0 Desquamation

Desquamation (Latin desquamare) - to scrape scales off a fish.

I'm undergoing metamorphosis. Transparent sheets of epithelial cells are sloughing off from my forehead and thigh. I admit it is fun to peel off the layers of skin. In fact you'd get a sense of satisfaction when large layers come off easily; the larger the better. But when you come to know about the underlying cause of the sloughing, it becomes not so fun. A peeling sunburn is due to apoptosis, triggered as a result of so badly DNA damage that the cells kill themselves. In a way, this is a defense mechanism protecting cells from cancer developing from the mutations. I shudder to think how many mutations was induced by Cambodia's killer UV rays.

It was just as well I wore jeans today, for my project meeting lasted a mere 10 mins and then I was free... to go for dim sum at YAN TING in the 6-starred St. Regis. With every subsequent meal, my threshold level for dining out seems to increase; each place becoming more atas than the previous. The decor of the classic Cantonese restaurant was less spectacular than expected. Perhaps the low ceiling did disservice to the otherwise beautiful four seasons wall paintings and lush brown-and-cream furniture.

I know you're just waiting to get to the meat of the matter (pun intended). So let's get going.

Steamed crystal shrimp dumpling aka har gow
A thin transparent skin encapsulates a generous amount of fresh, chunky, crunchy and well-seasoned prawns. This simple classic dim sum dish is often killed by thick & starchy skins, but Yan Ting's version is impeccably executed. This set my hopes up for the upcoming dishes.

Steamed shrimp and scallop siew mai
This was not unlike the har gow, both in terms of ingredients and taste. It is however presented in a open-face "siew mai" form, perhaps a disguise to attract people to think it as different and therefore order it? Anyhow, this was a disappointment. I could barely discern the scallops amidst the thick and stiff dumpling skin. My recommendation would be to just stick to the har gow.

XO pan-seared radish cake
Expecting slabs of radish cake, this was served more accurately in the form of "diced" radish cake. It was richly doused in their signature XO sauce, dark and gleaming and very inviting. It was tasty, but I wouldn't say mind-blowing. The cake was mushier than I would have liked (isn't it supposed to be pan-fried and not steamed?) and the XO taste wasn't particularly strong. The additional bits of fried egg and crunchy bean sprouts was a nice touch though.

Char siew pau
Today I threw my pork restrictions to the wind and indulged in one too many pork products. The char siew pau was worth it though - the bread was soft and fluffy as a cloud, the meat was lean, and the sauce struck the right balance between savoury and sweet. Served steaming hot, this was certainly a delight.

Deep-fried meat-filled buns
Not my type of dish, but I tried it out of curiosity. Basically its bits of pork encased in a deep fried pastry. I dug out the meat and left the pastry, which I felt, was too thick and oily.

Shrimp chee cheong fun
I felt the rice rolls were a tad too thick. Give me my $2 handmade rice rolls from Old Airport FC anytime.

BBQ pork pastry aka char siew sou

Source
The highlight of the meal. Buttery pastry, check. Melts in the mouth, check. Meat and sauce, AWSM. Ratio of pastry to meat, perfect. Piping hot, wayy too hot but better than if it were lukewarm! This is a sophisticated version of the char siew sous grandma used to get from seremban.

Egg tart
The mini egg tarts were decently done with wobbly egg custards in a thin biscuit pastry.

OVERALL?
Their classic dishes are well-executed. However, some dishes do not warrant their exorbitant price tag and better value for money dim sums are abound. Would I consider returning here? Yes, if only for their char siew sou (and add to that, I'm technically a non-pork eater).

0 Maple mustard glazed pork loin

That is the slab of pork basting in its glorious mighty maple mustard marinade.

My first time handling pork. I dislike the idea of consuming mammals (although from a humane perspective one might argue the slaughter of chickens isn't any better than that of pigs and cows) so this recipe is mainly for the family. The pork loin is a long, thick set of muscles running along the pig's back. It gives many different types of cuts like tenderloin and sirloin (same applies to beef), each cut with its own properties. E.g. tenderloin is the portion closest to the spine and is the leanest cut. I thought that a sweet sauce would pair well with roast pork (think char siu). I didn't have honey, so the mighty maple stepped in.

Maple Mustard Glazed Pork Loin

Yield: 1 slab pork loin (serves 3-4)

Ingredients

1/2 lb pork loin, trimmed of fat

Marinade

1 tbsp dijon mustard

1/2 tsp sesame oil

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 tbsp maple syrup

1/4 tsp red pepper flakes

1 tsp soy sauce

Directions
1. Mix the ingredients for the marinade in a small bowl and spread over pork loin.
2. Let sit in the fridge for 6-8 h.
3. Preheat oven to 200 degrees Celsius.
3. Remove pork loin from fridge. Scrape of excess marinade and save it. Roast, fat side up (so that the meat won't dry out)30-40 min. Ideally the internal temperature should reach 160 degrees but I did not have a meat thermometer to check.
4. Meanwhile, dilute the reserve marinade with 1/4 cup water and boil to form a reduction.
5. Once pork is done, remove from oven and let cool slightly. Slice into 1 cm thick slices (or thicker/thinner according to preference).
6. Spoon reduction over sliced roast loin and serve.

As I did not try the pork, I cannot give an accurate description of its taste. Nevertheless I did taste the marinade and truthfully, it was a bit to "mapley" for me despite drastically cutting the amount from the original recipe. I think honey would work better as it has a milder, less assertive flavour. However, the family members begged to differ. So, to each their own taste buds!

This sauce should work for other types of meat too like chicken breast. One day I should try that out (with honey).