Asian Inspirations

Discover the authentic in Asian cuisine food

Seafood

Chunky Vegetable Soup Niigata Style (Noppei Jiru)

by Leave a Comment

To Prep
Soak dried shiitake mushrooms and scallops (optional) in 2 cups of water overnight to rehydrate and draw flavours into the water. The juices will be used as part of the soup stock.

To Cook
In a small pot, bring roughly 4 cups of water to boil and drop in konnyaku, return to boil, then drain and set aside the konnyaku.
Prepare the dashi by heating 4 cups of water in a saucepan over medium heat. Just before the water boils, remove the kelp from the saucepan.
Increase the heat to high and bring to a boil. Keep cooking for another 5 mins.
Lower the heat and add bonito flakes into the saucepan. When the water boils, turn heat off. Set aside to cool for at least 5 mins and let the bonito flakes sink to the bottom.
Strain the liquid through a strainer lined with a paper towel or several layers of cheesecloth. Set aside.
In the meantime, remove shiitake mushrooms and scallop (optional) from the water. Lightly squeeze to drain water and slice the shiitake mushrooms.
In a pot, add dashi, shiitake mushroom water and scallop (optional), seasoning and heat over medium-high heat.
Add in all the ingredients and bring to boil. Then, lower the heat to a simmer and keep cooking for another 20 mins, or until the taro softens.
Turn off heat and scoop into individual serving bowls. Best enjoyed hot.

Satay Rice Vermicelli

by Leave a Comment

To Cook
In a frying pan, heat the satay sauce, then add prawns and squid rings. Cook for 5 mins.
Add water spinach and cook for 1 min before adding the rice vermicelli. Mix well and then plate it, garnish with spring onion, coriander and chilli. Serve hot.

Vietnamese Caramelised Fish in Young Coconut Juice (Ca Kho Dua)

by Leave a Comment

To Prep
Combine the marinade ingredients in a mixing bowl and mix well. Add the fish and coat it in the marinade ingredients. Cover and let it marinate for 10 mins.

To Cook
Put wok/frying pan on the stove on low heat. Add vegetable oil and palm sugar. Cook until the sugar has caramelised, stirring the mixture a little as it starts to colour.
Add in the garlic and pork belly, and stir-fry for 2 mins, then immediately add the marinated fish. Coat the fish with the caramel, and cook for 1 min.
Stir in the coconut juice and simmer for a further 6 mins. Skim off any impurities that rise to the surface.
Sprinkle spring onion, pepper and chilli over the top, and serve.

Sambal Prawn (Udang)

by Leave a Comment

To Prep
In a blender, add all spice ingredients and blend until smooth.

To Cook
Heat oil in a pot, stir-fry spice paste and kaffir lime leaves until fragrant, about 8-10 mins.
Add the diluted tamarind paste and mix well. Cover the pot and bring to boil. Reduce to simmer for 3-5 mins.
Add prawns, sugar and salt, stir until well mixed. Cover again and simmer for 3 mins.
Transfer to a serving bowl and serve hot.

Sea Bream with Rice (Tai Meshi)

by Leave a Comment

To Prep
Wipe the dried kombu with a clean cloth to remove any dirt, but not the white powdery substance on the surface.
Combine the water and the kombu together in a pot and let the kombu soak for approx 30 mins.
While the kombu is soaking, rinse the rice with water until the water begins to run clear. Cover the rice with water and let soak for approx 30 mins to 1 hr.
Score the fish on both sides before lightly rubbing in the salt and adding in the sake. Let the fish marinate for 10 mins before patting dry.
After the kombu has finished soaking, turn on the stove and set it to low. Slowly heat up the water until it just begins to boil before removing it from the heat and setting it aside.

To Cook
In a pan or grill, cook the fish for 3 mins on each side or until a nice brown sear has been achieved. The fish doesn’t need to be fully cooked through at this stage.
In a large pot, drain and add the rice, kombu stock, salt, sake, soy sauce, and mirin. Stir until all of the ingredients have been well combined before topping with the grilled fish and grated ginger.
Cover the pot and heat over a medium-high heat until the stock begins to boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook for approx 10 mins before removing from the heat and letting stand for another 5-10 mins.

To Serve
Serve the entire dish as is, in the pot, garnished with chives and white sesame seeds! Enjoy!

Knife Cut Noodle Soup (Kalguksu)

by Leave a Comment

To Make Stock
Place Stock ingredients and water into a pot, bring to boil. Skim off any impurities. Simmer for about 15 mins. Strain out vegetables and anchovies, discard. Set stock aside.

To Make Noodle Soup
Bring the stock to a boil again and add zucchini, carrot, soy sauce, fish sauce, salt and pepper.
Add in the noodles and vongoles (optional). Cook until the noodles are cooked and the shells of vongoles have opened. Add spring onions towards the end of cooking time.
Serve noodles in individual bowls with seasoned soy sauce.

Tips
You can use chicken stock instead of making the anchovies stock.
You can add precooked noodles to stock to have a clearer soup.

Green Curry Mussels

by Leave a Comment

To Cook
Heat a medium-sized heavy-based pot and add oil, onion, garlic, ginger and green curry paste. Saute until fragrant.
Add fish sauce, coconut milk and sugar and bring to boil.
Add drained mussels and cover pot with lid. Bring pot contents to boil and remove from heat immediately.
With the lid on, shake the pot occasionally to open the mussels.
Dish out on a serving plate and garnish with chopped coriander and fried shallots. Serve the dish immediately with steamed rice.

Korean Spicy Baby Octopus

by Leave a Comment

To Cook
Add 1 tbsp oil to a heated pan, sauté carrots, zucchini and onions over high heat briefly, about 1 min. Set aside.
Add 1 tbsp oil to the same pan and sauté the garlic gently for about 15 secs, then add the chilli powder. Cook over low heat, taking care not to burn, for about 20 secs.
Turn heat to high and add baby octopus, stir fry for about 3 mins or until just cooked. Add soy sauce, sugar and sesame oil, season with salt and pepper.
Add the vegetables and spring onions, immediatelt cook over high heat until the ingredients are well mixed. Remove from heat, garnish with spring onions and serve.

Korean Seafood Noodle Soup (Kalgaksu)

by Leave a Comment

To Cook
In a stockpot, add the dried large anchovies, garlic, onion, whole spring onions and 10-12 cups of water. Bring to boil and skim off any impurities. Simmer for about 15 mins. Strain and discard ingredients, set stock aside.
Bring the stock to a boil again and add the soy sauce, fish sauce, zucchini and carrots. Season with salt and pepper.
Add the noodles and seafood, cook until done. Add spring onions towards the end of cooking time.
Transfer to a serving bowl and garnish with spring onions. Serve with seasoning sauce.

Korean Spicy Squid (Ojinga Bokkum)

by Leave a Comment

To Cook
Add 1 tbsp oil to a heated pan, sauté carrots, zucchini and onions over high heat briefly, about 1 min. Set aside.
Add 1 tbsp oil to the same pan and sauté garlic gently for about 15 secs, then add the chilli powder. Cook over low heat, taking care not to burn, for about 20 secs. Turn heat to high and add the calamari rings. Stir fry calamari for about 3 mins or until just cooked. Add the soy sauce, sugar and sesame oil and season with salt and pepper.
Add the vegetables and green onions to the calamari and immediately cook over high heat until the ingredients are well mixed. Remove from heat, garnish with spring onions and serve.

Thai Crispy Pork Skin Salad (Yum Sam Grob)

by Leave a Comment

To Cook
Place onions and coriander in a bowl, cover with cold water, add 6 ice cubes, and place in refrigerator for 5 mins or until ready to use.
Blend garlic, chilli flakes, and chillies into a fine paste. Add sugar, fish sauce, and lime juice, and continue to blend until the sugar is dissolved. Taste test and add more sugar, fish sauce, lime juice or pepper flakes to taste.
In a mixing bowl combine prawns, crispy pork skin, cashew nuts, tomato and blended paste. Mix through and transfer to a serving plate.
Remove onions and coriander from fridge and drain. Garnish salad with lettuce, onion and coriander. Serve.

Creamy Tom Yum Soup with Prawns

by Leave a Comment

To Cook
In a food processor, blend lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves and chillies into a paste.
In a stock pot, boil chicken stock and bring to a simmer, then add blended paste and galangal. Simmer for 5 mins.
Add evaporated milk and bring to boil. Add mushrooms and broccoli and cook for 1-2 mins or until cooked through.
Add Thai chilli paste and fish sauce, stir to dissolve the chilli paste. Add prawns and cook for 1 min or until done.
Turn off the heat and add lime juice while stirring. Adjust taste with more seasoning if needed. Garnish with chilli and coriander, serve.