Asian Inspirations

Discover the authentic in Asian cuisine food

Chicken

Salt Baked Chicken

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To Prep
Combine the 1 tablespoon of salt, white peppercorns, Sichuan peppercorns and five spice powder and mix together.
Place the chicken on to a large sheet of baking paper and then apply the dry rubs all over and inside of the chicken. Cover and seal the chicken in the baking paper.
In a mixing bowl, whisk the egg whites until soft peaks before adding in the salt and mixing well.
Roll out a large sheet of aluminum foil and place a quarter of the salt mixture on to the base a spread it out so that the chicken can rest on it.
Place the chicken on to the salt bed and cover with the remaining salt. Wrap with more aluminum foil and seal.

To Cook
Prepare a barbecue by heating it up to about 225 degrees Celsius and then place the chicken in to it. Cook while covered for approximately an hour.
When the chicken has finished cooking, remove from the grill and let rest for about 10 minutes. Remove the foil and break the salt crust to extract the chicken.
Serve hot!

Stir Fried Chicken with Vegetables

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To Cook
In a wok or large pan over a high heat, add 2 tbsp of oil and chicken breast strips. Cook the chicken through before transferring to another plate and setting aside.
Add another tablespoon of oil and add in the capsicum. Cook for a couple minutes or until the capsicums have softened slightly.
Add in the carrots and garlic and continue to cook for another 2 mins before adding in the chilli, peas and broccoli.
Cook the vegetables until the garlic becomes aromatic and then add in the soy sauce, oyster sauce, water and chicken.
Toss the ingredients till the sauce has thickened slightly and begin to coat the ingredients. Remove from the heat and spoon over a bowl of rice or noodles. Garnish with sesame. Enjoy!

Money Bags

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To Make Filling
In a food processor, add all filling ingredients and blend to form a paste.

To Prep Money Bags
Boil a pot of water, add a pinch of salt and blanch the spring onions for 15 secs. Remove from heat and place in ice water until cooled. Drained and set aside.
Place 1 tbsp of the filling onto the centre of a spring roll pastry. Hold the edges up to form the shape of a pouch. Use a spring onion to go around the folds and tie to secure the pouch. Trim off excess length.

To Cook
Heat enough oil in a wok or saucepan on medium-high. Testing with a wooden spoon or chopsticks, when bubbles form around it, the oil is hot enough. Deep fry the money bags in batches, for 3-4 mins or until golden and cooked through.
Remove from heat and drain on kitchen towel. Transfer to serving plate and garnish with spring onion curls.
Serve immediately with sweet chilli sauce or soy sauce.

30-Minute Chicken Pho

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To Cook
Bring a pot of water to the boil.
Quarter the onions lengthwise and remove the skin. Heat a separate pot over medium-high heat. With no oil, cook the onion and ginger slices until slightly charred on both sides.
Pour in the chicken stock, add in the cinnamon and star anise, bring to the boil, then lower heat and simmer for 20-25 mins. Season with fish sauce and sugar.
In the pot of boiling water, add the chicken breast. Poach over medium-low heat for 10-15 mins or until cooked. Remove from water and allow to cool slightly before shredding the meat.
Carefully peel cold noodles apart before placing them in the serving bowls. Microwave for 30 secs.
To serve, ladle soup over noodles through a sieve. Top with shredded chicken, coriander leaves, Thai basil leaves, sliced chilli and bean sprouts.

Yakitori with Miso Mayo

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To Cook
Thread chicken and spring onion onto skewers.
Mix sauce ingredients in a bowl. Set aside.
Heat oil in a pan, cook all sides of the skewers while brushing sauce on to gradually infuse the flavour until cooked through.
Sprinkle sansho pepper on top to serve.

Hong Kong Roast Chicken

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To Prep
Rinse the chicken and pat dry with a paper towel. Insert half of the sliced garlic and ginger into the cavity. Set aside.
To make the marinade, combine the remaining ingredients in a mixing bowl until the sugar has dissolved.
Place the chicken into a large ziplock bag. Pour half of the marinade into the cavity, then the remaining marinade all over the chicken skin. Add in the rest of the sliced ginger and garlic. Seal the ziplock bag, ensuring you remove the air. Carefully rub the marinade all over the chicken to ensure it is covered.
Transfer into a large mixing bowl and leave in the fridge to marinate overnight.

To Cook
Remove the chicken from the marinade, ensuring there is nothing left in the cavity.
Place on a wire rack over a baking tray lined with foil. Allow to air dry for 1 hr, or until the skin is dry.
Preheat the oven to 200°C.
When the skin has dried, use kitchen string to tie the legs together, and cover the wing tips and ends of the legs with some foil sprayed with oil.
Roast for 90 mins on the bottom rack, rotating the tray every 30 mins. Check the internal temperature by inserting a meat thermometer into the thickest part of the leg. The temperature should read 75°C.
Remove from the oven and allow to rest for 20 mins, then serve.

Thai Green Curry Chicken

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To Cook
Add the coconut milk into the pot and allow it to simmer until the oil and milk separates.
Add in the Thai Green Curry Paste and stir fry for a couple mins.
Add in the chicken thigh fillets and mix through.
Pour in water and bring to bowl over medium-high heat and then reduce to a simmer.
Add in the eggplants and kaffir lime leaves and stir through. Simmer for a couple mins until eggplant is cooked through.
Season with salt, sugar and fish sauce.
Garnish with Thai basil and chilli, then serve.

Spring Rolls

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To Prep
Combine all the filling ingredients in a large mixing bowl.
Place the pastry with one corner pointing at you. Add a spoonful of filling across the pastry closest to you and fold the pastry over the filling
Roll the pastry tightly over the filling towards the middle, then bring both sides to the centre and continue to roll the pastry to the edge. Apply a little bit of flour paste to seal the end.
Deep fry at 190°C until golden brown.
Serve wrapped with lettuce and Vietnamese dipping sauce. Note: Spring rolls can be made in advance and kept frozen until required, to be cooked from frozen in hot oil at 190°C.

Vietnamese Rice Paper Rolls

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To Prep
Place noodles in boiling water for about 3 mins. Loosen up noodles with tongs. Drain well and set aside.
Place warm water in a large bowl and stir through the coconut milk. Dip the rice paper in warm water and remove immediately. Place rice paper on a clean chopping board or plate.
Layer the tofu or meat, lettuce, cucumber, herbs, carrot, cucumber and vermicelli at the end of the rice paper closest to you, bring the end of rice paper over ingredients, then fold the two sides of the rice paper into the middle to enclose the fillings and roll up the rice paper roll tightly.
To make the sauce, place garlic, chillies and sugar in a mortar. Pound mixture into a paste. Add fish sauce, lemon/lime juice and water. Mix until the sugar is dissolved. Taste and adjust seasoning to your preference.
Serve rice paper rolls with dipping sauce and crushed peanuts.

Yakitori

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To Prep
Thread all chicken onto skewers, and all eggplant on to separate skewers and plate in spate flat dishes or containers with lids.
Pour approx. half the marinade all over the eggplant and roll around until all sides are in contact with the marinade – marinade for 20-60 mins.
Repeat the marinade and roll for the chicken. Chicken can marinade in advance for up to 1-24 hrs, turning 2-3 times.

To Cook
Preheat griddle pan or barbecue to medium high.
Create cucumber salad dressing by thoroughly combining sesame oil, vinegar and mirin, and adjust heat level with wasabi to your liking.
Place yakitori skewers on the hot surface and grill until there are heavy caramelisation on all sides, and cooked through – maybe up to 10 mins, turning 3 times, or all sides.
While yakitori is cooking, dress your cucumber and place in a bowl or a board, sprinkling with sesame seeds, leaving space for cooked skewers.
Once skewered meat and vegetables are cooked through, place on board and serve.