CELEBRATE MID-AUTUMN FESTIVAL
The Shard’s Hutong restaurant launch a fiery new menu for one of China’s most important holidays.
This September, contemporary Northern Chinese restaurant Hutong will pay homage to one of China’s biggest cultural celebrations, the Mid-Autumn Festival, with a dedicated menu, available from 17th September - 14th October.
The Mid-Autumn Festival is regarded as one of China’s most important holidays, falling on the fifteenth day of the eighth month of the Chinese lunar calendar, and is a time for gathering, thanksgiving and praying. To mark the occasion, Hutong, will serve its most authentic Mid-Autumn menu yet, with a selection of traditional dishes that are rooted in Sichuan cooking.
Fei Wang is Hutong’s talented Head Chef (or Sifu, meaning ‘master’) and Sichuan specialist. In traditional Chinese culture, the term ‘Sifu’ is given to those who have earned a wealth of experience in a skilled trade. Fei’s dedication to mastering the complex flavours and techniques of Sichuan province has led to the creation of an enticing and fiery menu, which will showcase his personal interpretations of traditional dishes served at the Mid-Autumn celebrations in China.
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HIGHLIGHTS FROM THIS YEAR'S MENU INCLUDE:
Lotus root in spicy soy dressing
This sweet flavoured vegetable is served cold with sesame oil, soy and red and green pepper, providing a fresh note for balance.
Yam & pork belly crispy dumplings
Light and crispy dumplings filled with perfectly cooked pork belly, spices and then coated in Yam, before being cooked for serving.
Cuttlefish in homemade spicy soup
For this dish, fresh cuttlefish is served cold in an aromatic and spicy Sichuan chilli broth, made from a balanced mix of more than ten different traditional Chinese spices such as star anise, Chinese peppercorns, clove and fennel.
Sichuan-style deep fried crab meat with peanut sesame and dried chilli
Crab is an ingredient traditionally served at the Mid-Autumn Festival, as it is said to bring good luck in Chinese culture. Hutong’s take on the tradition will see crab take the form of crab cakes, with spicy, Sichuan-style deep fried meat served with peanut, sesame and dried chilli.
Sliced duck cooked in sweet yellow bean sauce with Sichuan pepper
Tender duck breast is cooked in, and served with, a homemade sweet and salty fermented yellow bean sauce; all brought to life with vibrant and spicy Sichuan pepper.
Bitter Melon in salted egg yolk
Bitter Melon is a tropical fruit, not too dissimilar from a cucumber, and is valued for its unusual bitter taste. More adventurous diners are invited to try this simple dish, where Fei has coated the fruit in salted egg yolk. This is another very traditional dish, and often features on Mid-Autumn Festival menus throughout China.
To finish, guests will be offered a traditional mooncake: a beautifully designed pastry which is shared among friends during the festival as a symbol of unity.
The Mid-Autumn Festival will fall on Monday 24th September this year. Soon after the event, from 2nd October, China marks the arrival of National Golden Week - a national holiday when Chinese people enjoy public celebrations and often go travelling.
This year, Hutong’s menu will be available throughout National Golden Week too, and run from 17th September - 14th October, for £88 per person.
