Seasonal HKK menu highlights solar calendar
The Chinese calendar is often thought of as a lunar calendar, in part because the Chinese New Year is a lunar-determined date. But the yearly cycle is actually calibrated by the sun as well as the moon, and 24 “solar terms” are based on the sun’s position in the zodiac and play an important role in Chinese culture and cuisine.
Hakkasan Group’s fine-dining restaurant HKK in London is offering a series of menus, refreshed every two months, which reflect seasonality and the appropriate solar terms.
The current tasting menu, offered through May 6, focuses on the solar terms chun fen, or Vernal Equinox, and gu yu meaning “grain rain”, marking the beginning of warmer weather and longer days. During this time there is emphasis on eating nourishing, replenishing foods, with a focus on revitalizing the body’s energy and spirit. The solar term of chun fen heralds the approach of spring as temperatures across China’s vastness rise considerably, welcoming new life, flourishing flowers and greenery.
Soups play an integral part in Chinese cuisine during the early part of the year. As temperatures rise the air can sometimes become dry, causing people health problems. HKK has a chrysanthemum fish maw soup on the menu as it is believed that soups containing coconut and chrysanthemum nourish yang, combatting these issues.
Seafood is said to be at its best during the spring months, when fishing in shallow water is very effective as the temperature increases. The HKK menu features an array of different seafood such as the yin yang dim sum platter containing three dumplings: abalone and cuttlefish, lobster and water chestnut and king crab and prawn. Alongside there is a steamed wild sea-bass dish highlighting the delicate flavors of the fish with spring onion and ginger.