Satisfying Tastebuds, Old & Young: Chef Gu Chun Jie of Xi Yan

by Qian Leung @ 02 Feb 2018

Coming from a poor farming village in Kaifeng, Henan, Chef Gu Chun Jie of Xi Yan grew up seeing meat on the table only during mid-autumn festival and Chinese new year. “We couldn’t bear to eat the one chicken that we raised, instead, we’d exchange its eggs for dry provisions.” To experience the festivities, villagers would head into the city. “In our family, we might get to eat braised pork with pickled mustard greens on that one day.” In his hometown, the local tastebuds prefer flavours that are stronger, heavier, saltier, and more oily.

Instead of the chilli crab or pepper crab that Singaporeans may be used to, he decides to pick out flower crab meat from their shells, and sauté them with porcini mushrooms till fragrant in a little cream. The mixture is transferred back into the shells, topped with mozzarella cheese, and browned. For the eight treasures rice, glutinous rice is first steamed with oyster sauce, young and old soy sauce, chicken’s essence, and salt. It is then mixed with lotus seeds, almonds, chestnuts, dried shrimps, mushrooms, and Chinese sausages, before being stuffed into a deboned kampong chicken. Finally, it is roasted till the skin turns crispy. Chewy, crunchy, smoky, savoury, and complex, each morsel needs time to be fully appreciated.

Yu sheng, originally a simple dish of wolf herring brought over to Singapore by the Cantonese in the 1930s, has now evolved into a bonding activity with colourful condiments being tossed about amidst cheerful proclamations. At Xi Yan, you can try a yu sheng made with pomegranate, strawberries, blackberries, rock melon, pineapple, pomelo, and ten types of salad greens. Deep-fried spring roll skin adds crunch, while a dressing of kumquat, honey, and olive oil brings a mellow sweet-tanginess.

Adapted from the Jan Feb 18 issue of Cuisine & Wine Asia.

Satisfying Tastebuds, Old & Young: Chef Gu Chun Jie of Xi Yan

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