Author of 2 successful cookbooks so far (with 2 more in the pipeline), star of her own cooking show on AFC, celebrity chef Sapna Anand sure is one superwoman. Balancing family and work commitments, Sapna made time recently at Goa by Hubba for an evening with friends and fans of Goan cuisine. Presenting some new dishes inspired by her recent adventures in Malabar Coast, Kerala, we were treated to an exclusive tasting session and a long overdue catch-up session with the lovely chef.
Known for her love of spices and fresh ingredients, the new items definitely inject lots of freshness and sublime flavours into the updated menu. Besides the signature dishes which Sapna curated for Goa by Hubba when the restaurant started, the new dishes promise new interesting flavours. In my earlier post, do check out Chef Sapna’s signatures like her Vegetarian Mantou, Butter Chicken with Cranberry Rice and the amazing Kashmiri Lamb Chops. Oh, and the delightful appetiser of Papadam with Moong Dhal Salsa, which should not be missed!
Papadam with Moong Dhal Salsa
Vegetarian Mantao – Chinese steamed buns stuffed with spiced vegetables
Butter Chicken with Cranberry Rice – aromatic mild curry sauce goes perfectly with the rice!
Kashmiri Lamb Chops – marinated with a blend of homemade spices, the tender grilled chops are served with mint chutney
The new dishes showcased are Garlic Butter Prawns with Fried Mantao, Pepper Beef Fry, Vegetables Ishstew, Fish Mango Curry and Malabar Bone Marrow Mutton Curry.
We enjoyed the bite-sized beef chunks laden with spices, particularly pepper, in the Pepper Beef – the pepper left a nice tingling trail on the tongue. The Garlic Butter Prawns reminded me of the popular seafood dish served in many restaurants – Sapna’s version used more garlic and dashes of other spices to give more depth to the pot of prawns and that creamy sauce was perfect for dipping the mantous in!
Pepper Beef Fry
Garlic Butter Prawns with Fried Mantao
Vegetables Ishstew
The Vegetables Ishstew was basically vegetables stewed in light spices and coconut milk resulting in a very pleasant-tasting dish for light eaters. Fresh red snapper and young mangoes were used in the Fish Mango Curry. This light curry came with a delightful subtle tartness, balancing the umami sweetness of the fresh fish.
Fish Mango Curry – cooked with young mangos in mild curry
One of the stars of the evening was Sapna’s Malabar Bone Marrow Mutton Curry which packed a range of robust flavours in the tender meat. The rich, spicy yet mellow curry called for additional rice/mantou, so beware!
Malabar Bone Marrow Mutton Curry
The new dessert created by Sapna was a nice surprise to end the meal. Using a freshly-made sweet appam as a beautiful lacy “plate”, Goa’s house-made Peanut Ice Cream, served with dashes of caramel and crunchy almond flakes was the perfect dessert to round up our lovely Goan dinner.
Sweet Appam
Pair your Goan meal with some Indian-inspired cocktails (using Bombay Saphhire Gin) like Masala Mantra, Kinky Kokum, Mama Manca and Pandara Martini!
All the above dishes are now available at the restaurant… so if you are craving for some spice in your life, you know where to head to!
GOA by Hubba
The Ascott Kuala Lumpur
No.9 Jalan Pinang
50450 Kuala Lumpur
Tel: 012-210-3055 (for reservations)
Business hours:
Mondays-Sundays 6.00pm till 1.00am