It is about three weeks to the Year of the Rooster, so expect restaurants and bakeries to pull out all the stops with innovative Chinese New Year goodies – chicken-themed, of course.
Here are some chicken-themed foods to get for your family if you’re having a gathering this year:
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What: The chicken is deep-fried, then wrapped in lotus leaf and steamed for two hours. The stuffing contains truffle, stir-fried black fungus, Chinese dried mushrooms, fresh mushrooms and bamboo shoots. It costs $98 for eight to 10 people.
Where: Daily Treats, Level 1 The Westin Singapore, Asia Square Tower 2, 12 Marina View
When: Jan 14 to Feb 11, order three days in advance, no collection on Jan 28 and 29
Info: E-mail restaurant. reservation@westin.com
What: Gao Peng Cuisine created this dish specially for Chinese New Year. Deep-fried chicken thigh meat is stir-fried in a yuzu and Marmite sauce. It is topped with pomelo and pickled green mango for a mix of tangy, sweet and savoury flavours.
The dish is available for takeaway and is part of dine-in menus priced from $118++ (for two people).
Where: Gao Peng Cuisine, 02-12 White Sands Shopping Mall, 1 Pasir Ris Central 3
When: 11am to 10pm daily, except Jan 28 and 29
Info: Call 6385-4901 or go to www.facebook.com/gaopengcuisine
What: For a simple, fuss-free dish, go for Hai Tien Lo’s steamed farm chicken ($48+), which is available in the restaurant’s dine-in set menus as well as for takeaway. Pair the tender meat with the housemade minced ginger sauce, which is a blend of spring onions, ginger and spices. If you need more sauce, a bottle of it goes for $18.80+.
Where: Hai Tien Lo, Pan Pacific Singapore, 7 Raffles Boulevard
When: Now to Feb 11, 11.30am to 9pm daily, collection on Jan 27 by 3pm, order three days in advance
Info: Order online at pacificmarketplace.sg
What: York Hotel’s signature chicken dish ($62++ for dine-in, $62+ for takeaway) is prepared with a whole chicken and includes ingredients such as fa cai (black moss), lotus seeds, black mushrooms, straw mushrooms, chestnuts, ginkgo nuts and bamboo shoots.
The chicken is blanched in hot oil before it is placed with the other ingredients in a claypot and steamed for about two hours.
Where: White Rose Cafe, York Hotel, 21 Mount Elizabeth
When: For dine-in: 6am to 11pm daily, 6.30 to 10pm (Jan 27); for collection: Jan 20 to Feb 11, 11am to 8pm, collection on Jan 27 by 5.30pm, order a day in advance
Info: Call 6737-0511 or e-mail whiterosecafe@yorkhotel.com.sg
What: Chinese restaurant Min Jiang at Goodwood Park Hotel features a whole braised chicken with sea treasures in claypot ($268++ for six people, $286.75 nett for takeaway), where a whole spring chicken is flash-fried, then braised for an hour.
Australian 10-head abalones, dried oysters, Chinese mushrooms, dried scallops, white radish, fa cai (black moss) as well as housemade shrimp and minced pork balls are cooked separately.
All the ingredients are then steamed together for 45 minutes before serving.
Its sister restaurant Min Jiang at One-North offers a nourishing double-boiled wild chicken consomme with abalone, fish maw and wonton in claypot ($228++ for six people, $243.95 nett for takeaway). The soup is simmered for 41/2 hours, with fish maw and prawn wontons cooked separately to ensure they have a firm texture.
Where: Min Jiang at Goodwood Park Hotel, 22 Scotts Road; and Min Jiang at One-North, 5 Rochester Park
When: Tuesday to Feb 11, order five days in advance, last date of order on Feb 6, noon
Info: For Min Jiang at Goodwood Park Hotel: call 6730-1704 or e-mail min_jiang@goodwood park hotel.com; for Min Jiang at One-North: call 6774-0122 or e-mail mj1n@goodwoodparkhotel.com.
Text: Eunice Quek/Straits Times