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[title]The Mid-Autumn Festival falls on September 24 this year and traditionally celebrates the harvest on the 15th day of the eighth moon in the Chinese Lunar calendar. Also known as the Mooncake or Lantern festival, this year sees an exquisite selection of mooncakes from the acclaimed Tao Chinese Cuisine at the InterContinental Kuala Lumpur.
This year, Tao presents ten different types comprising six classic baked skin choices, three snow skin and a unique Shanghai-style savoury mooncake, all created by master Dim Sum Chef, Lo Tian Sion.
For those who prefer the traditional style of mooncake, Tao’s baked versions have the ideal skin-to-paste combination and are halal-certified. Flavours include White Lotus with Single Yolk, Red Bean Paste with Nuts, Black Sesame Bamboo Charcoal with Single Yolk and Pandan with Single Yolk, which is a Tao specialty and is made from fresh pandan juice. All ingredients have been personally sourced by Chef Lo with the lotus seeds coming from Zhe Jiang province in southern China, a region famed for its agriculture.
The snow skin selection is the non-baked version of mooncakes and are a relatively new culinary invention having been created in the 1980s in Hong Kong. Chef Lo creates new versions annually and this year there are three choices – Snow Skin with Durian Paste and Oats, Snow Skin with Japanese Green Tea and Cherry Jelly, and the delectable Marble Snow Skin with Butterfly Pea Flower and Bird’s Nest. Again, only the freshest ingredients are used including real butterfly pea flowers for the vibrant blue of the Marble Snow Skin, and imported cherries for the jelly.
For something different, be sure to visit Tao and try the delicious Shanghai Style Baked Black Pepper Smoked Duck Meat with Yam. This is made à la minute and served warm so is only available for dine in. Chef Lo created this using scallion pancakes (a famous Taiwanese street snack) as inspiration.
InterContinental Kuala Lumpur, 165 Jalan Ampang, KL (03 2782 6000/kualalumpur.intercontinental.com). Tao Chinese Cuisine’s mooncakes are presented in an elegant gift box, are available from now till Sep 24 and are priced between RM25-RM43.