JACK AW YONG park hyatt beijing executive chef FOOD IS THE PASSAGE TO THE SOUL. IT COMMANDS SINCERITY, SIMPLICITY, consistency, passion and a sincere smile. { jack aw yong } menu SPRING PANCAKE BRAISED VEGETABLES, WRAPPED WITH HOMEMADE PANCAKE, BLACK BEAN PORK STEW EATING SPRING PANCAKES (CHUN BING HE CAI) is a customary way for the people of Beijing to celebrate the coming of spring. The pancake is seasoned with savory brown sauce and spring onions and piled with any combination of stir-fried and marinated vegetables and meat before being rolled up tight for spill-free eating. The savory flavors of stir-fried spinach and eggs, bean sprouts with shredded green pepper, carrots and cilantro, red-braised tofu and pickled bamboo with celery and peppers all blend deliciously with the slightly sweet pancake and tangy sauce. The tradition of the spring pancake dates from the Jin dynasty (265-420 CE) and has prospered since the imperial Tang dynasty (618-907 AD). Known as biting-the-spring, the custom carries the wishes of people praying for a good harvest in the year ahead. LOCAL FLAVOR NA JIA XIAO GUAN This restaurant offers well-executed Manchu cuisine in a casual setting where the names of dishes are carved on small sticks of wood. The novel menu includes dishes like huang tanzi, a thick, meaty soup slow-cooked for nearly twenty hours. Typical Manchu dishes include the appetizer known as beijing } 1
STAY SIMPLE. Focus on basic, good quality product and consistency AND WITH A SINCERE SMILING SERVICE. { jack aw yong } baqi qiezi (eight banner eggplant) and qiezi men huangdou (braised soybean and eggplant). Other classic dishes to try are the stewed venison in hot pot and fried chicken with walnut and yams capped with a sweet osmanthus sauce. An English menu is available. 10 Yonganli, Jianguomenwai Dajie, Chaoyang District, Beijing HUANG TAI JI This small backstreet restaurant has made a name for itself as one of the best places in Beijing to have a traditional Chinese breakfast. The best-selling item is Jian Bing Guo Zi (a type of Chinese pancake), which is prepared with egg and cooked on a skillet, topped with a fried dough stick, drizzled with scallions, sesame seeds and sauces. The pancake is rolled up and usually eaten with soybean milk. Only a 5-minute walk from Guomao, Beijing s central business district, Huang Tai Ji is open early and late. Level 1, Building No. 12, Jianwai Soho No. 39 Dongsanhuan Zhong Lu. beijing } 3
SPRING PANCAKE BRAISED VEGETABLES, WRAPPED WITH HOME- MADE PANCAKE, BLACK BEAN PORK STEW serves 4 INGREDIENTS For the Braised Vegetables 150 g (5 oz) glass noodles, pre-soaked in lukewarm water // 50 g (2 oz) wood-ear fungus, pre-soaked in lukewarm water // 150 g (5 oz) white cabbage, julienne // 100 g (3.5 oz) carrots, julienne // 100 g (3.5 oz) bamboo shoots, julienne // 50 g (2 oz) shiitake mushrooms, julienne // 50 g (2 oz) bean sprouts // 30 g (1 oz) green chives // 3 Tbsp (45 ml) peanut oil // 30 g (1 oz) garlic, finely chopped // 50 g (2 oz) shallot, finely sliced // 1 Tbsp (15 ml) oyster sauce // 2 Tbsp (30 ml) light soya sauce // 3 tsp (15 ml) sesame oil // salt and white pepper powder // For the Omelet 4 whole eggs, beaten // 100 g (3.5 oz) leeks, finely diced // 1 tsp (5 ml) sesame oil // salt and white pepper powder // For the Pancake 1 kg (3-1/2 cups) all-purpose flour // 450 ml (2 cups) cold water // peanut oil, to brush // For the Black Bean Pork Stew 3 Tbsp (45 ml) peanut oil // 30 g (1 oz) young ginger, finely minced // 50 g (2 oz) shallot, finely diced // 50 g (2 oz) leeks, finely diced // 200 g (7 oz) pork belly, finely diced // 50 g (2 oz) yellow soya bean paste // white pepper powder // 200 ml (1 cup) cold water // 1 piece star anise // salt // For the Garnish 20 g (0.7 oz) sesame seeds, roasted // 50 g (2 oz) corianders, cleaned: 1 inch (2.5 cm) // METHOD For the Pancake 1 } Place flour on wood board and create a well. Pour in half of the water and mix slowly, continuing to add water until mixed well. Knead to form into dough. 2 } Dust with flour, cover dough with a cloth and let rest for 1-2 hours. 3 } Portion the dough into 20 gram (0.7 oz) pieces and roll each piece out into a thin round sheet. 4 } Brush a light layer of peanut oil on every other thin round of dough, then press a round of dough on top of the oiled round. 5 } Heat a non-stick pan, then cook the layered dough rounds over medium heat until each side is lightly browned. 6 } Separate the dough sheets into individual thin pancakes. Stack the pieces of thin pancake, cooked through and ready to serve continued next page LOCAL FLAVOR - Sommelier Recommendation: THE LOOP Owner Lu Weiley, a graduate of Le Cordon Bleu and a member of the Beijing Sommeliers group has assembled an impressive wine list at The Loop. The selection is quite international there s a Shiraz Cabernet Sauvignon from India for RMB300 and many of the wines appeal to the more adventurous wine drinker. Every month, Lu invites a guest chef to prepare a set menu from his home country, paired with a special wine. 1F, 36-1, Sanlitun Nan (west of Heaven Supermarket), Chaoyang District
The chef rolls pancake dough into a cylinder to be pressed out into a thin, round sheet (top left). Chopping garlic for the braised vegetables (top right). Braising a collection of julienne vegetables in sesame oil and soya sauce (bottom left). Fresh eggs are lightly beaten together for the omelet (bottom right).
Eggs are seasoned with leeks, sesame oil and salt and pepper (top left). Finely diced pork belly is popular in Asian cuisine for the rich flavor and texture it adds to dishes (top right). A sprinkle of seasoning enhances the vegetables (bottom left). Delicate and delicious spring pancakes are topped with black bean pork stew, an omelet and a sprig of coriander (bottom right).
For the Braised Vegetables 1 } Preheat the sauté pan. Heat the peanut oil, garlic and shallot, and lightly sauté over medium heat until golden brown. 2 } Add the pre-soaked glass noodles and wood-ear fungus, white cabbage, carrot and bamboo shoots, and sauté over high heat. Season with oyster sauce, light soya sauce, salt and pepper. 3 } Braise the vegetables, adding mushrooms, bean sprouts and green chives. Sprinkle with sesame oil just before serving. For the Omelet 1 } Preheat a non-stick pan over medium heat. Season the beaten eggs with leeks, sesame oil, salt and pepper. 2 } Cook the omelet over medium heat, turning until both sides are light brown. 3 } Place braised vegetables in the claypot and cover with the leek omelet. For the Black Bean Pork Stew 1 } Pre-heat the peanut oil in a pot over medium heat. Sauté the ginger, leeks and shallots until light brown, add diced pork and fry until golden brown. Add the yellow soya bean paste, water and star anise. 2 } Allow the pot to simmer and reduce over low heat. When the stew thickens, add salt and pepper and check the seasoning. For the Garnish 1 } Place coriander and sesame seeds on side dish. 2 } Spread the black bean pork stew on the thin pancake, spoon over the braised vegetables and omelet and add a few pieces of coriander and sesame seeds. Lightly roll and wrap. Voila, happy tasting. WINE PAIRING Domaene Gobelsburg Gruner Veltliner, Kamptal, Austria Gruner Veltliner has wonderful layers of flavor, from lemon cucumber to green bean and white pepper, framed by lemony acid and balanced alcohol. Very distinct and spicy, and moderately aromatic, this variety pairs beautifully with many Asian foods, especially dishes made with vegetables such as asparagus, lettuce, scallions and bean sprouts. Gruner is also compatible with pork and other white meat. The complex aromas and structure of the wine can handle the savory flavor of the meat, while its fresh acidity will balance any rich sauces.
culinary inspirations travel & food The chef deftly shapes the dough for spring pancakes (top left). Cooks at work in a typical Beijing kitchen (left). Bins of colorful beans (top right). Beijingers line up to bite the spring (center). The pot simmers (right). An armful of fresh leeks (bottom right). Lightly mixing flour and water to make a workable dough (bottom left).