There is something about the fire of Sichuan cuisine that Indians cannot get enough of, from the heat of Tianjin chillies to the tingling sensations of red Sichuan peppercorns.
The House of Ming at the Taj Mahal Hotel, New Delhi, was one of the first restaurants to have introduced this spicy version of Chinese cuisine to Indians when it opened in the late 1970s. While loyal patrons still seek this fiery fare, the restaurant's menu has evolved over the years to include Cantonese and Hunan flavours. The eatery underwent a complete renovation and menu revamp before being relaunched in a new avatar in 2022.
This year, The House of Ming has made some new and surprising additions to its menu. The emphasis is on innovation, and unexpected ingredients such as truffles, caviar, and Brussels sprouts make an appearance. While purists may scoff, most of these experimentations work rather well, as I discovered.
For instance, smoked ham, gouda, and lobster broth make for a delicious filling for a dim sum, as do morel mushrooms and edamame. The menu also offers pok choi rolls filled with shrimp and bamboo shoots and cabbage rolls stuffed with pickled radish and chilli for those who want a healthier option for traditional wrappers. Among the varieties of dim sums offered, I loved the black pepper duck in flaky pastry and the piquant pickled vegetable wonton filled with tangy beetroot and purple potato cured in smoky, rich chingkiang vinegar.
Among the starters, which included delights like the sweet and sour Chen Pe fish flavoured with lime and orange and the spicy jiu yim chicken, the crispy tofu Xiang la stood out. However, the star of this dish was not the tofu but the Kashmiri, Thai, and Bird's Eye chillies with which it was served. Each with its unique flavours, the chillies are blanched, dried, and flash-fried to add crunch.
The new main course additions to the bill of fare at the House of Ming include Chinese cuisine staples like Hainanese chicken rice, which features poached and sliced chicken served with seasoned rice and a chilli pickle, and a light and aromatic Shandong chicken fried rice. Shandong is one of the eight main cooking styles of China.
Among the seafood offerings, the stir-fried lobster flavoured with black pepper and garlic and the steamed crab claw in mala sauce are worth a mention. "Mala" sauce is made with Sichuan pepper and chilli and is known for its tongue-tingling properties.
There are plenty of options for vegetarians, and some interesting dishes to try are the hot and sour Sichuan-style Suan la shredded butternut squash, the homemade tempeh paired with sugar snaps and Sichuan garlic sauce, and the wok-charred Brussels sprouts in a sesame chilli sauce.
Desserts are usually not a strong suit of a Chinese speciality restaurant, but that's not the case with the House of Ming at the Taj Mahal Hotel, Mansingh Road. This restaurant has an extensive repertoire of signature sweet endings that are worth a try.
The fluorescent "apple" is a wonderful combination of braised green apples encased in white chocolate. "Elements" is a medley of chocolate marquise, pineapple, orange gel, and pineapple filo. The wild rice pudding was a warm and hearty dessert with its comforting flavours of star anise and caramel.
Taj Mahal, New Delhi
Taj Mansingh Hotel Rd, South Block, Man Singh Road Area, New Delhi, Delhi 110011