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Kai is one
of the UK's great Chinese restaurants. It's been garlanded with
awards, but it's not just the extraordinary food that sets it apart,
its also the cooking methods. Because one of the secrets behind Kai's
innovative menu is an innovative piece of technology still rare in
Chinese restaurants - a Rational SelfCooking Center.
"It's
really, really good," enthuses Executive Head Chef Alex Chow,
who agreed to join Kai on condition a Rational was added to the
kitchen. "Lots of Chinese cooking is about steaming - the
Rational is the best steamer ever. It's also the best duck-roasting
oven ever. AND it's the best rice cooker.
This fusion of
traditional cooking and modern technology reflects the Kai philosophy.
Proprietor Bernard Yeoh is passionate about Chinese food, especially
the way his compatriots have adapted to the local conditions around
the world, creating whole new cuisines in the process.
"Take
Aromatic Crispy Duck," says Bernard. "Where is it made best
in the world? Right here in the UK. Far East chefs actually come here
to learn how to make it. They take the recipe back home and try to
replicate it. And you know what? They fail."
To Yeoh, the
fact that the SelfCooking Center is three pieces of equipment in one
is an incredibly important advantage. "What's the biggest
problem for kitchens in central London? Space. Having a
multi-function piece of equipment makes sense ergonomically and
financially. And it saves space big time."
Bernard became
a fan after attending a Rational TeamCooking Live demonstration.
"Alex took me along to see what it was all about," he said.
"I was sceptical but once I saw the SelfCooking Center in action
I was sold on it. We took along some Peking Duck and it cooked it
brilliantly. What started as an experiment developed into a
feast!"
Most Chinese
restaurants use traditional equipment to cook, and combi ovens don't
feature in the kitchen. But Bernard Yeoh reckons that will change:
"If the SelfCooking Center had been around 200 years ago,
Chinese chefs would have used it!" he laughs.
Alex Chow
agrees: "For example, the Rational regenerates steam much faster
than a traditional steamer, which is critical in a la carte Chinese
cooking, because we're opening and closing the door all the time. You
can also set it to auto-time, so you don't have to worry about over-cooking."
This can be a problem with delicate dishes like Kai's
melt-in-the-mouth Steamed Chilean Sea Bass (recipe below).
"Plus,
it's very easy to use," he adds. "You just point at the
touch screen and it happens!"
As a duck
roaster, the SelfCooking Center has found a special place in Alex's
heart. It's not just that it delivers perfect Peking Duck. What he
really, really loves is the fact that it cleans itself.
"Traditional Chinese Roasters are very awkward and difficult to
clean. But we just put a tablet in the Rational and push the button
and it does it for you!"
Kai uses the
very best ingredients and the speed and accuracy of the SelfCooking
controls ensure they are cooked perfectly. The Rational is used to
help produce many of Kai's famous dishes, including the infamous
Buddha Jumps Over the Wall - listed in the Guinness Book of Records
as the most expensive soup in the world (ingredients include abalone
and gold, and it's £108 per bowl).
About 70% of
Kai's menu will surprise new customers, comprising a mix of
traditional meals that are unfamiliar in the UK and brand new dishes.
The remainder is traditional (as in traditional UK Chinese), mainly
to pander to Western customers (hence the Peking Duck, Beef Chop Suey
and Crispy Aromatic Duck).
But Bernard
and Alex are on a mission to introduce their customers to the full
variety of Chinese cuisine, and plan to push up the percentage of new
and push down that of familiar dishes. "And we'll keep on
pushing," confirms Bernard. With a little help from the Rational
SelfCooking Center, of course.
Kai Awards:
Best Chinese
Restaurant in London; Zagat Guide 2005, 2004 & 2003
Best Oriental
Restaurant in Britain; Carlsberg BIBA Awards 2005
Best Chinese
Restaurant in London; Hardens Restaurant Guide 2002
Best Chinese
Chef Westminster; Chinese Masterchef Awards 2005
Best Kitchen
Nomination; Tatler Restaurant Awards 2006
Sample Recipe
Kai's
Steamed Chilean Sea Bass with Chopped Snow Leaf
Ingredients
o 2 x 100g
Chilean Sea Bass Fillet
o 1 Teaspoon
Chopped Mange tout
o 2
Tablespoons Light Soya Sauce
o 1 Teaspoon
Chopped Spring Onions
o ½
teaspoon Oyster Sauce
o 1 Teaspoon
Chopped Garlic
o Cooking Oil
(not olive)
o Salt
o White Pepper
o Sugar
Method
o Rub the
fillets with a light coating of salt & white pepper
o Place fillet
in cooking dish
o Heat up 2
tablespoons of cooking oil and cooked the chopped garlic until fragrant.
o Mix together
the oyster sauce, a pinch of sugar, 1 teaspoon of the garlic oil,
mange tout for the fish topping
o Place
topping above on top of fish and place fish in oven
o Preheat
SelfCooking Center to steam mode
o Steam for 5 minutes
o Garnish with
spring Onion and shrimp crumb
o Pour 2
tablespoons of soya sauce over the top of the fish
o Serve
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