Sandals Whitehouse brings a taste of the Orient to Jamaica

Garfene Grandison, Gleaner Writer

With no formal training, Elso Pagunsan Junior started his executive chef career as a steward helper in Masbate Island, in the Philippines, for about six months before being promoted as a cook in a local restaurant. Before coming to Jamaica as the head chef at the Jasmine Restaurant at Sandals Whitehouse, Pangunsan lived in Taguig Manila, Philippines.

In the island for a little over nine months now, Pagunsan Junior has been treating local and overseas guests to delectable Asian fare. Jasmine's Restaurant at Sandals Whitehouse European Village and Spa, is one of the seven gourmet restaurants providing gastronomic dining for the resort's guests. Asian accents punctuate the restaurant's décor, letting you know that you've arrived at the Orient, where guests sample the exotic and delectable spices and flavours of the East.

The three featured dishes were prepared from the Jasmine's restaurant menu - Adobo chicken legs, chicken thigh in red curry and tempura rolls. "Jamaica is very different from back home because back home, things were a little bit more rationed. But Jamaica has a lot more spices that can be used to make meals taste great, like jerked chicken and jerked pork. These three specific meals are only available at the Sandals Whitehouse property since most properties don't even have Asian chefs or Asian restaurants," he told Food. "I know of a few Asian chefs in Ocho Rios and here," he noted. Pagunsan use a special ingredient to give the chicken curry that extra kick. "I use a special red garlic paste from Thailand as well as Thailand lemon grass and sweet basil to give it added flavour." He confessed, "Jamaica has lemon grass too, but we specially import it from Thailand to use for this dish."

With presentation being very important to the young chef, he told Food that when a meal looks fresh and clean, it makes it more delectable to patrons. Although a few items are imported from Thailand and other Asian countries, most of the ingredients he uses are produced locally in Jamaica.

The Adobo chicken, which is the signature dish of the Jasmine Restaurant, is one of the most requested menu item.

Recipes:

Chicken Legs Adobo

1lb chicken legs

2tbs vegetable oil

2tbs soy sauce

1tbs cane vinegar

1tbs oyster sauce

1tbs sugar

1tbs garlic, chopped

1 small onion, chopped

2 irish potato, diced

ground black pepper to taste

Method:

1. Marinate chicken in soy sauce (for 1 hour)

2. Deep-fry chicken legs until brown for approximately 3 minutes

3. In a skillet sauté garlic, onion, add chicken, potato, soy sauce, oyster sauce, vinegar, sugar

4. Simmer at low heat for 20 minutes

Chicken Thigh in Red Curry

1lb chicken thighs, boneless

2tbs vegetable oil

3tbs red curry paste

1 cup coconut milk

3tbs sugar

3tbs fish sauce

1 cup eggplant

1 cup zucchini

1 stalk lemon grass

ground black pepper to taste

Method:

1. Season the chicken thighs with salt and pepper and refrigerate for 1 hour

2. Fry red curry for one minute in skillet with hot oil, add coconut milk, fish sauce and sugar and herbs

3. Add chicken thighs and vegetable to the curry sauce and simmer for 20 minutes

Shrimp Tempura

4 shrimp, peeled

1 cup cooked sushi rice, (rice should be at room temperature)

1 cup tempura flour mix

1 whole egg

1 nori seaweed sheet

1tbs mayonnaise

1tbs pickled ginger

1tbs wasabi

1tbs Kikkoman soy sauce

1tbs sesame seed

1 slice avocado

Method:

1. Mix the tempura flour with ice-cold water to a porridge-like consistency

2. Dip shrimp in batter and deep-fry until brown

3. Place sushi rice on nori sheets and sprinkle with sesame seed

4. Turn sheet over, put mayonnaise, fried shrimp and avocado on it and roll

5. Slice and serve