Asian Inspirations

Discover the authentic in Asian cuisine food

Steam

Otak-Otak

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To Prep
Cut banana leaves into 12-15 pieces, approximately 20cm long and rectangles-shaped. Soak in hot water until softened. Drain and pat dry.
Blend the spice paste ingredients in a food processor until smooth.
Chop the fish fillet into small pieces, then blend with the rice flour, kaffir lime leaves, salt and sugar until a smooth paste forms.
Transfer the fish paste to a mixing bowl. Add the spice paste, eggs, and coconut milk, then mix until well-combined.
Place about 1 tbsp of the mixture in the centre of a banana leaf piece. Fold the leaf over the filling, tuck both ends underneath to form a parcel, and secure with toothpicks. Repeat with the remaining mixture.

To Cook
Bring water to a boil in a wok or steamer.
Arrange the parcels in the steamer basket and steam over rapidly boiling water for 10 minutes.
Carefully unwrap the banana leaves and serve the otak-otak hot.

Malay Compressed Rice (Ketupat)

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To Cook
Cook all in a rice cooker.
Press hot rice into a square container.
Press with waxed paper/cling wrap until the rice are all tight. Wait till it cool and put in refrigerator.
Serve when cool, cut into squares.
Garnish with cut cubes of red onion and cucumber. Alternately, serve with barbeque satay sauce.
Your Ketupat is ready!

Steamed Seafood Curry Cake

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To Cook
Mix coconut cream with flour and bring to the boil on low heat. Stir until thick, then set aside for topping.
In a food processor, thoroughly combine the seafood, curry paste, sugar, egg and fish sauce. Slowly add coconut milk until thick and smooth. Add half the basil and kaffir lime leaves and mix well.
Place basil leaves on the bottom of each ramekin, top with curry mixture and steam for 15-20 mins.
Remove from steamer and top with thickened coconut cream, kaffir lime leaves and chillies. Return to steamer for 1 min and serve with steamed Jasmine rice.
Alternatively, remove from mould and garnish with coconut cream, kaffir lime leaves, mint and chillies on individual plates.

Chinese Steamed Buns with Char Siu Pork Filing (Char Siu Bao)

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To Cook
Dissolve yeast in lukewarm water. Add 1 cup of flour. Mix thoroughly. Cover with a cloth and allow to rise for 1 hr, until bubbles appear.
Dissolve ¼ cup sugar and vegetable oil in ½ cup boiling water. Stir well. Cool until lukewarm. Pour into yeast mixture. Add remaining flour.
Knead dough on a lightly floured board until smooth. Put into an extra large, greased bowl in a warm place. Cover with a damp cloth and allow to rise until doubled in size (approx 2 hrs).
Heat 2 tbsp oil in wok. Stir fry finely chopped spring onion and garlic for 30 secs. Add pork cut into small cubes. Stir fry for 1 min. Add soy sauce, oyster sauce, char siu sauce and remaining sugar.
Add dissolved cornflour. Stir fry quickly until pork is glazed. Remove to bowl and allow to cool.
On a floured board, knead dough for 1 min and roll into one long, sausage-like roll 5cm in diameter. Slice the roll crosswise into 3cm pieces.
Flatten each piece with the palm of your hand and roll with rolling pin into 8cm rounds.
Place 2 tbsp of filling in the centre of each round of dough.
Gather the dough up around the filling by pleating along the edges. Bring the pleats up and twist securely and firmly.
Place each Chinese bun on 5cm square baking paper on a steamer tray. Cover with a towel. Allow to rise for 1 hr, until dough springs back when touched with finger. Remove towel.
Steam over briskly boiling water for 10 mins.

Steamed Tofu with Snow Pea Shoots and Oyster Sauce

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To Cook
Mix the oyster sauce and sesame oil in a bowl and set aside.
Cut tofu into uniform slices or cubes. Place on a serving plate and steam for 5 mins (or microwave for 3 mins)
Heat oil in a wok, add garlic, and stir-fry snow pea for 2 mins. Arrange on the serving plate and drizzle oyster sauce mixture over tofu and snow pea shoots.

Japanese Savoury Egg Custard (Chawanmushi)

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To Prep
In one bowl, combine the chicken thigh and 1 tbsp of sake and mix. Repeat with the shrimp. Set both aside and let marinate for 5 mins.
In a large mixing bowl, add the eggs, dashi, mirin, soy sauce, salt and dashi together. Whisk together but be careful not to aerate the eggs too much while whisking as the bubbles could prevent a silky, smooth texture.
Place a quarter of the chicken, shrimp, mushroom and fish cake in to a ramekin or small bowl.
Pour the egg mixture through a strainer and in to the cup. Pour in enough egg mixture to fill ¾ of the cup. If any bubbles are in the mixture, remove them by poking them. Repeat with the remaining cups.

To Cook
Cover each of the cups with aluminium foil or a lid and set in to a steamer to steam for 20-30 mins at a low-medium heat.

To Serve
When the chicken has cooked through, remove the chawanmushi from the steamer. Remove the lid and sprinkle Mitsuba leaves and cover again if not serving immediately.
Finish by topping with ikura and enjoy!

Chinese Steamed Rice Flour Cake (Huat Kueh)

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To Cook
Prepare a steamer by bringing water to boil on high heat.
Line each bowl with cling wrap or a piece of baking paper. Make sure the lining is as close to the sides as possible.
In a mixing bowl, sift rice flour, baking powder and icing sugar. Add water and food colouring, and mix well.
Just before filling the moulds with the batter add baking soda and mix well.
Fill each mould to ¾ full and steam on high heat for 15-20 mins. Insert a skewer into the middle of the cake. If the skewer comes out clean, the huat kueh is ready.
Remove from steamer then take the huat kueh out from the moulds to cool.
Serve plain or with any breakfast spread. When it becomes dry and hard the next day, steam the cakes again before eating.

Chinese Steamed Eggs (Sui Tan)

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To Prep
Crack three eggs into a large bowl. Lightly beat eggs and slowly add in water. Do not beat it too hard as air may develop in the egg.
Add seasonings and mix well.
Strain egg mixture with a sieve into a shallow bowl and cover with heatproof cling wrap or aluminium foil. Ensure there are no bubbles before steaming as we want a smooth and silky surface.

To Cook
Place the bowl on to a steamer rack and steam over low heat for 10 minutes or until its set.
While waiting for eggs to be steamed, fry minced garlic till its golden brown in colour. Set fried garlic aside together with the oil.
Once steamed eggs are done, sprinkle the fried garlic with oil, light soy sauce and spring onions over it. Serve hot with rice.