Dim sums to Kimchi Fried Rice: Indulge in the umami flavours of Asian cuisine with these recipes

It's safe to say that Asian cuisine has dominated the fine-dining space in India's culinary world. Pan-Asian cuisine is the recent popular culinary favourite among many Indians. From steaming hot dumplings that melt in your mouth at the first bite to aromatic Kimchi rice which is a harmonious blend of flavourful spices and fresh veggies, Asian food is indeed irresistible.

It's only recently that the cuisine has garnered love and there are many factors responsible behind it. City chefs from popular Asian dining spaces in Mumbai say one of the key reasons why the cuisine is appealing to the Indian palate is the diverse style of cooking that incorporates flavours, ingredients, and cooking techniques from various countries across Asia including China, Japan, Thailand, Korea, and more. Further, Indians love spicy food, and Asian cuisines often incorporate bold and spicy flavours.

Additionally, with more and more Pan-Asian fine dining coming up, people are now open to trying out new flavours. While we all love fine dining, especially on special occasions like birthdays, anniversaries or job promotion celebrations, most of us also love to prepare exotic meals at home. However, due to a lack of detailed recipes, we often fail to meet with the restaurant-like taste.

To counter this, we got city chefs and culinary experts from Asian-cuisine restaurants to share some really easy recipes you can try out on days when you plan a family dinner or a candlelight dinner with your special someone at home.

Kimchi Fried Rice and Japanese Ramen Bowl by Chef Vadim Shin, brand chef, Yazu
The chef thoroughly loves Korean food. Shin says, "As a Korean, it's hard to imagine a meal without Kimchi, which is a staple in every Korean family. The comforting feeling of having a variety of dishes on the table to complement my meal is something I truly cherish."

Speaking about the specialty of the cuisine, the chef says, "Asian cuisine stands out for its diverse flavours, unique ingredients, and distinctive cooking techniques. It encompasses a wide range of tastes, from the umami-rich dishes of Japan to the spicy and aromatic flavours of China and Korea, the sweet-sour-savory balance found in Thai or Vietnamese cuisine."

While Asian food might look difficult to make due to its exotic nature, he says, "If you know how to use a knife, hold a pan, and cook basic food, you can easily cook Asian dishes."

Kimchi Fried Rice

Ingredients:
Kimchi - 145 gm (1/2 cup packed, chopped)
Chilli paste -2 tsp
Soy sauce - 1 tsp
Toasted sesame oil - 2 tsp
Cooked short-grain rice - 370 grams (about 2 cups)
Vegetable oil - 1 tbsp
Spring onion (finely chopped) - 2 tbsp
Burned garlic -1 tbsp
Sunny side up eggs - 2
Half of the nori (Julien cut)
Roasted sesame seeds - 1 tbsp
Salt to taste

Method:
1. Put vegetable oil in a frying pan and heat over medium-high heat until hot. Add chopped kimchi and stir-fry until the kimchi is starting to brown and is very fragrant.
2. Add rice and stir-fry with a spatula, pressing down on any clumps until the rice is uniform in colour.
3. Add soy sauce and chilli paste over the rice, and turn up the heat to high. Stir-fry, tossing the rice occasionally until the rice starts to brown and doesn't stick together quite as much.
4. Since kimchi varies in saltiness, taste the kimchi and season more if needed.
5. When the fried rice is done, top each serving with a sunny-side-up egg.
6. Add toppings with sesame seeds, chopped spring onion, burned garlic and nori.

Japanese Ramen Bowl

For making broth
Ingredients:
Water - 500 ml
Kikkoman soy sauce - 50 ml
Sake - 15 ml
Mirin - 15 ml
Sesame oil - 10 ml
Chopped garlic - 10 gm
Ginger - 5 gm
Salt and pepper to taste.

Method:
Bring all ingredients together to a boil until all ingredients bring out the flavour.

For assembling the ramen bowl
Ingredients:
Udon or Egg noodles -100 gm
Boiled Egg - 2
Spinach - 30 gm
Bok choi - 50 gm
Broccoli - 30 gm
Asparagus - 30 gm
Chopped spring onion - 15 gm
Any type of boiled meat/seafood - 80 gm
Sesame seeds - 10 gm
Nori - 1/4 cut
Chilli paste (optional) - 5-8 gm

Method:
Slide all these ingredients into the ramen bowl filled with broth one by one and get ready to slurp.

Lotus Root and Chicken Soup and Red Vegetable Soup by Chef Penpa Tsering, Chef de Cuisine at Sampan, Novotel Mumbai Juhu Beach
For Chef Tsering, Asian cuisine is all about balance, harmony, and using fresh, locally sourced ingredients. Tsering says, "At Sampan, I aim to bring the essence of the entire continent to the diners' plate right here in Mumbai."
He adds, "Asian cuisine is known for its versatility, offering a wide range of vegetarian, vegan, and meat-based options. The art of stir-frying, steaming, and using exotic ingredients like soy sauce and fish sauce gives Asian cuisine a distinctive character. It's this balance and variety that make Asian cuisine truly special and set it apart from other culinary traditions."

He says, "Indian diners are increasingly open to exploring these diverse flavours and international cuisines, making Pan-Asian cuisine a natural choice." In the chef's observation, the rise in global travel and exposure to Asian cultures has piqued interest among Indians in the entire continent's culinary traditions as well. Further, he says, "The health quotient of many Asian dishes also appeals to modern sensibilities."

Lotus Root and Chicken Soup

Ingredients:
Chicken - 200 gm
Lotus root - 60 gm
Ginger - 10 gm
Scallion chop - 8 gm
Salt - 5 gm
White pepper powder - 5 gm
Corn flour - 50gm
Soy sauce - 10 ml
Chinese wine - 10 ml
Sesame oil - 5 ml

Method:
1. Wash and rinse the chicken, drain and set aside.
2. Peel the lotus root and cut it into large chunks.
3. Add all the other ingredients mentioned above into the stock pot along with the chicken, and lotus root. Add cold water and bring it to a boil.
4. Once the stock is ready add salt, pepper powder, soy sauce, and Chinese wine. Serve hot garnish with chopped scallion.

Sampan-style Red Vegetable Soup

Ingredients:
Vegetable oil - 2 tbsp
Onion - 100 gm
Garlic - 50 gm
Tomato - 120 gm
Tomato paste - 50 gm
Carrot - 20 gm
Cabbage - 20 gm
Bay leaves - 2
Salt - 5 gm
White pepper powder - 5 gm
Potato - 50 gm
Red chilli paste - 10 gm
Vinegar - 10 ml
Soy sauce - 10 ml
Oyster sauce - 10 ml
Chinese wine - 10 ml
Scallion chopped - 10 gm

Method:
1. Take a pan, pour oil and add onions. While the onions are cooking, cut the tomatoes into rough chunks. Add them to the pot when the onions have softened, along with red chilli paste.
2. Add two tablespoons of tomato paste, letting it fry lightly. Stir and cook until the tomatoes are slightly dissolved and the oil in the pot turns reddish, over medium heat.
3. Now add 10 cups of water, and turn up the heat to high. Cut the carrots and cabbage, and add them to the pot, along with two bay leaves, two teaspoons of salt, and one teaspoon of black pepper. Cover and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to simmer for 60 minutes.
4. After 60 minutes of simmering, peel and cut the potatoes, and add them to the soup. Bring it to boil, until the potatoes are tender. Add soy sauce, oyster sauce, vinegar, and Chinese wine.
5. Add salt to taste and top with chopped scallion before serving.

Stir-Fry Noodles and Tofu and Vegetable Teriyaki by Vatsal Gupta, founder, Tao Asian Kitchen

According to Gupta, what makes Asian cuisine stand out is its use of a wide range of unique and exotic ingredients, such as truffle mushrooms, tofu, lotus stem, lemongrass, and various sauces like black bean and miso. These ingredients contribute to a diverse and rich flavour profile that sets the cuisine apart from other culinary traditions.

When it comes to Asian cuisine, Gupta says, "My personal favourite dish is the restaurant's Truffle Edamame Dim sums and the new range of Vegan Ramen. I enjoy the Truffle Edamame Dim sums for their exquisite umami flavour, and they offer a delightful combination of textures. As for the Vegan Ramen, it's a nutritional powerhouse with protein-rich ingredients."

Vegetable Stir-Fry Noodles

Ingredients:
Noodles - 225 gm
Vegetable oil - 2 tbsp
Chopped garlic - 2 cloves
Chopped ginger - 1 tbsp
Mixed vegetables - 2 cups
Soy sauce - 2 tbsp
Oyster sauce - 1 tbsp
Sesame oil -1 tbsp
Salt and pepper to taste
Chopped spring onions - 1 tbsp

Method:
1. Cook the noodles according to the package instructions.
2. Add vegetable oil to a pan over medium-high heat.
3. Add garlic and ginger to the hot oil and sauté.
4. Add the mixed vegetables to the pan and stir-fry for a few minutes.
5. Add noodles to the pan and toss them with the vegetables.
6. Add the combined soy sauce, oyster sauce, and sesame oil.
7. Stir-fry everything together for a few minutes.
8. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
9. Serve the vegetable stir-fry noodles hot, garnished with chopped spring onions.

Tofu and Vegetable Teriyaki

Ingredients:
Firm tofu, cubed - 1 block
Mixed vegetables - 2 cups
Cloves and garlic - 2
Ginger - 1 tbsp
Soy sauce - 1/4 cup
Mirin - 2 tbsp
Sake - 2 tbsp
Sugar - 2 tbsp
Vegetable oil - 1 tbsp
Cooked rice for serving
Sesame seeds and sliced green onions for garnish

Method:
1. Start by pressing the tofu then cut it into cubes.
2. In a small saucepan, combine soy sauce, mirin, sake, and sugar. This is your teriyaki sauce.
3. In a large wok, heat the vegetable oil.
4. Add the garlic and ginger.
5. Add the tofu cubes and stir-fry them until they turn golden brown on all sides.
6. Add the mixed vegetables and stir-fry for a few minutes until they're tender-crisp.
7. Pour the teriyaki sauce over the tofu and vegetables.
8. Serve the tofu and vegetable teriyaki over cooked rice. Garnish with sesame seeds and sliced green onions.