(From left) Mohd Hafiz preparing the Gulai Asam Rong; the Xinjiang-style lamb is served with Bukhari briyani rice; Rudy serving up the rendang beef ribs and honey-glazed chicken. — Photos: RAJA FAISAL HISHAN/The Star
IF YOU are a native of Kuala Tembeling in Jerantut, Pahang, chances are you would have heard of Gulai Asam Rong, a spicy, sourish dish similar to asam pedas.
This Ramadan, diners will have the chance to savour it at the Serena Brasserie in InterContinental Kuala Lumpur.
What makes this dish unique is that it uses the seeds of the rubber tree and the perah fruit in its list of ingredients.
The rubber tree seeds are similar in texture to chestnuts but have a very slight bitter aftertaste.
Duck in “gulai” awaits guests.
Sous chef Mohd Hafiz Sharifuldin, 36, said the seeds have to be processed before they can be eaten.
“Rubber seeds and perah fruit cannot be eaten raw as they contain toxins.
“Although I have never heard of people being hospitalised from doing so, I heard that eating them raw can cause dizziness.
“The seed and fruit need to be broken open, and the pulp extracted.
“After that, the seed is rinsed with water to remove dust.
The Xinjiang style lamb is served with Bukhari briyani rice.
“Once cleaned, it is dried under the sun.
“In case of rain, machines are available to speed up the drying process.
“The most important thing about processing rubber seeds and perah fruit is that these have to be dried completely in order to be consumed safely.
“As they are considered rare ingredients, I ordered the seeds and fruit four months before the media preview,” said Mohd Hafiz.
Served with meaty pieces of duck, the gulai (coconut-infused Malay gravy dish) will be heated in an earthen pot for guests to carry back to their tables.
Rudy with the menu highlights of rendang beef ribs and honey-glazed chicken.
Other gravy ingredients include Vietnamese coriander and torch ginger flower for an aroma of fresh grass and citrus.
This year, executive chef Rudy Junaidie created menu highlights such as baked honey-glazed chicken that has been marinated for 12 hours.
Also on offer are the smoked barbecued Australian beef ribs with a Minang rendang rub, and Xinjiang-style whole New Zealand lamb served with Bukhari briyani rice.
Rudy said this year’s preparation for the roast lamb was inspired by the northwestern region of China where cumin is associated with the Uyghur people, the largest ethnic group in the area.
“The lamb is marinated in a flavourful blend of spices, including cumin, chilli, and garlic, giving it a distinctive aroma, and tender texture.
“It is a staple at special occasions, typically served with naan bread, rice and vegetables,” he said.
The pandan layer cake is not to be missed.
The beef ribs are braised to tenderness for four hours before being separated from the stock and set aside.
The Minang rendang paste is then rubbed on the meat which is placed in an oven set to 180°C for 30 minutes.
Delights like these are to be found at every corner of the buffet spread.
The mushroom soup is made up of a combination of shiitake, button, morel and cep mushrooms.
Rendang baguette slices, chicken floss and spicy cheese breads with spicy anchovy fillings are also served alongside the soup.
The fruit rojak, with its pungent and flavour-packed fermented shrimp paste sauce, will have no problem endearing itself to fans of this Asian salad.
We were told that the hearty sauce had been enriched with squid stock.
Do not miss the curry laksa, even if it is hidden away in a corner near the local hot dishes.
The laksa stock is made of dried shrimp sourced from Melaka.
The clams and prawns are sourced fresh daily from a regular supplier in Kuala Selangor, Selangor.
Do look out for the duck eggs with coconut milk, too.
As the coconut milk has to be introduced before the eggs are broken into gravy, Mohd Hafiz offers a cooking tip to prevent the milk from separating.
“Using gentle strokes, just stir continuously until the eggs have cooked,” he said
For dessert, the pandan layer cake and date pudding are not to be missed.
The pudding is made of soft rotab dates while the pandan cake uses an 11-year-old recipe made of home-made custard enriched with pandan leaf juice.
The Ramadan buffet at Serena Brasserie is served from 6.30pm to 10.30pm and is available until March 27.
Prices are RM288 nett per adult and RM178 nett per child.
It’s RM216 nett per adult and RM134 nett per child for bookings from March 4 to March 9, and March 24 to March 27.
There will also be a Hari Raya dinner buffet from 6.30pm to 10.30pm on March 31 and April 1, priced at RM288 nett per adult and RM178 nett per child.
SERENA BRASSERIE,
InterContinental Kuala Lumpur, 165, Jalan Ampang, KL.
(Tel: 03-2782 6088). Business hours: 6.30am to 10pm, daily.
This is the writer’s personal observation and is not an endorsement by StarMetro.
