Dishes paired with rice wine

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AT the ancient capital of Shaoxing at the southeast of Hangzhou, China, lies the Jianhu Lake near Kuaiji Mountain, one of the important ingredients in creating the best Shaoxing rice wines.

The water from the lake contains ample mineral composition and it’s used to brew the wine.

At the Golden Phoenix Chinese Restaurant in Hotel Equatorial Kuala Lumpur diners are offered the chance to taste the Kuaijishan brand Shaoxing rice wine, made from glutinous rice, koji wheat and the lake water and is fragmented and aged inside clay pots with porous quality.

Apart from enjoying the rice wine, diners would also be able to indulge in a six-course dinner prepared by chef Ng Chee Wah.

Always the favourite: Shanghai pork ribs is paired with the National Banquet Shaoxing Hua Tiao.

The Golden Shaoxing Wine Dinner would be available until Sept 30.

Start the meal with Crab Claws and Smoked Bacon, paired with Premium five-year Shaoxing Hua Tiao.

“The crab claw is wrapped in chicken meat and then fried, while the bacon is marinated in a barbeque sauce,” Ng said.

It is followed by the Shanghai Pork Ribs, paired with the National Banquet Shaoxing Hua Tiao.

Seafood lovers could look forward to the Seafood Dumplings, served with Green Porcelain Shaoxing Hua Tiao.

The dumpling is filled with scallops, prawns, dried scallops, and crab meat.

One of the highlights: Steamed cod fish with fresh lily bulbs and wolfberry is served with 15-year National Banquet Hua Tiao

The main course is Steamed Cod Fish with Fresh Lily Bulbs and Wolfberry, served with 15-year National Banquet Hua Tiao.

Ng suggested adding a dash of the wine into the dumpling soup and cod fish to enhance its flavour.

Next is the Prawn and kit mei sauce, complemented by 18-year Smooth Sailing Hua Tiao.

The dish is a combination of tomyam sauce, chilli sauce, and tomato sauce, that gives it a sweet, sourish and a slightly spicy taste.

With 30 years of culinary experience, chef Ng is no stranger to using Shaoxing wines as it was commonly used in Chinese cuisine.

Ng said the pork ribs and cod fish were the highlights of the six-course meal.

For dessert, dim sum chef Yau Kim Yew opted to prepare something savoury.

The Deep Fried Onion Dumplings was paired with the eight-year Dijutang Shaoxing Hua Tiao. Savoury dessert goes better with the wine.

The Golden Shaoxing Wine Dinner is priced at RM160++, inclusive of a set of limited Dijutang Hua Tiao wine and two wine glasses.