Ekiben: Amazing Bento Treats of Japanese Train Stations
Come explore the delicious, satisfying and unique train station bento of Japan!
From chef contest shows and popular restaurants to specialty dinners and home-made recipes, modern Asian cuisine has taken the world by storm, bringing new flavours, fresh ideas, and reinventing age-old dishes for contemporary times. Indeed, the foodie landscape has evolved a great deal in the past decades. European and Asian migrants brought a colourful plethora of cuisines, with ever more unique tastes and culinary techniques that elevated our very idea of cooking and dining to worldly food culture. The earliest catchphrase was ‘fusion’, simply defined as Western dishes given Asian flavours or vice-versa. But today, modern Asian cuisine in Australia means much more than that; inspiring local farmers, fishermen and foragers to deliver exceptional ingredients, as well as chefs to explore and create amazing recipes.
Ingredients & Condiments
Thanks to Australia’s abundance of natural resources, high-quality produce, poultry and seafood are never short in supply. Modern Asian cuisine often makes the best of these, preferring freshness over-processed, to retain and amplify their original flavours. But perhaps the key defining ingredients are the spices, sauces and condiments that give every dish a unique umami taste, even for vegan recipes. Some modern Asian recipes also combine Western ingredients for seasonings like cheese and mayonnaise. Pairings of meat and veggies in single dishes are important too, for wholesome supplement and complement of essences; with rice or noodles as tummy filler. Pastries and desserts usually call for layers of sweetness and mouth-feel, with exotic flavourings such as fruits, palm sugar, Pandan and Matcha green tea.
Techniques & Flavours
For chefs, the technique is the essence that differentiates the food from all others. Modern Asian culinary has its roots in traditional methods like stir-fry, boil, roast, steam and braise. With exception to raw dishes like sashimi and some salads, most recipes call for well-cooked ingredients that create a balance of five essential flavours: sweet, salty, spicy, sour and bitter - in varying degrees, depending on the dish. Fragrance and aroma are paramount too, to tantalize and please. As mentioned, condiments are meant to amplify, not overpower. The core ingredient’s taste must be preserved, even when combined with non-Asian elements. Certainly, some Western dishes too can be recreated with modern Asian techniques. Try it in your own kitchen with our recipe collection!
Presentation & Serving
Perhaps the most visibly creative and divergent aspect from traditional cuisines is the way modern Asian food is served. From street food to fine dining, modern Asian cuisine is often presented in more minimalist, Westernised aesthetics; with the dish as the centrepiece, rather than occupy the whole plate, for example. According to servings and portion sizes, less ornamental but equally artful utensils allows for the food’s colours to shine and create the most appetizing display; offering the exotic with a more familiar look and feel. Check out how it’s done at this award-winning Sydney restaurant.
