CHINA DAILY | HONG KONG EDITION Friday, June 21, 2019 | 23 LIFE Stirring up the past

Using a recipe book published by Beijing hoteliers during the 1970s as a reference point, a couple took the Zen approach to Chinese cuisine and set up their own eatery to pay homage to the long­forgotten flavors featured in it, Li Yingxue reports.

ei Yuanjun remembers Sichuan cuisine, 151 Cantonese dish­ heard of the dish before and asked when she was a kid, es, 235 dishes from Huaiyang cui­ Wei Jinting for help. she liked to read sine and 121 Tan imperial cuisine Wei Jinting recalled that the dish recipes. Her favorite dishes, together with 70 cold dishes had indeed been made for a state was a recipe book written by chefs atW and 150 pastries. Some of the dishes banquet decades ago, and offered to the Beijing Hotel and published in were prepared for state banquets at teach Wu how to make it — which 1979 — her copy of the book is now the Beijing Hotel. took the duo dozens of trial runs to dog­eared as they seemed so deli­ Founded in 1900, the Beijing perfect. cious that she read the recipes over Hotel used to host state banquets “It’s like making a steamed egg and over again. featuring Sichuan, Huaiyang and custard where the surface of the Luckily for Wei, she’s had the Cantonese cuisine, which represent­ dish has to be soft and flat and with­ chance to taste many of these ed the highest standard of cooking out any bubbles. Choosing the right mouthwatering dishes, because her during the 1960s and ’70s. kind of liver is another key aspect to father Wei Jinting was a top chef at Before opening their restaurant figure out,” says Wu. the Beijing Hotel. in 2016, the couple spent months Wu relishes the chance to cook for These days Wei Yuanjun likes to practicing how to make around 30 his older diners and enjoys discuss­ collect old recipes. She now owns dishes under the instruction of her ing old dishes with them. three editions of the recipe book father Wei Jinting, 82, a Sichuan The menu at Zen now lists around published over the years. But as cuisine chef at Beijing Hotel, who 100 dishes, which Wu thinks is time goes on, she finds that it’s not learned his craft from master chef enough for one restaurant. If he as easy as it once was for her to Luo Guorong. Then, each dish was Above: Wu Zhen, co­founder of “The chilis in the original kung duck and pork ribs for several ends up working out dozens of other remember the flavors of the dishes made dozens of times ahead of the Zen restaurant, aims to replicate pao chicken at the Beijing Hotel hours before a meatball made of dishes he would have to open a new from her childhood memory. opening, before Wei gave them his the classic Chinese dishes in were cooked to almost a black color, mashed chicken and pork is placed restaurant. It’s also rare to find many of the final seal of approval. the 1960s and ’70s for modern which can be verified by a color in the bowl to absorb the oil and fat “Now I realize that to replicate all dishes on restaurant menus in Chi­ “There are other young chefs who diners. photo that appears in one version to leave a clear, tasty soup. 1,000 dishes is almost impossible, as na nowadays. would like to replicate the classic Clockwise from top left: Walnut of the recipe book,” says Wei Yuan­ “When we first served this dish, the more we explore, the harder it is “One of the reasons these classic dishes from the 1960s and ’70s, but cream, beef with orange peel, jun. “But they are edible and the our clients — who were used to the to find information about them. dishes are vanishing is that they they don’t know if they can cook steamed Chinese cabbage in aroma of the chili is more promi­ heavy flavors of Sichuan cuisine — They’re vanishing quickly,” Wu says. take a long time to prepare and them properly,” says Wu. supreme soup and steamed nent in this dish.” thought the price was too high for a “But I’ll continue doing this and try require complex cooking skills to “We were lucky because when we mandarin fish are among the The couple aim to help diners bowl of light soup,” says Wu. “But to recreate as many classic dishes as create them,” she says. wanted to learn about a classic signature dishes of Zen understand that spiciness is not the now people have gained an appreci­ I can.” Three years ago, Wei and her hus­ dish, we would ask my father­in­ restaurant in Beijing. only aspect to Sichuan cuisine, ation for the soup and respect the Wei Yuanjun thinks that Chinese band Wu Zhen opened a restaurant, law and discuss how to make the PHOTOS PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY which has more than 20 flavors, hours of preparation that have gone recipe books are undervalued as it’s Zen, in the historical Qianmen area dish with him. The recipes in the including sweet­and­sour, garlic into it.” not a favorite genre among collec­ of Beijing — with the original goal of book are a bit general, so we needed and sesame. The couple’s restaurant attracts tors. Wei and her husband are plan­ replicating all the dishes in the his knowledge to replicate them Steamed Chinese cabbage in some diners in their 80s who can tell ning to write their own book about book. properly.” supreme soup is just one example of if the flavors of the dishes match the classic Chinese dishes to save them “I felt it would be a pity if we lost Most of the dishes at Zen are from this at Zen. The dish was created by ones they tasted decades ago. Some­ for posterity. all these classic dishes, because each Sichuan cuisine, including its signa­ a grandmaster of Sichuan cuisine, times they offer the couple informa­ “We would like to share our of them has been perfected by sever­ ture dish — kung pao chicken. The Huang Jinglin, during the Qing tion or ideas about forgotten classic recipes with other chefs so these al generations of Chinese chefs,” couple’s take on this classic sweet­ Dynasty (1644­1911) and Luo Guor­ dishes from the past. classic dishes can be picked up by says Wei. and­sour dish is both spicy and vis­ ong was tasked with making the Renowned Hong Kong food critic future generations,” says Wei. The book lists the quantities and cous, but the chilis are more of a red­ dish shine at state banquets in the Chua Lam visited Zen three years cooking methods to make around brown hue rather than the usual 1950s. ago, where he ordered a dish of Contact the writer at 1,000 dishes — 284 dishes from flaming red color. The soup is boiled with chicken, steamed pork liver. Wu had not [email protected] Peru’s on the menu at South American eatery in Beijing

By LI YINGXUE an and Italian cuisine. [email protected] Causa de atun is a prime example of Bachiche, using smashed potato Back in 2016, siblings Francisco, to make a pie with a tuna filling, Maria and Juan Carlos opened a topped with coriander, mayonnaise, pop­up restaurant named Pachaku­ egg, onion and avocado. tiq in Beijing, impressing local food­ Ceviche is a traditional Peruvian ies with flavors from their home dish. Pachapapi’s classic ceviche country of Peru. uses sea bass, sweet potato, corn, After that they were asked when coriander and “tiger’s milk”. they would open the capital’s first Grilled beef heart is a tasty sur­ Peruvian restaurant and, last year, prise, with its special spicy sauce the trio finally answered the call, brushed on the beef heart, which is opening Pachapapi in Beijing’s Xin­ served with potato and corn. yuanli area. The classic pisco sour drink was Peru has been named the world’s created in Lima in the early 1920s. “Best Culinary Destination” for six After living in Lima for about 20 consecutive years by the World Trav­ years, an American businessman el Awards, and three of the country’s Left: Peruvian restaurant Pachapapi aims to bring customers an unforgettable experience, with mouthwatering cuisine mixed with its named Victor Morris missed his eateries are listed among the world’s unique drinks and a vibrant environment. whiskey sour cocktails so much that 50 best restaurants. Right: Pisco sour is one of the most popular cocktails in Peru. PHOTOS PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY he decided to create a substitute Francisco Carlos is very proud that using local spirits. Peruvian food is so well received the Mountains, the Amazon rainforest Nikkei cuisine is at the heart of invention,” says Francisco. the authentic flavor of the food at He could never have imagined at world over, and he believes that its and the Pacific Ocean, that allows all this adventure, partnered with tra­ Tiradito is a traditional Peruvian Pachapapi, he imports three kinds the time that he was creating Peru’s popularity has much to do with of these cuisines to flourish, merg­ ditional Peruvian staples, auda­ dish featuring thin slices of raw fish of chilis from Peru, aji amarillo, aji national cocktail that is so popular immigrants flowing into Peru from ing beautifully with each other,” he cious, strikingly colorful food, fresh that are dipped into different sauces panca and rocoto. that it is enjoyed in most parts of the different parts of the world, creating says. aromas and tantalizing taste sensa­ that replace wasabi or soy sauce that “I’ve tried a dozen kinds of chilis world and has now traveled half way a literal melting pot of delicious fla­ “Peru is a country where geneti­ tions. usually accompany sashimi. in China, but none of them have the across the globe to be served in the vors — European, African, Chinese cally modified organisms are com­ Nikkei, broadly defined as Japa­ One striking feature of the menu same flavor as the chilis from Peru,” Chinese capital. and Japanese have all migrated to pletely banned, making Peruvian nese and Peruvian fusion food, com­ are two pages of chili­based sauces he says. “At Pachapapi, we use other Peru, bringing their home cuisine food even more special,” he says. bines key Japanese ingredients, — from curry sauce and garlic chili Chifa is also a culinary tradition fruits to make it a variety of differ­ with them. The trio now aims to bring cus­ such as soy sauce, miso and seafood sauce to golden berry sauce and based on Cantonese elements fused ent flavors,” says Francisco. “I usu­ “The mixture of all these regions’ tomers an unforgettable experience with Peruvian aji peppers. “tiger’s milk”, a sauce made with cel­ with traditional Peruvian ingredi­ ally suggest my customers start flavors has enriched Peruvian gas­ with mouthwatering cuisine mixed “Nikkei food may have roots in ery, lemon, fish, chili, ginger, corian­ ents. Besides Nikkei and Chifa, their meal with a ‘Pacha’ shot, tronomy, but it is the biodiversity of with unique pisco drinks and a Japanese cuisine, but it’s relatively a der and garlic. Bachiche is another key type of cui­ which is the soul of our restaurant our land, blessed with the Andes vibrant Peruvian­style environment. new and quintessentially Peruvian According to Francisco, to ensure sine in Peru which combines Peruvi­ and bar,” he says.