Crafting dishes with zero waste in mind
THINKING out of the box and putting food scraps to good use is a commendable way of minimising food waste.

To prevent food scraps from ending up in the bin, the chefs at Vasco’s have repurposed peels, rinds and cores.

Hilton Kuala Lumpur executive sous chef Ridzwan Rasit said potato, carrot, ginger pieces and cucumber peel are meticulously washed before they are blended and sauteed with spices to create the base for Sup Gear Box Air Tangan Chef Jamsari.

Another ingenious technique employed is dehydration.

Prime meat cuts are used for the Tomahawk Pizza and Wagyu Murtabak.

“Dehydrating food scraps and processing them into a powder adds depth and complexity to batter fried dishes at the Goreng-Goreng station.

“This seasoning is added to the batter comprising curry powder, turmeric and salt,” said Ridzwan.

Food scraps that cannot be salvaged are composted, he said of the hotel’s Green Ramadan effort taking place alongside the Merentasi Tradisi, Sajian Dulu dan Kini Ramadan promotion at the restaurant.

Hilton Kuala Lumpur general manager Linda Pecoraro said, “In alignment with our commitment to environmental, social and governance values, this Ramadan, we are proud to introduce a Green Ramadan initiative.

“Our commitment goes beyond responsible sourcing of ingredients and supporting local businesses as we have implemented the Winnow system (an AI-enabled solution) to measure and manage food waste.”

Beyond sustainability, Vasco’s prides itself on imparting a memorable dining experience focused on freshness and taste.

Australian Lamb Shank Briyani at Vasco’s Ramadan buffet.

Here, there are 14 live-action stalls serving classic favourites at Rumah Salai, Rumah Gulai and Rumah Rendang.

This year, smoked beef, snapper and siput sedut are the highlight at Rumah Salai.

Ridzwan, who hails from Mambau, Negri Sembilan, said daging salai (smoked meat) employs a preservation method dating back centuries.

“Of the three smoked dishes, siput sedut salai is rare because it is difficult to get the snails.

“For the smoking process, we use rambutan and manggis chips.

“It is important not to use too many wood chips because there is a tendency for the meat to become bitter,” said Ridzwan, adding that it takes between four and five hours to smoke meat or seafood.

Head to Rumah Salai to try the famed smoked dishes from Negri Sembilan.

The promotion referring to sajian dulu (dishes of yesteryears) and sajian kini (modern recipes) brings together a selection of traditional favourites and newer recipes to meet discerning taste buds.

Not to be missed is chef Jamsari Mohamad’s sup gearbox.

What makes this soup special is the inclusion of lamb marrow and bones to build an intense spice-rich, hearty soup.

Interestingly, instead of only incorporating lamb offal, the chefs have readied a choice of beef tripe, liver, heart and tongue for this savoury starter.

“The combination of lamb and beef is unique as the richness is evident in each spoonful,” said Ridzwan, who together with Malay banquet sous chef Abd Karim Mustaffa are contesting in the Aussie Beef & Lamb Malaysia “Lambassador” Challenge.

There are also traditional dishes from other states such as Bubur Lambuk Terengganu, Rendang Tok (Perak), Lamb Ribs Kerutup (Kelantan) and Ayam Bakar Pasu Madu Tualang (Sabah).

He said while it was common to use beef or chicken for bubur lambuk, the Terengganu version is prepared with fish.

Bubur Lambuk Terengganu is prepared with red snapper and coconut milk.

“Our Bubur Lambuk Terengganu has rice, seafood stock, fresh coconut milk and red snapper among its ingredients.

“Once the bubur is ready, chopped herbs like ulam raja, pegaga, daun betik, daun selom, daun cekur and daun kaduk are thrown in,” he said.

Dishes with a contemporary twist such as Wagyu Pasta, Popiah Basah Lobster, Tomahawk Pizza, Lamb Oblong, Norwegian Salmon wrapped in Banana Leaf, Roti John and Wagyu Murtabak speak volumes of the chefs’ creativity in including premium ingredients to simple dishes such as pasta, popiah, pizza and murtabak.

Another dish to look out for is the Kambing Golek with Moroccan Spices.

The dessert corner has some not-to-be-missed sweet gems like Serawa Pulut Durian Musang King, Puding Di-Raja and Durian Goreng.

The buffet is available daily from 6.30pm to 10.30pm, priced at RM258nett per adult and RM128nett per child.

The promotion ends April 9.

VASCO’S, Hilton Kuala Lumpur, 3 Jalan Stesen Sentral, Kuala Lumpur Sentral, Kuala Lumpur. (Tel: 03-2264 2264, email: Hiltonkualalumpur_FB@hilton.com). Business hours: 6am to 10.30pm daily.

This is the writer’s personal observation and is not an endorsement by StarMetro.
Vasco's,Ramadan,sustainable dining,going green,executive sous chef Ridzwan Rasit
Chefs add depth of flavour, complexity to classics on break-of-fast spread by going green in hotel kitchen.