Asian Inspirations

Discover the authentic in Asian cuisine food

Stir-Fry

Bitter Melon Stir-Fry Okinawan Style (Goya Chanpuru)

by Leave a Comment

To Prep
Cut bitter melon in half lengthwise. Remove seeds including its fluffy white core using a spoon. Cut the halves into 0.5-1cm thick pieces width-wise.
Place bitter melon in a bowl, add 1 tsp salt and toss (do not rub) to cover bitter melon pieces with salt. Leave for 10 mins, then rinse and drain well. This is to remove its bitterness.

To Cook
Heat oil in a large frying pan or wok over high heat. Add tofu and cook both sides until lightly browned, about 2-3 mins. Remove from fry pan/wok.
Add sesame oil to the frying pan/wok over high heat. Add pork and cook for about 2 mins until slices are almost cooked through.
Add bitter melon to the frying pan/wok and stir gently without breaking the bitter melon slices. Cook for about 1 min until surface of the bitter melon starts getting cooked. If you like the bitter melon have a softer texture, you can cook until you get the texture preferred.
Return the tofu to the frying pan/wok. Add the seasoning ingredients and mix so that the flavour coats the tofu evenly.
Add the egg and leave for 15 secs without mixing. With a firm grip on the frying pan/wok, toss the ingredients and mix the egg with the other ingredients.
Turn the heat down to low. Add bonito flakes and gently mix, then turn off the heat. Serve immediately.

Note: Goya has a tasty, mild and bitter flavour, but if you’re not good with bitter tastes you can soak the bitter melon in hot water for 30 secs before stir frying to help reduce the flavour. Or, add a little oyster sauce to help counteract the melon’s bitter taste.

Winged Beans in Homemade Chilli Oil

by Leave a Comment

To Cook
Bring water to boil over high heat and blanch the winged beans.
Remove winged beans from pot, drain and pat dry. Cut winged beans into 3cm length.
Heat wok on medium and fry Homemade Chilli Oil until aromatic.
Add winged beans and toss until they are evenly coated with chilli oil.
Remove from heat and serve hot.

Hakka Yam Abacus Seeds (Suan Pan Zi)

by Leave a Comment

To Prep the Mince pork
Combine all the ingredients together in a bowl and mix well. Set aside and allow to marinade for an hour.

To Prep the Abacus seeds
Shred the yam using a mandolin, then steam over high heat for 15 minutes until soft.
Add tapioca flour and a few pinches of salt to the cooked yam and mash immediately.
Mix until combined and knead the dough until it no longer sticks to your fingers. A little boiled water can be added gradually to make the dough.
Roll out the dough using a rolling pin, until it is about 3-4cm wide, and then cut into 2cm thick pieces. You may want to dust your work surface with tapioca flour to avoid dough sticking onto the surface.
Roll each slice of dough into little balls, then pinch between your thumb and index finger for its signature shape.
In a large pot, boil the abacus seeds while stirring continuously to avoid them sticking to the pot. The seeds are done when they float to the surface.
Once the seeds are done, transfer them from the boiling water into a separate bowl and rinse under running water. This is to stop the cooking and to cool them down.
Once cooled, put them on a plate and mix some oil with the seeds to avoid sticking to each other.

To Cook
Heat up the oil in a wok over medium-high heat, then add the garlic and shallots and fry until fragrant then add the black fungus, shiitake mushrooms, dried shrimp, dried cuttlefish and stir-fry for a couple of minutes.
Next, add the marinated minced pork to the wok and stir-fry until it is almost done then add in the cooked yam seeds and stir-fry for another minute.
Lastly, add the dark soy sauce, oyster sauce, fish sauce soy sauce, sesame oil and stir fry until well mixed. Garnish w
ith spring onions and chilli. Serve hot.

Korean Stir Fried Soy Pork

by Leave a Comment

To Prep
Combine the pork with the Marinade ingredients and mix well.

To Cook
Heat cooking oil in a large fry pan or wok, saute the onions until caramelized.
Add the pork and fry for 5 mins until browned.
Add the peppers, cabbage and spring onions, cook for 5-10 mins until the vegetables have softened and the pork is cooked through.
Transfer to a serving plate and garnish with sesame seeds and spring onions. Serve.

Green Curry Mussels

by Leave a Comment

To Cook
Heat a medium-sized heavy-based pot and add oil, onion, garlic, ginger and green curry paste. Saute until fragrant.
Add fish sauce, coconut milk and sugar and bring to boil.
Add drained mussels and cover pot with lid. Bring pot contents to boil and remove from heat immediately.
With the lid on, shake the pot occasionally to open the mussels.
Dish out on a serving plate and garnish with chopped coriander and fried shallots. Serve the dish immediately with steamed rice.

Korean Spicy Squid (Ojinga Bokkum)

by Leave a Comment

To Cook
Add 1 tbsp oil to a heated pan, sauté carrots, zucchini and onions over high heat briefly, about 1 min. Set aside.
Add 1 tbsp oil to the same pan and sauté garlic gently for about 15 secs, then add the chilli powder. Cook over low heat, taking care not to burn, for about 20 secs. Turn heat to high and add the calamari rings. Stir fry calamari for about 3 mins or until just cooked. Add the soy sauce, sugar and sesame oil and season with salt and pepper.
Add the vegetables and green onions to the calamari and immediately cook over high heat until the ingredients are well mixed. Remove from heat, garnish with spring onions and serve.

Korean Spicy Baby Octopus

by Leave a Comment

To Cook
Add 1 tbsp oil to a heated pan, sauté carrots, zucchini and onions over high heat briefly, about 1 min. Set aside.
Add 1 tbsp oil to the same pan and sauté the garlic gently for about 15 secs, then add the chilli powder. Cook over low heat, taking care not to burn, for about 20 secs.
Turn heat to high and add baby octopus, stir fry for about 3 mins or until just cooked. Add soy sauce, sugar and sesame oil, season with salt and pepper.
Add the vegetables and spring onions, immediatelt cook over high heat until the ingredients are well mixed. Remove from heat, garnish with spring onions and serve.

Vegetarian Pad Thai

by Leave a Comment

To Cook
Place noodles in a bowl of boiling water and soak for 6-8 mins. Drain and rinse in cold water to stop the cooking process. Set aside.
Heat 1 tbsp oil in wok over medium heat, add in garlic and sauté until fragrant and slightly browned.
Add in tofu and stir-fry until just cooked.
Add broccoli, cauliflower, carrot and zucchini, toss until vegetables are tender.
Add Pad Thai paste and mix well. Stir in fish sauce, tamarind puree, sugar and chilli powder.
Rinse rice noodles then add to wok and stir through. Push the mixture to one side of wok, then add beaten egg and allow it to cook slightly before tossing it through the noodles.
Throw in the bean shoots and chives, stir thoroughly for 1 min.
Dish out and garnish with peanuts, lime/lemon wedge, coriander and a dash of pepper.

Thai Crispy Pork Skin Salad (Yum Sam Grob)

by Leave a Comment

To Cook
Place onions and coriander in a bowl, cover with cold water, add 6 ice cubes, and place in refrigerator for 5 mins or until ready to use.
Blend garlic, chilli flakes, and chillies into a fine paste. Add sugar, fish sauce, and lime juice, and continue to blend until the sugar is dissolved. Taste test and add more sugar, fish sauce, lime juice or pepper flakes to taste.
In a mixing bowl combine prawns, crispy pork skin, cashew nuts, tomato and blended paste. Mix through and transfer to a serving plate.
Remove onions and coriander from fridge and drain. Garnish salad with lettuce, onion and coriander. Serve.

Creamy Tom Yum Soup with Prawns

by Leave a Comment

To Cook
In a food processor, blend lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves and chillies into a paste.
In a stock pot, boil chicken stock and bring to a simmer, then add blended paste and galangal. Simmer for 5 mins.
Add evaporated milk and bring to boil. Add mushrooms and broccoli and cook for 1-2 mins or until cooked through.
Add Thai chilli paste and fish sauce, stir to dissolve the chilli paste. Add prawns and cook for 1 min or until done.
Turn off the heat and add lime juice while stirring. Adjust taste with more seasoning if needed. Garnish with chilli and coriander, serve.

Thai Stir Fried Curry Prawns (Goong Pad Pong Karee)

by Leave a Comment

To Cook
Cook the curry paste and 1 cup coconut milk over medium heat until fragrant and some oil appears on surface. Add the prawns and onion, stir-fry until done.
Season with fish sauce and sugar, stir to mix well. Pour in beaten eggs, chilli, coriander and the remaining coconut milk, and stir again.
Transfer to a serving dish and garnish with coriander before serving.

Thai Stir Fried Vermicelli with Chicken

by Leave a Comment

To Cook
Heat 1 tbsp oil in a wok, scramble eggs until cooked, remove and set aside.
Heat 2 tbsp oil over high heat, stir-fry chicken for about 3 mins or until just cooked through. Remove from wok and set aside.
Add 1 tbsp oil and ginger to sauté for 1 min, then add vegetables to the wok and stir-fry for another 2 mins.
In a mixing bowl combine chicken stock, soy sauce, oyster sauce and corn flour.
Add egg, chicken, noodles, coriander and broth mixture to wok and stir-fry for 3 mins or until everything is cooked and heated through.
Drizzle some sesame oil for added flavour. Transfer to serving plate and sprinkle some chilli powder, serve.