Asian Inspirations

Discover the authentic in Asian cuisine food

Dessert

Pineapple Roll

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To Prep the Filling
Cut fresh pineapples into small cubes and process in a food processor briefly before mixing in sugar, salt and cinnamon.
Transfer into a pan and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally for about 30 mins or until pineapple jam is stick and can easily be rolled into a ball. Set aside to cool. Always keep an eye on the pineapple jam as it burns easily especially when it thickens and caramelises.
When jam is cool to touch, use 2 teaspoons to divide into portions of 6g each and roll into oblong-shaped balls. Set aside.

Note: Making the jam does require some amount of patience. As it can be refrigerated for several months, you can make the pineapple jam ahead of time and make a couple of batches of cookies. Alternatively, you can check your nearest Asian grocer for pre-made pineapple jam.

To Prep the Dough
Combine butter and icing sugar, beat over medium speed until light and fluffy.
Then, add in egg and whisk until well blended for about 1-2 min on medium speed before mixing in all dry ingredients.
When dough is formed, cover and keep refrigerated for 1 hr.
Place small piece of dough into a mould, press into strips with pattern side down, about 5-6cm long each. Place pineapple filling in on end of the dough and roll to enclose.
Brush with egg wash and bake in a preheated oven for 20 min at 180℃ or until golden brown.

Cashew Nut Cookies

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To Cook
Combine butter, icing sugar, egg yolk and vanilla extract.
Mix in plain flour, ground cashew nut, custard powder and baking powder to form dough.
Place dough in between 2 plastic sheets, roll into 5mm thick. Cut using a cookie cutter.
Place onto a baking tray lined with baking paper. Press half or whole cashew nut on top of the cookies and glaze with beaten egg yolk.
Bake in a preheated oven at 170°C for about 20-30 mins or until golden brown.
Cool cookies on rack before storing them into an airtight container.

Cornflake Cookies

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To Prep
Preheat oven to 170°C.
Using a mixer, cream butter, sugar and essence until the mixture turn light and fluffy.
Beat in egg yolk and lemon rind. Then, use a spatula to fold in sifted flour. Mix well.
Put mixture into the refrigerator to chill for 30 mins until it turns slightly firm.
Drop teaspoonfuls (approx. 5-10g) of mixture onto the crushed cornflakes, and some cornflakes into the cookie dough.

To Cook
Shape into balls and place on lightly-greased baking trays. Bake in preheated oven at 170°C for 15-20 mins or until lightly golden in colour. Cool on wire racks before storing in airtight containers.

Steamed Chinese Lunar New Year Cake with Coconut (Steamed Nian Gao Balls with Coconut)

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To Cook
Place sugar, palm sugar, knotted pandan leaves and water in a pot and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally.
Remove pandan leaves, strain and set aside to cool.
Combine grated white coconut, palm sugar flavoured grated coconut and salt in a shallow bowl. Set aside.
Cut hardened nian gao into thin slices and place on a large, heat-proof plate lined with oiled banana leaf.
Prepare steamer and bring water to boil. Place the plate of sliced nian gao into the steamer. Cover with lid and steam on medium heat for 10 mins.
Remove the soft and melted nian gao from steamer. Using two teaspoons, roll the nian gao piece by piece in the coconut mixture while shaping it to form a ball. To evenly coat the nian gao.
Place the coconut coated nian gao into the prepared casing and serve warm.

Nian Gao Baked Puff Pastry

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To Cook
Preheat oven to 180°C. Roll out the puff pastry until thin.
Lay and space out the strips of Nian Gao on the pastry sheet before cutting it up into rectangles.
Tip: Wet your fingers slightly if the Nian Gao becomes a bit too sticky and difficult to handle.
Place nuts on top of the strip of Nian Gao.
Fold the sides and enclose filling into a little roll.
Brush egg wash or melted butter on surface and sprinkle sesame seeds on top.
Bake in oven for 15 mins or until golden brown.

Korean Sweet Rice Cakes (Gyeongdan)

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To Prepare the Red Bean Paste
Strain the soaked azuki beans and rinse under water.
Add them into a pot with 6 cups water and bring to the boil over high heat, then cook for 10 mins. Reduce to medium-low and simmer for 50 mins.
Taste to check if the beans are fully cooked through. Remove any excess water, then use a wooden spoon or potato masher to mash the beans to the desired texture.
Add salt, brown sugar and ground cinnamon, and mix through thoroughly, adjusting to taste.
Cover and set aside.

To Prepare the Black Sesame Powder
Toast the black sesame seeds in a dry pan over medium heat, stirring with a wooden spoon.
Once the seeds begin to pop and smell fragrant, lower the heat and continue to cook for 5-10 mins or until crispy. Remove from the pan and allow to cool.
Once cooled, grind using a coffee grinder or in a mortar and pestle.
Add the ground sesame seeds into a bowl, and combine with the sugar and salt. Set aside.

To Prepare Roasted Soybean Powder
Combine the roasted soybean powder, sugar and salt together in a bowl. Set aside.

To Prepare Mugwort Powder
Combine the mugwort powder, sugar and salt together in a bowl. Set aside.

To Make the Dough
In a large bowl, whisk together the sweet rice flour, caster sugar and salt.
Slowly pour in the boiling water while incorporating with a wooden spoon.
Once water has all been added, mix the dough by hand. Add some more plain flour if the dough feels too wet.
Cover the dough with a damp tea towel and set aside.

To Make the Gyeongdan
Bring a pot of water to the boil. Fill a large bowl with cold water.
Sprinkle some plain flour on a cleaning working surface.
Divide the dough into 3, then roll into cylinders. Cut each cylinder into 20 pieces. Cover with a damp tea towel with you work.
Roll each piece of dough into a ball, then use your thumbs to make a hole in the middle of the ball. Place a ball of bean paste in the middle. Close it tightly and place it on a plate, covering with a damp tea towel.
Carefully lower the rice balls into the boiling water. Cook until they float, about 3-5 mins.
Use a slotted spoon or a spider to remove them from the boiling water and place into the cold water.
Drain, then roll the cooked rice balls in the black sesame, mugwort and roasted soy bean powder.

Dragon Cookies (Loong Peng)

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To Prep
Preheat oven to 160°C. The oven should be ready when you’re done with your first tray of cookies.
In a mixing bowl, add margarine, icing sugar, egg yolks, egg white, vanilla essence, and beat until creamy.
Then, gently fold in cornflour, milk powder and plain flour until just combined.
Fill batter into piping mould and press out ‘S’ patterns on a baking tray lined with baking paper.
Using a toothpick/skewer, dip the tip into some red food colouring and dab two “eyes” onto the dragons.

To Cook
Bake at 160°C for 15 minutes. Keep an eye on the cookies to make sure they don’t brown and are slightly soft when removed from the oven. Transfer cookies to wire rack to cool.
Store cookies in an airtight container. They should last up to 2-3 weeks.
Tip:
If you take a longer time to pipe the “dragons”, cover the batter with a damp cloth to keep it from drying up and hardening. If the batter hardens, add a little water.

Chinese Lunar New Year Cake (Nian Gao)

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To Cook
Get ready steamer, put water and bring to boil under high heat.
For the nian gao base, cut up the banana leaves into sections of 15-20 cm. If using fresh leaves, boil a pot of water and blanch the leaves first. This will make the leaves less brittle and easier to mould. Pat leaves dry with cloth or kitchen towel.
Using a recycled tin can, wrap one banana leaf at a time around the can and fold the access leaf on top, into the can. Use a smaller can to press excess leaf firmly into the bottom of the can to form part of the base. Repeat steps with another 1-2 banana leaves. Use a rubber band to secure the banana leaves around the can. Then, cut a round piece of banana leaf, slightly bigger than the diameter of the can, and press it to the bottom of the can to form the base. You’ll need to prepare 5-7 of these moulds for this recipe, depending on the size of the cans you use.
In a pot over medium heat, add sugar and water to cook until it turns golden brown and forms a thick syrup. Keep stirring to avoid burning. Then, pour the syrup in a big mixing bowl, add glutinous rice flour, and stir until as well combined.
Strain the mixture and portion them into the banana leaf moulds. Cover each mould with aluminium foil and steam in the steamer for 1-2 hrs or until the nian gao is set.
Nian gao is sticky and soft when hot. It will gradually harden as it cools. It is rarely enjoyed on its own but it’s cut into slices (when cold and set) and made into other delectable snacks; deep-fried with egg, steamed with coconut, deep-fried with potato and yam or baked in puff pastry.

Pandan Coconut Buttons with Palm Sugar Syrup (Kuih Puteri Mandi)

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To Cook
Combine glutinous rice flour and pandan water. Knead to form a dough.
Make a marble sized ball and press slightly at the cente.
Put dough into boiling water and cook for 4 mins until the dough floats.
Then, remove from the pot and put into the cold water.
In another pot, boil water, sugar, palm sugar, pandan leaves and salt until it all melts and blend well. Add grated coconut and dough. Let simmer for 3 mins.

Kuih Abok-Abok

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To Cook
Wash sago and soak it for 5 mins. Drain the water and set aside.
In a bowl, mix the shredded coconut with sago and salt.
To soften banana leaves, dip the leaves in a pot of boiling water. Get banana leaves and roll them up into a cone.
Put 1 tbsp of mixed sago ingredients into the banana leaves cone. Then add ½ tsp palm sugar. Finally, top it with another 1 tbsp of mixed sago ingredients.
Seal the opening of the cone with a toothpick.
In a big wok or steamer, steam the kuih for about 15 mins.