To Prep
To make the salmon marinade, stir together the miso, vinegar, sugar and sake. Cover the salmon fillets with the marinade. Place in the fridge for at least 30 mins or better still overnight.
To make the coleslaw, place the mayonnaise, vinegar, soy sauce, sesame oil, sugar and salt in a bowl and stir to combine. Add to the cabbage and snow peas. Sprinkle with sesame seeds. Set aside.
Heat a large steamer over a medium-high heat. Steam the buns for 5 mins or until heated through (this can be done in batches according to the size of the steamer).
While buns are steaming, heat a charcoal grill, BBQ hot plate or frying pan. Lift salmon out of marinade and grill over medium heat for 3-5 mins on each side or until the fish flakes easily and is cooked through. Transfer to a plate and cover with foil.
To assemble, place a portion of grilled miso salmon in a bao bun, top with coleslaw, garnish with nori, spring onions, cucumber and chilli. Eat while hot.
Vegetables
Fragrant BBQ Fish
Vietnamese Slaw
In a bowl, combine the wombok, spring onions and carrots, roughly mix together.
Add in the Thai basil, coriander and chilli, lightly mix.
In a small bowl, combine the rice wine vinegar, lime juice, fish sauce, sugar, ginger and garlic, stir thoroughly until the sugar has dissolved.
Pour dressing over salad, ensuring all salad components are covered in dressing. Top salad with the roasted peanuts. Put into the fridge to chill whilst making the fish parcels.
Fish parcels
Using a large bowl, combine the lemongrass, shallots, turmeric, garlic, pepper and salt, mix well. Then add in the soy sauce and rice wine vinegar, mix again to combine.
Heat the BBQ to medium heat. Place banana leaf onto the bbq to soften (about 15-20 secs). Remove banana leaf from heat.
Lay out banana leaf, then place a piece of fish in the middle along with half of the lemongrass mixture. Fold the banana leaf over the fish covering all sides and secure with toothpicks to ensure it remains closed while cooking.
Place banana leaf parcel onto the grill at medium heat, close lid and cook for 8-10 mins.
Remove parcel from the grill and let it rest for 1 minute.
Serve the fish parcels with the fresh Vietnamese slaw.
Chicken Red Curry
To Cook
Heat up cooking oil in a pan on high and add half a jar of Valcom Red Curry Paste. Keep stirring for 2 mins until fragrant.
Add one can of coconut milk and mix in with the paste.
Once hot, add the chicken thighs and let simmer for 5 mins.
Add the other can of coconut milk.
Get the broccoli and beans and add to the mix. Let it simmer under a lid for another 5 mins, or until the chicken is cooked.
When ready, remove from heat and serve on top of rice. Add sugar snaps, chilli, lime, coriander and fried shallots to garnish.
Noodle with Meatball (Mie Bakso)
Handmade meatball recipe
Finely chop all the garlic and put it in a big bowl, mixing it together with the mince, tapioca flour, baking powder, 1 egg white, salt, sugar and white pepper.
Using your hands and gloves, mix it properly for 3-5 mins.
Boil 2 eggs until well-cooked, peel the skin off and leave it cold. Wrap it with batter/mix.
Make small/medium round meatballs with the batter until it’s all used up.
Boil the meatballs in a pot of boiling water for 5 mins. You can use this boiling water for the soup base or, use bones to boil a soup base.
Method for Noodle Soup
Boil the egg noodles and vermicelli for 3 mins in boiling water.
Put 1 tsp fish sauce, 1 tsp of soy sauce in the bowl with egg noodle and vermicelli then pour in the soup base (adjust to your taste – add more or less fish sauce and soy sauce or, maybe a bit of vinegar)
Note
You might put additional ABC Sweet Soy Sauce and Sambal Bakso for extra sweetness and spiciness. You can also add bok choy, coriander or pork crackling to your bakso.
Pumpkin and Chickpea Curry
To Cook
Prep all vegetables.
In a heated pan, add coconut oil and fry garlic, onion and shallots.
Add the curry powder, tomatoes, coconut milk and bay leaves – bring to a boil.
Add the pumpkin and chickpeas – reduce to a low heat and cover with a lid for 20-30 mins.
Serve with white rice and some fresh coriander for presentation.
Harajuku Brunch Bowl
To Cook
Place the egg in a small saucepan of hot water. Bring to the boil and simmer for 4 mins. Then using a slotted spoon, remove the egg from the water and place in a bowl of iced water to cool. Once cooled, peel and slice in half.
Add the soba noodles to the simmering water. Simmer for 4 mins, then refresh under cold water.
Chop the broccoli into small florets. Spiralise the zucchini and slice the radish into thin discs.
Refill the saucepan with water, bring to a boil, then cook the broccoli for 2-3 mins until bright green and tender. Add the peas to the saucepan during the last minute to cook through. Drain and refresh under cold water.
Chop the avocado in half and scoop out the flesh. Paint half the cut side of avocado in Kewpie Mayonnaise. Combine the seeds in a small dish and press the cut side of the avocado into the seeds so they adhere to the mayonnaise.
To make the dressing, combine all the ingredients in a small glass and whisk to combine.
Combine the noodles and zucchini, then arrange all the ingredients into a bowl. Scatter with micro herbs and serve with the dressing on the side.
Beef Pad See Ew
To Prep
Peel, then mince 2 cloves of garlic. Slice the beef into small bite sized pieces and slice the broccoli into small strips
To Cook
Heat the wok on medium heat and add the peanut oil. Wait until the oil is hot and then fry the garlic for about 10 sec, making sure it sizzles in the hot oil.
Add the chopped beef to the wok and stir fry until browned and almost cooked through.
Turn down the heat and toss in the rice noodles, the Chinese broccoli, the carrot, the light soy sauce, the dark soy sauce and the sugar.
Cook the noodles for 1-2 mins folding them gently.
After the noodles are well mixed, move them to one side of the wok and proceed to crack an egg into the empty side. Crank up the heat and scramble the egg.
Fold the noodles onto the egg and cook for thirty more seconds then turn off the heat and serve it out!
Pomelo, Prawn & Green Mango Salad Bowl
To Cook
Marinate prawns in mixture for 1 hour.
Assemble salad in 4 bowls and stir through salad dressing.
Stir fry prawns for 2-3 mins in batches in a hot wok with peanut oil. Place on top of each bowl.
Garnish with some toasted coconut flakes, sliced red chilli (optional) and remaining mixed herbs.
Enjoy with cold beer!
Cantonese Stir-fry Chicken
To Cook
Heat oil in a wok on high heat, add chicken and stir-fry until cooked through for 3-4 mins.
Add vegetables and sauce to pan and stir-fry until sauce thickens for 1-2 mins.
Garnish with sesame seeds, green onions and serve with steamed jasmine rice.
Kindai Ramen Noodle Soup
To Cook
Mix stock, garlic, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, ginger, 5 spice, chilli powder and 300 ml water in large saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 5 mins. Taste the stock, adding soy or sugar to your preference.
Put 500ml water in a pot and bring to a boil. Put noodles in and boil for 2.5 mins until ready.
Drain noodles and divide into bowls. Share spinach and pork equally between bowls.
Strain stock into a clean pan then bring to a boil once more. Take the pan off boil and divide between bowls.
Place nori sheet behind pork and add spring onion to bowl once the spinach has wilted. Serve.
Mini Cantonese Stuffed Tofu Tagine
To Cook
Soak the shiitake mushroom in hot water for 20 mins until the mushrooms have softened and finely chop. Keep the water for making the sauce.
Meanwhile, cut the tofu into 8 squares, and use a measuring spoon to make a deep hole in the center.
For the stuffing, mix together the pork mince, mushroom, spring onion, garlic and ½ tbsp potato starch, a little salt and white pepper for taste.
Use the teaspoon to fill up the tofu with stuffing, heat up the oil in the fry pan with medium high heat.
Put the stuffed tofu into the fry pan , cook until golden brown, arrange them in the tagine.
For making the sauce, mix the hoisin sauce, soy sauce, cooking sake and the mushroom water together. Pour the sauce mix into tagine, cover with lid, cook with low heat for 15 mins.
Mix ½ tbsp potato starch with 1 tbsp cold water, pour over the tofu, cover with the lid and cook for a few more minutes until the sauce has thickened.
Garnish with chilli, spring onion and broccoli just before serving.
Malaysian Bak Kut Teh Herbal Soup
To Cook
Prepare a pot of boiling water and blanch the pork belly and pork ribs for 5 minutes. Remove pork and discard the water.
Fill pot with 2.5lt water, allow it to boil over high heat. Add whole garlic and 2 inner sachets of store bought Bak Kut Teh prepacked herbs. Bring to boil on high heat for 10 minutes.
Once boiled, add in pre blanched pork belly and pork ribs, soy sauce, Malaysian thick caramel soy sauce and let it boil on high heat for a further 10 minutes. Turn the heat down to low and allow to simmer for at least 1 hour. Taste test and add salt to your liking.
Add in any of the following optional ingredients – enoki mushrooms, fried beancurd sheets, beancurd puffs and shiitake mushrooms into the pot. Let it boil for another 5-10 mins.
Scoop Bak Kut Teh soup into a serving bowl, along with a few pieces of each ingredient. Top with some cos lettuce pieces and coriander and it is ready to be served with a bowl of steamed rice.
Bak Kut Teh is typically served with a side of Chinese doughnuts that are cut up. The Chinese doughnuts are then dipped into the piping hot soup for a couple of seconds and then consumed immediately. Chopped fresh garlic and sliced red chillies are also served in a small saucer with some thick caramel soy sauce and soy sauce.