Asian Inspirations

Discover the authentic in Asian cuisine food

Rice

Laos Style Crispy Rice Salad

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To Make Crispy Rice Balls
Mix the curry paste, coconut, garlic, kaffir lime leaves, sugar, fish sauce and egg in a large bowl.
Add precooked rice to the mixture and mix thoroughly.
Take a few tablespoons of the mixture and mould it into a shape of a ball and flatten slightly into a disk shape. Repeat to use the remainder of the mixture.
Heat oil over medium heat on the stove. To test if the oil is hot enough, add in a wooden chopstick and if the oil bubbles, the temperature is ready.
Carefully add in the rice balls to the oil and cook for about 6 minutes, or until crunchy and golden. Be sure to not overcrowd the pot.
Remove from oil and place on a draining rack to cool.

To Make Dipping Sauce
Combine sugar with the hot water and combine until it dissolves.
Add in the remaining sauce ingredients and stir until well combined.

To Prepare the Salad
In a bowl, assemble the lettuce leaves at the base.
Place the cooled rice balls on top of the lettuce, and garnish with the fresh herbs, peanuts, spring onion, bird’s eye chilli, lemon and shredded coconut.
Serve with the dipping sauce.

Air Fryer Korean Scorched Rice (Nurungji)

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To Make
Preheat your air-fryer for around 5 mins.
Scoop your rice and spread it onto baking paper until it is flat.https://asianinspirations.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/R02994-Korean-Scorched-Rice-Nurungi2.jpg
Place into the air-fryer tray and air-fry at 180°C for 10-15 mins or until golden brown and crispy.https://asianinspirations.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/R02994-Korean-Scorched-Rice-Nurungi3.jpg
To serve, sprinkle with furikake or toasted sesame seeds, or dip into sugar.https://asianinspirations.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/R02994-Korean-Scorched-Rice-Nurungi4.jpg

Teochew Style Sticky Rice Dumplings (Zongzi)

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To Prepare Filling and Rice
Roll red bean paste into balls and wrap with pork fat netting (netting will melt while cooking). Set aside.https://asianinspirations.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Zhang-Teochew5-scaled.jpg
Heat frying pan with 2tbsp oil and sauté half the shallots till golden brown. Dish up and set aside.https://asianinspirations.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Zhang-Teochew10-scaled.jpg
Add 3tbsp oil to the same pan and sauté the garlic and remaining shallot till fragrant.https://asianinspirations.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Zhang-Teochew11-scaled.jpg
Toss in the dried shrimps and fry till fragrant and browning.https://asianinspirations.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Zhang-Teochew13-scaled.jpg
Add in the pork belly and stir and toss in the shiitake mushrooms. https://asianinspirations.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Zhang-Teochew15-scaled.jpg
Add in the seasonings and stir till well coated.https://asianinspirations.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Zhang-Teochew17-scaled.jpg
Pour in the soaking water and let it simmer for about 5 mins. Dish up and set aside to cool.
Drain glutinous rice and place into a large bowl. Add in seasonings and stir well. https://asianinspirations.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Zhang-Teochew21-scaled.jpg

To Assemble and Cook
Take one or two of bamboo leaf (depending on size) and fold into a
Place a tsp of rice, one red bean ball, fill 1 tbsp of rice, pushing them around the red bean ball. Place one piece of pork belly, a chestnut, a mushroom, some of the dried shrimp and some lotus seeds.cone. https://asianinspirations.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Zhang-Teochew26-scaled.jpg
Fill more rice on top and flatten with a spoon.https://asianinspirations.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Zhang-Teochew27-scaled.jpg
Fold the leaf over with your thumb and the other fingers pressing the sides down to cover the rice surface. Fold along the corner and press together and fold down to seal. Use a twine or saltwater grass going 2 rounds and tie the completed dumpling. Do not tie too tight as dough will expand during boiling.
Heat a big stock pot with enough water and boil dumplings for 2-3 hours or if you use a pressure cooker, pressure cook for 1 hour.https://asianinspirations.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Zhang-Teochew35-scaled.jpg

Hainanese Chicken Rice

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To Make the Chicken
Wash chicken, drain well, stuff ginger and scallion into the chicken’s cavity. Rub 2 tsp salt all over the chicken.
In a large stockpot that can fit a whole chicken, add water enough to cover the whole chicken together with pandan leaves and salt. Bring water to a rolling boil.
Submerge the whole chicken, breast side down. Bring to a full boil and then lower the heat to a gentle simmer, lid on, for 10 mins only.
After 10 minutes, turn the heat off, and let the chicken remain in the pot of water for 40 minutes, lid remains on.
After 40 minutes, remove the chicken and place gently into a bowl of water with ice for 10 mins. Retain the chicken stock.
Drain the chicken, discard ginger and scallion from the cavity and set it aside to cool before chopping it neatly into desired serving size.

To Make the Rice
Heat oil in wok, fry chopped shallots and garlic until fragrant and golden in colour. Add rice and stir well. Transfer the rice mixture to rice cooker.
Add in chicken broth stock, pandan leaves and salt into the rice mixture. Mix well and press ”cook”. When the rice is cooked, fluff with a ladle.

To Serve
Line a serving plate with cucumber slices.
Arrange chicken pieces on top, pour in the prepared sauce and garnish with coriander leaves.
Serve with chicken rice, side soup* and chicken rice chilli sauce.
Your Hainanese chicken rice is ready!

*Tips
Any left over chicken broth can be served as side soup, garnish with chopped spring onions or coriander.

California Maki Sushi

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To Make Sushi Rice
In a pot, bring sushi rice and water to a boil, lower heat and simmer for 12-14 mins. Remove from heat and let stand covered for 5-10 mins.
Move cooked rice into a big bowl to fluff up the rice.
Add in powdered sushi mix and mix well. Let rice cool.

To Cook Egg omelette
Beat eggs with all the ingredients till well mixed.
Heat up tamagoyaki pan with some oil and pour egg mixture over. Cover and cook under low heat till surface is drying up, then flip over. Continue to cook the other side for another min and remove to cool.

To Make Maki Sushi
Place nori sheet shiny side down on bamboo mat and spread rice all around, leaving 1cm space around the edge.
Arrange 1 cucumber stick, 2 crab sticks, 1 carrot stick and 1 egg omelette strip in the centre of the rice.
Bring the bamboo mat forward while using fingers from both hands to press the filling in, gently rolling the mat and adding a little pressure to wrap in the fillings.
Roll and press to seal the nori at the edge, then use both hands with a little pressure to firm up the roll.
Remove sushi from bamboo mat. Rub a little oil on a sharp knife to cut roll into 6 to 8 slices.
Serve with soy sauce, wasabi and pickled ginger.

“Swimming Rama” Thai Peanut Sauce with Spinach & Pork (Pra Ram Rong Song)

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To Prep
Marinate pork tenderloin with sugar and salt.
Cut water spinach in bite size and separate the leaves and the stems.
Cook rice vermicelli / rice following the package instructions.

To Cook Sauce
Bring coconut cream to boil.
Add curry paste then mix well.
Wait till it boils again, add all remaining ingredients (save a bit of sesame seed and peanuts for garnish).
Bring to boil again then set aside. During the time, get ready for a pot of boiling water for blanching.

To Serve
Cook rice vermicelli first to avoid getting colour from vegetable. Blanch the stems of water spinach first, then blanch the leaves. Set aside.
Blanch the marinated pork for 45-60 secs.
On a plate, place the rice vermicelli or rice at one side, then add the pork and water spinach around the noodles or rice. Ladle the sauce over the pork, garnish with chilli and sprinkle some sesame seeds and peanuts on top. Serve.

Nigiri Sushi

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To Make Nigiri Sushi
Cook the sushi rice and let cool.
Slice the sashimi in 45°.
Grab a small amount of rice and shape into an oval.
Place at the centre of one of your palms and press the sides gently with the other hand’s thumb and middle finger. Roll and press a few times to create slightly packed rice.
Smear a little wasabi on the rice and top with the fish sashimi. Repeat for all ingredients.
Serve with soy sauce and pickled ginger.

Jimmy’s Tips
Choose the freshest ingredients.
Wet your hands when shaping the rice. Don’t put too much rice in the nigiri, I recommend only using a quantity of rice that is the size of your thumb.
Use a sharp knife, slice 3mm thick pieces of fish and don’t forget to smear wasabi to your sushi rice and add to your soy sauce.

Yuzu Mayonnaise Salted Salmon Flake served on Steam Rice

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To Cook
Mix soy sauce, mirin, cooking sake, cooking salt until combined.
Place salmon in a frying pan over medium heat. Add the sauce mixture and cook for 5 mins or until cooked. Crush the salmon to small flakes. Control the heat and stir continuously until the sauce mixture is absorbed by the salmon.
Serve on hot steam rice. Drizzle desired amount of yuzu mayonnaise. Garnish white sesame and nori.

Sushi Tray Bake

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To Make Sushi Rice
Cook rice as per instruction on package. Once cooked, let it sit for 5 mins. Scoop cooked rice into a glass/wood or bamboo bowl and pour in the sushi rice seasoning. Stir gently to combine.

To Make Sushi Tray Bake
Pre-heat oven to 160°C fan-forced.
Scoop seasoned rice into an oven-safe rectangular baking dish, pressing gently with a spatula to compress rice. Sprinkle with furikake and broken up Korean crispy seaweed sheets covering the rice.https://asianinspirations.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/STB-12-Large.jpg
Mix chopped prawns with Japanese sriracha mayonnaise and place on first ⅓ of the rice surface. Bake for 15 mins.https://asianinspirations.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/STB-15-Large.jpg
Tear up the surimi/imitation crab meat, mix with mayonnaise, lemon zest and lemon juice. Place on the middle section of the rice next to the baked prawn. Bake for 15 mins.https://asianinspirations.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/STB-16-Large.jpg
Drain salmon well, mash up and mix with Japanese sriracha mayonnaise and ⅔ of the corn kernels. Spread on to the last section of the rice. No baking required.https://asianinspirations.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/STB-17-Large-1.jpg

To Serve
For prawns: Sprinkle chopped spring onions and roasted sesame.
For surimi: Scatter torn Korean crispy seaweed. Spoon tobiko randomly on top of seaweed.
For salmon: Sprinkle with shichimi togarashi, the remaining corn kernels and chopped spring onions. Scatter pickled ginger randomly on the surface.
Serve with Korean crispy seaweed sheets.

Korean Chicken Bowl

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To Cook
Pre-heat oven to 220°C fan-forced.
Toss sweet potatoes with 1 tbsp oil, salt and pepper. Roast on a baking tray for 20 mins.
In a glass jar, add all the Gochujang Sauce ingredients except the mayonnaise. Mixed till well combined. Set aside.
In a mixing bowl, add chicken and half of the Gochujang sauce. Spread out onto baking tray and roast chicken for 15 mins or till cooked.
Move the chicken to one side and pour the roasted sweet potatoes to the other side and let them roast for another 10 mins. On the last 2-3 mins, switch to broiler/top heat and grill till brown.
Add Japanese mayonnaise into the remaining Gochujang Sauce to create dripping sauce.
Toss Chinese broccoli with 1 tbsp of oil and salt. Spread Chinese broccoli and onion on another baking sheet and toast slightly for about 10 mins. Let it cool, add in lime juice and a pinch of salt.

To Serve
Spread rice onto plates and top with some roasted Chinese broccoli, chicken, sweet potatoes, carrots, cucumber, onions, kimchi, toasted sesame, coriander and drizzle Gochujang Sauce over and top with spring onions.

Vegetarian Thai Curry Tray Bake

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To Cook
Pre-heat oven to 200°C, or 180°C fan-forced.
Cook rice as per instructions in package.
Heat up yellow curry paste on frying pan over high heat. Stir for 2 mins or till aromatic.
Add half a can of coconut milk. Stir to combine and cook for 1 min.
Toss in green beans and cook for 1 min and add water. Stir to combine.
Add in pumpkin wedges and let it boil for 1 min. Transfer to a baking tray.
Top off with carrot sticks and tofu cubes.
Bake for 35 mins, turning the pumpkin wedges once and bake for another 15 mins for even browning and till pumpkin is tender and tofu cubes are golden brown.
Pour over remaining coconut milk and stir through.
Sprinkle cooked rice over and bake for a further 10 mins or till rice is warm.
Garnish with coriander and limes.

Laksa Fried Rice

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To Cook
Heat up frying pan with 1 tbsp of oil and fry beaten eggs. Break the egg up into small pieces, remove from pan and set aside.https://asianinspirations.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/R02678-Laksa-Fried-Rice-1.jpg
In the same pan heat up 2 tbsp of oil and fry pounded dried prawns till brown and bubbling for about 30 secs. Remove from pan and set aside.https://asianinspirations.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/LFR-6-Large.jpg
Heat up another 2 tbsp of oil and fry minced garlic and chopped onion for 2 to 3 mins or till soft. Make a well and add in laksa paste and coconut cream. Stir for 20 secs and bring the garlic and onion together.https://asianinspirations.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/LFR-9-Large.jpg
Toss in the fish cake, stir and add in the rice. Stir to combine. https://asianinspirations.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/LFR-11-Large.jpg
Add in the fried egg, stir and add in the fried dried prawns.https://asianinspirations.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/LFR-13-Large.jpg
Add fish sauce and light soy sauce, stir and toss in the cut chillies.https://asianinspirations.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/LFR-15-Large.jpg
Garnish with sliced cucumber and lime wedges.