Celebrating the Cantonese Cuisine with Chef Stanley Lum Wah Cheok

p/p pandnbsp;/p pOriginally from the Guangdong province of south-eastern China, near Hong Kong, Cantonese cuisine is one that holds one of the highest global acclaims; it is a cuisine that is preferred over other Asian cuisines. With its distinct characteristics and flavourandmdash;lightly cooked meat and vegetable in exotic homemade sauces using less oil, Cantonese cuisine does hold its own when it comes to world cuisine. We interacted with the head chef of Yauatcha, strongChef Stanley Lum Wah Cheok/strong who took us on a beautiful virtual trip, sharing with us his experience and knowledge on this delicious Asian cuisine./p pandnbsp;/p pCantonese food is all about flavours, yet it has a sweetish taste and is less on oil and spices. The condiments used to make it palatable are only to balance the dish and define the flavours featured in it./p pandnbsp;/p pstrongThe Beauty of Cantonese Cuisine:/strong/p pstrongbr //strong/p pHaving worked for almost 26 years in the hospitality industry, it is ideal to assume that Chef Stanley would perfectly define Cantonese cuisine. He said, andldquo;The beauty of Cantonese food is truly in its simplicity. Unlike the Indie-Chinese preparations that we are accustomed to, Cantonese food is not greasy or spicy. The spices are only used to complement and enhance the flavour of the dish; they donandrsquo;t dominate the flavour of the main ingredient. It is one of the eight traditions of Chinese cooking; perhaps among the most nutritious styles of cooking. Ingredients are used at the peak of their freshness; in fact, some restaurants across the world also have aquariums to ensure they procure the freshest seafood. Along with freshness and quality, artistic presentation of the food and garnishing also is very important and defines the beauty of Cantonese cuisine.andrdquo;/p pandnbsp;/p pWhile Cantonese cuisine is all about light and easy cooking, it is one of the most diverse cuisines, drawing influences from across the world. The challenge with this cuisine is to create a dish that is sublime, and yet makes you think about the meal hours later. These factors surely did inspire Chef Stanley enough to make it one of his signature cuisines that he serves around the world in countries such as Singapore, Malaysia, Vietnam and parts of Europe. He has previously worked as Head Chef at Conrad Centennial (Singapore), Amathus Beach Hotel (Cyprus) and Golden Palace (London), among others. He adds, andldquo;Since this is a cuisine that is the easiest on the palate for most in the western world, I got intrigued into following this cuisine, since I could experiment with different ingredients and different meats, depending on my location,andrdquo; says Chef Stanley./p pandnbsp;/p pstrongThe History of Dim sums:/strong/p pstrongbr //strong/p pThe most commonly witnessed dishes in Cantonese cuisine are the dim sums, which are served in small steamed baskets. Stuffed with meat or vegetables, they are bite size dumplings fusing flavours when dipped in sauces. Dim sums have, over a period of time, received many variations to suit the palates of different countries. However, considering India is a diverse country with a diverse taste, we wonder if dim sums are served right here. andldquo;The original recipe of dim sums that is native to China would not appeal to the Indian palate; or a westernerandrsquo;s palate, in general. Even at Yauatcha, while we use authentic recipes for cooking, we have infused a modern interpretation to it, keeping up with the times, appealing to all palates.andrdquo;/p pandnbsp;/p p style="text-align: center;"/p pandnbsp;/p pandnbsp;/p pWhile the dim sums still can be altered, what doesnandrsquo;t change in a Cantonese dish is its key ingredient. andldquo;In Cantonese cuisine, a number of ingredients such as spring onion, sugar, salt, soy sauce, rice wine, corn-starch, vinegar and sesame oil enhance flavour; although garlic is heavily used in some dishes. andnbsp;Ginger, chilli peppers, five-spice powder, black pepper and a few other spices are also used, but sparingly,andrdquo; shared Chef Stanley. And that is something he educates his guests on by creating and introducing limited edition dishes that are traditionally Chinese, yet would appeal to todayandrsquo;s guest./p pandnbsp;/p pstrongThe Tea-House Culture:/strong/p pstrongbr //strong/p pJust like dim sums, Cantonese cuisine also revolves around the concept of tea houses. In fact, Yauatcha restaurants across the country are actually dim sum tea house restaurants channelling Cantonese culture. Tea houses are an ancient Chinese concept visited by the royals and commoners to explore social interactions over a cup of hot Chinese tea as they savoured steamed dim sums. Just like the English tea, even sipping on Chinese tea is an art. andldquo;Since tea is such an important aspect in Cantonese cuisine, there are certain tea rituals that are followed in traditional houses. There are other etiquettes like not crossing your chopsticks etc, but these are not very actively followed today, especially in the modern times.andrdquo;/p pandnbsp;/p pandnbsp;/p p style="text-align: center;"/p pandnbsp;/p pandnbsp;/p pWhile these are just a few insights on the Cantonese cuisine, even Chef Stanley agrees when we say that India is ready to accept such a distinguished Asian palate. From ingredients being imported to dishes being crafted using special culinary skills, the country surely does savour the richness and heritage of the canton culture./p pandnbsp;/p pemImage courtesy: andcopy; Thinkstockphotos/ Getty Images/em/p pandnbsp;/p pstrongMore On andgt;andgt; a href="http://www.luxpresso.com/lifestyle/food-drink" target="_blank"Food andamp; Drink/a/strong/p

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