FEATURES

Jasmin’s specialties

Jasmin (front) and his team are offering their favourite recipes

Every Ramadan, thoughts turn to traditional dishes, chef Jasmin Mohd Zon tells TAN BEE HONG.

IN September, Cafe Serena Brasserie will offer special recipes personally picked by chef Jasmin Mohd Zon and his kitchen team. The buffet spread will include both Western and local specialties. Most of the food is arranged on island tables for easy access.

Firstly, pick off bunches of fresh dates and a refreshing drink of air bandung, air selasih, sugar cane, soya bean milk or a hot teh tarik. Those who want to break off for prayers, can head for the surau.

Then come back and slowly savour Jasmin’s very own favourite appetisers like kerabu prawns and pucuk paku, tahu sumbat (stuffed tofu with peanut sauce) and all kinds of ulam-ulam ™with a choice of dressings like sambal belacan, budu, sambal tempoyak and cincaluk.

Or tuck into the freshest seafood kept chilled on ice — freshly shucked oysters, tiger prawns, crabs, mussels and clams. Sushi and sashimi are prepared a la minute, with tuna, fresh salmon and white fish as well as rolled sushi. Freshen the appetite with a soup. There are western-style soups as well as Asian brews like spicy ox-tail, tom yam and sup singgang.

Jasmin has worked out a total of five menus on a rotation basis, so diners won’t get bored. There will be two rice dishes daily — plain rice and a choice of nasi biryani, nasi minyak, nasi tomato and nasi hujan panas.

But plain rice goes best with the hot, spicy main dishes like ayam masak merah, rendang tok, ayam percik, kambing kuzi, creamy beef ribs and starfruit, fish head curry, ostrich with cumin and dried chili, fish tikka and fried spicy crab.

“We have seven action stations daily,” says Jasmin. “Apart from roast lamb and beef, there are chefs making popiah basah and dim sum, grilling seafood, satay, otak-otak and stuffing pita bread. We also have a noodles section with curry mee, soup noodles, laksa Johor, mee jawa, mee rebus and wantan noodles.”

The curry mee is a spicy offering. You can top up the noodles with your favourite items of tofu pok, chicken, prawns and long beans. If you like it really hot, add lots of dried prawn sambal or a squeeze of lime juice for that extra zing.

The dessert table is filled with pastries and cakes, fresh fruit and local kuih muih. You also get bubur serawa nangka, chilled avocado cream, cendol and leng chi kang.

The Ramadan Delights buffet, on till Sept 30, is priced at RM95++. Children aged six to 12 pay half price.

CAFE SERENA BRASSERIE
Hotel Nikko KL
Jalan Ampang, KL
03-2782 6228

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