Asian inspired recipes to try at home

Try these three different Asian inspired recipes at home, demonstrated in-centre for our Lunar New Year celebrations.

Steamed snapper with coriander and ginger stir-fried gai lan

 

 

INGREDIENTS

 

  • 500g whole pink snapper, gutted, scaled
  • 3 spring onions (white part only), thinly sliced, half green tops reserved
  • 30g ginger, finely julienned
  • 100g coriander leaves, stems and roots reserved 

 

Chinese sauce

Part 1

  • 4 tbsp Shaoxing wine
  • 3 tbsp gluten-free soy sauce
  • 30 gr ginger, finely chopped
  • 1½ spring onion tops, cut into 4cm lengths
  • 1 star anise
  • 1 tbsp reserved coriander roots and stems, finely chopped
  • 2 tbsp rice wine vinegar
  • 1 tsp crushed palm sugar
  • 150 ml water

 

Part 2

  • 1 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 400g gai lan, trimmed and cut into 8cm lengths
  • 4 paper-thin slices ginger
  • 1 tbsp oyster sauce
  • 2 garlic cloves

 

INSTRUCTIONS

 

Chinese sauce

 

1.   Combine ingredients in a saucepan, bring to a simmer, then remove from heat and strain.

 

 

Snapper

 

1.   Set a steamer over a saucepan filled to a third with water.

2.   Pat snapper dry with paper towels.

3.   Using a sharp knife, make 4 slashes on each side.

4.   Line steamer with baking paper and place fish on top. Lightly season with salt.

5.   Cover and steam until just cooked through (10-12 minutes).

 

 

Finishing elements

 

1.   Separate sauce into to portions. Set half aside.

2.   Bring one half of the sauce to simmer, add garlic, ginger and a tablespoon of oyster sauce then the gai lan. Add a tablespoon of vegetable oil, ginger and garlic. Stir-fry until fragrant (add dash of water if necessary).

3.   Using a spatula, transfer snapper to a serving plate and dress with ginger, coriander leaves  and spring onion. Spoon remaining sauce over and serve with the cooked gai lan.

 



Prawn and mushrooms dumplings

 

 

 

INGREDIENTS

 

Dumplings

  • 20 wonton skins
  • Vegetable oil
  • 750g whole uncooked Australian prawns, peeled, cleaned, deveined (about 400g prawn meat) and finely diced
  • 100g Asian mushrooms  (enoki, shimeji…) chopped
  • Chopped coriander
  • 1 tbsp light soy sauce
  • 1 clove garlic, chopped
  • ¾ tsp sesame oil
  • ½ tsp grated ginger
  •  ¼ tsp caster sugar
  • Salt / pepper


Soy and sesame dressing

  • 1 tbsp finely chopped garlic
  • 1 tbsp finely chopped ginger
  • 1 tbsp sesame oil
  • 1 tbsp  sesame seeds
  • 1½ tbsp chinese vinegar
  • 1½ tbsp light soy sauce
  • ½ tsp dark soy sauce
  • ½ tsp caster sugar

 

INSTRUCTIONS

 

Dumpling filling

 

1.   Coarsely dice the prawns and refrigerate.

2.   Finely chop the mushrooms

3.   Heat half the oil in a non-stick medium frying pan, add garlic and ginger and cook without coloration.

4.   Add chopped mushrooms and cook until softened

5.   Drizzle soy sauce, sesame oil, chopped coriander and seasoning.

6.   Remove from heat and leave to cool down.

7.   Once chilled , mix diced prawns into the mushroom mixture.

 

To combine and cook

 

1.   Spoon 1 tsp of mixture onto the centre of each wonton wrapper, ensuring there are diced prawn pieces in each.

2.   Brush the edges with a little water and fold the wrappers to enclose, pleating the edge with your fingertips.

3.   Stand the dumplings upright on a plate lined with baking paper and refrigerate while working with the remainder. 

4.   Heat vegetable oil in a non-stick medium frying pan.

5.   Arrange half the dumplings without overloading, in a circle in the centre of the pan and cook over medium-high heat until golden (3-4 minutes). Then pour 100 ml of water over the dumplings, quickly cover with a lid and cook for 4 minutes.

6.   Uncover and cook until the liquid has evaporated and dumplings have formed a thin golden crust (2-4 minutes).

7.   When ready, place a plate over the pan, invert quickly and serve in  a bowl of soy sesame dressing. Repeat with remaining dumplings

 

 

Mango pudding with lime tapioca and coconut yogurt

 

 

INGREDIENTS

 

Mango pudding

 

  • 500 ml  cream
  • 400g puréed mango flesh (Approx. 2 large ripe mangoes)
  • 100g light palm sugar, crushed or grated
  • 5 limes ( juice and rind)
  • 3 titanium-strength gelatine leaves, softened in cold water for 5 minutes
  • Coconut yogurt to serve

 

Lime tapioca

 

  • 80ml (⅓ cup) lime juice (Approx. 3 limes and rind)
  • 80ml (⅓ cup) simple sugar syrup (see note)
  • 80g small tapioca pearls
  • 2 litres water

 

INSTRUCTIONS

 

Mango pudding

 

1.   Bring cream, mango purée, palm sugar, 2 limes rind and a large pinch of salt to a simmer in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir continuously until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat and set aside for flavours to develop (5-10 minutes)

2.   Squeeze excess water from gelatine. Add gelatine to hot cream mixture and stir well to combine. Transfer to a bowl or individual glasses to set, transfer to refrigerator. (For home setting time best recommended 4hrs to overnight)

 

Lime tapioca

 

1.   Combine lime juice and simple sugar syrup in a bowl, and set aside.

2.   Add 2 litres of  water to a large saucepan and bring to the boil. Add tapioca and cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until tapioca turns translucent.

3.   Drain tapioca, rinse under cold water and drain again, then add the lime syrup and chill in the refrigerator.

 

To serve

 

Spoon lime tapioca over each mango pudding, then top with a big scoop of coconut yogurt and lime zest.