Asian Inspirations

Discover the authentic in Asian cuisine food

Steam

Bubur Cha Cha

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To Cook
Steam diced yam, golden and purple sweet potato in a wok over high heat, until softened, about 20 minutes. Test with a sharp knife or toothpick. They should be very easy to prick through.
Use a large deep pot. Add 1 litre of boiling water with the rock and fine sugar. Bring it to boil. Add pandan leaves. Reduce heat to simmer for 10 min.
Pour in coconut cream. Once it boils again, drain up and discard the pandan leaves.
Add the sweet potatoes. The rock and fine sugar should dissolved completely.
Taste and add more sugar if needed. Served hot. Or let it cool down and chill in fridge if you like it served cold.

To Make Tapioca Flour Cubes
Sift tapioca flour if lumpy flour is found in it. Then, place tapioca flour and salt into a large mixing bowl. Slowly stir-in hot boiling water and combine well until mixture turns dough-like texture. When mixture is cooled, form it into dough on a well-floured table top.
Dust some flour on your palm and divide dough into 4 parts. Mix each portion with 3 different colouring prepared and leave one portion as ‘white‘ original colour (no colouring added).
Knead to combine well and until it becomes a non-stick dough. Then, roll and shape each portion out into long and squarish thin stripes. Thereafter, dice into small cubes.
Bring a pot of water to a boil over high heat. When boiled, reduce heat, and put in tapioca flour cubes to cook for about 30 min, or until all the cubes float up. Texture of cooked tapioca flour cubes should be chewy, bright in colour with a little translucent appearance.
Dish up and plunge cubes into a bowl of iced water for few seconds. Drain and remove cubes from iced water. Reserve for later.

Grandma’s Gado Gado

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Vegetables
Slice choko and cabbage into strips.
Steam choko, cabbage, water spinach, english spinach, bean sprouts, eggs and potatoes.
Arrange on plate.
Top with quartered tomatoes, cucumbers, fried crackers and fried tofu.

Peanut Sauce
Fry red onion.
Add water and peanut butter and stir.
Add vinegar and coconut milk.
Add brown sugar and salt to taste.

Cantonese Steamed Custard Buns (Nai Wong Bao)

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For the Filling
Heat about 5cm deep of water in a pot which is large enough to accommodate the mixing bowl. When the water boils, turn the heat to down to a simmer.
In a large heatproof mixing bowl, crack the eggs in and add icing sugar. Beat for a minute on low using an electric mixer. Add in milk and thickened cream, beat to combine well for a few seconds. Then sift in the all-purpose flour, starch, and powdered milk. Mix everything in until the mixture is smooth without any lumps. Then add in the melted butter. Stir to combine.
Place the mixing bowl into the heated pot of water carefully, stir the egg mixture quickly and continuously until it solidifies into a thick custard. Remove bowl of custard from the heat. Set aside and leave it to cool entirely. Cover the custard to prevent it from drying out.

For the Dough
Dissolve the yeast in ¼ cup of warm water in a large mixing bowl. Let it sit for about 10 minutes until you see yeast bubbles floating on the surface of the water.
Now add in the all-purpose flour, icing sugar, salt, and coconut milk. Using the electric mixture with the dough hook attachment, set it to low. Then slowly add in the fresh milk, one tablespoon at a time until a dough is formed. A perfect dough should be smooth and will not stick to your hands or to the bowl. Cover the dough with a dry kitchen towel, set aside and let it proof for at least 1 hour in a warm setting.

For the Custard Bun
Set up a large wok or steamer on high heat.
Cut out twelve 10cm x 10cm pieces of baking paper. Set aside.
Divide the prepared egg custard filling equally into 12 pieces, then roll them to form small round balls using your palm. Keep the custard balls covered to prevent them from drying out.
The proofed dough should now have doubled its original size. Using your hands, knead and press the dough until there are no more air bubbles and surface becomes very smooth. Place the dough on a clean and lightly floured surface, divide the dough equally into 12 pieces. Cover the dough with a dry kitchen towel while the buns are assembled.
Take a dough ball, using a rolling pin, roll dough ball out into a round shape with 10cm in diameter, edges thinner than the centre. Place a portion of the ball of custard filling in the centre of the dough and seal the top of the bun. Place each custard bun on a piece of pre-cut 10cmx10cm baking paper and place on steaming rack. Repeat the process until all buns are completed.
Turn wok or steamer’s heat down to medium. Put the buns in the steamer, lid on. Steam for about 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, turn heat off and let sit in the steamer for a further 5 minutes without uncovering the lid, this is to allow the bun to cool and set.

Steamed Thai Fish Curry Custard (Hor Mok)

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To Prep
Start by making your banana leaf bowl. Cut your banana leaves into about 20cm diameter circles, you can just cut around a plate placed on top of a leaf.
With your leaves all cut into circles, place two on top of each other, shiny side facing out, with the veins perpendicular to each other.
Pick two spots along the edge of the leaves about 2cm apart. Fold these two spots over each other, forming an “N” shape and secure the leaves with a toothpick. Then do the same on the opposite side, and two more corners to get a bowl.
Blend half of the fish together with the red curry paste, egg, palm sugar, and fish sauce until you get a fine paste.
Add the coconut milk and the kaffir lime leaves to the blender and blend again to combine and set aside.
Place the Thai basil leaves on the bottom of each of your banana leaf bowls and portion the rest of the chopped fish into each bowl. Then pour the blended fish custard into the banana leaf bowls.
Mix the coconut cream with the rice flour, making sure you have a smooth slurry with no lumps. Add a spoonful of this mixture on top of the fish custard.

To Cook
Get your steamer ready, make sure the water is already boiling before placing the bowls of custard into the steamer and let them steam for 15-20 mins or until the custard has set.
Remove from the steamer and serve hot with a steamed white rice.

Steamed Rice Cake (Chwee Kueh)

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To make the Topping:
Heat up a ½ a cup of vegetable oil in a wok and fry the shallots until they begin to colour.
Squeeze out any excess moisture from the preserved radish and add to the wok. Cook for about 5 minutes.
Add the sugar, white pepper and soy sauce. Mix well and taste to make sure the topping is well seasoned.
Transfer to a bowl and allow to cool.

To make the Rice Cake:
Add all the ingredients together in a mixing bowl and stir well until combined.
Make sure there are no lumps in the flour mixture by straining through a sieve.
Cook the flour mixture in a pan over medium heat until it thickens. You can test if the mixture is thick enough by coating the back of a spoon and running your finger over. The mixture is thick enough if the line remains.
When it is ready, remove the mixture from the heat and pour into greased moulds or bowls.
Place the bowls into the steamer on medium heat for 20 minutes. Make sure the water is already boiling before placing the bowls into the steamer.
Once cooked, allow the rice cakes to cool completely before removing from the bowls.
Top with the radish topping and serve.

Chinese Steamed Ginger Clams

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To Prep
In a bowl, mix all the seasoning ingredients together and set aside. Make sure all the ingredients are well mixed.
Place the clams on a suitably sized stainless steel deep dish plate. Make sure the plate deep enough to hold any juices that may come out of the clams.
Add the seasoning and ginger to the clams and mix well.
Add the spring onions and garlic oil and prepare the steamer.

To Cook
Steam for about 15 mins or until cooked. Make sure the water is boiling before placing the plate of clams in the steamer.
When the clams are done, garnish with more coriander and spring onion. Serve hot with steamed rice.

Vegan Roast Duck

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To Prep
Prepare a blender and blend seasoning ingredients until smooth.
Carefully separate and unfold the beancurd sheets to get a single flat sheet. Make sure you have a large enough workspace.
Apply 1 tbsp seasoning onto a beancurd sheet using a pastry brush, then fold in half and repeat.
Continue folding and brushing until you get a square about the size of your hand. Make sure to brush each layer as you fold.
Use toothpicks to fasten the edges to keep the squares intact.
Repeat steps with the rest of the beancurd sheets.
Then steam for 10-15 min. Remove and allow to dry.

To Cook
Heat oil and then deep-fry until golden brown.
Transfer remaining seasoning sauce into a saucepan and bring to a low boil.
Add the fried beancurd squares into the saucepan and simmer until all sauce is absorbed.
Cut into slices and serve.

Radish Cake

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To Prep
Grate your radish using a handheld grater, then using your hands squeeze out any excess water. Place in a bowl and set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, combine rice flour, tapioca flour and water to form a flour paste and set aside.

To Cook
Start boiling 500ml of water in a pot and separately heat up some cooking oil in wok, and stir fry the shallots for a few minutes. Add the Chinese sausage, mushrooms and dried shrimp to the wok and stir fry until aromatic.
Next add the ingredients for the seasoning and stir fry for a few more minutes. Then pour all the fried ingredients into the pot of boiling water.
If the water has stopped boiling, bring it back up to a boil. Then pour the contents of the pot into the flour paste we made in step (2). Using a large spoon, mix to combine the flour paste with the water and other ingredients.
Next, add the grated radish into the flour mixture in 4 separate batches. Make sure each batch of grated radish has been properly combined with the mixture before adding the next batch.
Then add in the radish in 4 portions and use wooden spoon to separate the radish evenly and stir well.
Pour the radish cake mixture into a 20cm by 10cm loaf pan. Then place the loaf pan into a steamer on high heat and steam for 35 minutes.
Once the radish cake is done, remove it from the steamer and allow it to cool.
Slice the radish cake into 2cm thick slices. Pan fry each slice until golden on each side and serve with dipping sauce of your choice. Usually dipping sauces used are a simply chilli sauce, but can be easily replaced with Sriracha sauce or similar. Enjoy! These steamed radish cakes also go well with a bowl of piping hot rice or porridge

Steamed Spare Ribs with Black Bean Sauce

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To Cook
Combine all the ingredients and marinate pork spare ribs for 1 hr. Transfer spare ribs into a shallow, heatproof dish.
Place steaming rack in wok and fill with water almost up to height of rack. Heat water on high and when boiling, turn heat to medium.
Set dish with spare ribs on steaming rack, cover and steam for 25-30mins or until ribs are fully cooked.
Serve immediately with steam rice.

Soft Shell Crab Hand Roll

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To Prep
Add the sushi vinegar to the cooked sushi rice and gentle fold in to the rice until well incorporated.
Combine 125 g of tempura flour and ice water together in a mixing bowl and lightly stir them together. Don’t over mix as pockets of flour will make the batter airy. Pour the remaining 50 g of flour in to a separate bowl.

To Cook
Heat the oil to about 180°C, then dredge the crab halves one by one in the tempura flour, then into the batter and fry till golden brown. Let cool on paper towels to drain the excess oil.

To Make the Roll
Halve the seaweed sheets. Place sushi rice and then the lettuce, cucumber and half a crab onto one side of nori.
Fold the nearest corner of the nori over the filling and start to shape.
The hand roll should be shaped cone shaped to stop any rice from falling out.

Korean Steamed Egg (Gyeran Jjim)

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To Cook
Heat the Ttukbaegi (Korean earthenware pot) over high heat, or alternatively a small sized seasoned cast iron pot.
While waiting for the pot to heat up, combine egg, salt, fish sauce and mirin in a large mixing bowl and whisk until smooth.
Pour the stock into the egg mixture and whisk until mixed thoroughly.
The ttukbaegi should be well heated by now, reduce heat to low and slowly pour the egg mixture. Cover and steam for approximately 5 mins.
Turn heat off, garnish with chopped spring onions and serve immediately.

Easter Bunny Steamed Custard Bun

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For the Custard Filling
In a small pot, combine custard powder, wheat starch, cake flour and granulated sugar together. Heat over low heat and then add milk. Stir continuously until all ingredients mixed well.
In a mixing bowl, crack 1 egg and add in 1 egg yolk and beat using a fork. Stir in beaten egg mixture slowly into the pot, constantly stirring while throughout the time. Next, add in butter and heat until well mixed. Remove the mixture from the heat and fold the custard over and over again using your hands, until it forms a smooth ball.
Place the custard filling in fridge for at least 1 hour or until hardened.

For the Bun Dough
Add sugar and yeast to the warm water, leave it for around 10 minutes until the yeast is well activated. Mix in all other ingredients to the warm yeast water. Combine everything together and knead until the dough becomes smooth.
In a large bowl, brush on some oil and transfer the dough in for proofing. Let it sit for 2-3 hours until the dough raises and doubles in size.

For the Custard Buns
When the dough is doubled in size, transfer to a slightly floured board. Using your hands, knead the dough until the surface becomes very smooth. Roll the dough until it forms a long log, then cut into 12 equal portions.
Divide the hardened custard filling into 12 equal portions and shape each portion in to a small ball.
Return back to the dough, take one single portion and press down slightly. Then using a rolling pin, roll the dough into a round wrapper, 10cm in diameter, edges thinner than the centre.
Place one portion of the custard filling in the centre of the round dough wrapper and then seal completely. Slightly wet the tip of a toothpick to attach the black sesame seeds as the eyes of the bunnies. Repeat the process until all buns are finished.
Set up the wok or steamer on high heat, place buns in to steam for approximately 15-20 minutes. Turn heat off and let it sit in the steamer for a further 5 minutes. Remove from heat and slit the surface of the bun with a small knife to form the ears. Serve immediately.