow peas- 25 gm
Broccoli- 20 gm
Sichuan fresh peppers- 20 gm
Spring onion- 15 gm
Thai red chilli- 3 gm
Fresh Chinese chilli pepper- 5 gm
Corn flour- 50 gm
Vegetable refined oil- 25 ml
Method of preparation
Marinate chicken with corn flour, salt, white pepper, egg, half the quantity of chicken broth powder. Keep it for 10 mins and then deep fry in hot oil until it gets crispy.
Blanch broccoli and snow peas separately and keep it aside.
In a hot wok, heat refined oil, add ginger, garlic, Tien Tsin peppers, Thai red chilli, Chinese chilli pepper, Sichuan peppers, snow peas, and broccoli.
Sauté it well.
Add oyster sauce, light and dark soya sauce, half left chicken broth powder.
Add fried chicken cubes, salt, sugar and Chinese cooking wine. Toss it well.
Serve it in a traditional clay pot dish, garnish with chopped spring onion.