The 3rd dish I served for the Taiwanese-themed event was easily my favorite of the night鈥攁 creation I鈥檇 been working on and refining in my head for months. For this menu, it finally came to life: 饾棫饾棶饾椂饾槃饾棶饾椈饾棽饾榾饾棽 饾榾饾棸饾棶饾椆饾椆饾椂饾椉饾椈 饾椊饾棶饾椈饾棸饾棶饾椄饾棽 topped with 饾棷饾椆饾棶饾棸饾椄 饾棿饾棶饾椏饾椆饾椂饾棸 饾棶饾椂饾椉饾椆饾椂 and a drizzle of 饾榿饾椏饾槀饾棾饾棾饾椆饾棽 饾椀饾椉饾椈饾棽饾槅.
The base was the scallion pancake鈥攆laky, golden, and layered with fresh green onions, pan-fried until crisp on the outside yet still tender and chewy inside. I tried to make my own dough from scratch but didn't have enough time to perfect it and the event was getting close, so I decided to source it instead.
Since we're in Malaysia and we sort of make pancakes (roti), I asked my sous to get some roti dough balls from a mamak and we got it for RM1 each 馃槃
Anyway, back to the dish!
We then loaded it up freshly chopped scallions and a scallion paste for extra crispiness once cooked. Rolled it up into something like a roti boom and layered it on baking paper before letting it set in the freezer.
On top, I added a silky 饾棷饾椆饾棶饾棸饾椄 饾棿饾棶饾椏饾椆饾椂饾棸 饾棶饾椂饾椉饾椆饾椂, rich with umami and a subtle sweetness that paired perfectly with the savory pancake. The final flourish was a drizzle of 饾榿饾椏饾槀饾棾饾棾饾椆饾棽 饾椀饾椉饾椈饾棽饾槅, bringing an aromatic earthiness and a touch of sweetness that balanced all the flavors beautifully.
It was a dish that played with texture, fragrance, and contrast鈥攃rispy, creamy, sweet, and savory all in one bite. Seeing guests light up with surprise and delight as they tasted it made all those months of planning worth it.
Special thanks to my brother for what might be our last gig together in the F&B world.
