Asian Inspirations

Discover the authentic in Asian cuisine food

Steam

Pulut Tai Tai

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To Prep
Grease a 20cm square baking tin. Sit it in a bamboo steamer on a pan or wok filled with 5cm of water.

To Cook
Mix rice with 150ml coconut milk, water and salt in a large bowl, and pour into the baking tin. Steam for 30 mins.
Using a pair of chopsticks to loosen the rice, stir in remaining coconut milk.
Turn off heat and leave the rice in the steamer for another 10 mins.
Drizzle butterfly pea flower extract onto the rice to create a marbled effect. Remove from the steamer and press the rice firmly to create a compressed rice base layer.
Set it aside to cool completely before cutting into pieces. Serve with kaya.

Chinese-style Barramundi

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To Prep
Preheat the oven to 200°C.
Cut the vegetables as instructed.
Remove the skin from the Barramundi fillets and set aside.

To Cook
Roll out a large piece of foil, big enough to fit all fillets.
Arrange the fillets in the centre of the foil and evenly top with the cut vegetables, garlic and ginger.
Mix the soy sauce, rice vinegar and vegetable oil together and pour over the fish and vegetables.
Cover the ingredients with another large piece of foil, ensuring that all the edges are sealed.
Place the sealed ingredients in the oven for about 15 mins or until the fish would be just cooked through.
While the ingredients are in the oven, dry the leftover fish skin with a paper towel and season with salt.
Heat up a small saucepan with enough oil to deep fry the skin. Deep fry the fish skin until golden brown in colour.
Remove the fish from the oven and unwrap from the foil.
Arrange the fish meat, skin and vegetables to serve.

BBQ Pork Bun (Char Siu Bao)

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To Make the Bun Dough
Sift the two types of flour together along with the icing sugar. Place the sifted flours and icing sugar together in a mixing bowl and make a well in the middle.
Combine the vinegar, lukewarm water and yeast together before pouring them slowly in to the middle of the flour well and mixing.
Add in the vegetable oil and knead the dough for about 10 minutes or until the dough is soft and smooth.
Cover the dough with a damp towel and let it rise for about 30 minutes and has doubled in size.
Dissolve baking powder in cold water and pour over the dough while kneading it until they are both well combined.
Divide the dough in to roughly 16 equally sized portions and roll out in to 3 inch circles.

To Make the Pork Filling
While the dough is rising, heat oil in a pan and saute the onions for about 2 minutes to soften them before adding in the char siu, sugar, oyster and soy sauce and sesame oil.
Stir the ingredients well until they are evenly mixed. If the dish isn’t red enough, you can choose to add 1 to 2 drops of red food colouring in to the filling.
Mix together the water and cornflour before adding them in to the pork filling and continuing to cook until the sauce has thickened to a gravy like consistency.
Remove the pan from the heat and let cool until the assembly of the buns.

To Make the Pork Buns
Place a heaped tablespoon of the pork filling in to the centre of one of the bun circles and wrap it in a circular pleat like manner. Continue until the bun has been sealed.
Place a small circle or square of baking paper on to the bottom of the bun to stop it from sticking to the steamer before placing them in to it.
Continue to fold the rest of the buns remembering to leave a gap in between each bun in the steamer.
Bring a saucepan or wok of water to a roiling bowl before placing the steamer on top. Steam the buns for about 12 minutes ensuring that the top of the steamer remains closed to trap all of the moisture.
After the buns have cooked, allow them to cool slightly before serving!

Shanghainese Shaomai with Sticky Rice

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To Prepare Overnight
Soak the glutinous rice in cold water for about 8-10 hrs.

To Cook
Drain the water from the glutinous rice. Put baking paper or a similar substitute on a steamer and spread the glutinous rice over it. Steam for about 15-20 mins until it has fully cooked.
Remove the glutinous rice and cover with a wet cloth making it doesn’t get dry while it is cooling.
Heat up a wok or pan and add cooking oil. Once the pan is hot enough, add the pork until it has browned. Add soy sauce and stir. Add cooking wine and sugar. Cook for a few mins. Add enough water so that the meat is just covered. Add ginger. Add seasonings to taste.
Add the rice and sauce until the liquid has been absorbed. Remove from heat and mix in scallions. Let it cool down by spreading it out.
Wrap the shaomai.
Once you’ve wrapped the desired amount of shaomais, steam it for 10 mins before removing to cool down.

Modern Fried Bok Choy Dumplings

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To Prep
Heat 1 tbsp oil in a wok or pan and stir-fry bok choy and shiitake mushrooms until fragrant. Set aside in a bowl to cool. Add mashed shrimp to the bok choy and shiitake mushrooms and combine with seasoning mix. Stir until the mixture has thickened.
Spread the mixture over bean curd skin. Cover with another piece of bean curd skin.
Steam bean curd skin over high heat for 5 mins until cooked. Set aside to cool then, cut into 6 pcs of dumplings.
Prepare the dipping sauce by mixing both ingredients together. Set aside.
Coat dumplings with batter. Heat oil to 180°C and fry until golden browned. Drain and serve with dipping sauce.

Steamed Tofu with Minced Pork

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To Cook
In a bowl, mix the minced pork, mushrooms and carrots with marinade until combined well. Divide minced pork into 12 portions. Place 1 minced pork portion on top of a slice of tofu. Repeat with remaining minced pork portions and tofu.
Steam tofu with minced pork over high heat for 10 mins or until cooked through. Remove and pour away excess liquid.
Pour seasoning mix over steamed tofu. Sprinkle with chopped spring onions if desired. Serve.

Steamed Egg Bean Curd with Shrimp

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To Cook
Mix mashed shrimp with marinade ingredients until well combined.
Sprinkle egg bean curd with a little corn starch. Spread mashed shrimp onto each egg bean curd.
Steam egg bean curd over high heat for 8 mins until cooked. Remove.
Pour hot oil and soy sauce over steamed bean curd and serve hot. Garnish with spring onions and red chillies.

Hot and Spicy Cabbage Rolls with Chinese Mushrooms and Minced Pork

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To Cook
Place pork, water chestnuts and Chinese mushrooms in a bowl. Mix well with marinade and set aside for 10 mins.
Boil cabbage until soft then, submerge in cold water. Set aside.
Divide pork mixture into 8 equal portions. Wrap and enclose each portion in a cabbage leaf, then plate. Arrange carrot and lotus root slices in between each cabbage roll.
Prepare a steamer over high heat and steam the cabbage rolls for 15 mins.
In a saucepan, heat up seasoning mix ingredients and stir well. Drizzle the sauce over cabbage rolls and serve immediately.

Cold Eggplants in Soy Sauce Dressing

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To Cook
Steam eggplants over high heat for about 6 mins. Take out and immerse in iced water. Drain. Cut the eggplants into strips and arrange on a serving plate. Chill in a refrigerator.
Just before serving, combine all seasoning mix ingredients. Add to the eggplants and mix well.
Sprinkle with sesame seeds and serve.

Steamed Eggplant with Garlic

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To Cook
Arrange eggplant strips on a plate. Sprinkle with a little bit of salt.
Mix fresh garlic with 2 tbsp oil and spread on top of the eggplants.
Prepare a steamer over high heat. Steam the eggplants for 5 mins. Drain away excess liquid. Drizzle 1 tsp heated oil on the eggplants. Top with Lee Kum Kee Double Deluxe Seasoned Soy Sauce, fried garlic and spring onions. Serve.

Steamed Egg White with Tomatoes and Elm Fungus

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To Cook
Mix chicken bouillon powder with 300ml water to create chicken broth. Add in egg whites and stir well. Strain through a sieve to remove bubbles and pour egg mixture into a shallow dish. Cover with foil and steam over medium heat for 15 mins with lid half opened.
In a pan, heat up oil and sauté ginger until fragrant. Add elm fungus, wine, oyster sauce, 250ml water and bamboo shoots. Simmer for 5 mins. Then, put in tomatoes and toss well. Stir in thickening mixture and cook until sauce thickens.
Remove steamed egg white from steamer and spoon over sauce mixture. Garnish with spring onions if desired. Serve immediately.