Asian Inspirations

Discover the authentic in Asian cuisine food

Seafood

Seared Scallops with Teriyaki Glaze

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To Make the Clarified Butter
To make clarified butter for searing the scallops, add the butter in to a pan and melt over a low heat without stirring.
Once the butter begins to foam, start trying to skim it off and discard it.
Once there is no longer any foam, strain the butter through a fine sieve to avoid getting the milky layer within the butter.

To Prep
Clean the scallops and remove the roe if desired. Place on paper towels to remove the excess moisture and lightly season with salt and pepper.

To Cook
Combine the sake, mirin, soy and sugar in a saucepan and boil over a medium heat until the sugar has dissolved.
When the sugar has dissolved, reduce the heat to low and let simmer until the sauce has thickened.
Add the clarified butter to a pan and heat over a high heat until the pan starts to smoke.
Add the scallops in to the pan, leaving spaces between them.
Cook the scallops for roughly 3 mins without moving or until they have a nice golden sear and releases from the pan on their own. Flip the scallops and repeat.
Once the scallops have been seared on both sides, remove from the pan and place on to a paper towel to remove the excess butter.
Serve combined with the teriyaki glaze and with freshly chopped chives.

Rice Vermicelli in Spicy and Sour Gravy (Wet Mee Siam)

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To Cook
Combine the chilli paste ingredients in a food processor or blender until it is a fine paste.
Stir fry the prawn heads and shells with 3 tbsp oil in a pan.
Add the ⅔ of spice paste, chicken stock, taucheo, assam paste and hot water.
Season with salt and sugar to taste.
Boil for 30 mins.
Cook the prawns in the gravy.
Add 3 tbsp oil to the pan and add the minced dried shrimps, frying until fragrant.
Add the remaining spice paste and bee hoon.
Season with salt to taste.
Add the beansprouts and fry until the chilli paste has coated the bee hoon.
Divide into the desired portions, ensuring that the gravy covers the noodles.
Top with the hard-boiled eggs, tau gua, prawns, chives and optional garnishings.

BBQ Sweet Chilli Prawn Skewers

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To Prep
In a bowl, mix sweet chilli sauce, soy sauce and ABC Sweet Soy Sauce. Add prawns and cover allowing to marinate for 15 mins or longer.
Thread the prawns onto the skewers, 3 pieces to one stick.

To Cook
Grill the skewered prawns for 6 mins on a hot grill or BBQ turning often and basting with remaining marinade. Garnish with sprigs of mint and serve.

Crispy Seaweed Crackers

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To Prep
You can add some seasoning by beating in some sugar or herbs and spices such as chilli powder into the egg. This step is optional.
Pull apart a sheet of spring roll skin and lay on a flat surface. Using a brush, brush sheet with the beaten egg.
Carefully lay pieces of seaweed onto the spring roll skin until it is covered in seaweed. Then brush on some more beaten egg onto the seaweed.
Sprinkle some of the sesame seeds on top of the seaweed. Take care not to sprinkle too much as it will stop the next layer of spring roll skin from sticking.
Place a second layer of spring roll skin on top of the seaweed.
Make sure there are no are bubbles on either side. Use your hands to squeeze out any air bubbles caught in the layers of spring roll skin.
Using a sharp knife, cut the sheet of spring roll skin into 8 equal sized strips. Then stack them on each other and cut crosswise into 3 sections.
Next, we want to tie these seaweed crackers into knots. This helps the layers stick together when frying and also gives the crackers and interesting shape.
Cut an incision in the middle of each cracker about 3-4cms long. Then fold one end into this incision and pull out to make a knot. However, this knotting process is also optional and the crackers can be fried as is.

To Cook
Heat up some oil in a wok or deep pan on medium heat. Once the oil is sufficiently hot, start to deep fry the crackers until they are golden brown.
Drain the crackers and lay them on paper towels to absorb any excess oil.
Allow them to cool to room temperature before serving. They can also be stored in airtight containers.

Stir Fried Clams with Ginger

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To Prep
In a large container, combine the clams, 1 tbsp of salt and enough water to cover the clams.
Let the clams soak in the water for at least 2 hours before draining them and rinsing them.
After the clams have been rinsed, boil some water and pour them over the clams to open them slightly so that they release any of the dirt within them.

To Cook
In a large pan or wok, heat up about 2 tbsp of oil and stir-fry the ginger, chilli, garlic and white parts of the spring onions until they become fragrant.
Add the clams in to the frying pan and season with the salt and Shaoxing wine before tossing the clams until all of the ingredients have combined.
After the ingredients have been thoroughly combined, remove the clams from the pan and serve garnished with the rest of the spring onions.

Sichuan Seafood Noodles

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To Prep
In a small bowl, combine the Chilli Sauce ingredients and mix well. Cover with a wrap and set aside.

To Cook
Heat the oil in a pot, sauté garlic until fragrant, then add in the chilli bean paste, pickled vegetables, soy sauce and sugar. Stir for 1-2 mins until fragrant.
Pour in the soup and bring to boil.
Add in the seafood and cook until done. When the seafood are almost done, add in the enoki mushrooms. Turn off the heat.
Boil water in another pot and cook the noodles according to packet instructions. When the noodles are almost done, add in the chrysanthemum garlands. When everything is cooked, remove and drain well.

To Serve
Place noodles into serving bowl and arrange the vegetables and seafood on top. Ladle in the soup and serve with chilli sauce added to the bowl or at the side.

Longjing Prawns

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To Prep
Add egg white, salt, Shaoxing wine and 1 tsp cornflour in a large bowl. Mix well and add prawns. Coat prawns in mixture. Cover in cling wrap and place in the fridge for 1 hr.
Steep tea in hot water. Strain tea leaves and set aside. Set tea aside to cool.

To Cook
Combine remaining cornflour with 1⁄3 cup tea.
Hot oil in a wok on medium-high heat.
Add prawns and stir fry until half-cooked.
Pour in tea and cornflour mixture and cook until sauce thickens.
Stir through tea leaves and remove from heat. Serve immediately.

Stir Fried White Baby Bok Choy with Fish Cake

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To Cook
Heat up a pan on medium heat. When it is hot, add some cooking oil. Add the garlic and stir-fry until fragrant.
Turn the heat up to high and add the fish cake. Stir-fry for approximately 1 min.
Add the bok choy, salt, chicken powder and Shaoxing wine.
Stir-fry for approximately another 1 min.
Plate up and serve while hot.

Deep Fried Chinese Crullers with Prawns

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To Prep
In a bowl, season prawns with white pepper and salt. Sprinkle with corn starch and mix until well combined.
Cut through the Chinese cruller until about ½ way through in depth. Stuff the prawn mixture into the slit.

To Cook
Heat up oil in a wok or deep pan and shallow fry the stuffed Chinese cruller until golden brown. Drain and leave to cool slightly.
Cut the stuffed Chinese cruller into desired lengths and serve with dipping sauces.

Vegetable and Prawn Fritters Rice Bowl (Kakiage Don)

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To Cook
Season prawns with a pinch of salt.
Place all sauce ingredients in a small pot and bring to a boil. Set aside.
Sift flour, baking powder and salt into a large bowl. Mix eggs with iced water and sake then, pour into flour mixture. Stir the bowl 10 times lightly in circular motion.
Heat enough oil for deep frying and sesame oil in a wok over medium high heat. Meanwhile, place prawns and vegetables into a bowl and dust with corn starch, coating ingredients well. Pour batter over the ingredients and mix gently. Ladle a scoop of ingredients into a wire sieve and drain off excess batter. Carefully place the battered ingredients into the hot oil and work quickly to collect pieces of stray ingredients into a big piece using chopsticks. Once the fritter is golden browned, dish out and drain off excess oil by placing the fritter on paper towels. Repeat with remaining battered ingredients.
To serve, reheat sauce. Meanwhile, divide rice into individual serving bowls. Pour some sauce over the rice. Top each bowl with a fritter and drizzle with more sauce. Serve immediately.