THAI CRAB FRIED RICE or KHAO PAD BU

 Bursting with delicate seafood flavors this is a simple yet scrumptious melange of typical Thai flavors. TheThai  Crab Fried Rice is a classic. So much so that there are restaurants that specialize in just this one dish! And of course not to forget the street food vendors. 

This rice is great on its own but to get the full on Thai flavor and take this up a notch serve it with some Prik Nam Pla sauce. 

The elegant crab  meat is the star of the show, so just a light touch of additional flavors are used when it comes to seasoning the rice. Light Soy sauce, Fish Sauce, both preferably a Thai brand and Shaoxing wine. 

The focus is to let the star of the dish, the succulent crab taste shine through. 

There’s a back story of how and why I love making this recipe. 

A tiny restaurant tucked in the allies of one of the busiest streets in Bangkok, the Yaowarat Road is where one can find the legendary, no frills eatery Lek Seafood. It is here that we got hooked onto this absolutely scrumptious dish. 

Taking a train ride to this eatery nestled just underneath Chong Nonsi BTS station was quite a journey by itself. 

Standing patiently in line, waiting for an empty table so that we could eat our hearts out. At times I even remember order food while waiting in line because the kids were so hungry and by the time our food was ready, we had our table. The food is that good! 

Now I learnt how to cook this dish from my local Thai house help. Simple ingredients so as not to overpower the crab flavor, that’s our aim, was her tip. I consider myself really lucky to have had a chance to learn this recipe from the most authentic source. And it is because of this I can now replicate it even when I’m at the other end of the world. 

Shaoxing Wine - it is optional but I love the sweet taste it adds. While it adds depth and complexity to dishes, most importantly it is also used as a method to deodorize meat and seafood by evaporating the odors.

But on the flip side seafood which smells fishy is the biggest marker to let you know that it isn’t fresh. 

Fresh seafood should smell sweet, like cucumbers! 

Crab - The quality of your crab fried rice definitely depends on the crab you can find. There’s nothing like fresh crab but there are cheaper canned options one can find in the Asian markets. The one I use is frozen crab meat which I find is really convenient. 

Keeping all the ingredients at hand when you are ready to start is key, especially when making fried rice of any kind. 

Wash, clean, chop, whisk, get your sauces together. 

Let’s start by prepping the ingredients: 

Peel and smash the garlic, then chop it. 

Wash and chop the spring onions and the cilantro. 

Cut the white onion into wedge like slices. 

Crack the eggs into a bowl and light whisk. The yellow yolk should break but not mix completely with the white. 

Gather all the sauces together. 

Ingredients: 

3 tbsp vegetable oil

2 cups lump* crab meat 

4 cups, cooked Jasmine rice

1/2 white onion 

4 garlic cloves, roughly chopped

2 eggs, lightly whisked

1 bird eye chili (optional) 

1 tbsp Shaoxing wine 

1 tbsp light soy sauce

1½ tbsp fish sauce

1/2 tbsp sesame oil 

1 tsp sugar

1/2 tsp white pepper

2 tbsp finely chopped coriander or cilantro

2 finely chopped scallions or spring onions 

Chilli fish sauce (Prik Nam Pla):

5 birds’ eye chillies (or other spicy fresh chilli), finely sliced

4 tbsp fish sauce

1 tbsp lime juice

Mix everything together in a bowl. 

Topping: 

spring onion 

lime wedges 

cucumber slices 

Crispy chili oil 

Method:

1. Heat oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Once the oil is hot add garlic and fry until lightly golden and soft. Add the onions, turn up the heat and fry for a minute. Add the rice. Stir fry the rice for 3 minutes or so until it is mixed with the garlic and onions. Move the rice to the edges and pour in the eggs. Once the bottom on the eggs start to cook mix the rice in. Stir fry until the eggs are cooked. 
2. Now add the flavorings - soy sauce, fish sauce, shaoxing wine, sugar and pepper. Stir-fry until well combined. 
3. Once more move the rice to the side of the wok. Add the crab meat. When it is warmed up, about a minute, mix the rice thoroughly. Be careful to not over mix as the crab will break into bits. 
4. Toss through the coriander and spring onion. 

Transfer the rice to a serving plate and serve with Prik Nam Pla sauce, some more spring onion, lime wedges and cucumber.

* Lump crabmeat is highly demanded for its delectable, sweet flavor. Composed of smaller, broken pieces along with other smaller pieces of body meat. 

Because lump is a mixture of large and small pieces, the meat has a “sturdier” consistency, which makes it a good choice for crab fried rice or even crab cakes! 

Today I wanted to showcase one of my favorite dish from the world of Asian cuisine. This culinary flashback took me to one of the best seafood experiences in Vietnam. Street market stretched down a long road lined with street food sellers barbecuing up everything possible. I especially loved the barbecued, tender and smoky, charred stuffed calamari stuffed with pork mince, glass noodles and aromatics. Cooking this in my kitchen, halfway across the world, took me right back to the streets of Hanoi. Sitting down on tiny stools and enjoying one of the most unique eating experiences of my life.

So here I am sharing something that’s delicious, not too complicated and yet impressive not only to look at but also in taste. 

The stuffing is made of ground pork, glass noodles, shiitake, garlic, fish sauce, and green onions. All these ingredients are lightly sautéed, mixed together and stuffed in calamari tubes. 

Finish them over a bbq, which is the best way to get the smoky flavor or use a grill pan to fry them over the stove. 

Ingredients: 

4 whole large calamari or 8 small ones
100g glass noodles / cellophane noodles
5 shiitake mushrooms
1 tbsp oil
2 spring onions, finely chopped
1 green chili, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped
200g minced (ground) pork
60ml fish sauce

1/2 tbsp lime juice
1/2 cup finely chopped coriander, a mix of stalks and leaves 

Dipping sauce : 

2 tbsp fish sauce
100ml lime juice
2 tsp sugar
2-4 chilies, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, peeled and finely chopped
1 Tbs roughly chopped coriander 

Mix together until well combined. Keep aside. 

Method: 

1. First off, clean the calamari - peel off the thin outer skin, remove the heads. Cut off the tentacles and set aside. If you can get your seafood handler to do this all the more better! 
2. Peel off the skin, discard the skin and guts from the tubes, taking care to keep the tubes intact. 
3. Wash and finely chop the tentacles. 
4. Soak the noodles in a bowl of hot water for 5 minutes. Rinse in cold water, drain, cut into 3cm lengths using kitchen scissors and set aside. 
5. Finely chop the mushrooms.
    

To prepare the stuffing: 

1. Heat oil in a pan over high heat. 
2. Add spring onions, chilli and garlic and stir fry for 1 minute. Add the pork, break it up with the help of your spatula and fry until everything is nice and brown. 
3. Add mushrooms and cook for 3 minutes. Add the tentacles and stir fry for a further 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and mix in the fish sauce, coriander and noodles. Set aside to cool. Squeeze fresh lime juice. 
4. Once the stuffing is cooled, using a spoon, stuff the calamari tubes until three-quarters full and quite tightly packed. Close the ends with bamboo skewers.
5. BBQ or pan fry the calamari for 6-8 minutes, turning regularly until the tubes are crispy golden all over.  
6. Remove the bamboo skewers. 

To serve 

Arrange the fried calamari on a bed of fried glass noodles and blanched cabbage leaves. 

Somehow I’ve found that South East Asian food has a way of creeping into your skin, of course in a good way. It is so hard to resist & so hard not to want to eat it! We are certainly having our fill living here in South East Asia. 

Rendang - You need patience to cook this one! This is indeed a great treat for curry lovers. Be it beef, mutton or chicken, this lip smacking curry is popular staple in Indonesia, Malaysia & Singapore. 

The time taken to cook Rendang is far longer than regular curries. It thrives when it is cooked slowly, simmering away, creating a mega-flavorful coating around each piece of meat.  It is a dry curry where meat is stewed in cpices and coconut milk until tender, almost falling off the bone. 

Although traditionally served with beef, I’ve always been a bigger fan of the chicken version. The balance of flavors is quite amazing considering the ingredients used. 

Some tips : I recommend using chicken thighs and legs for this recipe because it doesn’t dry up and stays tender all through the stewing process. Using boneless meat is also not recommended because it cooks faster and  the longer this curry takes to cook the better will be the depth of flavor. 

While are are many versions available out there, I normally use this  recipe which is quite simple easy to follow and all the ingredients are easily available in most parts of Europe!

The Rendang paste basically consists of fresh red chillies, galangal, garlic, shallots, fresh turmeric & kerisik ( dry roasted coconut) 

Fresh Turmeric : while traditional Rendang uses turmeric leaves, I used the root. It can be swapped for turmeric powder too.   

Ingredients:

8-10 bone in pieces of chicken - legs and thighs preferably

50 grams of coconut (desiccated or  freshly grated)

5 - 6 fresh red chilies, seeds removed. I used the big red chillies to reduce the heat. 

5 - 6 dry red chilies, soaked in some warm water

3 stalks of lemongrass ( use only the bottom white part ) 

1" galangal  

1" fresh turmeric or 1 tsp turmeric powder 

1" fresh ginger 

5 or 6 shallots 

4 garlic cloves , peeled

3 - 4 kaffir lime leaves, finely sliced  

300 ml coconut milk + more if needed 

8 Almonds 

1 tbsp of palm sugar 

1 tbsp oil 

Salt to taste. 

Method:

1. First, in a pan dry roast desiccated or grated coconut over medium heat until it turns golden brown. Remove it from the pan and  blend along with the almonds until you get a fine powder. 

2. To make the spice paste, chop the fresh and dry chillies, galangal, turmeric, garlic, shallots and lemongrass stalks into small bits and add them into a blender. Add a tiny bit of water and blend everything  into a smooth paste 

3. Heat up a pan with oil over medium heat, add the spice paste and cook  until fragrant, about 15 minutes. Keep stirring occassionally to avoid it from burning. If it looks too dry, add a spoonful of water. 

4. Then, add chicken pieces and fry over medium heat for 3 to 5 minutes.

5. Add the finely powdered dry coconut and almonds. 

6. Add the coconut milk, salt and  let it now simmer on a slow heat for about half an hour.  Keep stirring occasionally. Add the palm sugar. 

7. If you want more gravy add some water or some more coconut milk. 

 8. Sprinkle finely sliced kaffir lime leaves just before serving. 

Best eaten with freshly cooked Coconut rice, fried peanuts, boiled egg and some fiery hot sambal!

Do try and make some extra large portion. The flavors and aromas intensify over time making it taste even more delectable.  

Selamat makan!! 

 Do you ever feel that you cook tastier food on an empty stomach? I definitely do. 

If you like cooking Asian food then you need to give this recipe a try. It’s so adaptable that you can change it to suit your taste and preference. Make it less spicy, change the protein used, go vegan, eat it along with rice noodles……. 

If quick and simple food ends up looking as delicious and tastes as mouthwatering as this, I’m definitely hooked. 

Succulent pieces of perfectly caramelized chicken, fluffy jasmine rice, topped with a choice of your favorite vegetable, now that I can eat everyday. 

Here’s a quick how to - 

Bite sized chicken thighs are stir fried in a super hot wok with lemongrass, shallots and garlic and then tossed with a simple four ingredient marinade. The end results in a sticky - caramelized, lemongrass infused chicken, a quick week night meal you do not want to miss on making. 

For me Asian food has to be spicy, so I added chili padi to the lemongrass chicken. The other reason is that the heat from the chilies perfectly balances the savory and sweet flavor from the sauce. But it is totally up to you. If you can’t handle the heat, use a mildly spicy chili and remove the seeds or just leave out the chili all together  

• This recipe can also be made completely vegan by simply swapping the meat for Tofu and the fish sauce for coconut aminos or soy sauce!! 
• You can wrap the chicken / tofu into rice paper along with lettuce greens, spring onions, bean sprouts, julienned carrots etc. 
• You can use rice noodles

Umpteen choices! 

Ingredients: 

4 Chicken thighs, boneless, cut into medium chunks 

1 tbsp oil 

2 Stalks of lemongrass (use only bottom white part) bruise the stalk and then chop fine 

4 Cloves garlic, chopped fine 

2 Thai chili padi , chopped fine 

2 Shallots, chopped fine 

2 Tbsp coriander stalks chopped fine 

For the Sauce

2 Tbsp Fish sauce

2 Tbsp Agave syrup or honey 

1/4 tsp. cracked black pepper

Method: 

1. Cut the chicken thighs into chunks. It’s completely optional to keep the skin on. 
2. Peel first layer of the lemongrass stalk, which is more firmer. Using the back of your knife, slightly bruise the stalk, thinly slice it and then chop it very fine. It is important to keep the lemongrass very fine because this will keep the texture edible and the lemongrass will not turn stringy after cooking. 
3. Next chop the chilies, garlic, shallots and keep aside. 
4. In a small bowl add the fish sauce, agave nectar and black pepper. Whisk to mix. 
5. Heat a wok over high heat and add oil. Swirl the oil around the wok to coat it. Add chicken, skin side down, if you’ve kept the skin on and let it sear for 5 minutes. Do not touch it. Do the same if using skinless chicken. By doing this the chicken will turn out nice golden brown and crispy. Turn it over and cook additional 1 to 2 minutes or until chicken is fully cooked. 
6. Turn off the heat and remove the excess oil, (which would form if you’ve used chicken skin) from the wok by simply scooping it out with a spoon into another bowl. Leave behind about a teaspoon of oil in wok. 
7. Turn the heat back to high heat and add lemongrass, garlic, chili and shallot into wok. Stir fry for about 1 to 2 minutes or until everything has softened. 
8. Add the sauce and stir fry until sauce has thickened and coated the chicken. 
9. Switch off the heat after a minute and it’s ready to serve.
    

Serve with warm Jasmine rice and your favorite greens to go along. 

 This one kicks a punch. I tried a couple of ways of cooking these greens but nothing really made me go in for seconds. They were just Meh. Something lacked. 

For me along with nutritional makeup, taste also plays a very important role. So what I’m sharing now is a definite keeper. 

The key to making this recipe flavorsome is to firstly create an aromatic paste which will form the base of our dish. 

Aromatics such as lemongrass, turmeric root, garlic, coriander stems, bird eye chilies are pounded roughly in a mortar and pestle. They are then fried until fragrant and the aromatics have been released. The Swiss Chard is then added and everything is gently stewed in coconut milk. 

Ingredients: 

A handful of coriander roots, stalks and a few leaves 

1 1/2” fresh turmeric root
4 - 6 cloves of garlic
3 - 4 red or green Thai bird’s eye chilies (adjust to your taste) 

4 - 5 shallots, sliced 

1 stalk of lemongrass, smash the end using a mallet
1 tbsp peanut oil
1 tbsp palm or coconut sugar
1 tbsp fish sauce
100 ml pure unsweetened coconut milk
10-12 Swiss chard, washed, stems separated and finely chopped, leaves, roughly chopped crosswise and then lengthwise. 

Method: 

1. Wash all the leaves and the stems of the Swiss chard really well and let them dry on a kitchen towel. 
2. Separate the stalks from the leaves. Finely chop the stalks and roughly chop the leaves. Keep aside. 
3. Wash the turmeric root and the coriander really well. 
4. Take a mortar and pestle and add the fresh turmeric root, coriander root, stems and leaves, garlic and the bird eye chilies. 
5. Pound everything into a rough paste. 
6. Heat the oil in a wok over medium-low heat. Add the lemongrass, shallots and the paste and fry for 4-5 minutes. 
7. Ad the stalks of the Swiss chard and fry for another few minutes. 
8. Add the green leaves mix and add palm sugar and the coconut milk. 
9. Stir well, bring to a simmer and let cook for 10 - 15 minutes until just tender. 
10. Add fish sauce and mix. Discard the lemongrass. 

Your dish is ready to be served! 

A warm bowl of freshly steamed brown or white rice - a perfect combo. 

Don’t have Chard? No worries. 

You can swap the vegetable for any other sturdy green like Kale, Beet greens or even Sweet Potato leaves! 

Thai Red Curry Spaghetti - Yes, in this part of the world it is totally acceptable! And trust me, no matter how wired it sounds,( it did to me at first ), it is uber delicious. I mean, who even comes up with such recipes!? 

It’s bold & daring. Come to think of it, what’s not to like when there’s spicy, tangy, sweet & umami flavors all thrown into one bite? 

It’s creamy, without the cream and velvety without being too heavy. The creaminess comes from the peanut butter ( or any other nut butter you like ) & coconut cream. This incorporated into the red curry paste gives it yet another dimension. 

You can adjust the flavor according to your own taste. Add soy sauce if your looking for more saltiness, chili flakes or fresh cut chillies if you like it more spicy, sugar if you like your Thai food with a slight sweetness, and lime juice if you need more tang!

This recipe, according to my kids needs to go on the “must repeat” list. 

Serves 4: 

2 chopped garlic

2 tbsp red curry paste, more if you like it spicy 

150 ml of thick coconut milk 

2 tbsp soy sauce

1 tsp sugar ( optional ) 

1 tsp fish sauce

3 to 4 tsps peanut butter, it pairs the best but any other nut butter will also do. 

1 cup of peeled, deveined prawns 

1 cup of salmon cut into big chunks or any other firm fish 

3/4 medium size calamari, cleaned & cut into rings 

1/4 cup chopped cilantro

handful torn fresh basil leaves

1 lime, juiced

Sliced red chilies or dry chili flakes (optional) 

If needed, some salt to taste

1. In a bowl put the red curry paste, coconut cream, peanut butter, soy sauce, fish sauce & mix until well incorporated. 

2. Cook your spaghetti - al Dante or as you normally do. Keep some of the pasta water aside before you drain it out. About half a cup. 

3. Heat a spoonful of oil in a wok & add the garlic. Fry it until just about golden. Add your protein. Let it cook, then add the sauce mix.

4. Add the pasta water & then gently stir in your spaghetti. Sprinkle the cilantro, basil, chili flakes & lastly a good squeeze of lime juice. 

5. You can totally substitute seafood for any other protein or use a mix of vegetables like bell peppers, broccoli, mushrooms, asparagus etc. 

An uncomplicated Thai style salmon salad. It’s so easy to whip up it takes almost no effort. 

All you need to do is to wash & clean the green herbs, mix the dressing, grill the salmon & put it all together! 

One of my favorite ways of eating salmon and if this doesn’t taste glorious enough I don’t know what does!

What you need: 

About 200g salmon fillets (if that’s not your thing, any skinless fish is fine too) 

1/2 a small red onion, sliced 

1 cucumber, sliced

A handful of finely chopped coriander 

Finely sliced spring onion about 2 or 3 

A handful of mint leaves

A handful of fresh dill 

A handful of flat leaf parsley. 

And a teaspoon of oil 

Sprinkle some sea salt on your fillets. 

1. Grill or pan fry the salmon (skin side down) for about 2 to 3 minutes each side. 

2. Remove from the pan. The skin will come apart easily. Put the skin back into the pan to crisp it further. 

3. Let the fish cool & flake the salmon into large chunks. 

For the dressing: 

1 large red chili, sliced. Normally the large red chillies aren’t that spicy. 

1 small garlic clove chopped fine

3 Tbsp fish sauce

3 to 4 Tbsp lime juice

2 tbsp palm sugar or coconut flower nectar or just use plain sugar if none of the above two are available. 

A heap spoon of ground red chili flakes if you want to crank up the heat. Because hey, it’s not Thai food if it’s not spicy. 

1. In a small bowl combine the garlic paste, fish sauce, lime juice , palm sugar & the chili flakes. 

2. In a large bowl put the sliced red chili, onion and cucumber. 

3. Add the flaked salmon. 

4. Add the parsley, dill, coriander, spring onion and mint. 

5. Add the dressing. 

6. Toss gently to combine, sprinkle some sesame seeds, top it with the crispy salmon skin & serve immediately.

Take a basic recipe but give it your own little twist. Now that’s my kind of cooking 😉

Glass noodle salad or Yum Woon Sen - is a popular salad, both inside and outside of Thailand. 

The heart of this recipe is to get a perfect combination of seasoning. The balance between salty, sour, sweet & spicy is the only bit that’s crucial. Once you’ve conquered that, the possibilities & combinations to making this salad are endless. Perfect for a hot summers day, this salad is light & delicious. 

The glass noodles made from mung bean are high in protein & low in calories. Herbs like cilantro, Chinese flat leaf parsley & mint add freshness. You can go the traditional way by using roasted peanuts or perhaps roasted cashew nuts?! Vine ripe tomatoes & shallots adds yet another depth freshness & heat. 

For the dressing:

2 garlic cloves, peeled & crushed 

80ml fish sauce

70ml freshly squeezed lime juice

4 teaspoons white sugar or coconut flower nectar or coconut sugar (which I have used) 

1 teaspoon of ground chili flakes 

Give this all a good mix & adjust according to your own preference & set aside. 

120g glass noodles (cellophane or mung bean)

3 / 4 shallots, peeled, finely sliced

2 roma tomatoes, cut into wedges

1/2 cup fresh coriander leaves

1/2 cup fresh mint leaves

1/2 cup Chinese flat leaf parsley 

2 tablespoons toasted peanuts, chopped. 

Your variations / additions into the salad: 

Minced meat boiled in fish sauce (traditionally the Thais use pork ) 

Shredded chicken 

Grilled squid

Grilled prawns 

Sautéed cuts of meat ( meat should be marinated in soy sauce, garlic, white pepper ) I used sesame oil to sauté because of its high smoking point & flavor

Or keep it meat free & just add Tofu, chopped into tiny bits & stir fried on a high flame until just slightly browned

1. Soak the noodles in lukewarm water for about 10 minutes to slightly soften & then drain. 

2. Bring a large pot of water to the boil. Cook the noodles for just about 1 minute. 

3. Drain and transfer to a large bowl. Use scissors to cut the noodles into more manageable lengths. 

4. Now prepare the meat that you are going to use. I’ve used marinated pork, which I stir fried & I also used tofu. 

5. Toss the meat / seafood and noodles with the shallot, tomato, coriander, parsley and mint. 

6. Add your salad dressing & toss gently. It is recommended that you add the dressing just before serving. Lastly sprinkle with toasted peanuts & enjoy! 

My rice noodle salad is a fusion of Vietnamese & Thai flavors. It is my summer in a bowl. A satisfying crowd pleaser, it can also be used as a perfect light main course meal. Fresh ingredients & refreshing tastes, that’s what it’s all about. 

The sauce: It has salty, sweet, sour, and spicy flavors. Fish sauce, lime juice/white vinegar, garlic, sugar & chili are combined until well incorporated. You can adjust the flavor according to your taste. 

This is actually a dipping sauce, but this, in my situation is used more like a dressing for the rice noodle salad. 

The meatballs: They are made by combining finely chopped lemongrass, spring onions, cilantro shoots, finely grated garlic, fish sauce, some soy sauce & a spoonful of cornflour. 

Mix this well & pan fry them until golden brown on all sides. 

Another variation that can be used here are some good quality steak. Use this same sauce (minus the cornflour) to marinate them, crank up your grill & sear them for 4 minutes on each side. Let them rest & cut into thin strips. The meat juices can be combined into the dressing as well!! 

The rest of the ingredients are served raw. The crunchy bean sprouts, julienned carrots & cucumber, lettuce, cilantro, Thai basil & mint leaves all add crunch, texture & awesomely fresh flavors. 

While I have the luxury of using fresh rice noodles bought just a couple of meters away from my home, store bought ones work just as well. 

To assemble the salad combine all the rice noodles with bean sprouts, julienned carrots and cucumber, romaine lettuce, basil, mint, and cilantro. Add the meatballs / sliced meat to the salad. Just before serving, pour the sauce & mix gently. Top it off with some crunchy peanuts. 

IT.TASTES.DELICIOUS! 

Yaki Onigiri - These simple Japanese pan fried rice balls are crispy on the outside, soft and sticky on the inside. 

Covered in a savory soy sauce and sesame seeds, they are stuffed with shiitake mushrooms, scallions and carrots - very untraditional but still quite delicious. 

For the rice:

300 gm sushi rice - use 2 rice cooker size cups or 1 1/2 baking cups. 

360 mls of water 2 rice cooker cups 

Or use the package instructions. 

I like to cook this rice in a rice cooker because it’s a sure shot way of not messing it up. 

2 tbsp of readymade sushi sweetened vinegar 

Or 

2 tbsp rice vinegar 

2 tsp sugar or mirin 

a pinch of salt 

2 nori sheets chopped into really tiny flakes. I blended mine. 

Onigiri - a non traditional recipe but you can be creative with your filling. 

1 cup chopped shiitake mushrooms 

1 cup chopped brown button mushrooms 

1/2 cup chopped Savoy cabbage / Chinese cabbage 

1/2 cup chopped carrots 

2/3 chopped shallots 

1 spoon of light soy sauce 

A pinch of White pepper 

Dipping sauce:

3 tbsp soy sauce 

1 tbsp rice vinegar 

2 tbsp agave syrup 

1/4 tbsp sesame oil 

1. In a large spread-out kind of a pan add a teaspoon of sesame oil and fry the carrots for a few minutes. 

2. Add the chopped shallots and fry them as well. 

3. Next add both the mushrooms and the Savoy cabbage. 

4. Sprinkle some white pepper and a spoonful of light soy sauce. This is a very quick stir fry so it doesn’t need much cooking. By using a large pan your filling will stay dry and brown nicely rather than getting watery and mushy. 

5. Mix the vinegar dressing and the chopped nori flakes in the cooked sushi rice and keep aside covered with a damp cloth to prevent it from drying up. 

To shape the onigiri...

6. Wet your hands with water and start by placing one heaped tablespoon of rice on a piece of cling foil. 

7. Flatten it gently into a round shape. 

8. Add a tablespoon of the filling in the middle. 

9. Cover it with another tablespoon of rice and seal the cling foil around it to and form it into a ball. 

10. Press to flatten it slightly with your hands, then carefully remove the cling foil. 

11. Continue this until rest of the rice and  filling is used up. 

12. Cover the now formed onigiri with a wet towel. 

13. Very lightly brush the rice balls with the dipping sauce and sprinkle them with a mixture of black and white sesame seeds. 


14. Heat a teaspoon of sesame oil in a large non-stick pan or grill. Pan-fry or grill the rice balls on each side for 3-5 minutes, or until the rice forms a crisp skin.


15. Serve warm or cold with the remaining dipping sauce or store them covered in an airtight container to eat later.

Fresh, crunchy, full of texture, this Vietnamese Salad is going to steal your heart. With so many different ingredients, each bite is like a party in your mouth. About a cup of cooked shredded chicken. I used some poached chicken leftover from the previous day.

Ingredients:

A small carrot, finely julienned 

A couple slices of cucumbers 

A handful of  finely shredded iceberg lettuce 

A handful of finely shredded cabbage (use the purple kind if you can get it, for some added color) 

Half a red onion, sliced 

Two finely sliced spring onions 

1/2 a handful of torn mint leaves 

1 long red chili, finely sliced 

A tablespoon of roasted, rougher chopped peanuts. 

1. Put all the ingredients into a large plate and keep aside.

For the dressing: 

1/4 cup of honey or maple syrup 

2 tbsp white vinegar 

2 tbsp fish sauce 

1/2 tsp chili flakes

2. Whisk and set aside.
3. You will need 8-10 frozen wonton sheets. I pan fried them and crumbled a few on top for some added crunch and the rest I used to to serve the salad on!
4. When you are ready to serve the salad, pour the dressing over, give it a good gentle mix, crush up the fried wanton sheets it top. 

To serve, place the salad on the individual fried wanton wrappers, pick up and enjoy! 

A fluffy top , a crispy bottom and a juicy middle. The filling - as versatile as you want it to be. Feel free to add your favorite protein or keep it completely free from it. Tastes great either way! I’ve tried quite a few dough recipes before but wasn’t quite satisfied until I tried this particular one. The addition of yeast has made the dough fluffier and less chewy so the Bao has a wonderfully soft consistency on the inside. Enjoy it steaming hot with your favorite chili sauce.

For the dough:

250 g plain flour + a little more for dusting 

7g instant yeast 

2/3 cup warm milk — of your choice

3 tspn sugar 

A pinch of salt 

2 tbsp oil 

1. Mix the sugar and yeast into the warm milk and let it rest until the yeast activates.
2. Then add the flour and salt and knead until you have a soft dough. Add the oil and give it another good knead.
3. Cover and let it proof in a warm spot of your kitchen until the dough doubles up in size. This should take about an hour and a half.

For the filling-mixture: 

1 medium size carrot  

6-7 button mushrooms  

1 green bell pepper  

3/4 spring onions 

3 cloves of garlic 

A cup full of Chinese cabbage 

1 green chili 

A spoonful of soy sauce 

A spoonful of oyster sauce or mushroom sauce 

Freshly grated white pepper 

A couple of stalks of chopped cilantro 

Sesame oil for drizzling 

4. Give all these veggies a quick blitz in a food processor so that they are nice and fine and of the same size.
5. Finely grate the garlic and slice the spring onions.
6. In a frying pan add a spoonful of oil. Fry the garlic and turn the flame on high. Add all the vegetables and fry them for a minute or two.
7. Add the soy sauce, mushroom sauce, pepper powder and fry until the mixture is nice and dry. About 4-5 minutes.
8. Turn off the heat and drizzle some sesame oil on top. Give it a final mix and remove it into another bowl.
9. Divide the now risen dough into 14 equal portions. Roll them into circular shapes and cover with a kitchen towel.
10. Take one of the rolled dough it into the palm of your hand and place a spoonful of filling in the middle, gently lift the edges and pleat to seal.
11. Repeat with the rest.
12. Take a 10” non stick pan and add a teaspoon of oil. Keep the heat on medium. Place the buns pleat side down and “fry” until the bottom turns golden brown.
13. Turn over and fry snail for a minute. Add 3-4 spoonful of water to the pan, cover the pan and let the buns steam for about 10 minutes.
14. Keep the heat on low whilst steaming.
15. The buns should double in size and all the water must evaporate.
Serve warm with some chili sauce.

 
Perfect as an appetizer, side or a snack!! 

An upgrade on the looks for these Vietnamese rice paper rolls. 

I’ve decided on calling it Vietnamese Rice Paper Rolls - Version 2.0 

We absolutely love rice paper rolls and make them so often. These summer rolls look strikingly delectable that they have now earned a place to be featured twice on my website! 

Super quick and fun to prepare, these rolls are full of fresh crunchy vegetables, fresh herbs and are so addictive. The addition of crispy tofu and the creamy avocado balances the entire texture of the rolls. 

Perfect as a starter and with a dipping sauce to die for, adds another depth of character. 

I guarantee you, these tiny rainbow rolls are going to be a star at your dinner table! 

Dipping sauce 

2 tbsp creamy peanut butter 

2 tbsp almond butter 

2 tbsp hoisin sauce

3 tbsp maple syrup or honey 

1 garlic clove, finely grated

1 tsp ginger, finely grated 

1/2 tsp chili flakes - adjust according to your heat level 

1 tsp chopped peanuts 

Juice of 1 lime 

2-3 tbsp warm water 

Prepare the dipping sauce by adding all the ingredients into bowl and whisk to combine. Add water a tablespoon at a time until you have reached the desired consistency. I like to keep my sauce a bit on the thicker side so 3 tablespoons of water was enough. 

Sprinkle with chopped peanuts on top. 

Rice Paper roll preparation - 

Take a large tray and put 1 teaspoons of turmeric powder into it. Add two glasses of water about 400 ml and give it a stir. Keep aside. 

Finely julienne the following vegetables - 

1 Carrot 

1 small cucumber - leave out the core and slice the outer green part. 

1 Avocado 

1/2 Yellow and 1/2 Red bell peppers 

A handful of Mint leaves

A handful of Cilantro leaves 

Tofu slices lightly fried and sliced into thin strands. 

100g Glass noodles 

Boil 300 ml of water and pour it into a blow. Add the glass noodles into it and let it sit for five minutes, keep stirring it occasionally. Using a pair of scissors cut the glass noodles so they are easy to work with. 

Discard the water and add some beetroot water. 

How to - Wash the beets thoroughly and boil them in a pressure cooker for 15 minutes. The water they leave behind is the water that I used to color the glass noodles. 

Leave the noodles in for 10 minutes. Discard the water and rinse. 

Now it’s time to roll! 

Take one rice paper and dip it into the turmeric water for 30 seconds. Remove it and lay it on a wooden chopping board. 

Arrange the vegetables - 

On the side closest to you, leave two inches and put the mint leaves and the cilantro leaves. Next take a few noodles, just about half a handful and lay them on top. Then on top of it add a julienne of each cucumber, yellow pepper, red pepper, couple of julienned carrots, 1 avocado slice and 1 strand of tofu. 

Sprinkle a few black sesame seeds. 

Gently fold the side that is towards you over the vegetables and tightly tuck it in. Pick up the edges and fold them over. Continue rolling and simultaneously tucking the sides until you reach the end. 

Repeat with the rest. This should make around 10-12 rolls. 

An experiment that turned into a scrumptious meal. Tofu with a pineapple-soy-mirin-miso -chili based sauce. 

Perfectly coated tofu bites drenched in a flawlessly balanced sweet-sour, zesty sauce, laid over steaming hot jasmine rice and crunchy pickled vegetables. 

Marinade for the tofu:

400g firm tofu, drained and cut into cubes 

1 tbsp soy sauce 

1 tbsp maple syrup 

1 tsp turmeric 

Mix the tofu cubes until each one is coated with the marinade 

Let it sit for 10 minutes. 

Dust it well with some cornstarch and pan fry it in a little oil. 

The result is a flavorful tofu that’s crispy on the outside, and soft on the inside. 

For the sauce:

In a bowl mix the following ingredients 

1 tbsp soy sauce 

1 tbsp mirin 

1 tbsp maple syrup or coconut sugar or brown sugar 

1 tbsp shiro miso paste 

1/2 tbsp of sesame oil 

1/2 white pepper 

A sprinkle of chili flakes. More if you want it spicy or you can leave it out all together. 

Keep this aside. 

For the base pineapple sauce 

3 cups of fresh pineapple chopped fine 

An inch of grated ginger 

3-4 grated garlic cloves 

1. Finely chop two cups of fresh pineapple, grate an inch of ginger and three cloves of garlic. 

2. Add a spoonful of oil in a pan and fry the pineapple, ginger and garlic for a good 10 minutes or until it all breaks down to a purée consistency.

3. Add the prepared sauce mix and cook for a minute. Take it off the heat.

4. Toss in the fried tofu. Sprinkle with some toasted sesame seeds and finely chopped spring onions. 

To prepare the poke bowl 

Finely slice - cucumbers 

                        purple carrots

                        spring onions 

Using a vegetable peeler, peel slices off of the carrot.

Marinate all of the above with some vinegar. 

You don’t have to go by this! You can literally use whatever is available at hand.

Edamame 

Radishes 

Mango 

Pomegranate seeds 

Watermelon (!!) 

Purple shredded cabbage 

Crispy salad greens 

Blanched spinach, Bok Choi, Kale, etc. 

Avocado 

Let these marinate for a few minutes in a little vinegar. Drain and they are ready to use. 

Assembly 

Take a shallow - wide bowl. Spread the steamed rice on the bottom. Assemble the vegetables and tofu as shown in my photo or give it your own twist. 

Top off with some sliced chilies, black sesame seeds and spring onions. 

Tender meatballs filled with Asian spices, smothered in a saucy glaze. This dish has flavor combinations that literally dance in your mouth. 

It’s pretty versatile within what ingredients you want to work with to use as your “meatball”. Tofu, chicken, pork, turkey, beef - the choice is yours! 

Tanginess from the vinegar, saltiness from the soy sauce, heat from the Sichuan peppercorns, a hint of sweetness from sugar, all these ingredients which, when combined  create perfect harmony with each other. 

* 350g ground mince of your choice ( I used pork ) 

* 2 tbsp panko breadcrumbs

* 1 tbsp cornflour 

* 1/2 tbsp soy sauce

* 1/2 tsp fish sauce (skip it for a vegan version) 

* 1 tablespoon minced garlic

* 1 teaspoon minced ginger

* 1 tbsp finely minced coriander stems 

* 1/2 tsp white pepper

In a mixing bowl add all of the above ingredients and mix until well incorporated. It should for a soft dough like consistency. Using your hand pick up all the entire mixture and slap it against the mixing bowl. Do this a couple of times. This process keeps the meatballs juicy and soft. 

Form into circular shape, approximately the size of a golf ball. 

If you are using Tofu - you can add a tablespoon of each - sweet corn, finely chopped spring onions, finely chopped carrot. Give all the ingredients a good mix and roll the mixture into circular shape, the size of a gold ball. 

For the glaze: 

1 tbsp of oil 

4 garlic cloves chopped fine 

4-5 dry red chilies 

1/2 tbsp Sichuan peppercorns roughly ground (use less if you want to reduce the spiciness) 

1 tbsp crispy chilies in oil - I used the Laoganma Brand 

2 tbsp brown sugar 

4 tbsp apple vinegar 

1 tbsp shaoxing wine 

2 tbsp soy sauce 

1 1/2 cup vegetable stock or water 

1 tbsp cornflour 

In a bowl add the following ingredients- Sichuan pepper, brown sugar, soy sauce, apple vinegar, shaoxing wine, vegetable stock, cornflour and give it all a good mix. Keep aside. 

Garnish:

2 tbsp chopped chives 

1/2 tbsp toasted sesame seeds 

1. In a nonstick pan add a spoonful of oil. Add the meatballs and switch on to gas mark 6 or medium heat. Stir occasionally so all sides are cooked and evenly browned. Drain and remove it on a plate. 

2. In the same pan on gas mark 7 or medium- high heat, fry the garlic and dry red chilies until golden. About two minutes. Remove them in the same plate as the meatballs. 

3. Add 1 tbsp of the Laoganma Crispy Chili into the oil and fry for a minute. Give the sauce mixture a gentle stir once again as the cornflour settles at the bottom and then pour it into the pan. Bring the sauce to a simmer. Continue cooking until sauce thickens, while stirring occasionally to prevent the sauce from burning or sticking on the bottom of the pan - about 7/8 minutes.

4. Add the cooked meatballs and gently coat each meatball generously and evenly in the sauce. 

Transfer the glazed meatballs to a serving dish or tray with a slotted spoon. Pour the remaining sauce over the meatballs. Sprinkle the garnishes and the dry red chilies and garlic on top. 

Serve immediately with a bowl of warm steamed rice. 

This curry reminds me of home. 

Full of spice and all things nice - a highlight of the Thai cuisine. 

Incredibly flavorful, this curry hits the right notes. A creamy-spicy coconutty sauce, topped with herbs, crunchy peanuts, dried chili padi and toasted sesame seeds. 

I remember my Thai helpers famous lines,” not spicy not nice”. 

The melt in your mouth delicious meatballs are infused with flavors like young ginger, garlic, basil, coriander stems, a hint of fish sauce for some saltiness and a good pinch full of freshly ground white peppercorns.  

The rich coconut based curry is a blend of all the fresh Thai herbs - galangal, lemongrass, fresh red chillies, kaffir lime leaves and of course, coconut milk. 

I cooked the meatballs directly in the sauce which kept them  juicy and tender while releasing their delicious flavors into the curry. 

Serve this on top of a pile of steamed jasmine rice or freshly made rice noodles which I also love to use. 

Sprinkle with some finely sliced chillies, peanuts, toasted sesame seeds, cilantro, basil and enjoy!!

For the curry 

1/2 tbsp of oil 

3 tbsp of ready to use Thai green curry paste 

Handful of Thai basil or Italian basil 

3-4 galangal slices 

1 stalk of lemongrass - bruise the end stalk to get more flavor 

3-4 kaffir lime leaves, sliced fine 

1/2 cup of small green sliced eggplants 

2 cups of coconut milk 

2-3 green chilies chopped 

1/2 cup of water 

1 tsp lime juice 

1 tsp fish sauce 

1 tsp sugar 

Optional toppings : 

toasted cashews or peanuts 

toasted sesame seeds 

Basil and cilantro leaves 

3-4 dried chili padi ( more if you like it spicy )

For the meatballs 

350 g of minced meat of your choice or for a vegan/vegetarian option use firm tofu crumbled fine and then follow the rest of the steps. 

A spoonful of minced garlic and young ginger 

1 tsp Finely chopped coriander stems 

1 tsp Finely chopped basil leaves 

1 tbsp fish sauce (use soy sauce for a vegan option) 

1/2 tsp sugar 

1 tbsp Panko breadcrumbs 

1/2 tsp cornstarch 

1/2 tsp white pepper 

Put all of the above ingredients in a bowl and give it a good mix. 

A tip - to get the meatballs to stay juicy and soft, take the entire mixture and slap it against the bowl s couple of times. I don’t know the reason behind this, but it works! 

Form into small meatballs and keep aside. 

In a wok or a large deep pan heat oil and put the Thai green curry paste, lemongrass, galangal and fry until everything for a minute or two. 

Next add the coconut milk and water and let it come to a rolling boil. 

Gently add the meatballs and let them poach in the sauce. Carefully stir them every minute or so. 

Add the eggplants, cover the pot and cook on low heat for 10-15 minutes or until the meatballs are cooked through. 

Next add the herbs and the final finishing flavors - kaffir lime, basil leaves and green chilies, the fish sauce, lime juice and sugar. 

Taste and adjust the flavors accordingly. 

Stir and it is now ready to serve. 

Sprinkle the toppings after you have served the curry on your plate. 

Toppings are good to add because they give an interesting texture and an awesome flavor to the entire dish!! 

If you’re an Avocado fan, you need to try this! 

This game changing recipe is a good reminder that it is possible to enjoy avocado in ways other than a guacamole. 

This salad combines fresh, ripe and yet firm Avocados, cool, crunchy cucumbers, and a mildly sweet, spicy, sour dressing with an umami undertone. Whats even better is that you can modify it to suit your taste!

You can turn this into a quick weekday lunch when paired with soba noodles or some steamed rice. Who knew that a few avocados can give you such fabulous tasting simple meal.

Ingredients:

5 ripe and firm avocados 

1 cup diced cucumber 

1-2 finely chopped chili padi or any fresh spicy chili (optional, but highly recommended!) 

2 garlic cloves chopped fine 

3-4 spring onions, finely chopped 

1/4 cup soy sauce 

1/2 tsp sesame oil 

3 tbsp agave nectar 

Freshly squeezed juice from 1 lime

1 tsp white sesame seeds 

1 tsp black sesame seeds 

Method: 

Start by preparing the dressing - 

1. In a small bowl combine sesame oil, soy sauce, agave nectar, lime juice,  and give it all a good whisk. 

2. Wash all the veggies well and start by finely chopping the spring onions, chili padi and garlic. Add this to the salad dressing.

There must be a balance between spicy, sour, salty and sweet. But do lean on your preference. Mine was a tiny bit more on the spicier side.

Set aside. 

Assemble it :

1. Next chop the cucumbers into bite size chunks. 

2. Half the avocado, remove the seed, scoop out the flesh with the help of a spoon and chop it into chunks. 

3. Put all this into a serving bowl and pour the dressing all over. 

4. Using a spoon gently mix everything.

5. Sprinkle the sesame seeds on top. 

Serving suggestion: 

This pairs fantastically well with soba noodles or plain steamed jasmine rice. 

Kare Raisu with Edamame salad 

Home cooking does something that fine dining does not. 

We love our curries. Even though we often eat curry at home, we do relish a good Japanese style curry every once in a while. 

If you love curry and want to try something different, try this version of Japanese curry. 

By using the S&B Golden Curry mix, you get a pretty authentic taste of the Kare Raisu. 

The curry is milder, thicker and sweeter as compared to an Indian or Thai curries. It can be made with all kinds of meats or tofu for a vegan version. Onions, carrots and potatoes are most commonly used vegetables. Served with a short grain rice the curry only gets better with time as the flavors get infused into the ingredients. So it’s a great make ahead recipe. 

For the curry: 

1 tsp oil 

300g lean ground mince meat - or minced tofu or a vegan mince 

1 tbsp of finely minced garlic 

1 tbsp of finely minced ginger 

1 cup white onion finely chopped 

1 cup chopped carrots 

11/2 cup of water 

4 oz of S&B golden curry - hot or mild 

1/2 tbsp Worcestershire Sauce 

1/2 tsp tomato ketchup 

1/2 tsp apricot jam (optional) 

Method: 

1. In a heavy bottom pot over medium heat, add oil. Add the ground meat or your chosen protein and breakdown into small pieces and let it fry nicely. Cook 3 to 4 minutes or until the meat looks fully cooked.
2. Add chopped garlic, ginger, carrot and onion. Stir fry everything well for about 3 to 4 minutes. Pour 1 1/2 cup water and bring it to boil. Over and let it cook for a further 3-4 minutes. 
3. Open the lid and add the S&B curry sauce block, ketchup and worcestershire sauce. Stir well to combine the sauces with liquid. Lower the heat and bring the curry to a light simmer for 3 to 5 minutes. 
4. The curry is now ready to be served! 

To serve: 

Pair this with Steamed Japanese rice or Jasmine rice or Udon or Soba noodles 

Edamame salad 

1 cup Boiled and peeled Edamame 

1/2 cup julienned cucumber 

1 nori sheet finely sliced into strips 

1 tsp Toasted sesame seeds 

1/2 tsp rice vinegar

1/2 tsp tamari or soy sauce

1/2 tsp agave syrup, or a sweetener of your choice 

1.5 tbsp toasted sesame oil

In a bowl add all the salad seasoning and give it a good mix. 

Add in the boiled edamame, cucumbers, nori strips and stir until combined.