Mala Meets Masala and Indian and Sichuan Crossfire Bring Two Collaborative Dinners to Hong Kong

Two of Hong Kong’s restaurants are coming together this July to explore the similarities between Sichuan and Indian cooking.

Grand Majestic Sichuan and Prince and the Peacock will host a pair of collaborative dinners on 15 and 30 July, with chefs Theign Phan and Palash Mitra creating menus that examine how the two cuisines intersect through spice, fermentation, smoke and bold seasoning.

Although Sichuan and Indian food traditions developed thousands of kilometres apart, both rely heavily on layered spices, aromatic ingredients and techniques that build depth and heat. The two dinners aim to highlight those common threads through two different dining experiences.

An 11-dish exploration of spice

Both dinners are priced at HK$888 plus a 10 per cent service charge and feature 11 dishes. Each event takes a different approach to the collaboration, allowing diners to experience the cuisines through different techniques and flavour profiles.

Mala Meets Masala at Grand Majestic Sichuan

The first dinner, Mala Meets Masala, takes place on 15 July at Grand Majestic Sichuan.

The menu focuses on the softer and more nuanced side of spice through chilled dishes, fermented ingredients, curries and sauces. The meal begins with a selection of appetisers including cucumber flowers dressed in Sichuan hot and sour sauce, chilled red amaranth with spicy sesame sauce, fenugreek fritters with fermented orange chilli, and house-made tofu paired with Indian green mango took.

The mains continue the cross-cultural exchange.

Steamed razor clams are served with crispy rice and Pollichathu, a slow-cooked sauce made with shallots, coconut and curry leaves. Kung Pao Bombay duck chilli fry combines an Indian fish preparation with sunflower seeds and dried chillies. Pu-er tea smoked chicken is paired with Yakhni Pulao, a fragrant basmati rice cooked with chicken fat and morel mushrooms.

Other dishes include paneer with green peas and mushrooms, stir-fried cabbage with lychee vinegar and Sichuan chillies, and a chilled soup made with chaas, tangerine peel and Sichuan green peppercorns. Dessert is kept simple with fresh mango served alongside Sichuan chilli salt.

Indian and Sichuan Crossfire at Prince and the Peacock

The second dinner, Indian and Sichuan Crossfire, takes place on 30 July at Prince and the Peacock and leans more heavily into smoke, char and open-fire cooking.

The menu opens with a thali-style tasting platter featuring hara salad dressed in Sichuan garlic sauce, achari bamboo shoots and green mango pickle, tea-smoked duck samosa with mint chutney and chilli paneer skewers.

A crab and corn soup scented with Sichuan red peppercorn leads into a series of grilled dishes.

Kuruma prawns are enriched with Sichuan chilli bean paste and brown butter, while Eastern star grouper is coated in a numbing spice rub and paired with tomato and samphire chutney. Other highlights include clove-smoked three yellow chicken kebab, firecracker mutton chaap made with heaven-facing chillies and Sichuan peppercorns, and tandoori pork ribs glazed with mouthwatering Sichuan chilli oil.

The savoury courses end with Hakka noodles seasoned with green chillies, aromatic soy and Xacuti spice before dessert moves back towards Indian flavours with custard apple rabdi and jalebi pearls.

Two cuisines with more in common than expected

The collaboration offers a chance to see how two seemingly different culinary traditions can meet in unexpected ways. From fermented sauces and pickles to smoky grilled meats and numbing spices, the menus demonstrate that Sichuan and Indian cooking share more than just a love of heat.

Event Details