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From running a culinary school and delivery kitchen with her chef father Avinash Rajput to opening the firstever panAsian eatery to serves breakfast Aakanksha Rajput is wearing her love for Asian cuisine on her sleeve During her travels across Singapore and Thailand she realised that breakfast in different parts of Asia was varied and flavourful Back home he hunted for a place to try kaya toast congee or avocado and egg baos but came away disappointedCantonese CongeeEdamame her Asian breakfast cafeacute in Versova opened last month to bridge the gap ldquoThe menu includes dishes that I tried at local hawker centers and small cafes when travelling across the continentrdquo she says The menu is compact and comprises about 12 breakfast dishes R285 onwards and beverages to go along including the now famous Vietnamese coffee and Korean strawberry latte ldquoMy personal favourite is the Cantonese congee and Thai Buddha bowlrdquo she says of the slowcooked rice porridge and one pot meal The Ji dan bing crepes Vietnamese bahn mi Japanese fluffy pancakes breakfast baos and kaya toasts make up the rest of the menurdquo The idea behind the cafe as to offer something new but with flavours that are comforting and familiar A breakfast that transports you to the streets of Asia in shortrdquoVietnamese Breakfast Bahn MiMumbairsquos eateries are cashing in on the growing popularity of having a healthy and hearty breakfast while trying to offer something beyond pancakes and porridge The many countries that make up the Asian continent have a particular favourite breakfast dish and itrsquos this vast gamut of taste flavours that chefs and restaurateurs are dipping into Indonesia has nasi goreng Vietnam has the iconic noodle broth Pho the Chinese have their congee A traditional Japanese breakfast consists of what we would imagine as lunch dishesmdashsteamed rice miso soup grilled fish and a variety of sides including tsukemono Japanese pickles nori dried seasoned seaweed natto fermented soybeans kobachi vegetables and green saladAkansha Rajput Founder EdamameAt the newly opened Japanese restaurant Tsubaki in Worli Chef Ganesh Sonari says they are soon going to serve Japanese breakfast with tofu miso soup dashimaki tamogo omelette yasai curry rice tori katsu chicken cutlets and yaki sakana grilled fish ldquoAsian food is best prepared by speciality chefs and the ingredients have to ve authentic This makes the cuisine an expensive one to dabble in A niche urban segment is willing to spend on an Asian breakfast experiencerdquo says Sonari Since the Japanese breakfast is a whole meal in itself the restaurant has been mindful of keeping the portions small We donrsquot want it to stuff the guest The dishes tend to be lighter not greasy or deepfriedrdquo The dishes at Tsubaki are priced at Rs 800 onwardsChef Ganesh Sonari TsubakiHakuei Kosato is no stranger to India The Japanese founder of Sushi amp More the chain of takeaway and delivery outlets in Mumbai Delhi and Gurugram is hailed for making the Japananse raw fish eat accessible and affordable with vegetarian and Jain options no less When he started as a supplier of Japanese ingredients for 5star restaurant SanQi only the Tajrsquos Wasabi and ITCrsquos Pan Asian were competitors in the space The market now is dotted with mighty contenders He says ldquoIn Japan breakfast sushi is a treat eaten at local fish markets like the Tsukiji market in Tokyo The core of the market hawks raw fish and a large outer market serves fresh sushi Here people enjoy a morning seafood donburi bowl or sushi The Japanese tradition usually follows Japanese steamed rice with miso soup and a small dish like grilled fish and natto fermented soybean served with Kikkoman soy sauce Some also like onsen tamago poached egg la hot spring bath with pickles that are light and healthyrdquoHakuei Kasato Sushi amp MoreAs part of Sushi amp Morersquos breakfast menu he serves the traditional steamed rice with miso soup and a few sushi varieties These are sold at counters inside Foodhall branches 10 am onwards for those looking for a quick Asian breakfast R260 onwards ldquoSoutheast Asia in my opinion is highly diverse ranging from Thai to Vietnamese to Indonesian itrsquos quite colourful and distinct from Japan Asia is a massive continent housing a diverse range of cultures In India there is a market for Asian breakfast restaurants and we are only beginning to scratch the surface of this interesting food segmentrdquo