MANILA, Philippines – Where to get Hainanese Chicken Rice was the million-dollar question, until the owners of Tao Yuan Restaurant—Simon and Maribeth Wong, Peter Tay and their partners—brought chef Yap Kok Wing to town.

Chef Yap’s Hainanese Chicken Rice is authentic and exquisite, the chicken so meaty: tender yet with a delightful bite. The rice—wow! The kind of carb I don’t mind loading up on. It is just so flavorful. Everything about it, including the sauces, is perfectly done.

Since Sunday lunch is coming up, you might want to feast on the chicken rice with your family. You must call in advance though, even if you decide to dine in. Tao Yuan doesn’t make more than two chickens a day; it takes hours to make and doesn’t keep well. So call to reserve!

Chef Kok’s cultural influences are so apparent in his cuisine, a perfect fusion of Malay and Singaporean, resulting in dishes that take your palate to the land of his origins. He was born in Malaysia and raised in Singapore.

On my first visit, I had the Lapu-lapu with Mango Sauce, which was to die for! The fish, fried crisp and served hot, topped with fresh, green and ripe mango sauce, was sweet, sour and slightly spicy. The play of temperatures, flavors and textures was delightful.

The Prawn with Oats was also delicious—fresh deep-fried prawns topped with crisp sweetened oats, spiked with chilies and served with vinegar.

Surprisingly, there was also a delectable okra dish with sambal that was just so good. I was told most of the vegetables are flown in from Hong Kong; ditto with the Singaporean ingredients. Which is why the kuchay that went with the Scallops on Taro baskets served with two sauces—a soy-based one for the taro, and shrimp paste for the scallops and kuchay—were very nice, young and tasty.

The Singapore Chili Crab with mantou bread, dipped in the sauce, also hits the spot. A truly Singaporean gustatory experience!

Aside from its extensive Singaporean repertoire, Tao Yuan also serves excellent, clean and fresh-tasting Cantonese cuisine by Hong Kong chef Wong Ka Kit. The dim sums are done by Hong Kong dim sum chef Chan Wai Sai. To garnish their serving plates, there is chef Yuan Chan Wong, also from Hong Kong, who does all the fruit and vegetable carvings. Have I mentioned that the resto also serves shabu-shabu? How’s that for choices?

Call Tao Yuan at 522-7009, 0917-8191372 and 0908-5696739.

Napa Slaw

(A chef Ming Tsai recipe)

½ c Thai fish sauce
½ c rice wine vinegar
½ tbsp red pepper flakes
8 large basil leaves, cut lengthwise into quarter-inch ribbons
1 ½ tsp sugar
3 c napa cabbage (1 medium head) cut into 1/8-inch ribbons
1 c shredded carrots
1 c bean sprouts
½ cup scallions, green parts only, cut 1/8-inch thick
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

In a large bowl, combine fish sauce, vinegar, pepper flakes, basil, sugar. Whisk to blend.
Add cabbage, carrots, bean sprouts, scallions and toss well.
Season with salt and pepper to taste, and allow to rest for three minutes.
Serve.

Sweet Potato Risotto

(Originally published in “Blue Ginger,” copyright 1999 by Ming Tsai)

4 large sweet potatoes
2 tbsp butter
4 shallots, finely diced
3-4 c hot chicken stock
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Fill a medium bowl with cold water.

Cut the potatoes into 1/8-inch julienne, then cut into cubes a little larger than rice grains. Transfer the cubes to the cold water.

Heat saucepan over medium heat. Add one tablespoon of butter and swirl to coat the bottom of the pan. Add the shallots and saute, stirring, until soft, for about three minutes.

Drain the potatoes and dry on paper towels. Add the potatoes to the saucepan and sauté, stirring, until tender-crisp, for about four minutes. Add a ladle of stock and continue to cook, stirring, until the liquid is absorbed.

Add more stock and continue to cook and stir, allowing each addition of stock to be absorbed before adding the next, until the potatoes are cooked through and creamy, for 15-20 minutes.

Do not allow the potatoes to become mushy.

Season with salt and pepper to taste and stir in the remaining butter.

Serve with Hoisin-Marinated Duck with Napa Slaw.

My new class schedules are out. The Gourmet Cocinera Series for beginners and household cooks is ongoing; a new series on Cooking for Beginners is about to start. Dr. Francis Dimalanta and I are also doing “The Well-Nourished Child Series: A Behavioral and Nutritional Approach to Battling Childhood Food Issues.” And on June 12, I am conducting a Food and History Trip Back in Time to Taal, the Grand Lady of Batangas, with heritage preservation advocate Dindo Montenegro. For inquiries, call 928-9296/927-3008 (look for Jane), and 647-4744/0908-2372346 (look for Jhem).

E-mail raspiras@inquirer.com.ph.