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Sweet, sour, spicy oxtail among lesser-known fare available for Seremban iftar NEGRI SEMBILAN’S Minang culinary heritage shines this Ramadan with an array of authentic dishes to whet appetites. These top the list of offerings at Royale Chulan Seremban’s “Warnarasa Ramadan” buffet dinner served at Asiatique restaurant until March 30. Negri fare such as Paru Berlado (spicy beef lung), Rendang Pucuk Ubi (tapioca shoot rendang) and Daging Salai Mangga Muda (smoked beef and unripe mango curry) await guests.
While there are over 100 dishes from appetisers to desserts on the buffet line daily, specialities from the state steal the show. There is the Oxtail Asam Pedas of fork-tender chunks of oxtail slow-cooked in a spicy-sour sauce spiked with tamarind and dried chillies. To make the dish, Australian oxtail, which has more tender meat, is cooked with aromatics like torch ginger flower, galangal and lemongrass, alongside spices, dried chillies and tamarind.
A pinch of sugar is added for sweetness to round off the dish and balance its spicy and sour flavours. Daging salai in turmeric and coconut milk-infused curry with bird’s eye chillies. Royale Chulan Seremban assistant Malay chef Azreen Shah said while fish and seafood prepared asam pedas style was common, especially across the border in Melaka, Oxtail Asam Pedas was unique to Negri Sembilan.
“A good asam pedas has perfectly balanced spicy, sweet and sour notes,” he said. Another Negri standard not commonly found in restaurants is Rendang Itik Pucuk Maman – duck cooked rendang-style with maman (Cleome gynandra) shoots. The duck is prepared in the classic rendang hijau style, an uncomplicated preparation centred on aromatics like shallots, lemongrass and galangal, as well as bird’s eye chillies and coconut milk.
The dish is cooked over a low flame for up to two hours, resulting in tender meat infused with spices and aromatics. The kitchen team was keen to highlight lesser-known kampung style dishes typically found in people’s homes. “Negri Sembilan is known for its smoked meats and spicy curries studded with bird’s eye chillies.
Rendang Itik Pucuk Maman is cooked over a low flame for two hours. “But, there are also lesser-known dishes like Rendang Itik Pucuk Maman and Oxtail Asam Pedas that we want to highlight,” said Azreen. Another local favourite, Daging Salai Mangga Muda, is a time-honoured dish featuring charcoal-smoked beef tenderloin cooked in a coconut-based broth with unripe mango slices, fresh turmeric, bird’s eye chillies and lemongrass.
The fiery chillies are tempered by the tartness of the mango – a perfect balance of flavours, particularly when paired with ulam (traditional salad) and steaming rice. Like in previous years, the festive buffet includes crowd favourites like spit-roasted whole lamb, grilled meats and seafood, and stalls dishing up pasembur, murtabak, yong tau foo, satay, roti John and ais batu campur. On the sweet front, there is an assortment of Western pastries and traditional kuih.
A must-try is serawa durian, a sweet, creamy porridge made with durian paste and coconut milk, and served with steamed sticky rice. “Warnarasa Ramadan” buffet, served from 6.30pm to 10.
30pm, is priced at RM130nett per adult, RM80nett per child and RM100nett for senior citizens. To make a reservation, call Asiatique restaurant at 06-766 6666, send a WhatsApp to 016-920 9891 or email fbdept.rcs@royalechulan.
com Can’t make it to Seremban? You can still break your fast with friends and family at other Royale Chulan properties including Royale Chulan Kuala Lumpur, Royale Chulan Damansara, Royale Chulan The Curve, Royale Chulan Penang and Royale Chulan Cherating Villas & Chalets – each showcasing a mixture of local favourites, and crowd pleasers. ASIATIQUE, Royale Chulan Seremban, Jalan Dato’ AS Dawood, Seremban, Negri Sembilan. (Tel: 06-766 6666/ 016-920 9891).
Business hours: 6am to 10.30pm, daily. This is the writer’s personal observation and is not an endorsement by StarMetro.
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