A whole new world of Lunar New Year flavors

This year, according to Jasmine’s Chinese executive chef Brandon Ng, is called the Year of the Fire Horse “because when the horse arrives, everything is successful because of strength and hard work.” “And then it’s also associated with good health,” Ng told DAILY TRIBUNE and other press at the recent launch of New World Hotel Makati’s new Lunar New Year menu at its Chinese restaurant jasmine. “Horse symbolizes strength, (being) energetic and fast moving,” Chef Brandon affirmed.

To welcome the Lunar New Year at Jasmine, the feast starts with Great Fortune Salmon Yee Sang toss. Symbolizing prosperity, abundance and unity, the Yee Sang is tossed “the higher” and “the messier, the better” as one chants one’s wishes for the year like prosperity, good fortune, good health and wisdom — the louder, the better as well, said Ng. “It’s raw salad, pickles, vegetables, fruits. So sweet. Our special sauce and plum sauce are the condiments. It’s a great accompaniment for the dish, making it a bit sour and appetizing,” he explained.

For the second course, it’s called Golden Pumpkin Seafood Stew. “We have spent almost eight hours to really boil the soup to ensure we are ushering into the Horse Year, strength, wealth and prosperity, (that’s why) it’s golden,” the chef noted.

Also included in the round-table spread is a combination of three fresh meat barbecues: suckling pig, Peking duck and chicken. There is also the prawn with pineapple and cantaloupe, which again, are golden yellow in color. “So actually, this prawn is succulent, very nice, it goes well with this sweet and sour sauce,” the chef enthused. “Pineapple, again, is one of the auspicious dishes, together with pears. It symbolizes being busy and packing (for travel).”

Meanwhile, the scallop and chicken dish has hints of ruby and emerald hues — emerald as symbolized by celery. “So it’s like green jade, rubies, red and gold, that kind of meat, then it goes well with the grouper, this one is steamed with garlic, a touch of ginger and especially this year, we pour a bit more of Chinese wine for fragrance.”

Also a highlight is the classic pork belly, which the chef and his team took almost 15 hours to stew and braise to make it “melt in the mouth.” “Then you can get all the fragrance and the skin is very crispy,” he assured. This is complemented with fried rice flavored with minced dry pork sausage.

Another auspicious dish has abalone, mushroom, dried oyster and sea moss, which in Cantonese, is a form of “congratulations” for “the successful coming of abundance and fortune.” If eaten together, the ingredients of the abalone dish literally mean “Gong xi fa cai!” All these main courses are “well balanced” with condiments, the chef said.

To cap off the feast, this year, the restaurant came up with a Nian Gao (tikoy) in combined green tea and rose in addition to the classic brown sugar. The two-tone color symbolizes yin and yang or balance. Green tea is made to mimic the auspicious crystal green color. “Green is flashy, young, energetic. ‘Nian Gao’ means to say that every year, may your prosperity goes higher and higher,” shared the chef. To enjoy the Nian Gao at home, he suggested: “Lightly pan-fry it, steam it or put some grated fresh coconut on top.” True to the Year of the Horse, Nian Gao is best enjoyed with a kick, said the chef: “Enjoy it with hot coffee. So nice!”