Asian Inspirations

Discover the authentic in Asian cuisine food

Noodles

Bo Kho (Vietnamese Beef Noodle Soup)

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To Prep
In a large bowl, combine all the marinade ingredients (ginger, galangal, garlic, palm sugar, five spice powder and fish sauce) and mix until sugar is dissolved.
Place meat into bowl and coat with spice mixture. Set aside to marinate for 25 mins.

To Cook
Using a large saucepan, heat vegetable oil on a high heat. Add in garlic, shallot and lemongrass and stir for 3 mins until the shallot becomes translucent.
Place the beef in the pot and brown on each side. Reduce heat to medium, add tomato paste and cook for 4-5 mins.
Add to the pot the star anise, chilli powder, paprika, white pepper, water and coconut water. Simmer for 60 mins, stirring occasionally.
Once the hour is up, add in the chiu chow oil, soy and carrots. Continue cooking for another 35-40 mins.
Prepare the egg noodles according to the packet instructions, then divide between 4 bowls.

To Serve
Remove the star anise from the soup then carefully ladle mixture over the noodles, ensuring there is a generous amount of beef and carrots.
Top the soup with Thai basil, coriander, sliced shallot and lime.
Enjoy!

Mie Goreng Jawa (Javanese Fried Noodles)

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To Make the Flavouring Paste
Blend all ingredients until very finely chopped. Set aside.

To Cook the Mie Goreng
Heat 1 tbsp of oil in a non-stick pan or wok on high heat. Add prawns and stir fry until just cooked. Remove from pan.
Add chicken, stir fry until well cooked. Remove from pan.
Add more oil to the pan if necessary. Break eggs into the pan, let sit for a few seconds, then stir until cooked, but leave it in chunks.
Add 1 tbsp oil into the pan. Add in the Flavouring Paste, stir until fragrant and starting to dry (approx. 2 mins). Add beef balls, cabbage, carrots, water and stir until vegetables have softened and balls are warmed through.
Stir in tomatoes and pepper. Reduce heat to medium-low. Return the noodles, prawns and chicken to the pan and add in the sweet soy sauce, soy sauce and chilli sauce. Stir until well combined and warmed through.

To Serve
Sprinkle over fried shallots. Serve immediately.

Chashu Ramen (Braised Pork Belly Ramen)

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To Make the Broth
Rinse the bones under cold water, place them in a tray and brown them in the oven at 220°C (fan forced) for 15-20 mins.
Transfer the bones into a pot and add water until they are fully covered. Add in the other broth ingredients (5 garlic cloves, 40g sliced ginger, spring onion & shallots).
Bring the broth to a boil, then reduce heat to low and let simmer for 3-6 hrs.

To Make the Braised Pork Belly
In a sauce pan, mix the light soy sauce, sweet soy sauce, mirin, Japanese sake, sugar, star anise, dry red chilli, garlic cloves, ginger and whole black pepper and bring to simmer for 2 mins.
Take off the heat and set the braising liquid aside.
Pat dry the pork belly and season with salt and pepper.
Place the pork belly in a roast tray and pour the braising liquid over it.
Wrap the tray with aluminium foil and place in a pre-heated oven at 220°C for 30 mins.
After 30 mins, reduce the oven to 180°C and let the pork cook for another 2 hrs while basting the pork belly every 40 mins.
After 2 hrs, remove the aluminium foil and cook for another 15 mins.
Set the pork aside to cool until ready to serve.

To Serve
Boil the ramen noodle and the corn cob for about 4-5 mins. Place in a bowl.
For the soft boiled egg, place your eggs in boiling water for 7 mins then remove the eggs and place in ice-cold water for 2 mins. Place in the bowl on top of the noodle.
Cut the pork belly and assemble on the noodle, along with the enoki mushrooms.
Pour in the broth until the noodles are covered and add in 25ml of the braising liquid mix with the ponzu sauce in each bowl.
Top with some spring onion and serve!

Hot Pot (Beef Stock with Tom Yum Paste)

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To Prep
Wash and cut all the vegetables. Arrange them on a plate.
Prepare your choice of meat and arrange them on a plate.
Prepare your dipping sauce, bowl, spoon, chopsticks, wire basket or slotted spoon.
Place your portable stove in the middle of the dining table.

To Cook
Combine the beef stock, tom yum paste, soy sauce, fish sauce in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Turn it down to a simmer.
Put a small portion of your favourite ingredients such as fish balls, cheese fish tofu, carrots, beef, vegetables, shrimps, mushrooms, tofu, chilli into the broth (place the ingredients that take longer to cook first).
Let the ingredients simmer until cooked.
Enjoy hotpot food with the dipping sauce, add some lemon to taste too.
You can use chopsticks, wire basket or slotted spoons to dish out the cooked ingredients and put into your bowl.
Repeat with the remaining ingredients. At the end of the meal enjoy the delicious stock.

Spring rolls with Noodle and Herbs

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To Prep
Place the pork, glass noodles, cabbage, carrot, sugar, sesame oil, fish sauce, oyster sauce, chicken stock powder and pepper in a bowl. Mix until well combined.
Mix cornflour and water in a small bowl.
Separate the spring roll wrappers. Keep the unused ones covered under damp paper towel.
Place a spring roll wrapper on a plate in diamond pattern. Scoop about 1 tbsp of the spring roll mixture and place in the middle of the wrapper. Roll it up and fold both sides in. Roll it up to the end and dab some of the cornflour mixture at the top of the wrapper to secure it in.
Repeat until all wrappers are gone.

To Cook
Heat oil in a wok until it’s hot. Make sure oil covers spring rolls. Cooking in batches, carefully place spring rolls in hot oil and cook until golden and crisp. Roughly about 5 mins.
Drain on a paper towel. Repeat with all the spring rolls.

To Serve
Arrange noodles, beansprout, herbs and carrot on a serving bowl.
Make the dipping sauce by combine dipping sauce ingredients in a bowl and mix until the sugar has dissolved.
Arrange spring rolls on top of the noodles. Serve with dipping sauce on the side.

Banana Prawns & Rice Noodles with Tangy Lime & Oyster Sauce

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To Prep
Prepare the rice noodles, following the packet directions. Drain and set aside.
Combine the sauce ingredients, set aside.

To Cook
Heat wok and add the sesame oil.
Add the red onion, capsicum & red chilli and cook for 2-3 mins.
Add the prawns and cook for 2-3 mins (or until almost cooked through)
Add the sauce and simmer for 1 min.
Gently toss the rice noodles through the mixture, cook over low heat until warmed through.
Add the coriander and cucumber, stir to combine, check and adjust the seasoning.

To Serve
Serve, garnished with coriander leaves.

Soba Soy Salad

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To Cook
Chop all the ingredients and cook the noodles as per the instructions on the packet, then combine.
To make the dressing, combine vegetable oil, sesame oil, and crushed red peppers in a small saucepan.
Whisk over heat for 3 mins, then add the honey and soy sauce, stir until combined and then allow to cool before dressing salad.

Bun Ga Thom (Vietnamese Fragrant Chicken Vermicelli)

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To Prep
Prepare the marinade in a large bowl: Mix the marinade ingredients thoroughly to ensure the sugar has dissolved.
Add the chicken and mix well to fully coat with marinade. Set aside to marinate for a minimum of 1 hr, preferably longer if you have time. (For food safety, marinate in the fridge for longer periods).
After chicken has marinated, place the vermicelli into a bowl and pour over boiling water until it covers the noodles. Loosen the noodles with a fork and set aside for 5 mins. Rinse noodles under cold water and drain well. Divide noodles between 4 bowls.
In a small bowl, add in the sauce ingredients, continue stirring until the sugar has fully dissolved.

To Cook
Heat a large fry pan with oil to medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook until it is cooked through, it will start to caramelise (approximately 3 mins per side). Remove from the heat and set aside for a few mins to rest.
Prepare the chicken for serving by slicing into strips (about 1cm wide).
Prepare each bowl of vermicelli with a generous amount of mint and Thai basil leaves and Thai mint along with the vegetables. Add the sliced chicken, spoon over some of the sauce and finally top with peanuts, lime and chilli to taste.
Enjoy!

Skewers Hot Pot (Lok-Lok)

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To Prep
Skewer all the ingredients ready for dipping.
Mix all sweet dipping sauce ingredients and set aside.
Mix all garlic chilli dipping sauce ingredients and set aside.

To Make Stock
Heat the pork or chicken stock in a pot to a boil.
Season with salt and pepper, adjust the taste to your preference.
Once the stock is ready, start dipping the ingredients in the pot to cook and eat with dipping sauces.

Thai Suki Hot Pot

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To Make Sauce
In a mortar and pestle, grind the garlic until fine and smooth.
Add the red been curd and juice and continue to mash them until smooth.
Add in the toasted sesame seed and crush them lightly.
Transfer the paste into a pot and add in the remaining ingredients; sriracha, tomato sauce, brown sugar, soy sauce, oyster sauce, sesame oil and water, stir to mix well.
Heat up the sauce in medium heat until it starts to boil, then reduce heat to simmer for 3 mins.
Remove from heat and the sauce is ready for dipping.

To Serve
Bring the pork/chicken stock to boil, add ingredients in your order of preference. Cook and dip in Thai suki dipping sauce as you go.

Spicy Vietnamese Meatball Soup

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To Make Meatballs
Combine all meatball ingredients and mix well. Marinate for 30 mins.
Roll the mixture into small meatballs and place on a tray or plate. Cover and refrigerate.

To Cook
Heat oil in a large pan over medium heat.
Add lemongrass stem, cinnamon stick, star anise, cloves, chillies, spring onion and garlic. Fry for 3-4 mins until fragrant.
Add stock and bring to boil.
Add meatballs, bring to boil, then reduce to simmer for 15 mins.
Add lime juice and fish sauce, stir to mix well.

To Serve
Blanch bok choy and set aside.
Blanch thick rice vermicelli in hot water until soft, drain and set aside.
Divide blanched noodles and bok choy to serving bowls.
Ladle the hot broth and meatballs into the bowls.
Garnish with coriander leaves and sliced chillies before serving.

Quick Prawn Curry Laksa

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To Cook
Blanch the laksa vermicelli in boiling water, drained and set aside.
Blanch the bok choy, drained and set aside.
In a different pot, boil 1.2L of water.
Add the chopped chicken and bring the water back to boil.
Add in the curry laksa paste and stir to mix well.
Pour in the coconut milk and simmer for 5 mins, then add the tofu puffs and fish cakes to cook for about 4-5 mins.
Add the prawns and cook for about 5 mins or until cooked.
Prepare serving bowls by adding the blanched vermicelli noodles and bok choy.
Scoop the curry laksa soup into the bowl while carefully divide the ingredients equally.
Place a half of hard boiled egg on top.
Garnish with coriander leaves and serve.