To keep warm in Cameron Highlands, a steamboat dinner may just be the answer
The one point that Swee Pooi Choy wanted to push across was “honesty”.
United: (Left) A family that cooks together, stays together, insisted Swee Pooi Choy (far left) of Mayflower Restaurant. He is joined by his elder son, Kuan Wei, wife, Yoon Ah Ying, 62, (standing) and Kuan Hoe (with glasses).
To prove it, the 64-year-old owner of a steamboat restaurant who had just transferred his 21-year-old business to his two sons, would point to the signboard at his restaurant front.
On it was a complete listing of all the 21 items that will come with the hot pot order, specifically stating that there would also be nine different types of vegetables included.
“This way, my diners will know what they are going to get. As a diner myself, I am not too fond of playing guessing games when it comes to my food. This way, there is no doubt as to what we will serve,” said Swee.
Also written clearly on the sign were the prices. Let’s not play hide and seek with this, was what Swee, a former taxi driver and durian planter from Tapah, seemed to imply.
Sooner or later, the diner will have to find out anyway. RM13 per pax if you’re opting for only chicken broth, RM15 if you fancy some spicy tom yam soup and for a combo of both, it’s RM14. They also have a herbal porridge made of fragrant rice, dong kwai, red dates, boxthorne fruit and a host of other Chinese herbs. This will set you back RM16 per head.
But then Swee also reminded that honesty will only go so far.
The crucial test will still go back to the taste.
Now, in Cameron Highlands where Swee’s restaurant is located, steamboat meals are a dime a dozen and competition is great.
The question of who’s the best would be inadvertently left to the myriad of personal preferences among the varying human palate.
In Swee’s case, I would describe his steamboat meal as one slurping session that the diner would find hard to put an end to!
It did not take long to figure out that it all boiled down to the soup.
The chicken stock, which appeared bland at first, was well-infused and the tom yam base had a lovely spiciness about it which did not irritate the throat or cause one’s eyes to water.
The flavour was further improved with the addition of meat and vegetables, and the longer the fire burned, the sweeter the soup became.
To achieve a stock like this could only mean that the cook, Swee Kuan Wei, had spent many hours overlooking its concoction.
Kuan Wei, Swee’s elder son, has been watching his father brew the restaurant’s stock since his school days. Today, the 35-year-old has taken sole charge of the kitchen while his younger brother, Kuan Hoe oversees the front of the house.
Kuan Wei also proudly introduced his herbal porridge hot pot which augured extremely well with this professed rice congee lover.
Still, one should note that the porridge, which is very light, has a distinct herbaceous quality to it and some may find it slightly bitter. But if one is used to imbibing Chinese herbal soups, this would be no problem at all.
Like the soups, the porridge also matured very well over time.
At the end part, the porridge took a soupy but thick, starchy quality which was just as well for easy digestion.
Herein, one is advised to take into consideration the boiling time of items that will go into a steam boat.
Meat like chicken and beef should not be left in a hot pot for too long as this will make them tough and chewy.
Fish and prawns should be taken out as soon as they are cooked so that one can still taste the sweetness of seafood. The same goes for the noodles lest one wants to end up with mulchy, overcooked strands of starch.
As for the eggs, they should go in last. Cooking one’s meat on the spot and doing it together serves to remind one of camaraderie whether it be with one’s family or friends.
And therein, let’s not forget this parting advice from our good friend, Swee. “A family who cooks together, stays together”.
Mayflower Restaurant is at 77A, Persiaran Camelli 4, 3900, Tanah Rata, Cameron Highlands. Tel: 05-491 1793 or 05-491 4793.
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