Starting out at the tender age of 14, chef Mok Kit Keung has garnered more than 35 years of culinary experience cooking for royalty, dignitaries and celebrities around the world before joining Shang Palace in Kowloon Shangri-La in Hong Kong in 2011 and leading it to two-Michelin-star status.
Moving to Shang Palace in Shangri-La Hotel Singapore last year, the chef continues to infuse an artistic and modern touch to his dishes.
Now, Mok’s irrepressible creativity has found a new outlet with the launch of Shang Palace’s new The Chef’s Table series. Slated to be a monthly affair, each edition of this series will feature off-the-menu dishes based on the chef’s personal inspiration and seasonal produce.
Now, Mok’s irrepressible creativity has found a new outlet with the launch of Shang Palace’s new The Chef’s Table series. Slated to be a monthly affair, each edition of this series will feature off-the-menu dishes based on the chef’s personal inspiration and seasonal produce.
Here, he shares his recipe for a deceptively humble dish of poached rice that arrives near the end of the six-course menu at the first edition of The Chef’s Series in August. In this dish, rice is gently poached with silky slices of garoupa in a deeply umami golden broth of sweet Japanese pumpkin, creating a rich porridge that is both comforting and nourishing.
Poached Rice With Garoupa In Pumpkin Broth
Serves 4
160g Thai jasmine rice, cooked in rice cooker
8 cups chicken stock
700g Japanese pumpkin (kabocha), cubed
500g garoupa fillet
200g crab meat
5 dried scallops (conpoy)
100g Shimeji mushrooms, washed and separated
Some spring onion, chopped
1 youtiao (Chinese fried breadstick), sliced
Coriander for garnishing
For seasoning
Salt
Cornflour
Chicken powder
Chinese hua diao wine
Method
1. Season the garoupa fillet with 1 teaspoon of salt, 1 teaspoon of chicken powder and 1 tablespoon of cornflour. Marinate for 30 minutes, then slice and set aside.
2. Steam the pumpkin till soft, then blend and set aside.
3. In a pot, boil the cooked rice in chicken stock till the rice is soft. Remove the rice from the pot and set aside.
4. Add the blended pumpkin into the chicken stock and stir well.
5. Add the rice back in and season to taste with chicken powder, salt and about 1 tablespoon of Chinese hua diao wine. Bring to a boil.
6. Add the crab meat, conpoy, shimeiji, spring onion and youtiao and bring to a boil again.
7. Add in the sliced garoupa and simmer till the fish is just cooked.
8. Top with coriander and crispy rice before serving.
For the crispy rice
1 cup of cooked rice
Vegetable or any frying oil
Method
1. Spread the cooked rice out to dry for at least 4 hours.
2. Deep-fry the rice in hot oil at about 250°C until golden brown.
Serves 4
160g Thai jasmine rice, cooked in rice cooker
8 cups chicken stock
700g Japanese pumpkin (kabocha), cubed
500g garoupa fillet
200g crab meat
5 dried scallops (conpoy)
100g Shimeji mushrooms, washed and separated
Some spring onion, chopped
1 youtiao (Chinese fried breadstick), sliced
Coriander for garnishing
For seasoning
Salt
Cornflour
Chicken powder
Chinese hua diao wine
Method
1. Season the garoupa fillet with 1 teaspoon of salt, 1 teaspoon of chicken powder and 1 tablespoon of cornflour. Marinate for 30 minutes, then slice and set aside.
2. Steam the pumpkin till soft, then blend and set aside.
3. In a pot, boil the cooked rice in chicken stock till the rice is soft. Remove the rice from the pot and set aside.
4. Add the blended pumpkin into the chicken stock and stir well.
5. Add the rice back in and season to taste with chicken powder, salt and about 1 tablespoon of Chinese hua diao wine. Bring to a boil.
6. Add the crab meat, conpoy, shimeiji, spring onion and youtiao and bring to a boil again.
7. Add in the sliced garoupa and simmer till the fish is just cooked.
8. Top with coriander and crispy rice before serving.
For the crispy rice
1 cup of cooked rice
Vegetable or any frying oil
Method
1. Spread the cooked rice out to dry for at least 4 hours.
2. Deep-fry the rice in hot oil at about 250°C until golden brown.
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