Chef Sam Kwai Wah Wong is a breed unto himself. "My customers are very important to me," he half-lisps, his head bobbing up and down with the weight of his words. "If Room 401 rings for room service, and wants food without any pepper in it, then I have to remember here (tapping his head) that I must not put pepper into anything I send up to Room 401 for as long as that customer stays with us.""Do you do that for every customer who comes to your restaurant?" I ask, sufficiently awed by the data that little head apparently stored. "Of course!" The reply is emphatic and leaves no room for doubt. Not that I dare to harbour any doubts.
Chef Wong is the new chef at the Taipan restaurant at the Oberoi Hotel in New Delhi. And for all of September, he is trying to make duck palatable to the North Indian palate. For Chef Wong believes strongly in the power of the palate. "The Japanese," he says, "eat with their eyes-everything must be good to look at. The Europeans with their minds. The Chinese eat with their taste buds." "And Indians?" I ask hesitantly. "The Indians also eat with their taste buds," he says, "but they need chilly to spice up their taste buds."
The duck he serves me for my lunch is neither Indian nor Japanese; it is Chinese and just perfect. Chef Wong has devised four duck dishes for Taipan's menu: Five Spiced Roast Duck with Traditional Plum Sauce (Rs 750); Szechuan Pepper Infused Crisp Duck with Sweet and Spicy Sauce (Rs 850); Braised Farm Duck with Stir-Fried Mixed Vegetables (Rs 750) and Sliced Duck Meat with Szechuan Hot Sauce (Rs 850).
First came the Five Spiced Roast Duck, which had been roasted whole in the oven. Don't make the mistake of asking Chef Wong what the five spices he uses are, for he will earnestly reel off some very scientific sounding names. Satisfy yourself with knowing that the spices include Szechuan pepper seeds, cinnamon and aniseed. The roast duck itself is a little bland-Chef Wong says duck meat is tougher to flavour than even chicken-but the slightly tart plum sauce makes a virtue of its blandness.
Next was the Pepper Infused Crisp Duck, and it was better than the roast duck. The meat had been marinated, steamed and then fried to a delicious crisp. And the sweet and spicy sauce was really delicious-I could have eaten bowls of it, except that it was time to move on-to the Duck with Szechuan Hot Sauce.
This duck was served in its sauce unlike the other two. It was tasty and spicy, but I found the vinegary after-taste a little too strong for my palate. So strong that I had no stomach to try the Braised Farm Duck. No wonder Chef Wong lays so much store by the palate.
Copyright © 2000 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.