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Crystal Jade La Mian Xiao Long Bao is launching a new plant-based menu using Impossible Pork.
A twist on local flavours and classic favourites, the seven new dishes on the menu incorporate the pork substitute in Chinese-style cuisine.
Image by Crystal Jade
What are the dishes?
One of the main locally-inspired dishes featured in the new menu is the Steamed Impossible Bak Kut Teh Xiao Long Bao (S$9.90++ for six pieces, S$14.90++ for 10 pieces).
Like any good xiao long bao, the dumpling is filled with soupy goodness — but with bak kut teh soup.
According to the Chef Martin Foo, Group Executive Chef of Crystal Jade Culinary Concepts Holding, the soup is a mix of both pepper and herbal styles for the best of both worlds.
The next item, Pan-fried Shanghai Impossible Pork and Vegetable Bun (S$6.90++) is filled with crunchy vegetables and juicy plant-based meat.
The bun is soft but dense, and tastes a lot like how you imagine a steamed mantou with a crispy bottom would.
The new plant-based menu also features the flavourful Wok-fried French Bean, Eggplant and Impossible Pork with Lao Gan Ma Sauce (S$14.90++).
The Mini Impossible Wanton (S$7.90++) has minced Impossible Pork wrapped in a silky smooth wanton skin and served in a rich soup.
Another item on the menu is the popular Chinese dish from Sichuan, Impossible Mapo Tofu (S$15.90++).
Their Signature Small Bowl Dan Dan La Mian with Impossible Pork (S$6.90++) features springy hand-pulled noodles tossed in scallion oil, topped with sesame seeds and cucumber to complement its nutty richness and spiciness.
Lastly, their Sautéed Minced Impossible Pork with Basil served with Romaine Lettuce (S$18.90++) is meant to be eaten like an open-faced wrap.
Impossible Pork as a more environmentally-friendly option
“Minced pork is central to so many classic Chinese recipes, and Impossible Pork is a delicious, nutritious, versatile and far more sustainable alternative,” said Laurent Stevenart, General Manager for Singapore & UAE, Impossible Foods.
Impossible Pork is certified gluten-free and contains no nitrates, no animal hormones, and no antibiotics.
According to Impossible, it is far more sustainable as it uses 81 per cent less water, 66 per cent less land and generates 77 per cent less greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions than pork from pigs.
In a blind taste test of 200 consumers in Hong Kong, Impossible Pork was preferred 54 per cent to 46 per cent over ground pork from pigs, scoring higher on all attributes tested, including overall liking, appearance liking, flavour liking, texture liking, and purchase intent.
Pork is the second most consumed meat after chicken in Singapore.
While pork accounts for only 6 per cent of the food consumed in Singapore by weight, it accounts for 28 per cent of GHG emissions from food in Singapore.
Producing and transporting pork in Singapore is much more energy-intensive than other food produce.
Substituting 25 per cent of red meat (pork, mutton, duck and beef) with plant-based meats could reduce 7 per cent of GHG emissions per capita from current business-as-usual (BAU) level, a 2019 Ecosperity report by Temasek revealed.
New menu available at i12 Katong and on Deliveroo
The new dishes at Crystal Jade are not vegetarian due to accompanying ingredients.
However, they can be made vegetarian upon request, with the exception of Steamed Impossible Bak Kut Teh Xiao Long Bao.
Impossible said that Impossible Pork is a sustainable option for meat-lovers.
"While our meat does not include any animal-derived ingredients, the restaurants like Crystal Jade that we work with may create different recipes using Impossible Pork -- and these may not be 100 per cent vegetarian or vegan," said Impossible.
The plant-based menu is currently available only at the Crystal Jade La Mian Xiao Long Bao outlet at i12 Katong and exclusively on Deliveroo.
It will be rolled out at other outlets soon.
Address: 112 East Coast Road, #02-21, i12 Katong, Singapore 428802
Operating Hours:
Monday to Friday: 11am to 10pm
Saturday, Sunday and Public Holidays: 10:30am to 9:30pm
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All images by Kow Zi Shan unless otherwise stated.