Asian Inspirations

Discover the authentic in Asian cuisine food

Vegetables

Asinan Betawi (Jakartan Pickled Salad with Spicy Lime Dressing and Mie Crackers)

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To Prep
In a saucepan, boil water with 2 tsp turmeric powder and add the tofu and cook until they begin to rise to the surface. Drain and then cut into cubes. Set aside.
Blanch the savoy cabbage in boiling water for 30 secs, drain and set aside. Repeat with the bean sprouts.

To Make Peanut Dressing
Dissolve the dark palm sugar in ¼ cup water and simmer on a stove top for 5 mins.
Heat oil in small fry pan over medium-high heat.
Stir fry garlic and chilli for 1 min. Add Lee Kum Kee Vegetarian Stir-fry Sauce and stir for a further min.
Add all other ingredients, except salt, sugar, extra water and lime juice. Bring to boil and lower heat. Simmer, stirring occasionally until slightly thickened.
Remove from heat and cool. When cool, blend until mostly smooth (you still want some chunks of peanut).
Add more water if needed, to make dressing a thick but somewhat runny custard-like consistency. Add lime juice.
Taste and add salt and sugar if needed. Serve warm over prepared salad.

To Make Asinan Salad:
Arrange lettuce leaves on plate. Mix all other vegetables together. Pile on top of lettuce. Tumble over turmeric tofu. Drizzle with Peanut Dressing.
Serve with Mie Crackers.

Vegan Jackfruit Baos

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To Prep Baos
Combine flour, instant yeast, sugar and salt in a bowl.
Add about ½ cup of warm water and 1½ tbsp of oil. Mix it together with a wooden spoon then start combining the dough with your hands. You will need to add another 2 or 3 tablespoons so it’s not too dry or too sticky, but do this a tablespoon at a time.
Knead it for 10 mins until elastic and smooth. Form the dough into a ball and rub a small amount of oil on the dough’s surface to prevent it from drying. Place in a clean bowl covered with a kitchen towel and place somewhere warm for about 1-2 hrs or until it doubles in size.

To Make the Filling
Open the can of jackfruit and drain it. Remove the firm pointy ends off each triangular piece of jackfruit and squash each piece of jackfruit gently so that it separates into individual strands and soaks up more of the cooking sauce. Set aside.
Heat up 2 tbsp of oil in a medium size pan. Fry spring onions until softened. Add chopped garlic and ginger and fry gently until soft and fragrant.
Mix in Chinese five spice and fry gently for 1 min.
Now add the remaining sauce ingredients: soy sauce, hoisin sauce, rice vinegar and sugar. Mix them around well and allow sugar to melt. Finally add in jackfruit and mix well to allow it to warm up and soak up the maximum amount of sauce.

To Make the Baos
After the dough has doubled in size, tip it out onto a lightly floured surface and press the air out with your fingertips. Divide the dough into 4 equal pieces and form small balls. Place the balls on a lightly floured surface, cover with a kitchen towel and leave for another 30 mins.
Using a rolling pin, roll the balls out into ½cm thick oval shapes. Fold each shape in half and insert bamboo steamer paper (you can buy these at the Asian grocers) or baking paper between the bun halves.
Line your bamboo steamer with bamboo steamer paper and place folded up buns inside for another 30 mins of proving. If your steamer is too small, rest the remaining buns on baking paper and lightly dusted tray until you are ready to steam. Fill a pot/wok (which the steamer can comfortably sit on) with water and place the steamer with the buns on top.
Turn heat to medium-high and let the water come to a simmer; don’t be tempted to peek inside or you will ruin the buns. Once you can hear the water simmering vigorously, put the timer on for 10 mins.
After the time is up, take the pot and steamer off the heat and rest the buns for another 5 mins.
After 5 mins, lift the lid off and remove the buns gently. Repeat the process to cook the other buns.

To Serve
Fill each bun with pulled jackfruit, pickled veggies, coriander, Sriracha and some extra hoisin sauce and crushed peanuts.

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.

Dubu Jorim

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To Cook
In a medium heated pan, pour the vegetable oil then fry tofu both sides until golden brown then set aside in a paper towel.
In a small bowl, dilute sweet soy sauce, vinegar, water, chilli powder, salt & pepper.
In a medium heated pan, saute spring onions & garlic until shiny but not burnt.
Add the diluted sauce mixture, then allow to it reduce.
Once the sauce is reduced and thickened, add snow beans and fried tofu.
Mix it well then transfer in a bowl, garnish with sesame seeds and sliced red chillies.

Thai Green Curry

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To Cook
Heat 2 tbsp of oil over medium-high heat in a pot or deep skillet. Add curry paste (additional garlic, ginger, and lemongrass can be added to paste for more flavour) and cook for 2 mins until paste dried out.
Add chicken broth, coconut milk, fish sauce and sugar. Mix to dissolve paste. Add kaffir lime leaves, stir and bring to a simmer.
Add chicken, stir, lower heat to gentle bubble and cook for 7 mins.
Add in and stir sliced carrots and cook for 6 mins.
Taste sauce. Add more fish sauce for saltiness or sugar for sweetness
Add snow peas and capsicum and cook for 2 mins. Then stir through Thai basil and lime juice before turning off the heat.

To Serve
Serve over jasmine rice and garnish with cilantro and red chillies!

Quorn & Asparagus in Mushroom XO Sauce

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To Make Mushroom Sauce
In a large pan, heat the vegetable oil on a low to medium heat. Add the shallots, Lee Kum Kee Chilli Garlic Sauce, red chilli and dried chilli flakes. Stirring until the shallots are tender.
Add the button, shiitake and re-hydrated shiitake mushrooms. Cook until the the moisture from the mushrooms has released and evaporated.
Pour in the Lee Kum Lee Premium Soy Sauce, balsamic vinegar and reserved shiitake mushroom liquid. Reduce heat and simmer until the liquid has almost evaporated and the sauce has thickened.
Remove from the stove, and allow to cool completely before storing in jar.

To Cook
Drizzle the Quorn fillets in a little oil and fry on a grill until lovely chargrill marks appear on both sides. Remove and slice. Set aside.
In a wok heat the vegetable oil and fry the shallots, garlic and ginger until soft and fragrant.
Toss in the button mushrooms, Quorn and asparagus. Stir until asparagus becomes a little tender.
Add the Mushroom XO Sauce and stir through well. Toss in the Enoki mushrooms and spring onion.
Mix the cornflour and water together in a small bowl before pouring into the wok. Stir to combine and to coat everything in the pan.

To Serve
Serve with traditional rice, konjac rice, cauliflower rice, traditional egg noodles or even konjac noodles. Garnish with a wedge of lime and spring onions. Enjoy!

Tofu & Okra Rendang with Asian Greens

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To Cook
Fry the tofu until crunchy.
Add the onion and okra and toss for 2 mins.
Add the rendang paste and coconut milk and cook a further 2 mins.
In a separate pan, throw in the water spinach with a few sprinkles of water and toss for a couple of mins until bright green.

To Serve
Remove from the heat, dish and pour sesame oil and sweet soy. Serve curry with fresh coriander, chilli and jasmine rice.

Bahn Mi Bowl

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To Make the Pickled Carrots
Whisk the rice vinegar, palm/brown sugar, sesame oil, and salt together. Soak the carrots in the mixture for 1 hr.

To Make the Meatballs
Mix all ingredients together. Roll into small meatballs with your hands.
Heat a little bit of olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the meatballs and fry until golden brown on the outside and fully cooked (not pink) inside.

To Serve
Layer the carrots and meatballs over quinoa, rice, or noodles.
Top with herbs, peanuts, sesame seeds, and/or spicy mayo. Sliced avocado is a nice addition.

Tofu Katsu Don

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To Cook
Cut the tofu into 4 large square steaks, place into a shallow dish, cover with 4 tbsp of soy and set aside.
Using a saucepan, bring vegetable oil to medium heat, then add in onions, cooking for 4-5 mins. Add in water, ginger, mirin, rice wine vinegar and soy. Bring to boil, then reduce to simmer for 10 mins.
In a container, mix together the water and cornstarch to make a slurry. In a separate container, add the panko crumbs.
Lightly coat a piece of tofu in the cornstarch, then cover in panko crumbs, ensuring the whole piece is coated well. Repeat for each piece of tofu.
In a fry pan, add in 1 cup vegetable oil over a medium heat. Shallow fry the tofu until golden brown (about 2-3 mins each side). Remove from the fry pan and drain on a wire rack.
Place S&B Golden Curry Sauce cubes into the water mixture, stirring constantly for 5 mins whilst the sauce starts to thicken.

To Serve
Divide rice between 4 bowls, sprinkle with furikake, add in curry, tofu, sliced radish and top with finely sliced spring onion.
Enjoy!

Everyday Veggie & Tofu Laksa

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To Cook
Heat oil in a large pot over a medium heat and add the laksa paste. Fry for 3-4 mins or until fragrant and it starts to split.
Add the coconut milk, chicken stock and water and bring to the boil. Then turn down and simmer for 5 mins.
Add the kaffir lime leaves and lime juice to the broth and continue to simmer for 10 mins.
Prepare the noodles according to packet instructions.

To Serve
Divide cooked noodles into 2 large bowls. Add the tofu and vegetables then ladle over the broth. Garnish with spring onions, coriander, bean sprouts and lime.

Tom Kha Gai (Coconut Soup)

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To Cook
Add coconut oil to heated pan. After 30 secs, add red curry paste, chilli and garlic.
Cook on medium heat for approximately 1 min.
Add chicken pieces and cook for approximately 2-3 mins. Chicken should not be fully cooked through.
In a separate saucepan, begin to boil water for the rice.
Add stock, lemongrass, basil, salt, galangal and kaffir lime leaves to soup mixture and bring to the boil. Once boiling, reduce heat and simmer for 10 mins.
Add rice to boiling water and cook for 10 mins or until ready.
After 10 mins, add coconut milk, sugar and fish sauce to soup mix and bring to the boil.
Add mushrooms and capsicum to soup mix and cook on medium heat till mushrooms and capsicum become tender but not soft.

To Serve
Remove rice from heat, strain and distribute 4 even portions.
Remove lemongrass and galangal from Tom Kha Gai Soup and pour over rice portions.
Add spring onions and/or coriander to garnish. Enjoy!

Spicy Thai Fish Soup

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To Prep
In a bowl or tray marinate the fish with the lime juice and salt. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for half an hour.

To Cook
In a large pot or wok bring the fish stock and Valcom Authentic Thai Red Curry Paste to a boil.
Add the lemongrass, sweet potato and the Valcom Kaffir Lime Leaves. Reduce to a simmer for 15 mins.
Add the Chinese broccoli and cook for a further 5 mins.
Add the fish together with the juices from the bowl, the tomatoes, tamarind puree and palm sugar. Simmer for 7-10 mins or until the fish is cooked.

To Serve
Serve garnished with the coriander and lime cheeks. Enjoy!