Exploring umami

This Lunar New Year marks the launch of Zi Yat Heen’s new signature dishes for celebration at Four Seasons Hotel Macao. The exciting array of dishes starts with a Poached fresh wild star garoupa fillet in shallot oil and crushed Pata Negra. The culinary team specially selected wild star garoupa for its tender and smooth texture. A richly green shallot oil is poured at a high temperature on the lightly cooked fish fillet to preserve its delicate texture and taste. The result is an umami wonder sprinkled with crushed Pata Negra, which further engages the senses for an unforgettable experience.

Crispy fish maw stuffed with crab meat and shrimp mousse in abalone sauce showcases the kitchen’s savoir-faire in handling precious ingredients and meticulous cooking techniques. Fish maw tubes are stuffed with Vietnamese tiger prawns and fresh crab meat blended with water chestnuts and Pata Negra. Covered with abalone sauce and garnished with minced sour ginger, it is crispy on the outside and refreshing inside, fully retaining the original shrimp and fish maw flavours.

Inspired by a popular dish in Macau food stalls named “Lobster and Chicken Pot,” Braised whole lobster, chicken fillet, and Matsutake mushroom in ground bean sauce launches at a time when Yunnan mushrooms are in season. Local lobster and yellow chicken are sautéed with ground bean sauce, amplifying the aroma of mushrooms and adding flavour to the protein.

Knowing that gourmets in Guangdong prefer spicy dishes that are not overwhelmingly hot, the culinary team prepares a fragrant and lightly spiced homemade sauce for Sichuan-style marinated Kuruma prawns with green bean sheets and red spot prawns. Sichuan-style marinated Kuruma prawns are one of the guests’ favourite appetisers. Taking it to the next level, sashimi-grade red spot shrimp is added. With three ingredients and different tastes combined, both umami characteristics and textures are emphasised.

Taking aged tangerine’s health benefits into action, Zi Yat Heen presents Stir-fried Kagoshima A5 Wagyu beef cubes with crispy chestnut and aged tangerine sauce. The marbled beef is accompanied by seasonal local chestnuts that are crunchy on the outside and soft inside, with a special sauce made with 8-year-aged tangerine to aid digestion and promote wellness.

While respecting the gastronomical culture and tradition of Canton, the culinary team at Zi Yat Heen strives to innovate and surprise guest’s discerning palates with diverse choices and exciting new menus throughout the year, incorporating fresh seasonal ingredients and novel ideas to create dishes that are unique yet authentic.