Asian Inspirations

Discover the authentic in Asian cuisine food

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Vietnamese Braised Pork with Eggs (Thit Kho)

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To Prepare
Cut pork belly into large 4-5cm chunks and add all marinade ingredients together. Mix well and set to marinate overnight.https://asianinspirations.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/VBP-1.jpg

To Cook
Over low heat, heat 3 tbsp of sugar with 1 tbsp of water in a heavy bottom pot.https://asianinspirations.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/VBP-2.jpg
Gently stir until sugar turned lumpy, add another tablespoon of water. Continue until sugar starts to caramelise. This will take a while.https://asianinspirations.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/VBP-5.jpg
Once sugar starts caramelising, sear the pork belly pieces until all have been seared and coated with caramelised sugar.https://asianinspirations.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/VBP-6.jpg
Add in coconut juice enough to cover pork belly. Bring it to a slow boil.https://asianinspirations.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/VBP-7.jpg
With a spoon, remove any scum that float up onto the surface until you get a clear sauce. Cover and simmer for 45 mins.https://asianinspirations.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/VBP-8.jpg
Toss in the hard boiled eggs and let it simmer for 20 mins.https://asianinspirations.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/VBP-9.jpg
Garnish with cilantro and chillies. Serve hot with steamed rice.

Coconut Mango Sago

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To Prepare
Boil a pot of water and cook the sago pearls for 5 mins. Switch off fire and cover and let it sit for 15 mins.https://asianinspirations.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/CMS-1.jpg
Drain away the boiling water and wash sago under running water. Drain and set aside.
Cut the mangoes into 1.5cm cubes and add it into a bowl.
In a separate pot, heat up coconut milk and condensed milk until it starts to simmer. Let it cool down to room temperature.
To the bowl of mango cubes, add in drained sago pearls, nata de coco and the cooled down coconut milk and condensed milk mixture.https://asianinspirations.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/CMS-4.jpg
Chill in refrigerator for 3-4 hours or overnight, and serve cold.

Braised Duck Taro

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To Prep
Wash and dry the duck with a kitchen towel. Brush entire duck with dark soy sauce and let it dry for 30 mins.https://asianinspirations.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/BTD-1.jpg
Heat up oil in a large wok. Once it starts to smoke, slide duck in gently and fry for 10 mins. Then turn duck over and fry for 10 mins.https://asianinspirations.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/BTD-2.jpg
Repeat for 2 more times until duck is evenly cooked on both sides. Drain and set duck aside.https://asianinspirations.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/BTD-3.jpg

To Cook
Remove oil from wok and leave about 3 tbsp in. Sauté the spring onions, ginger, garlic and shallots for 2 mins.https://asianinspirations.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/BTD-4.jpg
Pour in glutinous rice wine around and let it sizzle.https://asianinspirations.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/BTD-5.jpg
Add in water, the rest of the dark soy sauce, light soy sauce and rock sugar. Let it come to a boil.https://asianinspirations.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/BTD-7.jpg
Slide duck in. Once it starts boiling again, switch to low heat and braise duck for 1.5 – 2 hours turning the duck every 20 mins.https://asianinspirations.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/BTD-9.jpg
In a separate frying pan, heat up some oil and pan fry the taro pieces until both sides turn golden brown. Set aside.https://asianinspirations.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/BTD-10.jpg
Once duck is well braised, remove from wok. Let it cool a little before chopping into smaller pieces.
Slide in the fried taro pieces into wok with the braising liquid and let them braise for 10-30 mins depending on the type of taro. Some taro may cook faster.https://asianinspirations.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/BTD-11.jpg
Place braised taro piece on serving plate and topped with chopped duck. Garnish with spring onions.

Claypot Bulgogi (Ttukbaegi Bulgogi)

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To Cook
Add Ottogi Korean BBQ Bulgogi Sauce to beef and marinate for at least 10 minutes.https://asianinspirations.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Marinating-Beef-Step-1.jpg
Soak dangmyun (sweet potato noodles) in warm water for 10 minutes. Once softened slightly, drain water off.https://asianinspirations.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Soaking-Sweet-Potato-Noodles-Step-2.jpg
In an earthenware pot (ttukbaegi) or small casserole dish, arrange onions, carrots, mushrooms, sweet potato noodles, green onions with marinated beef in the middle.https://asianinspirations.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Arranging-Ingredients-in-Claypot-Step-2.jpg
Pour water to the dish and bring to a boil. Skim off any impurities that float to the top.https://asianinspirations.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Pouring-Water-in-Claypot-Step-4.jpg
Cook over medium heat for 5-7 minutes or until the beef slices are cooked, making sure to separate beef slices whilst cooking.https://asianinspirations.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Boiling-Claypot-Step-5.jpg
Season with salt if necessary and garnish with long red and green chilli slices and spring onion. Serve Ttukbaegi Bulgogi with rice.

Soy and Chilli Braised Chicken (Dakdoritang)

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To Cook
Bring a large stock pot filled with water to a boil then reduce heat to simmer. Add all the chicken pieces and let it blanch for about 30 secs before removing the chicken.https://asianinspirations.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Blanching-Chicken-Step-1.jpg
In a separate stock pot add blanched chicken pieces, sauce ingredients and water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and cook over medium heat for 30 minutes, stirring every few minutes.https://asianinspirations.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Pouring-Sauce-Over-Chicken-Step-2.jpg
Add potatoes, carrots, onions, mushrooms and capsicum and cook over low to medium heat for 10-15 minutes or until the potatoes have softened.https://asianinspirations.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Adding-Veggie-Step-3.jpg
Add chilli and green onions at the last minute of cooking.https://asianinspirations.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Adding-Chilli-Garnish-Step-4.jpg
Switch off the heat, and drizzle with Ottogi 100% Pure Roasted Sesame Oil.https://asianinspirations.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Drizzle-Sesame-Oil-Step-5.jpg
Serve dakdoritang with rice.

Green Curry Chicken with Rice Noodles

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To Make
In a blender, blend 200ml of water, garlic, sliced lemongrass and coriander until it’s smooth.
In a heated pan, heat up vegetable oil. Add curry paste with coriander seed powder then cook, stirring for a few mins until fragrant.
Add 200ml of coconut cream then cook for about 5 mins.
Increase the heat and add in the rest of the coconut cream, then adding in the green herb liquid and boil for about 6 mins.
Once the chicken is cooked through, reduce the heat to simmer, and add in the palm sugar, fish sauce and chicken powder.
Drain the soaked Thai eggplants and add the eggplants into the pot and simmer for a further 2-3 mins.
Add in the kaffir lime leaves.
Cook the rice noodles by following the instructions on the packet.
After the noodles are cooked, rinse them under tap water, drain in colander and twist the noodles into small balls.
In a bowl, arrange the rice noodles and ladle green curry over, garnishing with red chilli and Thai basil leaves.

Chirashi Sushi

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To Prepare
For the sushi rice, wash rice until water runs clear and drain. Place rice in rice cooker with water and soak for 30 mins. If cooking rice on stove top, bring water to a boil under high heat. Once water starts bubbling, turn to low heat and cook rice for 13 mins. Switch off fire and let it sit for 15 mins.
In a small sauce pan, heat up rice vinegar, sugar and salt until sugar dissolves. Set aside to cool.
Scoop cooked rice out onto a large flat plate and mix with vinegar mixture.https://asianinspirations.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/CHI-4.jpg
Spread rice out to let it cool to room temperature.

To Make Filling
Heat up frying pan with oil and sauté mushrooms for 3 mins.
Add in shredded carrot and soaking water. Cook for 3 mins and add light soy sauce.https://asianinspirations.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/CHI-3.jpg
Once the sauce dries up, dish up and set aside to cool.

To Make Egg Omelette (Kinshi Tamago)
Beat eggs with salt, mirin and water. Go through a fine sieve to trap impurities.
Heat up small frying pan with a little oil. Use a paper towel to absorb up the oil.
Pour one ladle of beaten egg and swirl around the pan under low heat and let it cook. Flip over and cook the other side. Set aside to cool and continue the same process with balance egg mixture.https://asianinspirations.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/CHI-1.jpg
Once cooled, roll all omelette up and slice thinly.https://asianinspirations.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/CHI-2.jpg

To Make Pickled Lotus Roots in Amazu Dressing
In a small saucepan, heat up vinegar, sugar and salt until sugar dissolves and set aside to cool.
Pour vinegar mixture over sliced lotus roots and let it soak for 2-3 hours or overnight.

To Assemble Chirashi Sushi
Mix cooled sushi rice with mushroom and carrot filling. Sprinkle in toasted sesame seeds and mix well.https://asianinspirations.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/CHI-5.jpg
Transfer mixed rice into a medium bowl.https://asianinspirations.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/CHI-6.jpg
Firstly, layer with the egg omelette (Kinshi Tamago).https://asianinspirations.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/CHI-7.jpg
Then add the pickled lotus roots, blanched prawns and fresh salmon cubes.https://asianinspirations.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/CHI-8.jpg
Lastly, place cut blanched snow peas and tobiko in between prawns and salmon. Add a dollop of wasabi on top.https://asianinspirations.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/CHI-9.jpg

Biang Biang Noodles (Biangbiang Mian)

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To Make
In a large mixing bowl, mix flour with salt. Stream in water slowly while using a pair of chopsticks bring flour together into a tough dough. Knead for 5 mins. Wrap up with clear wrap and let it rest for 20 mins.https://asianinspirations.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/BBN-1.jpg
Knead the dough again for 5-8 mins until the surface is smoother and wrap up to rest for another 20 mins.
Prepare a large plate and brush with cooking oil. Roll dough into a long log and cut into 16 equal portions.https://asianinspirations.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/BBN-2.jpg
Roll them into smaller logs and brush with more cooking oil all around. Cover and let them rest for 1 hour.https://asianinspirations.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/BBN-3.jpg
Take one portion out and roll into a rectangular strip. Press the centre with a chopstick.https://asianinspirations.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/BBN-6.jpg
Pick up both ends and smash onto the surface of the silicon mat while stretching during the smashing process.https://asianinspirations.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/BBN-7.jpg
Separate the noodles along the chopstick line. Set aside on a large tray and repeat the process with the rest of the logs.https://asianinspirations.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/BBN-8.jpg
In a medium sauce pan, boil enough water to blanch the bok choy. Set aside. Continue to cook noodles in the boiling water. Cooked noodles will float to the surface. Drain and place into plate.https://asianinspirations.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/BBN-9.jpg
Mix light soy sauce and black rice vinegar in a small bowl and set aside.
Place minced garlic, chilli powder and chopped spring onions onto noodles. Heat up cooking oil in a small sauce pan. Once smoke rises, pour oil over noodles.
Mix in light soy sauce and black vinegar into noodles and stir them to combine.
Divide noodles into 2 plates and garnish with blanched bok choy and more chopped spring onions.

Duck Soba Noodle Soup (Kamo Nanban)

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To Make
Make base dashi stock by soaking kombu, water and shiitake mushrooms in a bowl overnight refigerated.
After soaking, pour base stock into saucepan and remove the seaweed and mushrooms from the pot. Add in the dashi, soy sauce, mirin, cooking sake and bonito flakes and bring to boil. Take off heat and leave for 15 minutes, then remove the bonito flakes.
Cut the white section of the spring onions to 5cm length batons and gently char using a grill or torch. Julienne the green parts of the spring onions and place in an ice bath til it curls.
In a cold fry pan, place in duck breast skin side down and cook on medium-high heat until skin is golden brown. Flip the duck breast and pan fry on other side for 2 mins.
Place duck breast onto an oven tray with skin side up, and cook in the oven for a further 5-6 mins.
Once ready, wrap each duck breast with aluminium foil for a few mins. Once ready, slice the duck breasts.
Prepare Hakubaku Organic Soba Noodles as according to the pack instructions.
Divide noodles into bowls, and pour over hot soup and place sliced duck breast on top. Garnish with charred spring onions and spring onion curls.

Beef Udon Noodle Soup (Niku Udon)

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To Make
Soak kombu in 500ml water for 1 hour. Heat up saucepan containing kombu and get it to a gentle boil. Simmer for 10 mins. Remove kombu.https://asianinspirations.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/BU-1.jpg
Toss in bonito flakes and let it steep for 30 secs. Sift away bonito.https://asianinspirations.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/BU-3.jpg
Return dashi stock back to saucepan and add in light soy sauce, mirin, sugar and salt. Stir till sugar completely dissolved.
While dashi is simmering, heat up a frying pan with oil under medium heat and sauté the white parts of spring onions. Cook for 3-4 mins or till slightly caramelised.
Toss in sliced beef and stir to cook for 3-4 mins.https://asianinspirations.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/BU-5.jpg
Add in light soy sauce, mirin and sugar and stir for 30 secs.
In a separate saucepan, cook udon following package’s instructions.https://asianinspirations.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/BU-6.jpg
Divide cooked udon into 2 bowls. Pour dashi broth between the 2 bowls. Place cooked beef on top and narutomaki at the side. Garnish with chopped spring onions and sprinkle with shichimi toragashi.

Thai Green Curry Chicken

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To Make
Stir-fry 1/2 jar of Valcom Green Curry Paste with 2 tbsp oil over medium heat until fragrant.
Add in half of the coconut milk and stir-fry for about 5 minutes or until sauce thickens and oil appears.
Add 400g diced chicken and cook over high heat for 2 minutes. Add remaining coconut milk, 1 tsp fish sauce and 1 tsp sugar, and bring to the boil.
Add 200g cubed eggplant and cook until tender. Add 2 tbsp Valcom Kaffir Lime Leaves and 2 sliced red chilli.
Add 2 cups of fresh basil leaves before removing from heat. Serve with rice.

Northern Thai Chicken Curry Noodles (Khao Soi)

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To Make
Deep fry 100g fresh egg noodles over medium-high heat until crispy, drain and set aside as optional garnish.
Cook 300g fresh egg noodles in boiling water, drain and set aside into 4 serving bowls.
Stir fry 200ml coconut milk and ½ jar of Valcom Thai Curry Noodle Paste over low heat for 4-5 minutes.
Turn to medium heat, then add chicken drumsticks and simmer until cooked, around 15 minutes.
Add 400ml coconut milk, water, light soy sauce, salt, and sugar and bring to the boil.
Add the curry sauce mixture into the noodle bowls.
Garnish with crispy noodles, diced shallots and coriander. To enhance the flavours, add a squeeze of lime juice.