Asian Inspirations

Discover the authentic in Asian cuisine food

Noodles

Korean Stir-Fried Potato Noodle (Japchae)

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To Prep
Marinate meat in bulgogi marinade in a bowl for at least 30 mins.

To Cook
Saute onions in a heated pan with 1 tbsp oil for about 1 min, do not caramelize onions, keep white colour. Set aside.
Saute carrots in a heated pan with 1 tbsp oil for about 1 min. Carrots shouldn’t be too soft. Set aside.
Stir fry meat in a heated pan until meat is cooked, about 2-3 mins. Set aside.
Saute mushrooms in a heated pan with 1 tbsp sesame oil, 1½ tbsp soy sauce and a sprinkling of ground pepper for about 1 min. Set aside.
Mix spinach with 1 tbsp sesame oil, ¼ tsp minced garlic and season with salt. Set aside.
In a heated pan, add 1 tbsp oil and make a thin egg white omelette. Set aside. Repeat with egg yolk. Cut omelettes into thin strips.
Bring a big pot of water to a rapid boil. Add 2 tsp salt. Add the dried noodles and cook for about 5 mins or until al dente. Drain and do not wash noodles with water.
Add 1-2 tbsp oil to a heated pan and add cooked noodles. Stir quickly and then add 3-4 tbsp soy sauce and 2½ -3 tbsp sugar. Mix to combine. Take noodles off the heat. Put noodles in a large bowl.
Add 2-3 tbsp of sesame oil to noodles and season with salt and ¼ tsp ground pepper. Add extra soy sauce and sugar if needed. When the noodles have cooled down, add the rest of the ingredients that have been set aside and mix well. Put japchae on a serving plate or bowl and top with thin slices of egg omelette.
Note: Once the sweet potato noodles are cooked and drained, it should be stir fried in oil, soy and sugar mixture quickly. However, once this is done, the rest of the ingredients can be added and mixed closer to serving.

Seared Tuna on Soba Noodles

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To Cook
Cook Soba according to packet instructions, Drain, then rinse in cold water.
Combine soy and mirin, toss through noodles.
Brush tuna with oil, then season. Heat a large, non-stick fry pan over high heat. Cook tuna for 20-30 secs each side until lightly coloured but still completely rare inside. Remove from pan and cut into 55mm thick slices.
Divide the noodles among plates, top with spinach, broccolini and tuna.

Udon Chicken Soup with Coriander and Ginger

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To Cook
Place the chicken fillets, grated ginger and water in a large saucepan. Place over medium heat and bring to a simmer. Continue to simmer for 6 mins so as to poach the chicken. Remove the chicken and cool slightly. Reserve the liquid. Shred chicken and place aside.
Cook the noodles according to packet instructions. Drain and place into 4 serving bowls.
Add chicken stock to reserved liquid and bring to the boil.
Top noodles with shredded chicken, chopped ginger, spring onions and coriander. Ladle over soup. Drizzle with a little light soy sauce and roasted sesame oil. Serve immediately.

Salmon Teriyaki with Udon Noodle Salad

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To Prep
Combine the salmon, soy sauce and mirin in a shallow bowl, toss so they are well coated and marinate for 2 hrs; overnight in the fridge is even better.

To Cook
Cook the noodles according to the instructions on the packet, drain and refresh briefly under cold water, keep the noodles warm.
Combine the dressing ingredients in a large bowl and toss the noodles through. Add the chilli, spring onions, spinach and coriander and toss well. Divide between 2 plates.
Heat the oil in a frying pan. Remove the salmon from the marinade, season with salt and pepper and sear, skin-side down for 2 mins. Turn over and fry on the other side for 2 mins or until the skin is crisp.
Place the salmon (skin side up) on the noodles, top with the sesame seeds and serve with half a lime.

Eye FIllet Steak with Ramen Noodles

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To Cook
Cook noodles according to packet instructions. Drain, then refresh under cold running water. Drain well, set aside.
Heat half the olive oil in a wok. Add the eye fillet (in small batches) and stir-fry until browned. Remove from wok and set aside.
Heat the remaining olive oil in the wok. Add the onion, garlic and capsicum and stir-fry until tender. Return the eye fillet to the wok along with the rest of the vegetables, sauces and beef stock. Stir-fry until vegetables are tender and eye fillet is cooked to your liking. Add ramen noodles, gently tossing to combine (about 1 min). Remove from heat.
Divide stir-fry between 4 deep serving bowls. Garnish with a sprinkling of spring onion. Serve hot.

Northern Thai Curry Noodle with Chicken (Khao Soi)

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To Cook
Mix all curry paste ingredients and pound until become fine paste.
Place light coconut milk in a saucepan over medium heat, adding salt, until boiling.
Stir fry curry paste with ½ cup heated coconut milk until fragrant, and transfer the curry mixture into boiling light coconut milk. Return to the boil, combine chicken meat until well cooked, adding the remaining coconut milk. Add light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, can add little salt if the taste is not salty. Set aside.
Separate approximate 50g egg noodle, and deep fry a little at a time in heated oil over medium heat until crispy yellow, quickly remove and place over absorbent paper, use for topping (Before frying, shake well the noodle to take out coating flour)
Cook the noodle in boiling water, little amount at a time, for few minutes as pack instruction, drain and place in serving bowls.
Combine the curry sauce and chicken into the noodle bowl and top with the crispy noodle. Serve with pickled vegetable. Some lime juice can be added to enhance flavor if prefer.

Pad Thai with Prawns

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To Cook
Blanch prawns in boiling water for 1 min. Drain and set aside.
Heat 2 tbsp of oil in a large frying pan, add chopped onions and stir-fry on low heat until fragrant. Add Pad Thai noodles and stir-fry until softened, some water can be added.
Add Pad Thai Paste and stir to mix. Push the mixture to one side of the pan. Add 1 tbsp of oil, bring to medium heat and add the eggs.
Wait for 1 min for the eggs to set, then add the prawns; stir-fry until everything is well mixed in the pan.
Add beansprouts and Chinese leek and stir through before removing from heat. Garnish with ground roasted peanut before serving.

Somen with Beef Skewers and a Warm Broth

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To Prep
Place the beef cubes and green onion pieces neatly onto 4 bamboo skewers alternating each as you go. Combine together the marinade mix of soy, mirin and sugar, and then coat the skewers well.

To Cook
Bring to a boil the dashi, soy, mirin, salt and sugar, then turn down and simmer for 3 mins. Remove from the heat and set aside.
In a pre-heated grill pan cook the skewers with olive oil quickly until medium rare. Place a neat portion of the noodles into each serving bowl and top with a beef skewer. Pour the hot broth over each skewer and finish with the sliced spring onions.
Your Somen with Beef Skewers is ready! Be sure to savour it with the warm broth!

Indonesian Stir-Fry Seafood Noodle (Bakmi Goreng)

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To Cook
Place noodles in a deep bowl and cover with boiling water. Allow to stand for 2-3 mins until separated. Drain and set aside.
Heat 1 tbsp oil, pour in eggs to make an omelette. When cooked, slice and set aside.
In a bowl, mix together chilli sauce, soy sauce and sesame oil.
Heat remaining oil. Add garlic, stir-fry until fragrant. Add prawns and squid. Cook for 2 mins, or until prawns turn pink and squid curled up.
Add the bowl of mixed sauces, and then the mushrooms, cook for 2 mins.
Add the noodles and toss to coat the noodles in the sauce, ensuring all ingredients are well coated. Season with salt and pepper.
Garnish with sliced omelette and spring onion. Serve.

Tips
For any successful stir-fry, have all the ingredients prepared and sauces on ‘stand-by’. As food is cooked on high heat, the order of adding the raw ingredients into the hot pan is important so as not to undercook, nor overcook them.
For a vegetarian option, replace seafood with a variety of fresh mushrooms like oyster, brown, white, chanterelle and enoki to give both flavour and texture to the dish.
Chinese families often fry a bowl of finely chopped garlic in a cup of oil, until golden brown. Store in a jar, and drizzle over food as a finishing touch to dishes as you would with extra virgin olive oil. Or use this fragrant oil to fry your eggs.

Duck and Ramen Sambai-zu

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To Cook
Boil together the dashi, vinegar, soy and mirin, cool and set aside.
Cook the ramen noodles as per instruction on the packet, cool and hold.
Combine together the noodles with the sliced duck, capsicum, eggs, sliced ginger and the spring onion. Add half of the dressing, toss well together and taste. You can add more if required.
Your Duck and Ramen Sanbai-zu Salad is ready! Enjoy this three flavour dressing salad.

Chilled Somen Noodles

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To Cook
Cook somen according to packet instructions. Drain, then refresh under cold running water. Set aside in fridge.
Heat the oil in a pan and add the beaten eggs. Cook until just firm, then remove from pan and place on a cutting board. Cool then cut into fine ribbons.
To prepare the dipping broth, combine the dashi broth, soy sauce and mirin. Pour broth into serving bowls (one for each person). Put broth in fridge to chill. Place Hakubaku wasabi sauce in small condiment bowl/s and chill in fridge.
Place Somen noodles on a large communal platter and top with ice cubes to keep chilled. Arrange condiments, (spring onion, omelette ribbons, shredded Nori and mint), on a serving platter. Each person has a bowl of dipping broth, wasabi sauce and chopsticks. The condiments are selected by each diner and dipped in wasabi (if desired) then placed in the dipping broth.
Your chilled somen noodles with dipping sauces and selected accompaniments dish is ready!
Then the noodles are dipped in the broth, slurp it up and enjoy.

Thai Glass Noodle Salad (Yum Woon Sen)

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To Prep
Soak bean vermicelli in warm water for about 5 mins or until softened. Drain and roughly chop.

To Cook
Heat oil in the pan/wok and cook the chicken mince. Add a dash of fish sauce and stir fry until the chicken is cooked. Add bean vermicelli and stir to mix well. Remove from heat.
Add fish sauce, lime juice, tomato wedges and sugar to the chicken mixture and stir well. Add the mint, garlic, lemongrass, chilli and minced coriander; stir well.
Line a serving plate with lettuce and then spoon the chicken mixture over the leaves. Garnish with shallot and coriander leaves.