Asian Inspirations

Discover the authentic in Asian cuisine food

Deep-Fry

Homemade Fish Crackers (Keropok Ikan)

by Leave a Comment

To Prep
Mix ingredients well and adjust seasoning to desired taste.
Rub hands with some cooking oil and divide the paste into 4 portions.
Roll each portion into cylinder-shaped rolls of about 5-7cm in diameter

To Cook
Steam for about 45 minutes on medium heat or until they are firm and looks slightly transparent.
Allow to cool and where desired lightly colour the outside red with some permitted food colouring
Refrigerate until the dough is firm enough for slicing.
Cut into thin slices of 2 –3mm thickness and spread onto a baking tray lines with baking paper.
Pre-heat oven at 100 degrees and bake for about 1.5 hrs.
Turn the cracker slices after 20 mins to ensure they are evenly baked.
When baked, let it cool then store in an airtight container.
Deep fry for about 30 secs until they puff up crispy.
Drain excess oil on paper towel and serve

Hakka Yong Tau Foo

by Leave a Comment

To Make the Broth
Dry-fry the anchovies until dried, placed into a stock pouch.
Heat the water in a stock pot over medium-high heat. Add the soybeans and anchovies soup pouch and bring to boil for 30 mins or more. Add in the salt and sugar last.

To Prepare
Combine the stuffing ingredients, mix well and set aside.
Puffed tofu – Make a slit at the center of the puffed tofu with scissors.
Firm tofu – Scoop out a hole at the center of the tofu.
Chillies and okras – Make a slit from the top, stop at 2-3 cm from the end. Remove the seeds.
Eggplants – Slice in from the side to about ¾ of the way, allow the eggplant to open up like a shell.
Bitter melons – Remove the core and seeds.
With a spoon or butter knife, add the stuffing into the vegetables and spread them out to avoid falling out as they will shrink when cooked.

To Cook
In a frying pan, heat oil over medium-low heat. Pan-fry the stuffed firm tofu, meat facing down first, until browned on all sides and place them into the soup.
Pan-fry the remaining stuffed vegetables and puffed tofu covered until all sides are browned and meat are cooked.
Serve the stuffed vegetables and tofu with the soup.

Thai Fried Banana Fritters (Kluay Kaek)

by Leave a Comment

To Prep
In a large mixing bowl, combine the rice flour, potato starch, sugar, coconut, bicarbonate soda and salt, mix well.
Pour the water into the mixture, whisk until you make smooth batter that coats the banana evenly when dipped. If the batter is too thick, add 1 tbsp of water at a time until you reach the right consistency.

To Cook
Pour oil into pan for deep frying, heat until oil is hot. Dip the bananas into the batter and coat well, place into the oil.
When the batter turns golden brown, remove from oil and drain on paper towel. Serve.

Shortcut Sweet and Sour Pork

by Leave a Comment

To Cook
Combine the salt, sugar, egg and cornstarch to form a marinade.
Put the pork pieces in the marinade, ensuring that it is well-coated for approximately 15 mins.
Heat up a deep pan with enough oil to deep fry. Turn the heat to high and when the oil is hot, cook the pork until it is golden in colour.
Remove from the pan when it is ready and remove the excess oil by draining or using paper towels.
Heat up a wok with oil and add the capsicum and pineapple with the sweet and sour sauce.
Once the mixture is hot, add in the pork and combine well.
Once cooked thoroughly, serve while hot with steamed rice.

Thai Style Omelette (Khai Jiao)

by Leave a Comment

To Prep
In a bowl, mix the eggs, lime juice, fish sauce, water and rice flour. Beat the mixture with a fork until frothy. You can break the lumps with your fingers.

To Cook
Heat the oil in a wok on medium-high until it is smoking lightly. Pour in all the egg from 30cm high into the oil and it will puff up immediately. Fry for 20 secs.
Flip the omelette and fry again for 20 secs. Remove and serve immediately.

Thai Style Chicken Wings (Peek Gai Tord Nam Pla)

by Leave a Comment

To Prep
Mix chicken wings with Squid Brand Fish Sauce and allow to marinate for 1 hour.
Coat chicken wings with potato starch.

To Cook
Add oil to a wok to reach a depth of 10cm. Heat to 180°C over medium-high heat for 2-3 mins.
Deep fry chicken wings until golden brown and cooked through. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towel.
Place chicken wings on a clean plate and sprinkle fried shallots over chicken, serve with sweet chilli sauce on the side.

Crispy Seaweed Crackers

by Leave a Comment

To Prep
You can add some seasoning by beating in some sugar or herbs and spices such as chilli powder into the egg. This step is optional.
Pull apart a sheet of spring roll skin and lay on a flat surface. Using a brush, brush sheet with the beaten egg.
Carefully lay pieces of seaweed onto the spring roll skin until it is covered in seaweed. Then brush on some more beaten egg onto the seaweed.
Sprinkle some of the sesame seeds on top of the seaweed. Take care not to sprinkle too much as it will stop the next layer of spring roll skin from sticking.
Place a second layer of spring roll skin on top of the seaweed.
Make sure there are no are bubbles on either side. Use your hands to squeeze out any air bubbles caught in the layers of spring roll skin.
Using a sharp knife, cut the sheet of spring roll skin into 8 equal sized strips. Then stack them on each other and cut crosswise into 3 sections.
Next, we want to tie these seaweed crackers into knots. This helps the layers stick together when frying and also gives the crackers and interesting shape.
Cut an incision in the middle of each cracker about 3-4cms long. Then fold one end into this incision and pull out to make a knot. However, this knotting process is also optional and the crackers can be fried as is.

To Cook
Heat up some oil in a wok or deep pan on medium heat. Once the oil is sufficiently hot, start to deep fry the crackers until they are golden brown.
Drain the crackers and lay them on paper towels to absorb any excess oil.
Allow them to cool to room temperature before serving. They can also be stored in airtight containers.

Belachan Fried Chicken Ribs

by Leave a Comment

To Prep
Marinate chicken pieces with all the main ingredients, mix well and keep in the refrigerator for 2 hrs.
Combine batter ingredients in a bowl and mix well.

To Cook
Coat chicken pieces evenly with batter and deep-fry in hot cooking oil until golden brown.
Drain and serve.

Jasmine Tea Smoked Pork Ribs

by Leave a Comment

To Cook
Coat pork ribs in potato starch.
Deep fry until golden brown. Carefully remove from oil and drain on paper towel.
Add soy sauce, tomato sauce, brown sugar, white vinegar, salt, ginger, cardamom pods and Shaoxing wine to large wok or pot. Heat over medium-high heat and stir until boiling.
Carefully add ribs to sauce and pour in enough water to cover meat. Bring to the boil, then reduce to low and simmer for 1 hr.
Remove ribs from braising liquid and set aside. Bring liquid to the boil and reduce down to a sticky sauce.
While sauce is reducing, line the base of a wok or smoker with aluminium foil. Place jasmine tea, cooked rice and rock sugar on foil and arrange a rack or steamer basket over. Heat over medium-high heat and allow to smoke.
Place ribs on rack and allow to smoke for 30 mins.
Preheat oven to grill setting at 200°C. Line a baking tray with foil or baking paper.
Once sauce has reduced, add in red food colouring if desired and turn off heat.
Remove ribs from steamer and coat in glaze. Place on baking tray and cook under grill until glaze is sticky and slightly charred.
Cut ribs and serve.

Fried Glutinous Rice Dumplings (Ham Sui Gok)

by Leave a Comment

To Cook
Add oil into a wok and heat over medium heat. Put in garlic and sauté until fragrant. Add in minced pork and mushrooms and stir fry until cooked.
Mix together water, corn starch, oyster sauce, soy sauce, sugar, sesame oil and ground white pepper in a bowl.
Pour sauce ingredients into the wok. Stir fry to mix well then, allow to simmer for 3 minutes or until the sauce reduces slightly and thickens.
Put in carrots and spring onions and cook for 2 minutes. Season with salt if needed. Keep aside and allow to cool.
Place wheat starch into a large bowl and slowly pour in boiling water while gently stirring. Combine well until a thick dough forms. Allow to rest for 5 minutes.
Pour in glutinous rice flour and sugar, mixing well to combine. Slowly pour in water with one hand and gently mix it using the other hand to form a dough.
Pinch out about a small palm sized dough, about 5cm in diameter.
Flatten the dough with your palm and scoop some filling into the dumpling wrapper.
Fold the dumpling wrapper into half to seal. Keep aside and repeat with the remainder of the dough.
Heat enough oil for deep frying in a wok. Once hot, deep fry dumplings over medium heat until golden brown.
Dish out and drain out excess oil by placing fried dumplings on paper towels. Serve once slightly cooled.

Fried Sesame Balls (Jian Dui)

by Leave a Comment

To Begin
Scoop 2 tbsp glutinous rice flour and place into a small bowl. Mix in 10ml water and knead until smooth. In a pot, boil some water and place in the small dough. Cook for 3 mins. Meanwhile, prepare a bowl of cold water. Once the small dough has cooked, remove and place into the cold water.
Now in a large bowl, pour in the remaining flour and add in sugar and baking powder. Put in the cooked small dough. Using your hand, break and knead while slowly pouring in water. Knead until a smooth dough is obtained.
Dust your workbench with some glutinous rice flour and roll dough in a long log. Cut into 20 equal sizes. Roll each piece into a ball. Gently flatten a small dough ball with your fingers or palm and scoop in 1 tsp red bean paste in the middle. Then, shape the dough into a ball again, sealing the red bean paste filling completely. Repeat with remaining small dough balls.
Prepare sesame seeds in a bowl and water in another bowl. Dip a filled ball into the water quickly and roll it with sesame seeds. Repeat with remaining filled balls.
In a deep pan or wok, heat enough oil to cover the balls over medium high temperature. Carefully lower in the sesame balls and quickly turn the heat down. Deep fry the balls slowly until slightly golden brown. Dish out fried sesame balls and place them on paper towels to drain off excess oil.
Serve once cooled.

Thai Fried Bread (Pa Thong Ko)

by Leave a Comment

To Prep
Combine yeast with warm water and set aside until foam forms. Mix flour and oil in a bowl and pour in yeast mixture. Combine until dough forms.
Dust your worktop with flour and knead the dough for 3 mins. Place into a bowl and cover with cling wrap. Set aside to rise for 1 hr.
Once the dough has risen, place on a floured worktop and knead for another 1 min. Roll it into a long log then, cut into smaller strips (2.5cm x 5cm)
Dip your finger with some water and rub onto the middle of a strip of dough. Quickly stick another strip of dough on top at the spot where the water is. The water will glue both dough strips together. Repeat with all remaining dough strips.

To Cook
Heat enough oil for deep frying over high heat. Place in the doughs and turn the heat down to medium high. Fry dough sticks until golden browned then, place them on a wire rack to drain off excess oil. Allow to cool slightly.
Serve Thai fried bread with sweetened condensed milk or Thai coconut custard (sangkhaya).