Red Beans: The Sweet & Wholesome Darling of Asian Desserts
Make the best Asian desserts with the sweet, earthy and wholesome flavour of red bean paste!
Discover the authentic in Asian cuisine food
This summer’s hottest cooking technique is Korean barbecue, as chefs and home cooks around the country fire up the grill to cook marinated beef, pork and chicken. But it’s not as simple as slapping a steak on the hotplate or pricking a sausage with a fork!
For an authentic Korean barbecue at home, follow these five pro tips:
Add a selection of different meats and cuts to your shopping list, and be sure to include a few tougher, more textural cuts of meat, which deliver added flavour. Along with your regular rib-eye steak or sirloin, ask your butcher for secondary cuts such as brisket, beef ribs, pork belly, flank steak or chicken thigh. Also, find out more about the difference between Korean beef and other beef.
If you are using those tougher cuts of meat, you’ll want to marinate them to help tenderize the flesh. Korean bulgogi and galbi marinades often contain pear, apple or other fruits, which help break down the proteins in the meat. Not only do they give you juicy, tender results, but these soy and sesame-based sauces also add lashings of flavour. Try the easy-to-use range of Obap Korean Marinades, available from supermarkets. Marinate overnight for the best results.
When it comes to cooking Korean barbecue, a gas or charcoal grill will do the trick. Be sure to preheat the grill so your meat doesn’t stew once it hits the hotplate.
You’ll also want some Korean condiments to enhance your barbecue. Make your own ssamjang using gochujang (chilli paste) and doenjang (soybean paste). Other popular dipping sauces include sesame paste and seasoned soy sauce.
A standard Korean meal can feature up to 20 banchan (side dishes), but if this sounds daunting, then a few essential banchan will do. Serve your meats with kimchi, green onion salad, pickled cucumbers and lettuce leaves so you can create delicious ssam by piling the meat, pickles and sauces into lettuce leaves, and then wrapping them up like a parcel.
Make the best Asian desserts with the sweet, earthy and wholesome flavour of red bean paste!
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