Asian Inspirations

Discover the authentic in Asian cuisine food

Vegetables

Chinese Pumpkin Cakes

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To Prep
Peel the pumpkin and cut into thin pieces. Steam them for 15-20 mins until soft.https://asianinspirations.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Copy-of-CPC-1-1.jpg
Cool and smash with a fork or use a food processor until you get a smooth paste. Set aside.
Divide red bean paste into 12 portions and roll them into balls. Chill them in the refrigerator until required.
Place glutinous rice flour in a medium mixing bowl and add ¾ of the pumpkin paste in.https://asianinspirations.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Copy-of-CPC-2-1.jpg
Mix with chopsticks until a pliable dough forms. Add in more pumpkin paste if dough is too dry. Divide into 12 portions.

To Make
Take one of the pumpkin dough balls and make a well using your thumb. Place a red bean paste ball in and bring the opening together and seal. Roll it between your palms to get a smooth ball.https://asianinspirations.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Copy-of-CPC-4-1.jpg
Then flatten the ball with a rolling pin to about 7-8cm in diameter.
Press both sides onto toasted sesame seeds and set aside while repeating the process with remaining dough balls.https://asianinspirations.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Copy-of-CPC-5-1.jpg
Heat up frying pan with 3-4 tbsp of oil and fry pumpkin cakes in batches until both sides are golden under medium heat. Add oil to frying pan as required.https://asianinspirations.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Copy-of-CPC-6-1.jpg

Vietnamese Pillow Fried Dumplings

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To Make
Sift flours, baking powder, salt, and turmeric powder into a bowl. Add in egg, oil, and water. Mix with a spatula until well combined, then knead by hand a few minutes into a ball. Cover and rest for 1 hour.https://asianinspirations.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC_7548.jpg
Place all the filling ingredients into a mixing bowl except the boiled quail eggs. Mix them up, divide into 12 portions and then wrap each portion around a quail egg and shape into ovals. Set aside.https://asianinspirations.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC_7557.jpg
After resting, knead dough briefly and divide into 12 balls. Cover all the dough balls from drying out.https://asianinspirations.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC_7559-1.jpg
Roll one ball into an oval with a rolling pin, place filling in the centre, and seal edges by pinching and folding.https://asianinspirations.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC_7567-1.jpg
Repeat with remaining dough and filling.https://asianinspirations.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC_7571.jpg
Heat oil in a saucepan or wok to 180°C. Fry dumplings in small batches over medium heat for 5–6 minutes, until golden. Drain on a cooling rack.https://asianinspirations.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC_7577.jpg
Serve with oak lettuce, mint, bean sprouts together with dipping sauce.

Pad Prik Khing with Tofu

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To Make
Slice tofu into 5mm thick rectangular pieces. Cut snake beans into 5cm batons.
Heat up 1-2 tbsp of oil and pan fry tofu slices until golden on both sides. Set aside.https://asianinspirations.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/PPK-1.jpg
Add another 1-2 tbsp of oil and sear the snake beans until blistered. Set aside.https://asianinspirations.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/PPK-2.jpg
In a wok, heat up 1 tbsp of oil and fry the red curry paste for 30 secs.https://asianinspirations.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/PPK-3.jpg
Toss in tofu and snake beans, along with palm sugar and soy sauce. Stir until well coated with curry paste.https://asianinspirations.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/PPK-4.jpg
Dish up and garnish with kaffir lime leaf and chillies.

Korean Tofu Vegetable Pancakes

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To Make
Mix all ingredients together except red chilli in a medium mixing bowl.https://asianinspirations.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/KTVP-1-2.png
Divide into 8-10 equal portions, shape into balls and flatten into round discs, then press a slice of red chilli on the top.https://asianinspirations.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/KTVP-2.png
Heat up a frying pan with 2-3 tbsp of oil and fry the chilli side first for 3-4 mins or until golden.https://asianinspirations.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/KTVP-3.png
Flip over and do the same. Repeat with the rest.https://asianinspirations.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/KTVP-4.png

Japanese Mixed Rice in Rice Cooker (Takikomi Gohan)

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To Prepare
Wash short grain rice and let it soak for 15-20 mins. Drain away soaking water and place rice inside rice cooker.https://asianinspirations.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/JMR-2.png
Heat up some water in a saucepan and blanch konjac for 2-3 mins. Remove from saucepan and let it cool and julienne. Set aside.
In the same saucepan, blanch aburaage for 30 secs. Remove and let cool. Cut half length wise and cut into thin strips. Set aside.

To Make
Pour dashi into rice, add light soy sauce and mirin. Mix well.
Layer ingredients in this order: chicken pieces, mushrooms, konjac, mushrooms and aburaage. Do not mix them up.https://asianinspirations.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/JMR-3-1.png
Cover and start cooking process.
Once done, let rice steam for 10 mins. Give it a good stir.https://asianinspirations.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/JMR-4.png
Serve hot with some chopped spring onions.

Thai Corn Fritters

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To Make
Mix corn, egg, red curry pastes and baking powder well.
Add all flour, sugar, salt and lime leaf. Then mix until all ingredients are combined.
Adjust the consistency by slowly adding in water.
Heat oil to medium-high heat.
Use a spoon to take the mixture then deep fry until crispy.
Serve with ABC Original Chilli Sauce.

Crispy Tempeh Kecap

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To Prep
Pound all the spice paste ingredients until you get a smooth paste.
Heat up wok with enough oil. Once ready, deep fry the tempeh cubes until golden brown. Do this in two batches. Strain oil and cool them on paper towel to absorb excess oil.
Remove excess oil from wok and leave around 2 tbsp.

To Make
Sauté the pounded spice paste together with lemongrass until fragrant.
Toss in the chillies and tempeh. Stir-fry for 3 mins.
Add in ABC Sweet Soy Sauce (Kecap Manis), stir in well for 30 secs then add water. Stir until tempeh is well coated.
Switch off heat and serve hot.

Korean Vegetable Pancake (Yachae Hotteok)

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To Prep
Mix 150ml warm water with instant yeast and let it bloom for 15 mins.https://asianinspirations.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/YH-1-1.jpg
Prepare the rest of the dough’s dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Pour yeast water over and mix with a spatula.
Add in oil and the rest of the water and bring mixture to a dough. Turn onto a flat surface and knead for 2-3 mins until dough is slightly smooth.https://asianinspirations.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/YH-4-1.jpg
Return to mixing bowl, cover and let it rise until double (around 1-2 hours).
While dough is proofing, prepare the filling. Mix cabbage with ½ tsp of salt to draw out moisture. Do the same with carrot. Squeeze out as much liquid as possible. Set aside.
Soak potato starch noodles for 10 mins. Cut into 5cm length. Blanch in boiling water for 1 min. Remove and dunk into cold water. Drain and set aside.https://asianinspirations.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/YH-6-1.jpg
Heat up frying pan with 1 tbsp oil and sauté shiitake mushrooms until soft and wilted. Remove into a large mixing bowl.https://asianinspirations.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/YH-7-1.jpg
In the same pan, sauté carrot for 2-3mins and add into the large mixing bowl.
Continue the same steps with onion and cabbage.https://asianinspirations.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/YH-9-1.jpg
Add in the chives and sweet potato noodles onto the bowl of sautéed vegetables and pour in the the sauce and mix them together.https://asianinspirations.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/YH-12-1.jpg
Punch down the air of the dough and knead for another min. Let it rest for 15 mins. Divide into 10 equal portions.https://asianinspirations.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/YH-13-1.jpg

To Make
Take one dough ball and flatten with a rolling pin into a large disc (around 14cm diameter) leaving the centre thicker.
Place 1/3 cup of the filling in the centre. Bring the side together and seal completely. Turn it over on a tray and complete the rest of dough balls.https://asianinspirations.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/YH-14-1.jpg
Brush oil all around the filled dough and let them sit for a few mins in the oil.https://asianinspirations.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/YH-16-1.jpg
Heat frying pan with 2-3 tbsp of oil and fry hotteok seam side down first.https://asianinspirations.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/YH-17-1.jpg
Press them as flat as you can and fry until golden brown on both sides. Fry them in batches.
Serve warm.https://asianinspirations.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/YH-25-1.jpg

Sake & Soy Marinated Tofu Karaage Bowl

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To Make
Prepare the tofu: Place the tofu on a fine wire rack set over a tray. Cover it with baking paper and a heavy weight (like a cast iron skillet) to press out excess liquid. Let it rest for 1 hour.
Make the marinade: Mix the sake, 1½ tablespoons of Lee Kum Kee Premium Dark Soy Sauce, ginger, and garlic in a bowl. Tear the tofu into chunks, avoiding flat edges to help the marinade absorb better. Gently toss the tofu in the marinade until evenly coated. Let it marinate for at least 30 minutes.
Make the sauce: Combine 2 tablespoons of Lee Kum Kee Premium Dark Soy Sauce with sesame oil in a small bowl. Set aside.
Cook the tofu (first fry): Heat 4 cm of oil in a deep fryer or pot to 170°C. Coat each piece of marinated tofu in potato starch, shaking off the excess. Fry immediately, turning the pieces to brown evenly. Cook for 5 minutes, or until light brown, then transfer to paper towels to drain.
Cook the tofu (second fry): Increase the oil temperature to 180°C. Fry the tofu again for 4 minutes, or until golden brown. Transfer to paper towels to drain.
Assemble the bowls: Divide the cooked rice between two bowls. Top with rocket, carrot, cucumber, spring onion, and the karaage (fried tofu). Sprinkle with sesame seeds and chilli threads (optional). Serve with lemon wedges and the prepared sauce on the side. Add the sauce just before eating.

ABC Sweet Soy Sauce Grilled Vegetables

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To Make
Preheat a grill pan or BBQ over medium-high heat.
In a bowl, toss the vegetables with oil, ABC Sweet Soy Sauce, garlic, salt, and pepper.
Grill vegetables and lemon halves for 3-7 minutes each side, depending on the thickness, until tender and slightly charred.
Serve as a side dish or over rice with fresh lime, mint and a dipping bowl of ABC Sweet Soy Sauce.

ABC Sweet Soy Sauce Chicken and Veggie Fried Rice Balls

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To Make
Heat frying pan over medium heat, and cook the diced bacon until it’s starting to crisp. Toss through the prawn meat to cook then remove all from the pan and set aside.
Leave residual bacon oil in the pan and cook chicken breast pieces on each side for 4-6 minutes or until starting to brown and cook through. Set aside to cool then dice or shred.
In a mixing bowl, combine rice, bacon and prawn meat, chicken, peas, corn, carrot, salt and pepper and ABC Sweet Soy Sauce. Mix well.
Add the beaten egg and flour, mixing to bind the ingredients.
Roll 1 heaped tablespoon of the mixture, compressing them tightly together between your hands to form a round golf ball size.
Adjust the air fryer to 200°C and pre-heat for 3 minutes. Arrange balls in a single layer and cook for 6-7 minutes until just starting to colour.
Serve with ABC Original Chilli Sauce for dipping if desired.

Mie Goreng (Indonesian Fried Noodles)

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To Make
Cook noodles according to package instructions. Drain and set aside.
Mix together the ABC Sweet Soy Sauce, soy sauce, oyster sauce, sugar, chilli sauce (if using), sesame oil and white pepper in a small bowl. Set aside.
Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large frying pan over medium heat.
Gently crack the egg into the pan. For sunny side up, cook eggs for 2 minutes until the egg whites start to blister (flip carefully for ‘eggs over easy’). Set aside.
Heat remaining oil in a large pan or wok over medium-high heat. Add the chicken pieces and cook on both sides until slices have turned white.
Add prawns, shallots and garlic, stir-frying for 1-2 minutes until fragrant. Add the carrots and cabbage, cooking until vegetables are tender, about 2 minutes.
Add the cooked noodles to the pan, along with the sauce mix. Toss everything together until the noodles are evenly coated and heated through.
Garnish with spring onions, fried shallots and fried egg. Serve immediately.