Asian Inspirations

Discover the authentic in Asian cuisine food

Vegetables

Taro Milk Tea with Pearls

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To Prep
Boil the taro in a small pot of water until the flesh has become soft and tender. Transfer the drained taro cube into a blender along with the milk, water, and sugar, and blend until smooth. Set aside.
To prepare the pearls, in a large pot, boil water and cook the tapioca pearls following packet instructions, or until they become soft and chewy. When they have reached the desired texture, remove them from the pot and drain them, reserving 1 tbsp of the starchy water.
Transfer the drained pearls into a small mixing bowl and add in the brown sugar and the reserved starchy water, and mix until the sugar has dissolved.

To serve
In a tall serving glass, spoon some of the pearls into the bottom of the glass and then pour in some of the taro milk. Serve!

Dim Sims

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To Make the Dough
Add flour and salt into a large bowl and mix well.
In a separate bowl, pour in water and egg, whisk until well combined.
Make a well at the center of the flour, pour in the egg mixture. Knead until smooth and let sit covered for 1 hr. Set aside.

To Make the Filling
Mix all the meat, vegetables and seasonings together in a large bowl. Then use a blender or food processor to combine the ingredients into slightly chunky mixture. Do not over process.

To Make Dim Sim
Roll the dough into a thin sheet and cut into 10cm square skins.
Scoop 2 tbsp of filling and form into a meatball. Repeat for the rest of the fillings.
Place a meatball onto the center of a skin, then pull the 4 corners of the skin to the top center of the meatball. Gently squeeze the dim sim in your hand to form a cylinder shape and for the dough to stick well. Repeat.
Deep fry the dim sim in batches in 180°C hot oil for about 5 mins or until cooked and golden brown. Serve hot.

Hakodate Shio Ramen

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To Prep
Clean the bones by placing them in a large container of water to remove any of the impurities. Set aside for at least 15 minutes but ideally overnight.
Drain the water from the container and give the bones another rinse before transferring them in to another pot of boiling water and letting cook for about 10 minutes.
Drain the water and clean the bones one last time before placing them in to another clean pot with enough boiling water to cover the bones.

To Cook
Add the chicken to the broth and season with 1 tbsp of salt before setting the broth to a simmer and letting cook for another 3 hours.
While the broth cooks, scoop off any scum that begins to appear on the top.
After 3 hours have passed, remove as much fat from the surface of the broth and then strain out the bones.
Return the broth the stove and bring to just under a boil. Check for seasoning and adjust if necessary.

To Serve
Prepare the ramen noodles according to the packet.
Divide the topping ingredients into equal portions of servings. Place the cooked noodles into a bowl and ladle some broth over the noodles. Add the toppings on the noodles and serve immediately.

Cold Ramen (Hiyashi Chuka)

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To Make Omelette
Mix the sugar and the egg in a small mixing bowl until they are well incorporated.
In a small frying pan, add one teaspoon of canola oil and heat it over a medium heat. When the oil has wormed up, pour the egg in to the pan and swirl slightly to form a thin layer.
When the egg has begun to set, flip it over and cook the other side. When the other side begins to color, transfer the egg on to another work surface and roll. Allow the egg to cool.
When the egg has cooled, cut in to thin strips and then set them aside.

To Cook
Combine all of the sauce ingredients to a mixing bowl and mix until the sugar has dissolved.
Cook the noodles in boiling water as long as instructed to on the packet.

To Serve
Divide the topping ingredients into equal portions of servings. Place the noodles into a bowl and surround the top with the toppings. Pour the sauce over the dish or serve with the sauce alongside it.

Pad Thai

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To Prep
In a wok, combine the sauce ingredients and stir fry until fragrant and the palm sugar has dissolved. Check for seasoning and adjust by adding more tamarind or palm sugar.
Remove the sauce and allow to cool down.
Boil the rice noodles until they are a little under cooked before draining the water and shocking the noodles in cold water. Set aside.

To Cook
In a wok, add 2 tbsp of vegetable oil and stir fry the chicken strip and prawns for about 2 mins before removing from the wok and setting aside.
Add another tablespoon of vegetable oil and cook the onions for about 1 minute before adding in the garlic.
Add in the noodles and another tablespoon of vegetable oil and continue to cook for another 2 mins before adding in 3 to 4 tbsps of the sauce.
Cook for another minute before returning in the chicken and prawns and frying for few mins. Push all of the ingredients in the wok to one side and then place some vegetable oil in to the gap before cracking in a egg.
Scramble the egg and continue to cook it for a few seconds before mixing it in with the rest of the other ingredients.
Add in half of the bean sprouts and carrots, as well as the green onions and continue to fry for another minute.
Test that the noodles are the right consistency before taking off of the heat.

To Serve
Plate the cooked Pad Thai and garnish with lime wedges, crushed peanuts, chilli flakes and more bean sprouts and carrots if need be.

Easy Chicken & Corn Soup

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To Prep
Bring a pot of water to a boil and season with salt and pepper before placing the chicken breast in to poach.
After about 15 mins, remove the chicken breast from the pot and set aside to cool.

To Cook
In a large saucepan, combine the chicken stock and the corn and bring to a boil. Shred the chicken and add that into the pot as well. Season with salt and pepper again.
In a small bowl, mix the eggs until they are well incorporated. Mix the soup and slowly pour the eggs in a thin stream to make the egg ribbons.
When the soup is simmering and the egg ribbons have cooked, you can thicken the soup by mixing ½ tbsp water and 1 tsp cornstarch and then adding them in to the soup.

To Serve
Remove the soup from the heat and ladle servings in to small bowls.

Spicy Thai Drunken Noodles with Prawn

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To Prep
Mix all the sauce ingredients in a small bowl, then set aside.
Add garlic, bird’s eye chillies and large chillies into a mortar and crush them with the pestle to break them into small pieces.

To Cook
Heat a wok or large frying pan over high heat. Add 1½ tbsp of vegetable oil. Once the oil has heated up, add the crushed garlic and chilli into the wok. Stir and cook them until fragrant.
Add the prawns into the wok and cook them until they turn light pink, then add bamboo shoots and snake beans and stir for a few secs.
Add mushrooms, cut cherry tomatoes and spaghetti into the wok. Add the sauce and gently stir and cook for a few mins until the ingredients are cooked through.
Add fresh basil and green young peppercorns, then remove from heat. Stir all the ingredients and then place onto the serving plates.
Enjoy!

5 Ingredient Poke Bowl

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To Prep
In a zip-lock bag, combine the salmon cubes and sesame soy dressing together and let marinate for about 20 mins.

To Assemble
In a bowl, spoon in some of the rice and then arrange the avo, edamame and marinated salmon on top of the rice.
Serve with a drizzle of sesame soy dressing.

Salmon Poke Bowl

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To Prep
In a zip-lock bag, combine the salmon cubes and sesame soy dressing together and let marinate for about 20 mins.

To Make
In a bowl, spoon in some of the rice and then arrange the vegetables on top.
Top with the marinated salmon, garnish with sesame seeds and serve!

Thai Laksa

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To Cook Laksa
In a sauce pan, add VALCOM Thai Style Laksa Paste, TCC Premium Coconut Milk and water. Bring to boil and turn off heat.
Place the cooked noodle into two serving bowls, and bean sprouts on top.
Ladle some soup into the bowl of noodles.
Garnish with the rest of the ingredients. Place preferred size of pork belly on top.

Soupless Ramen (Abura Soba)

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To Prep
Combine the soy sauce, sake, mirin and sugar together and mix till the sugar has dissolved.

To Cook
In a pot, combine the soy mixture with remaining ingredients and bring to a boil. Reduce the sauce to a simmer and continue to cook for another 10 minutes.
After 10 minutes, strain the mixture and set aside.

To Serve
In a serving bowl, add 1 tbsp of the sauce along with 1 tbsp of pork fat.
Cook the noodles and place them in to a bowl. Divide the topping ingredients into equal portions of servings. Add onto the noodles, garnish with green onions and shredded nori, and serve! Don’t forget to mix the all of the ingredients before you eat!

Salmon Red Curry

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To Cook
Place the salmon on the cutting board, skin side down. Firmly hold one end of the skin, and cut between the flesh and the skin (cutting as close to the skin as possible). Sprinkle salt on both sides of the skin, set aside. Cut the salmon to 2cm slices.
Heat 1 tbsp of oil in a skillet over low heat. Place in salmon skin and fry until brown and crispy. Set aside.
In a sauce pan, add in juice, TCC Premium Coconut Milk and Valcom Red Curry Paste and bring to the boil.
Add eggplants and reduce heat to simmer for 3-5 mins until eggplants are tender.
Add salmon and lychees and bring to boil. Turn off heat and rest for 5 mins.
Garnish, place salmon skin on top and serve hot.