Asian Inspirations

Discover the authentic in Asian cuisine food

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Spam Sushi (Spam Musubi)

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To Prep
Remove spam from can and wash the can. Let dry.
Slice the spam about 1cm thick.
In a medium bowl, mix the soy sauce, oyster sauce and sugar together. Stir until sugar is dissolved.
Place all sliced spam into the bowl, coat them evenly and marinate for 30 mins.
Cut some nori sheets into strips and some into the size of the spam.

To Cook
In a pan, place all the marinated spam in, pan fry on medium heat until the spam is evenly browned and slightly crispy on each side. Remove from heat and set aside.

To Assemble
Place cling wrap into the clean can, make sure there are excess cling wrap from the top of can to hold later.
Stuff sushi rice into the can, about 1-2cm thick (adjust to taste). Make the rice compact and remove by taking the cling wrap out, to keep the rice in shape.
Remove rice from cling wrap and place onto a span-sized nori sheet. Then place the spam onto the rice and wrap with a nori strip.
Repeat the steps for the rest and serve immediately.

Tip
Be creative and have different sizes of nori strips, or wrap it like sushi. Adjust your rice to spam ratio to your preference.

Thai Boat Noodles

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To Make Broth
Dry fry galangal, coriander roots, coriander seeds, cinnamon, star anise and peppercorn until fragrant.
Add onion and garlic, fry until slightly charred.
Add 3L water and bring to boil.
Once boiled, add daikon, pandan leaves, chicken, pork and seasoning.
Bring broth back to boil, skim off froth from the meat.
Simmer broth for 2 hrs, add the remaining 1L water and continue boiling for another hr.
Taste the broth and add seasoning if required.
Strain the broth and it is now ready for the noodles.

To Marinate Pork
In a bowl, mix the fish sauce, soy sauce, oyster sauce and oil together.
Place the sliced pork tenderloin and mix thoroughly.
Set aside and marinate for minimum 15 mins to 1 hr.

To Serve
Blanch the noodles, bean sprouts and spinach in boiling water, then separate them into individual serving bowl.
In the simmering broth, add in the meatballs and marinated pork, stir them until cooked. Once cooked, divide them evenly onto the serving bowls.
Add the fresh Thai basil and pour the broth into the serving bowls.
Add fried garlic and oil, top with coriander, pork cracklings and chilli flakes/powder (optional) and serve immediately.

Thai Beef Noodle Soup

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To Cook Beef Broth
In a big pot, add water and the beef bones then bring to boil. Skim off any foam on the surface. Once the foam are cleared, add star anise, black peppercorn, cinnamon, lemongrass, galangal, garlic, kaffir lime leaves and onion.
Simmer for minimum 2 hrs and it’s possible to cool the stock and keep overnight.

To Cook
Prepare the dry rice noodles according to the directions on the package.
Freeze the beef for 15 mins before slicing it thinly.
Blanch the vegetables in a pot of boiling water with some oil and salt and set aside.
In individual bowls, divide the rice noodles, raw beef and the blanched vegetables equally.
Bring the broth to boil then ladle the broth onto the prepared bowl until the broth covers the raw beef.
Add the Thai basil, coriander and chilli, serve with a lime wedge.

Thai Milk Tea Dalgona

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To Prep
Place the Thai tea mix in a cup and pour the boiling water on it to make Thai tea and let it brew for 3 mins. Strain and set aside.

To cook
In a medium size bowl, add the instant coffee, sugar and 2 tbsp of the brewed Thai tea.
Use a hand held beater and beat the mixture until frothy.
Prepare a few glasses and add in the crushed ice and milk.
Scoop the mixed froth onto the individual glasses and serve.

Thai Pork Congee

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To Prep
Combine the mince pork with marinate ingredients. Mix well and set aside.

To Cook
In a blender, combine the cooked rice and half of the chicken stock. Blend it to your desired consistency but not until puree.
Pour the blended rice into a pot and add the remaining stock, soy sauce and fish sauce.
Simmer the rice for 10-20 mins, depending on how soft and smooth or thick you want the texture to be.
Remember to stir frequently to avoid the base getting burn.
While the rice is simmering, add the minced pork bit by bit, continue to stir until pork mince is cooked.
Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
Scoop the hot congee into a bowl, crack an egg into it and sprinkle with chopped spring onion. Serve immediately.

Tip
Make sure the egg is mixed with boiling-hot congee to cook it.

Northern Thai Curry Noodles (Khao Soi)

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To Make Curry
Pour the 200ml TCC Premium Coconut Cream in a large heavy-based saucepan over medium-low heat. Add Valcom Yellow Curry Paste, turmeric powder and black cardamom powder. Cook and stir for 2-3 mins until oil separates on the surface. Then, add the chicken and stir until it is coated with coconut and chilli paste.
Add the remaining 200ml TCC Premium Coconut Cream with ½ cup water. Stir the chicken until the curry sauce is mixed through, then reduce heat to low and cook for 10 mins.
Add chicken stock powder, brown sugar and Squid Brand Fish Sauce into the pot, then stir until mixed through. Simmer for 15 mins or until chicken is cooked through.

To Make Crispy Noodles Topping
Pour vegetable oil in a small pot over medium heat. When the oil is hot, add 100g egg noodles to deep fry until light golden and crispy. Remove and set aside to drain oil.

To Serve
Pour about 6 cups of water in a medium pot then cook egg noodles following the packet instructions. Drain and refresh under cold water. Divide noodles into individual serving bowls.
Ladle chicken curry over noodles. Top with toppings and serve with lime/lemon wedges.
Enjoy your creamy northern Thailand style curry noodles.

Thai Rice Soup with Prawns (Khao Tom Goong)

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To Prep
In a pester and mortar, pound white peppercorns until fine, add garlic and coriander stems and grind until fine. Add half of the paste to the chunky prawns to mix and marinate.

To Cook
In a pan, add oil to saute the prawns chunks until cooked through. Deglaze the pan with some of the stock until all the paste is unstuck, remove and set aside.
In the same pan, add oil the sear the whole prawns until brown and cooked through.
In a pot, bring the stock to boil, add the remaining paste and let it simmer for 2 mins.
Season the stock with fish sauce and soy sauce. Taste and adjust to suit your taste.
Before serving, bring the broth to boil then add the cooked rice and prawns chunks and simmer for 2 mins.
Dish to a bowl and top with whole prawns and fried garlic. Garnish with coriander and serve immediately.

Spicy Korean Chicken Stew (Dakdoritang)

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To Prep
If using chicken thighs in the recipe, cut them up in to medium sized chunks.
In a large pot, bring enough water to blanch the chicken up to a rolling boil. Parboil all of the chicken for about 1 min before draining and rinsing the meat.
Combine all of the sauce ingredients together in a mixing bowl.

To Cook
In a pot, add the chicken, the sauce and the cup of water and bring to a boil. Reduce the mixture to a simmer and continue to cook the chicken covered for about 10 mins.
Add the onions and the carrots in to the pot and continue to cook for another 10 minutes while covered.
Next, add in the potatoes and cook for another 10 mins or until all of the vegetables have become tender. When this has happened, remove the lid from the pot and continue to simmer to thicken the stew.
Stir in the sliced spring onions and green chilli before removing the pot from the heat.
Serve in the pot or in a large bowl along with a good serving of rice!

Thai Chicken Congee

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To Prep
Boil water in a small pot. Add salt then blanch the chicken until cook through. Drain the chicken and let it cool. Once cool, shred the chicken then set aside.

To Cook
In a blender, combine the cooked rice and half of the chicken stock. Blend it to your desired consistency but not until puree.
Pour the blended rice into a pot and add the remaining stock, soy sauce and fish sauce.
Simmer the rice for 10-20 mins, depending on how soft and smooth or thick you want the texture to be.
Remember to stir frequently to avoid the base getting burn.
While the rice is simmering, add the shredded chicken.
Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
Scoop the hot congee into a bowl, crack an egg into it and sprinkle with chopped spring onion. Serve immediately.

Tip
Make sure the egg is mixed with boiling-hot congee to cook it.

Vegetarian Shirataki Ramen

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To Cook
Heat sesame oil and garlic oil together and when the oil is hot enough add in the onion, garlic, ginger and sesame seed, stir on medium heat until brown.
Meanwhile, prepare the noodles by taking them out of the package, drain the liquid and rinse the noodles under cold water then set aside.
When the onion, garlic, and sesame seed has turned a nice golden brown, add in the slice mushroom to stir for 2 mins then add stock cube, miso and shirataki noodles. Continue to stir until everything is properly mixed.
Add enough water to cover the noodles and turn up the heat to bring to boil and then simmer on low heat for 10 mins.
While the noodles are simmering, prepare the wakame by soaking in cold water and boil the eggs (optional) for 6-mins.
Add salt and pepper to taste. Alternatively add more miso for taste.

To Serve
Pour noodles into 2 bowls and top with wakame and par-boiled egg (optional). Sprinkle sesame seed for garnish. Serve hot.

Seasoned Clams (Kkomajim)

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To Prep
In a large mixing bowl, combine all of the ingredients except for the clams and mix well. Cover with cling wrap and set aside.

To Cook
In a large pot, fill up with enough water to cook the clams and bring to a boil.
Add in the clams and cook until the shells begin to pop open. Remove the pot from the heat and drain out the water.
For some extra appeal and ease of eating, you can remove one of the sides of the shell.

To Serve
In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooked clams and prepared seasoning sauce and mix well.
Plate out a serving of the clams in to a bowl or shallow plate, garnish with coriander and serve!

Sushi Rice

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To Prep
Wash rice and drain through a sieve. Repeat until the water is clear. Then, add 1½ cups water to the rice and leave to soak for 30 mins before cooking.

To Cook
Place washed rice and soaking water into a non-stick pot. Close the lid and bring to boil on high heat, then reduce heat to low and cook for another 15 mins.
Turn off the heat and rest for 20 mins.
While waiting for the rice to rest, add the sushi seasoning into a small pot and heat until the sugar and salt are completely dissolved.
Remove from heat and let cool.
When the rice is ready, dish to a wide plate and add the sushi seasoning to the rice. Mix well and the rice is ready to be shaped into sushi pieces or rolls.