Asian Inspirations

Discover the authentic in Asian cuisine food

Steam

Jellyfish with Shredded Chicken

by Leave a Comment

To Prep
Prepare salted jellyfish according to the instructions on the package.
Slice chicken breast fillets into 1cm thick slices for faster cooking in later steps.
Marinate chicken breast fillets with cooking wine, salt and top with a few strips of ginger. Marinate for at least 1 hr.

To Cook
Bring the water in the steamer to boil. Steam the marinated chicken breast fillets on high heat for about 10 mins or until cooked.
Once the chicken breast fillets are cooked through, take them out and reserve the liquid from the steaming. Soak the chicken breast fillets in ice water for 5 mins then drain.
Shred the cooked chicken breast fillets and place them on the bottom of your dish.
Place cucumber strips on the shredded chicken breast fillets, followed by the shredded carrot and finally, top them with the prepared salted Jellyfish.
Garnish with coriander and sprinkle with toasted white sesame seeds.
For the sauce, heat the light soy sauce in the microwave for 20 secs.
Add in sugar and stir until sugar has dissolved. Add in white vinegar, sesame oil and 2 tbsp of the reserved liquid from the steamed chicken breast fillets. Mix well. Drizzle over the dish. Enjoy!

Chawanmushi

by Leave a Comment

To Cook
Preheat a suitable size steamer (or simply wok with a cooling rack and lid) to cater to chosen serving bowls.
Add beaten eggs to room temperature (or cooler) dashi stock. Mix until well combined and pass-through strainer for a smooth bubble-free mixture. Set aside.
In each bowl, add remaining ingredients (except for seasoning) and pour over the dashi egg mix.
Gently mix bowl contents to ensure all is combined. Cover each with cling film and place in the steamer for 10-12 mins.
When steaming is complete, carefully remove bowls and discard the cling film. Sprinkle lightly with seasonings and serve while hot. Enjoy!

Molten Salted Egg Yolk Lava Mooncakes

by Leave a Comment

To Prepare Salted Egg Yolk Filling
Prepare steamer and steam salted egg yolks for 10 mins. Allow to cool then mash into fine crumbs.https://asianinspirations.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/LM-3.jpg
In a medium bowl, whisk together salted egg yolk crumbs, butter, condensed milk, milk and custard powder until it becomes a smooth paste-like texture.
Cover and refrigerate the mixture for 1 hour or until set.https://asianinspirations.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/LM-9.jpg
After the mixture has set, use a teaspoon to divide the filling into 15 equal portions (about 11g per portion). Scoop salted egg yolk cream and drop it onto a lined tray. Freeze for 1hr or until ready to assemble.

To Prepare Custard
Prepare steamer and steam salted egg yolks for 10 mins. Allow to cool and mash into fine crumbs (can steam together with the salted egg yolks used for the Salted Egg Yolk Filling).https://asianinspirations.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/LM-3.jpg
In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together eggs and cake flour until pale and fluffy with no visible lumps.https://asianinspirations.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/LM-10-1.jpg
In a saucepan, heat and stir the heavy cream and butter over medium heat. Once the butter has melted and the cream starts to bubble but not boiling, carefully pour it into the egg mixture parts at a time and whisk as you pour.https://asianinspirations.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/LM-13.jpg
Add in milk powder, salted egg yolk crumbs, granulated sugar and vanilla one by one, mixing well.
Once well mixed, pour the entire mixture back into the saucepan and cook over low heat stirring with a spatula continuously but not vigorously. Scrape the side and bottom of the pan to avoid custard from burning.
Continue to scrape and fold the custard for about 10-15 mins until the custard slides easily from the spatula, then remove from stove.https://asianinspirations.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/LM-19.jpg
Transfer to a bowl and leave to cool about 10 mins then cover bowl with cling wrap. Chill in the refrigerator for 1hr.
Divide custard into 15 equal portions (about 25g per portion) and roll into balls onto a tray. Cover and chill until ready to assemble.

To Prepare Pastry
Prepare pastry only when both salted egg yolk and custard balls are well chilled/frozen.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together honey, condensed milk and softened butter until well combined.https://asianinspirations.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/LM-22.jpg
With a spatula, fold in cake flour and cornflour until it forms a dough. Using your hands, gather the dough and form a square block.https://asianinspirations.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/LM-25-1.jpg
Divide into 15 equal portions (about 32g per portion). Roll each portion into a ball and place onto a tray, cover with cling wrap until you are ready to assemble. Do not chill.

Assembling Salted Egg Yolk Mooncake
Prepare a 50g mooncake punch mould.
Take one ball of custard and flatten it. Then place a frozen salted egg yolk ball inside and close the edges to seal. Roll into a ball. (Tip: you can freeze for 1hr or overnight as this will help when wrapping with pastry).https://asianinspirations.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/LM-34.jpg
After the custard and salted egg yolk ball ball has been frozen, place inside a flattened pastry ball and seal well. With both of your palms, roll the pastry and custard ball into a cylinder and slot it into the mooncake punch.https://asianinspirations.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/LM-38.jpg
Arrange completed mooncakes onto a lined tray. Chill for 30 mins.
Preheat oven to 220°C.
For the egg wash, lightly beat 1 whole egg and brush over the top and sides of the mooncake just before baking.https://asianinspirations.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/LM-42-1.jpg
Bake for 3 mins then take out the mooncakes and brush a second coat of egg wash over the top and sides, before sending them back into the oven for another 10 mins.
Serve warm for best results.
Note: Test bake 2 or 3 mooncakes to familiarise the hot spots in your oven to prevent burning the mooncake

Creamy Custard Mochi Mooncakes

by Leave a Comment

To Prepare Custard Filling
In a small saucepan, add milk and half of the sugar. Heat and stir over medium-low heat and cook until it reaches about 49°C or no more than 65°C. Do not overheat. Leave in saucepan while you complete the next steps.
In a large bowl, mix corn starch, all-purpose flour and the remaining sugar.
Add egg yolks to a separate small bowl, stir to break up the egg yolks, then pour it into the dry ingredients. Mix until well combined.
Next, add warm milk to the egg mixture ¼ cup at a time. Whisk continuously until milk is fully incorporated and the mixture is thin and smooth. Repeat until all the warm milk is mixed.
Pour the mixture back into the saucepan and cook under medium heat until the mixture thickens (about 5 mins). Tip: Keep a close eye on the mixture as it will thicken suddenly.
Remove from stove and give it a few stirs. Then add in butter and vanilla extract and mix well.
Strain the custard through a strainer into a dish lined with cling wrap. Press with a spatula to remove any lumps. Cover custard surface with another layer of cling wrap to prevent skin from forming. Chill custard for 1 hr.
After chilled, take custard and scoop about 1 tbsp and roll into a small ball onto a lined tray. Cover and chill or freeze for 30 mins or until it is easy to handle.

To Prepare Mochi Dough
Prepare a large steamer pot with a steaming basket or trivet and turn on stove to begin heating.
In a small bowl, mix milk, oil and vanilla extract together.
In a medium bowl, add glutinous rice flour, rice flour and cornstarch and mix well. Then sift in icing sugar to break up any lumps. Pour in the milk mixture gradually and mix until well combined and a watery batter is formed.
Strain the batter into a large bowl to remove any lumps. Steam the mixture in the prepared steamer (water should be bubbling) for 20 mins. At 15 mins, check to see how the dough is cooking by poking through the middle with a fork. If any dough is uncooked, break through the dough and steam for a further 5 to 8 mins. The dough is ready when it is stiff. Once cooked, remove from steamer and let it cool for about 10 mins.
Once the dough has cooled down, tip it over onto a clean surface (do not oil or flour the surface). Knead the dough for 5 to 8 mins until soft and smooth.
Use a kitchen scale to divide 3 or 4 equal portions. Tint each portion with your chosen food colouring by kneading together. Keep dough wrapped up or covered while you work. Roll each portion into logs and divide the logs into 5 or 6 portions. Roll each of these portions into balls, then cover so they do not dry up.

Assembling the Mochi Mooncakes
Prepare a 50g mooncake punch mould.
Flatten a mochi ball with a rolling pin, pinch the edges to make them thinner. Place a chilled custard ball in the middle and close the outer layer edges until the custard ball is completely concealed. Roll with both palms until you get a round ball.
Dust some corn starch on and insert into mooncake punch and press until compact before releasing.
Serve.

Salted Egg Yolk Custard Bao (Liu Sha Bao)

by Leave a Comment

To Make Salted Egg Yolk Custard Filling
In a large mixing bowl mix salted duck eggs and sugar and beat with an electric mixer till smooth.
Add in all the other ingredients and beat till everything is well combined.
Refrigerate overnight.
Scoop up about 25-30g onto a cling wrap and shape into a round ball. Keep chilled.

To Make the Dough (Using a Breadmaker)
Add all ingredients except the dry active yeast into the bread machine bowl. Add yeast last.
Set bread machine to dough mode.

To Make the Dough (Without Breadmaker)
Mix all ingredients together to form into a smooth dough about 20 mins. Let it proof for an hour or till it rises double in size.

To Shape the Custard Baos
Once the dough is ready, remove it from the bread bowl and divide the dough into 10 portions. Roll dough into balls and cover with a damp towel as you work.
With a rolling pin, roll each dough ball into 1cm thickness but thinner on the edge before filling with a salted egg yolk custard ball. Holding the dough on your palm, start to pleat the edges of the dough together to seal the salted egg custard ball in.
Place completed bao onto baking paper squares,
Arrange completed bao into a bamboo steamer with adequate space around.
Steam bao on medium heat for 12-15 mins. Do not steam on high heat as it will cause the custard to erupt. Remove from steamer and serve immediately.

Pandan Soft Steamed Bao

by Leave a Comment

To Make Kaya Filling
In a large heat-proof mixing bowl add eggs and sugar, and stir with a balloon whisk till well combined.
Prepare a pot of boiling water and place mixing bowl on the pot to double boil. Continue to whisk.
Toss pandan leaf tied into a bundle into the egg mixture, stir under medium heat till sugar dissolved.
Add in coconut cream and keep stirring to avoid overcooking on the sides of the bowl.
When the mixture starts to curdle, add in cornflour slurry and mix well.
In a separate saucepan, heat up sugar till it caramelises.
Pour in caramelised sugar into the mixture and mix till all well combined.
When the mixture turned into a thick paste, remove from heat and set aside to cool. Discard pandan leaf.

To Make Pandan Juice
Cut pandan leaf into small sections.
Blend leaf with water and filter using a fine sieve. Squeeze as much of the juice out.

To Make the Dough (Using a Breadmaker)
Add all ingredients except salt into bread machine bowl.
Set bread machine to dough mode.
Once dough is formed, add in salt and let it continue to work in the bread machine.

To Make the Dough (Without Breadmaker)
Mix all ingredients except salt into a big bowl and knead for about 10 mins, add in salt and knead till dough is smooth.

To Shape the Pandan Baos
Once dough is ready, remove from bread bowl and pinch 30g of dough for the crosses and divide the balanced dough into 15 equal portions.
Roll dough into balls and cover with a damp towel as you work.
With a rolling pin, roll each dough ball into 1cm thick but thinner on the edge before filling with a big tablespoon of kaya paste.
Holding the flatten dough on your palm with kaya in the centre of the flatten dough, start to pleat the edges of the dough together to seal.
Place completed bao onto cut out baking paper.
Divide the 30g of dough into 30 portions to roll out into strips for the crosses.
Let bao proof for 20 mins or until double the original size.
Arrange completed bao into a bamboo steamer. Leave enough room around each bao as it will expand when steaming.
Steam bao on medium heat for 15 mins.

Matcha Soft Steamed Bao

by Leave a Comment

To Make Red Bean Filling
In a pot of boiling water enough to cover red beans and boil for 5 mins.
Drain and return rinsed red beans back into pot, cover with enough water and boil for 1 hour till they are soft and mushy.
Drain red beans again and return to pot on medium heat. Add in sugar and cook beans till they form into a paste. Set aside to cool.

To Make the Dough (Using a Breadmaker)
Add all ingredients with dry yeast as the last item into the breadmaker machine bowl.
Set bread machine to dough mode.

To Make the Dough (Without Breadmaker)
Simply add all ingredients into a big mixing bowl and mix till all ingredients are well combined.
Remove onto floured surface and knead for 15 to 20 mins till dough is smooth and non sticky. Cover the dough with a cloth and let it proof for 40 mins to an hour.

To Shape the Matcha Baos
Once dough is ready, remove from bread bowl and roll out into a round disc on a floured surface.
Cut dough into 8 equal pieces or weigh with a scale for accurate measurement and form them into balls. Cover with a damp towel as you work.
With a rolling pin, roll each dough ball into 1cm thickness but thinner on the edge before filling with a big tablespoon of red bean paste.
Holding the flatten dough with the red bean paste with your palm, start to pleat the edges of the dough together to seal.
Place completed bao onto cut out baking paper.
With some excess dough, pinch a small amount of dough and roll it into a long strip. Arrange a ‘+’ strip onto bao.
Arrange completed bao into a bamboo steamer. Leave enough room around each bao as it will expand when steaming.
Steam bao on high heat for 18-20 mins.

Steamed Banana Cupcakes (Apam Pisang)

by Leave a Comment

To Make
Sift plain flour, baking powder and soda bicarbonate powder, set aside.
Heat up steamer with enough water and wrap the cover with a kitchen cloth to absorb water droplets from dripping onto cupcakes.
Blend sugar, egg and condensed milk in a blender for about 2 mins till pale and fluffy. Transfer to a big mixing bowl.
Add cooking oil and mashed bananas. Beat with a whisk for 2-3 mins till smooth and fluffy. Add vanilla extract and beat a further 3 mins.
Add in flour mixture in a few additions till batter is well combined.
Grease cupcake moulds with oil before filling to ¾ full with batter, then place a slice of banana on top of each cupcake.
Steam banana cupcakes on high heat for 20-25 mins. When cupcakes are cooked, remove the steamer’s cover and let it continue to steam for 3 mins to help dries up the surface.
Let cool on cooling rack and serve.

Stuffed Squid with Pork Mince

by Leave a Comment

To Prep Stuffing
In a mixing bowl, mash up the pork mince with all ingredients except the spring onions. Combine well.
Add in the white part of the chopped spring onions. Mix well.

To Make Topping
In a frying pan, heat up 1 tbsp of oil and sauté minced garlic, minced ginger, sliced lemongrass, chopped shallots and lastly the remaining chopped chillies till slightly brown.
Add in the green part of spring onion, stir for a few secs. Add fish sauce, light soy sauce, a dash of pepper and stir for 30 secs. Remove and keep aside.

To Make Stuffed Squids
Remove the tentacles from the squid’s body and clean out the guts and plastic like backbone from the tube. Dig out the eyes and beak from the tentacles as well as the tiny suction cups if any. Leave the skin (purple layer) on.
Stuff the pork mince mix into the squid tubes to about 80% full (pork mince will expand when steamed) and using some tooth picks secure the opening. Steam the stuffed squid tubes on medium heat for 15-20 mins.
Heat up a grill pan with a tsp of oil and grill the tentacles till they turned opaque and slightly brown, remove and set aside. Take the steamed squid tubes from the steamer and place them on the grill pan and cook them till grill lines appear. Turn them over and grill the other side till grill lines show. Sliced the squid tubes to about 2.5cm thick and place them on plate together with cooked tentacles.
Drizzle topping onto sliced squid tubes.
Garnish with cut chillies, coriander and lemon or lime wedges.
For remaining minced pork, you can pan fry them with some oil and serve as a side dish.

Mea Culpa Blackened Ocean Trout

by Leave a Comment

To Prep
Line a tray with foil and turn the oven grill to high.
To make marinade combine Kewpie Japanese Dressing Sesame Soy Sauce, ginger, sugar and Obento Ponzu Sauce.
In rice cooker start cooking rice. When rice is nearly cooked add the green vegetables to steam (about 2 mins until just cooked).

To Cook
Place fish and spring onions on prepared tray. Spoon marinade over both fish and spring onions. Place under high grill for 4 mins.
The fish should be golden-brown to black on top and moist and flaky inside. Remove from oven.

To Serve
Place steamed rice on dish with steamed green vegetables. Top with the grilled fish and spring onions. Sprinkle with sesame seeds. Serve with extra ponzu sauce on the side.

Flower Blossom Dumplings in Sesame & Shiitake Mushroom Broth

by Leave a Comment

To Make the Shiitake Mushroom Broth
Soak the shiitake mushrooms in 1 cup of boiling water, until softened. Drain (retaining liquid) and roughly chop.
Place the vegetable stock, shiitake mushrooms & liquid, spring onions, garlic, sesame oil, soy & chilli garlic sauce & Shaoxing wine in a saucepan and simmer for 30 mins.
Strain, return the broth to the pan & keep warm.

To Prep the Flower Blossom Dumplings
Soak the shiitake mushrooms until softened, drain & finely chop.
Drain & finely crumble the tofu into a bowl, add the shiitake mushrooms, chives, garlic, sesame oil, soy sauce & Shaoxing wine, mix well and season with white pepper to taste.
Cut the wonton wrappers into circles (a few at a time), cover with damp cloth.
For the large flower dumplings, lay 7 wonton wrappers in a row, overlapping slightly (dampen the area, that overlaps with a little water)
Spread a thin layer of filling through the centre of the wrappers, flatten slightly, brush a little water, on the top half of the wonton wrappers then fold the row of wrappers in half to enclose the filling.
Starting at one end, gently roll to form a flower shape, separate & fold the top wonton edges to form petals. Repeat 4 times.
For the small flower dumplings, repeat the above using 5 wonton wrappers for each flower.

To Cook the Flower Blossom Dumplings
Heat a little sesame oil in a non-stick saute pan and fry the base of the dumplings until crisp & golden.
Gently pour 1 to 2 cups of broth around the dumplings, cover and steam for 5 to 8 mins (or until cooked through).

To Serve
Place a large and small flower dumpling in a shallow bowl and gently add the broth, garnish with black sesame seeds, whole chives and a few drops of sesame oil.

Vegan Jackfruit Baos

by Leave a Comment

To Prep Baos
Combine flour, instant yeast, sugar and salt in a bowl.
Add about ½ cup of warm water and 1½ tbsp of oil. Mix it together with a wooden spoon then start combining the dough with your hands. You will need to add another 2 or 3 tablespoons so it’s not too dry or too sticky, but do this a tablespoon at a time.
Knead it for 10 mins until elastic and smooth. Form the dough into a ball and rub a small amount of oil on the dough’s surface to prevent it from drying. Place in a clean bowl covered with a kitchen towel and place somewhere warm for about 1-2 hrs or until it doubles in size.

To Make the Filling
Open the can of jackfruit and drain it. Remove the firm pointy ends off each triangular piece of jackfruit and squash each piece of jackfruit gently so that it separates into individual strands and soaks up more of the cooking sauce. Set aside.
Heat up 2 tbsp of oil in a medium size pan. Fry spring onions until softened. Add chopped garlic and ginger and fry gently until soft and fragrant.
Mix in Chinese five spice and fry gently for 1 min.
Now add the remaining sauce ingredients: soy sauce, hoisin sauce, rice vinegar and sugar. Mix them around well and allow sugar to melt. Finally add in jackfruit and mix well to allow it to warm up and soak up the maximum amount of sauce.

To Make the Baos
After the dough has doubled in size, tip it out onto a lightly floured surface and press the air out with your fingertips. Divide the dough into 4 equal pieces and form small balls. Place the balls on a lightly floured surface, cover with a kitchen towel and leave for another 30 mins.
Using a rolling pin, roll the balls out into ½cm thick oval shapes. Fold each shape in half and insert bamboo steamer paper (you can buy these at the Asian grocers) or baking paper between the bun halves.
Line your bamboo steamer with bamboo steamer paper and place folded up buns inside for another 30 mins of proving. If your steamer is too small, rest the remaining buns on baking paper and lightly dusted tray until you are ready to steam. Fill a pot/wok (which the steamer can comfortably sit on) with water and place the steamer with the buns on top.
Turn heat to medium-high and let the water come to a simmer; don’t be tempted to peek inside or you will ruin the buns. Once you can hear the water simmering vigorously, put the timer on for 10 mins.
After the time is up, take the pot and steamer off the heat and rest the buns for another 5 mins.
After 5 mins, lift the lid off and remove the buns gently. Repeat the process to cook the other buns.

To Serve
Fill each bun with pulled jackfruit, pickled veggies, coriander, Sriracha and some extra hoisin sauce and crushed peanuts.