To Make
In a saucepan, heat up the oil. Once smoke arises, add in annatto seeds and cook for 2 mins under low heat. Next, switch off the fire and drop in your garlic allowing it to cook with the residual heat. Strain into a clean jar and set aside.https://asianinspirations.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/R02993-Chicken-Inasal-Filipino-style-Grilled-Chicken-2.jpg
Place all the marinade ingredients into a blender and blitz until fine.
Next, place chicken pieces into a ziplock bag and pour the marinade over. Seal and leave to marinate for a minimum of 1 hour or overnight.
For the basting sauce, melt the butter in a microwave oven then add annatto oil, salt, and calamansi juice. Stir to combine, then set aside.https://asianinspirations.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/R02993-Chicken-Inasal-Filipino-style-Grilled-Chicken-3.jpg
If using an oven, preheat your oven to 200°C. Arrange marinated chicken pieces onto a wire rack with a baking tray underneath. Bake for 15 mins, then baste the chicken with basting sauce.https://asianinspirations.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/R02993-Chicken-Inasal-Filipino-style-Grilled-Chicken-4.jpg
Then, turn the oven to its grill function and grill the chicken for a further 45mins. Baste both sides again and grill until the surface begins to char. Remove from oven and serve with rice and anatto oil.
If using a bbq, arrange marinated chicken pieces onto a bbq. Allow to cook slightly, then baste the chicken with basting sauce on both sides. Leave to grill until the surface begins to char. Remove and serve with anatto oil.
Grill/BBQ
Filipino Style Lamb Skewers
To Prepare Lamb Skewers
Mix all the ingredients for marinate and basting sauce together with a whisk. Set aside 2/3 cup for basting later.https://asianinspirations.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/LS-2.jpg
Pour in the 7-Up into remaining marinade sauce and stir well. Mix all the marinade sauce with diced lamb and marinade for 4 hours or overnight.https://asianinspirations.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/LS-4.jpg
String 5-6 pieces of meat onto skewers. Place skewers onto lined baking tray and brush with basting sauce. If you are using a BBQ grill, brush some oil over and grill for a few mins before brushing the basting sauce over meat.https://asianinspirations.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/LS-6.jpg
Pre-heat oven to 180C and bake lamb skewers for 10 mins. Pour away juices and place a wire rack onto baking tray and arrange skewers onto it.https://asianinspirations.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/LS-7.jpg
Change your oven setting to broiler/grill and grill lamb skewers for 20 minutes turning every few mins and brush with basting sauce.https://asianinspirations.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/LS-8.jpg
Rest skewers for 5 mins before serving.
Peking Duck with Homemade Pancakes
To Make Peking Duck
Dry duck breasts with paper towel then rub with salt, light soy sauce, Shao Xing wine and five-spice powder.https://asianinspirations.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/R02835-Easy-Peking-Duck-with-Homemade-Pancakes-3.jpg
Next, lay duck breasts flat on a tray skin side up and marinate overnight in the refrigerator.
On the day of cooking, take the marinated duck breasts out of the fridge and leave them on the counter to come down to room temperature.
Meanwhile, heat up the oven to 150°C. Once at room temperature, brush some oil over the skin.https://asianinspirations.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/R02835-Easy-Peking-Duck-with-Homemade-Pancakes-4.jpg
Heat up a frying pan with a little oil and fry duck breasts skin side down until the skin nicely browns. Remove from the pan and place them on a lined tray. Set your preheated oven to grill/broiler and grill for around 15 mins until the skin turns crispy.https://asianinspirations.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/R02835-Easy-Peking-Duck-with-Homemade-Pancakes-5.jpg
Remove from the oven and set aside to rest for 15 mins before slicing.https://asianinspirations.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/R02835-Easy-Peking-Duck-with-Homemade-Pancakes-6.jpg
To Make Pancakes (can be prepared the day before)
Place flour and salt in a large mixing bowl. Slowly pour boiling water over and stir with a pair of chopsticks.https://asianinspirations.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/R02835-Easy-Peking-Duck-with-Homemade-Pancakes-7.jpg
Once the flour cools a little, using your fingers bring the flour together and knead into a dough. Cover and leave to rest for 30 mins.https://asianinspirations.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/R02835-Easy-Peking-Duck-with-Homemade-Pancakes-8.jpg
Once rested, knead the dough until smooth and divide into 16 (36g) or 20 (29g) portions. Roll each portion into a ball. Try to be consistent so that the sizes of the pancakes are maintained.https://asianinspirations.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/R02835-Easy-Peking-Duck-with-Homemade-Pancakes-9.jpg
Take 2 balls, flatten one and brush some oil over the surface. Flatten the second ball and place on top the first flatten ball.https://asianinspirations.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/R02835-Easy-Peking-Duck-with-Homemade-Pancakes-10.jpg
Using a rolling pin, slowly roll out the dough to be as thin as possible. You can stack the flattened dough by brushing some oil in between.https://asianinspirations.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/R02835-Easy-Peking-Duck-with-Homemade-Pancakes-11.jpg
Heat up a frying pan and dry fry the pancake. Once it starts to bubble, turn over to the other side.https://asianinspirations.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/R02835-Easy-Peking-Duck-with-Homemade-Pancakes-12.jpg
Once cooked, peel the 2 pieces of flat pancakes apart as soon as possible or it will be difficult once they are cooled.https://asianinspirations.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/R02835-Easy-Peking-Duck-with-Homemade-Pancakes-13.jpg
Steam pancakes in a bamboo basket prior to serving.https://asianinspirations.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/R02835-Easy-Peking-Duck-with-Homemade-Pancakes-14.jpg
To Make Sauce
Take 1 tsp of duck fat and heat it up in a saucepan. Add in hoisin sauce and water and stir until all are well combined.
To Assemble
Spread some hoisin sauce over one pancake. Place some shredded spring onions and cucumber sticks on top of the sauce, then place a slice of duck on top before wrapping up.https://asianinspirations.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/R02835-Easy-Peking-Duck-with-Homemade-Pancakes-15.jpg
Chargrilled Eggplant with Fish Sauce
To Make
Cover eggplants in salt and place in a large strainer to sit for 1 hour. Wash off salt well, pat dry with a paper towel.
To make dressing, place sugar, lime juice, Squid Brand Fish Sauce and sesame oil in a medium bowl. Stir until sugar is dissolved. Mix through ginger, garlic and ½ cup of green spring onion tops. Set aside.
Rub oil over eggplants and white spring onions. Heat a large non-stick grill plate over high heat. Reduce heat to medium and cook eggplant for 2-3 mins each side until tender and charred. Set aside. Cook spring onions for 2-3 mins until slightly blistered and coloured.
Plate eggplants and spring onions with a drizzle of dressing over. Garnish with coriander and chilli, serve with steamed rice and remaining dressing.
Thai-Style Lemony Prawns and Vermicelli Salad
To Make
In a small bowl, combine lemon juice, Squid Brand Fish Sauce, sugar, sesame oil, garlic, and white pepper to make the dressing.
Pour half the dressing into a mixing bowl, and place prawns in. Set aside for 15 mins. In a large mixing bowl, soak vermicelli noodles in boiling water for 2-3 mins until soft. Drain and set aside.
Heat a grill plate with 1 tsp of oil until smoking hot. Cook lemon halves, cut side down until charred. Set aside.
Remove prawns from marinade, pat dry with a paper towel and oil the surface of the grill plate. Cook for 1 min on each side or until cooked.
Mix prawns, vermicelli, cabbage, another half of the dressing, shallots and herbs. Serve with grilled lemon. Garnish with chilli.
Honey-Soy Beef and Capsicum Skewers
To Make
In a medium bowl, combine Squid Brand Fish Sauce, oyster sauce, soy sauce, garlic, rice wine vinegar, coriander, pepper and 2 tbsp honey for the marinade. Add beef and coat well. Set aside for 15-30 mins.
Thread capsicum and beef alternately onto soaked bamboo skewers, keep marinade sauce aside.
In a small pan, add the marinade sauce and remaining honey, simmer for 1-2 mins to thicken. Remove from heat and squeeze through juice from half a lime.
Heat oil in a BBQ grill or chargrill pan over high heat until hot. Reduce heat to medium, cook skewers for 2-3 mins on each side.
Plate skewers and serve with steamed rice, lettuce, spring onions, coriander, lime wedges and the sauce.
Nasu Dengaku Bao (Miso-glazed Eggplant Bao)
To Make Dough
Mix the yeast with warm water and let it rest for 5 mins.
In the meantime, in a large bowl, mix the flour, baking powder and sugar. Once well combined, create a well in the middle to add in the wet ingredients.
In the well, add in the oil followed by warm water and active yeast mixture.
Mix everything slowly in the bowl until the dough starts to form, then place it on a flat surface to knead.
Knead the dough for about 5 mins (it should end up soft and only slightly sticky). Once done, cover the dough and let rest in a warm place until it doubles in size (approx. 1 hr).
After the dough has doubled in size, place it on a flat surface and knead again for about 5 mins to remove air bubbles. Then use a rolling pin to flatten the dough until it’s approx. 1 cm thick.
Next, use a round cookie cutter (approx. 10 cm diameter) or a big glass to cut circles into the dough. Take out any leftover dough, roll it flat again and cut more circles out of it.
Brush the circular dough with oil and fold it in half with the oily side inwards (this will allow the bao to open easily once cooked).
Once all the bao dough are folded, place each onto a square baking sheet, cover and let rest for 15 mins.
After resting, cook the bao by steaming them for 12 mins.
To Make Miso-glazed Eggplant
In a small pot, mix the miso paste, sake, mirin, sugar and water together on low heat for about 5 mins. Set the sauce aside.
Cut the eggplants in thick round slices and grill for 2 mins on each side. Brush the sauce on the eggplant and grill for another 20 secs on each side, then set aside to serve with the bao.
To Serve
In a bao, drizzle some Kewpie mayonnaise, add in some shredded cabbage and miso-glazed eggplant, topped with red ginger pickle, coriander, spring onions and fresh chillies.
Char Grilled Coconut Veggie Salad
To Cook
Cut asparagus, broccolini, carrots long ways into strips similar to the size of a chopstick. Cut brussel sprouts into halves and cut onion into thin strips.
Heat a frying pan and spray it with cooking oil. Add asparagus, broccolini, carrot and brussel sprouts, coating the veggies with cooking spray. Cook veggies on high heat until they just start to wilt.
Then add ¼ cup of water and cover with a lid for 1 min to trap in the steam and then turn off the heat. Let sit for 5 min.
Leaving water behind, remove veggies into a bowl and let cool for 10 mins.
Before turning the fry pan back on, add your onion, sauce ingredients, coconut cream, hot chilli sauce, soy sauce, ginger.
On medium heat cooking sauce for 2 min just to thicken it.
Add sauce, sesame seeds to veggies toss until well combined,
Once plated garnish using coriander, chilli, toasted peanuts
Makes 2 good-sized portions or 4 side serves.
Teriyaki Soba with Grilled Salmon and Prawn
To Cook
Cook soba in rapid boiling water for 4mins,. When it turns soft, drain and place it on the bowl.
Grill the prawn and salmon rolls using a food blow torch until it turns brown, then place it on top of the soba.
Cook all sauce ingredients together until they boil, then pour the sauce over of the soba.
Thai Beef Salad
To Prep
Whisk together fish sauce, sesame oil, soy sauce, lime juice, garlic, ginger and palm sugar in a jug.
Place the steak in a dish and drizzle half the dressing on ensuring the steak is coated all over. Cover with plastic wrap and place in fridge, turning occasionally for up to 2 hrs.
To Cook
Preheat a barbecue grill on high. Cook steak on grill for a few minutes on each side for medium, or cook to your liking. Transfer to a plate, cover with foil to rest for 10 mins.
Place the tomatoes, cucumber, chilli, onion, mint, coriander, basil, peanuts and lime leaves in a large bowl. Thinly slice steak and add to the salad. Drizzle with remaining dressing and gently toss to combine. Divide amongst bowls and serve immediately.
Sticky Beef Ribs in Master Stock
To Prepare Beef Ribs
Place ribs in a pot covered with cold water and bring to a boil. Let the ribs cook for about 2 mins. Removed from the pot and rinse the ribs under running water to remove scum.
In a separate pot. add beef ribs to master stock and bring it to a boil. Lower the heat and let it simmer for approximately 2 hours or till the meat is tender. Remove and leave the ribs on a tray and set aside to air for 1 hour.
Strain 250ml master stock into a small frying pan, add honey and bring it to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer for another 10 mins, stir frequently till it thickens. Set aside.
Oil a char-grill or a skillet and heat over medium heat. Place ribs on the grill or skillet and brush with oil and master stock glaze. While cooking, continue to flip and brush ribs with master stock glaze until it is well coated and cooked.
Remove from heat and it’s now ready to serve.
To Prepare the Salad (Pickle)
With a mortar and pestle (or a food processor), pound garlic, salt and sesame seeds into a coarse paste. Stir in rice vinegar, sugar, ginger paste and hot water and mix well.
In a mixing bowl, add the pounded mixture to shredded cucumber, cabbage and carrot, and let it sit for at least 5 mins before serving.
Indonesian Inspired Caramelised Pork Belly Skewers
To Make
In a medium bowl, combine garlic, ginger, ABC Sweet Soy Sauce Kecap Manis, fish sauce, oil and water. Add pork and coat well. Cover and place in fridge for at least 1 hour.
Thread pork onto soaked bamboo skewers. Set aside and keep the marinade sauce.
Heat a BBQ grill or chargrill pan over high heat until hot. Reduce heat to medium and cook skewers for 2-3 mins each side, turning and brushing with marinade sauce until charred and sticky. Set aside.
In a small pan, add remaining marinade sauce and bring to the boil, reduce heat to simmer for 1-2 mins or until it thickens. Remove from heat.
Plate skewers on a bed of rice with a drizzle of sauce. Serve with cucumber, spring onion, coriander and lime wedges.