Feast like a king
Famished after my massage, I was happy to be seated at Kwee Zeen for the Royal Maharaja Feast which is truly for those hearty appetites. The meal combines the flavours of both Northern and Southern Indian cuisine in a shared platter, perfect for enjoyment with family and friends. Beautifully presented with meticulous attention to detail on a banana leaf, we were irresistibly drawn to the succulent offerings, including chicken, lamb chops, and jumbo prawns, all masterfully prepared in an outdoor tandoori oven.
The brainchild of the Royal Maharaja Feast is Chef PremKumar Jeyaraman, affectionately known as Chef Prem. The feast encapsulates his unwavering culinary passion. Chef Prem, aged 49, hails from Ipoh and has been dedicated to the F&B industry since the age of 15. “Cooking is my passion,” he affirms, reflecting on his lifelong career choice. His culinary journey has seen him gracing the kitchens of several esteemed hotels in Kuala Lumpur, including the Shangri-La and Mandarin Oriental.
Embarking on this culinary journey, the four of us savoured the flavourful and tender pieces of meat, each artfully adorned with a medley of pomegranate and potato chaat, salmon tikka, and a delectably spiced whole roasted cauliflower. Among this array of delights, the butter chicken stood out as our favourite and we relished every last drop of its sumptuous gravy, mopping it up with warm naan bread. To complement the fragrant nasi biryani, we paired it with either seabass curry or lamb curry, creating a harmonious symphony of flavours on our palates. For our vegetarian friends, Chef Prem is more than eager to craft a lavish vegetarian platter.
Chef Prem personally presented the dishes, thoughtfully arranged on fresh banana leaves, perfect for a warm and communal dining experience akin to a family gathering. We marvelled at the generous portions and the chef graciously offered guidance on the sequence for savouring the feast, starting with the salad and appetisers, then progressing to the meats, and culminating with the aromatic rice.
While we tuck into this delicious culinary adventure, don’t forget to set aside some space in your tummy for the sweet finale, featuring gulab jamun and gajar halwa. Gulab jamun, also known as rosewater berry, is made of milk solids to form a soft dough that is then deep-fried and served with rosewater syrup. Chef Prem made sure the sweetness was toned down making it a refreshing end to a meal. Gajar halwa, another typical sweet from India, is made with carrots, nuts, milk and sugar, and topped with coconut crumble. Again, Chef Prem has kept the sugar levels down as most diners are a little more health conscious these days.