Modern Chinese cuisine not only emphasizes plating but also skillfully utilizes cooking techniques and styles from various regional cuisines, delivering a dining experience that engages all the senses. Chef Poon Chi-fung (Executive Chef at 1881 Heritage's "The Queen" Chinese restaurant) shares his recipe for "Sichuan-Style Mala Lobster with Silken Tofu," a dish that blends the essence of Sichuan and Cantonese cooking, allowing the palate to simultaneously enjoy the layered flavors of spicy fragrance and sweet freshness.
Sichuan-Style Mala Lobster with Silken Tofu
Sichuan cuisine is known for its bold use of spices and seasonings, offering intense, stimulating, and varied flavors. Cantonese cuisine, on the other hand, pursues freshness, lightness, and the natural taste of high-quality ingredients. Chef Poon explains that the key to this successful fusion dish is not only selecting fresh, seasonal ingredients but also achieving the perfect balance of seasoning – using just the right amount of pickled chilies, chili bean paste, Sichuan hotpot base, dried chilies, and Sichuan peppercorns to enhance the numbing and spicy notes without overpowering the lobster's natural sweetness.
Demonstration Dish: Sichuan-Style Mala Lobster with Silken Tofu
Ingredients:
- 1 green lobster (approx. 750g)
- 1 block silken tofu
- 5g minced ginger
- 5g minced garlic
- 40g pickled chilies
- 20g chili bean paste (Jiao Jiang Huang)
- 40g Pixian doubanjiang (broad bean paste)
- 20g Sichuan hotpot base
- 15g dried chilies
- 10g dried Sichuan peppercorns
- 15g chicken powder
- 15g seasoning powder
- 40g chopped scallions
- Salt to taste
- Cornstarch slurry (for thickening)
- 600ml water
Marinade for Lobster: Salt, sugar, chicken powder, cornstarch, and egg white (each to taste).
Method:
- Cut the tofu into cubes. Blanch in boiling salted water and set aside.
- Remove the lobster meat and cut into chunks. Marinate for 5 minutes. Clean the lobster head and tail, steam for 12 minutes, and set aside for decoration.
- Heat oil in a wok. Sauté minced ginger, garlic, Sichuan peppercorns, dried chilies, pickled chilies, doubanjiang, and chili bean paste until fragrant. Add Sichuan hotpot base and water, bring to a boil. Add chicken powder and seasoning powder. Strain out the solids using a sieve.
- Add the blanched tofu to the sauce and bring to a boil. Thicken with cornstarch slurry. Arrange the tofu on a serving plate and decorate with the lobster head and tail.
- Gently poach the lobster meat in warm oil (60°C) for about 10 seconds. Drain and place on top of the tofu. Garnish with chopped scallions.
Chef's 3 Tips for the Dish:
- A green lobster around 750g offers firm, sweet meat suitable for various cooking methods.
- Silken tofu is delicate and full of soy fragrance; it holds its shape well after blanching.
- Pixian doubanjiang, a specialty from Chengdu, Sichuan, has a particularly rich aroma.
Author: EH Photos: Sing Tao Daily
