(Hong Kong, 20 June 2019) The Chinese Library, one of the trilogy of venues by Aqua Restaurant Group in the beautifully transformed 170-year-old colonial Central Police Headquarters in Tai Kwun, is introducing five new dishes that celebrate Dao Yi - the art of the kitchen knife. The simple Chinese kitchen knife might not at first appear the most subtle utensil ever devised, but in the right expert hands it is highly versatile and capable of artfully slicing and carving some of the most delicate and intricate creations. Chef Junno Li Zhenlong from The Chinese Library wields his knife skills, honed over more than 10 years, to create Dao Yi Dishes which are a beautiful demonstration of the skill and of course taste wonderful too.
One of the most popular dishes on the current menu which showcases Chef Junno’s intricate knife work is a much-loved Cantonese delicacy - Chrysanthemum “thousand cut” silken tofu in chicken broth (HK$ 118). The dish replicates a chrysanthemum flower, the symbol of longevity in Chinese culture. The silken tofu is painstakingly hand-cut to resemble the flower, which takes many years of practice and sits in a light broth. The broth is simmered for over 24 hours, then sieved several times through muslin to achieve the clear colour, with crab roe added for additional flavour. This popular dish has been the inspiration to create the new Dao Yi Dishes.
One of these is Crystal melon dumpling with Kung Fu teapot chicken consommé (HK$ 108), where the dumpling wrapper is uniquely made from melon that has been intricately sliced into squares no more than 1mm thick. The dumpling filling includes prawn, pork and bamboo shoots and each dumpling takes 20 minutes to prepare, while the broth in which it is boiled is prepared for over six hours. The dish is aptly named Kung Fu, as it similarly takes great skill and practise to master.
Marinated geoduck and jade flower in sesame oil dressing (HK$ 168) is a Sichuan inspired dish which combines locally sourced seafood and Sichuan flavours with delicately carved vegetables. Both the geoduck – a kind of shellfish – and the jade vegetables require precise and expert cutting to prepare.
“The Golden Lion”, deep-fried whole mandarin fish (HK$ 688) is a popular dish traditionally from the Zhejiang province, but particularly enjoyed in Shanghai, which relies on precise carving skills for its success. Two mandarin fish are carefully selected to weigh at least 1kg in order to achieve the perfect dish preparation. The scales and skin of the fish are carefully removed, and the meat is cut into thin slices whilst remaining on the body of the fish itself. It’s vital that the fish is fresh when prepared, as the chef must make hundreds of precise cuts to prepare such a complex dish before it spoils. The whole fish is coated in a light batter and then dipped into oil between 130 – 140c, if it’s any hotter than this the fish strips will fail to stand on end and resemble a golden lion’s mane. A skilled chef can create this dish within two hours, but only two of the ten chefs in the kitchen besides Chef Junno Li have so far achieved this dish, of which a maximum of four are served each day alongside a sweet hot chilli sauce.
The Chinese Library’s Salt-baked meringue free-range whole chicken (HK$ 698) is a take on the traditional beggar’s chicken, replacing the clay with a salted meringue exterior that helps the chicken retain its juicy flavours. Once again, it’s the skill with the knife which makes this dish a success, as the chicken is cooked whole after the bones are surgically removed. The chicken is then stuffed with pork belly, chicken gizzard, Yunnan ham, lotus seed, mushroom, salted egg yolk, green bean and shrimp. It’s then wrapped in a thin layer of pig fat, followed by a lotus leaf. Rich flavours infuse into the chicken when the whole parcel is coated in meringue and slow baked for 6.5 hours. The whole dish is struck with a mallet to break the outer casing and carved tableside. Only up to four of these, which must be pre-ordered, can be served each day.
Finally, The Chinese Library’s new Sweetened double-boiled "bird’s nest" with honeydew and melon (HK$ 98) takes the art of knife work to a whole new level, as a melon is delicately sliced to the point where it looks identical to a traditional bird’s nest, considered the “caviar of the east”, making it the dish Chef Li is most proud of. It is served with three homemade syrups of ginger, rock sugar and date for guests to tailor this dish to their taste buds.
The Chinese Library delivers the best loved dishes from the various Chinese cuisines that were brought to Hong Kong by the different waves of migrants who have made this such a vibrant and successful city. Chef Li’s fine knife cutting skills enable an elegant and artistic take on classic Chinese dishes. The new Dao Yi Dishes are available until 30th September.
Address & Booking Information:
The Chinese Library, Police Headquarters Block 01, Tai Kwun, 10 Hollywood Road, Central, Hong Kong
T 2848 3088|www.chineselibrary.com.hk | FB @thechineselibrary| IG @thechineselibrary
Dining Times:
About The Chinese Library
The Chinese Library is part of a trilogy of three landmark spaces which together evoke the story of Hong Kong’s colourful history, alongside British restaurant, Statement, and an atmospheric lounge and bar, The Dispensary. The stunning spaces occupy the whole floor of the old Police Headquarters Building in Tai Kwun. The Chinese Library showcases Hong Kong’s favourite Chinese dishes presented with a twist and drawn from all of China’s varied regional cuisines.
-ENDS-
Issued by GHC Asia on behalf of Aqua Restaurant Group
For media enquiries, please contact:
Karen Chong| 2810 0532 | [email protected]
Download high-res images here.
Images:
Crystal melon dumpling with |
Chrysanthemum “thousand cut” silken tofu |
Marinated geoduck & Jade flower |
“The Golden Lion”, |
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Sweetened double-boiled "bird’s nest" |
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