Asian Inspirations

Discover the authentic in Asian cuisine food

Vegetables

Grandma’s Banh Xeo

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To Prep
Scoop the coconut cream from the top of the can of coconut milk. You can discard the water or reserve it.
Add the rice flour, coconut milk cream, salt and 750ml water into a large mixing bowl. Whisk gently to combine.
Add turmeric, beer and spring onion. You may need to add more water to create a loose batter.
Allow to sit for 30-60 mins.
Add split mung beans into a saucepan. Add 1 cup of water and bring to the boil. Cook and continue slowly adding more water until mung beans are soft. Cover with cling wrap and set aside.
In a bowl, add shredded daikon and carrot. Cover with salt and mix through. Allow to sit for 15 mins. Squeeze out liquid and rinse under water.
Add daikon and carrot into a bowl. Pour in enough vinegar to submerge the vegetables. Add in sugar and salt, and stir to dissolve. Allow to sit for 20 mins.
Combine nuoc cham sauce ingredients in a bowl. Stir to dissolve sugar, then add pickled daikon and carrot. Stir through, cover with cling wrap and set aside.

To Cook
In a pan, heat 1 tbsp oil over medium-high heat. Add chicken mince and stir fry for 1 min. Add onion and stir fry until chicken mince is cooked and onion has softened. Stir through fish sauce, salt, sugar and pepper. Set aside.
Heat a seasoned wok or non-stick pan over high heat.
If using a wok, add 2 tbsp oil and rotate wok to coat sides with oil. If using a non-stick pan, use 1 tsp oil.
Stir batter and add approx. 1 cup of mixture into the wok or pan.
Quickly tilt the wok or pan and move in a circular motion to allow the batter to coat the surface.
Scatter a few prawns over the pancake, followed by some pork belly slices, 1-2 tbsp chicken mince, 1-2 tbsp mung bean, onion and bean sprouts.
Once edges have become golden brown and pull away from the side of the wok/pan, carefully fold in half using a spatula and your hands.
Slide onto a plate and serve immediately with nuoc cham sauce, cucumber, mint and lettuce.
Repeat with remaining ingredients until finished.

Temari Sushi

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To Make Sushi Rice
In a bowl, combine rice vinegar, sugar, and salt and mix well.
Pour into hot cooked rice and mix until well combined.
Roll the rice into rice balls.

To Make Temari Sushi
On a clean working bench, lay a sheet of plastic wrap and place the topping ingredient at the center. Dap a little wasabi on the sashimi, then place a rice ball on top.
Wrap the plastic firmly to form a ball shape. Repeat for the remaining toppings and rice balls.
Garnish the temari sushi with edible flowers or other seasonings to add more depth to the flavours. Serve with wasabi and soy sauce.

Balinese Tomato Chicken

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To Prep
Blend all spice paste ingredients.

To Cook
Heat pan over medium heat and stir-fry the paste until fragrant and the oil splits from the paste, about 5 mins.
Add tomatoes, ABC Sweet Soy Sauce Kecap Manis and tomato sauce, cook until the tomatoes break down to form a sauce.
Add chicken and simmer until cooked. Season with salt and stir in coriander stems.
Garnish with coriander leaves. Serve with steamed rice.

Vegan Spinach Dumplings

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To Make the Dough
Blend the spinach and water until smooth. Add more water if needed. Set aside ¼ cup of liquid.
Combine the flour and salt together in a large mixing bowl. Form a well in the middle.
Pour in reserved spinach puree and ¼ cup of boiling water. Mix in with a wooden spoon. Add remaining water.
Knead to form a ball. If too wet, add some more flour. Add more water if dough is too dry. Dough should be a soft texture.
Turn out dough onto a lightly floured surface. Knead for 2 mins until dough is smooth and slightly elastic.
Wrap dough tightly in cling wrap and allow to rest for 2 hrs at room temperature.

To Make the Filling
Place spinach in a microwave safe bowl and microwave for 2 mins, or until wilted.
Place wilted spinach in a sieve and press to drain liquid, and then finely chop.
Combine spinach with remaining filling ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Season with salt and pepper, then cover with cling wrap and set aside.

To Make Dumplings
On a lightly floured work surface, divide dough into four equal-sized pieces. Cover 3 with cling wrap or a wet tea towel.
Roll out dough until 2 mm thick.
Use a round pastry cutter, egg ring or glass to cut out circles of dough about 9-10 cm in diameter.
Add a heaped teaspoon worth of filling into the middle of a pastry circle. Wet the rim, then fold the dumpling, pleating on one side while squeezing to seal the top.
Repeat with remaining dough and filling.
In a pan, heat some oil over medium heat. Add dumplings and pan fry until bottoms are lightly browned.
Slowly pour in ½ water and cover with a lid. Cook for 5 mins.
Remove lid and continue to cook until water has evaporated and bottoms are golden brown.
Repeat with remaining dumplings.
Serve dumplings with sauce of your choice.

Baked Sweet Potato Chips

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To Prep
Preheat oven to 120°C. Line a baking sheet with baking paper.

To Cook
In a large bowl, add sliced sweet potatoes. Drizzle over oil and coat evenly.
Place on prepared baking sheet in a single layer. Sprinkle over with sea salt.
Bake for 2-2½ hours, flipping chips over every 30 mins, or until crispy.
Remove from oven and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Season with more sea salt and serve.

Crispy Pork Sandwich (Katsu Sando)

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To Prep
Preheat oven to 200°C. Line a baking tray with baking paper.
Place the pork chops between two sheets of cling wrap. Pound the meat using a meat mallet or the back of a knife until about 1.5-2 cm thick. Season with salt and pepper, and then set aside.

To Cook
Heat oil in a pan over medium heat. Add panko breadcumbs and toast until golden brown. Transfer to a plate or tray.
Add flour onto a separate dish.
Crack eggs into a bowl and whisk well.
Coat pork in flour, shaking off any excess. Dip in egg and allow excess to drip off. Coat in panko breadcrumbs, and then place onto prepared baking tray.
Bake for 15 mins or until cooked.
Remove from oven and allow to cool on a wire rack.
Spread butter or margarine onto the slices of bread.
Add tonkatsu on top of the bread. Drizzle tonkatsu sauce over the tonkatsu.
Add shredded cabbage on top of the tonkatsu. Place bread on top and slice sandwich in half. If preferred, slice off crusts before serving.

Vegan Mushroom Bulgogi Wraps

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To Prep
In a large bowl, combine the marinade ingredients with the white part of the spring onions.
Add the mushrooms and marinate for 30 mins.
In another large bowl, mix the sliced red cabbage and carrots, and set aside.

To Cook
Warm two tbsp of the sesame oil in a pan and cook the onions until they have started to soften.
Add in the mushrooms and continue to cook for another 10 mins on a low heat.
When the mushrooms are done, transfer them in to the mixing bowl with the red cabbage and carrots and mix.
Serve on top of perilla leaves with gochujang paste, sesame seeds and spring onion greens.

Green Curry with Beef (Gaeng Keo Wan Nua)

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To Cook
In a non-stick pan, stir-fry the beef over medium heat until cooked. Transfer the meat to a saucepan with the 1½ cup of coconut milk, 1½ of water and salt. Bring to the boil over medium heat, then simmer for 15 mins, or until meat is tender.
Heat oil in a wok on low heat. Add Valcom Green Curry Paste and stir-fry until fragrant. Slowly add the remaining coconut milk, stirring until oil appears.
Add the curry mixture to the beef. Increase heat to medium-high, bring to the boil, add fish sauce, sugar, eggplant and Valcom Kaffir Lime Leaves, and simmer until well cooked. Garnish with basil leaves and red chilli, then remove from heat.

Red Pork Curry with Pumpkin (Gang Deang Moo Kab Fakthong)

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To Cook
Heat oil over medium heat, add Valcom Red Curry Paste and stir-fry for 1 min or until oil appears.
Add half of Valcom Premium Coconut Milk and cook for 2 mins, stirring frequently.
Add pumpkin and cook for further 2 mins.
Add pork, the remaining Valcom Premium Coconut Milk, sugar and Squid Brand Fish Sauce and bring to boil, then keep boiling for 5 mins.
Add basil and stir through.
Remove from heat and garnish with coriander.

Balinese Fish with Tamarind Eggplant Sauce

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To Cook
Heat a non-stick pan on medium heat, sear eggplant in a single layer, 3 mins on each side until cooked through. Set aside.
Add 4 tbsp oil and fry shallots, garlic, ginger and lemongrass until caramelised.
Add galangal, chilli and turmeric powder, kaffir lime leaves, ABC Sweet Soy Sauce Kecap Manis, water and tamarind, bring to a boil. Add eggplant and simmer for 5 mins until sauce thickens. Set aside.
Heat another pan with 5 tbsp oil over high heat. Season fish with salt and pepper, pan fry for about 4 mins each side, skin side down first.
To serve, place fish on a plate and pour eggplant sauce over the fish. Serve with steamed rice.

Thai Lettuce Cups (Larb Gai)

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To Prep
Combine the sauce ingredients in a small bowl. Mix well and set aside.

To Cook
In a frying pan, heat cooking oil on medium high. Add in the spices and stir for 1 min or until fragrant.
Add in the chicken mince and stir fry for about 5 mins or until cooked. Remove from heat.
Stir in the prepared sauce mixture with the chicken. Add in the onion, mint and coriander, and stir to combine.
Serve chicken mince in cos lettuce and garnish with chillies, coriander, mint and lime.

Vegetarian Udon Noodle Soup

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To Cook Eggs
Bring water to boil in a pot, place in the eggs and boil for 6 mins. Remove from heat and place in an ice bath. Set aside.

To Cook Noodles
Boil 1.5L of water in a pot, add in miso paste and ginger, and simmer for 5 mins.
Add in the udon noodles and simmer for 2 mins.
Add in the bok choy, then remove pot from heat.
Add in the soy sauce and sesame oil.
Peel eggs, and then slice in half.
To serve, add cooked noodles into 2 bowls and ladle over soup. Top with bok choy, egg, and garnish with spring onions and sesame seeds.