Recipes

1. Mix all the filling ingredients together until well combined.
2. Place a wrapper onto a clean, dry work surface (a plate or chopping board will do the trick). Add <1 teaspoon (about 7g) of the filling into the centre of a wrapper.
3. Gather the corners up to the centre to create a money bag. Gently pinch in the centre. Tie with a piece of blanched chive (optional) and trim the end off the tie.
4. Place onto a lined steamer basket.
5. Continue making the rest of the dumplings and fill your steamer baskets, making sure you leave a little room around each dumpling. You can cook a big batch of dumplings if you have multiple steamer baskets which can be stacked on top of each other.
6. Steam dumplings for about 6mins (until the filling is cooked) then serve.

Makes 100

1. If you have a high powered food processor, add in chunks of lemongrass, garlic and coriander roots and blitz until the mix resembles fine straw. Alternatively, finely slice and dice. Add all ingredients together and mix until well combined. Chill for 30mins.

2. Form 4 patties out of the burger mix. They will shrink on cooking so make your patties bigger than the size of your buns.

3. Prepare onion oil by placing sliced onion in a heat proof bowl. Heat oil in a dry pan until smoking. Carefully pour hot oil over spring onions. Stir through and set aside.

4. Panfry, grill or bbq your patties until cooked through. Smear spring onion oil on your cooked patty and assemble your burger.

(Make your pickled veggies the night before) Simply julienne your carrot and radish. Lightly salt and toss through to distribute. Leave in a colander and set aside for a few hours in the fridge. Make your pickling liquid by adding equal parts white sugar and white vinegar in a pot. Heat to dissolve the sugar then leave to cool completely. Squeeze out any moisture from the salted veggies and place in a sterilised jar. Add in sliced garlic and fill the jar with pickling liquid. Lid and store in the fridge overnight before serving).

Prepare your Rice

1. Wash and rinse your rice in tap water.

2. Cook the rice in a rice cooker. (1 Cup of fresh water is a guide for this amount of rice)

3. Transfer your cooked rice to a medium sized bowl and add sushi seasoning. Mix until combinied well. 

4. Spread the rice into the bottom of a baking tray to make one even flat layer.

I used a 20cm x 27cm tray.

Prepare your Crab Mix

1. In a medium sized bow, make the dressing by adding Kewpie mayo, sour cream and yuzu dressing (optional). Mix together until well combined.

2. Separate the imitation crab sticks into strands.

3. Give the crab a rough chop then place into the bowl with the dressing. Mix together until well combined.

Assemble your Tray

1. Layer sliced avocado over the rice.

2. Sprinkle furikake on top of the avocado.

3. Spread the crab mix evenly on top.

4. Sprinkle on furikake

5. Scatter tobiko on top

6. Sprnkle on furikake to garnish.

Serves 4

1. Heat oil in a wok or large skillet. Add garlic and chilli and saute until fragrant.
2. Add pork mince, breaking it up into small pieces in the wok. Saute until almost cooked.
3. Add in oyster sauce, soy sauce, fish sauce and sugar. Mix well until the pork is well coated in the sauce and cooked through.
4. Take of the heat and add in Thai basil leaves. Mix through to wilt then serve with steamed jasmine rice and a fried egg.

Makes 20 Fritters

Prep Time: 5mins plus 30mins waiting time

Cook Time: 30mins

Total Time: 50mins plus 35mins waiting time

1. Add AP flour, rice flour, sesame seeds, coconut, baking powder and sugar to a medium sized bowl. Mix until well combined. Add water and mix to form a batter. Set aside for 30mins.

2. Peel bananas and split in half, lengthways. Sit each piece of banana flat side down, then flatten the curved side with the blade of a cleaver or large knife.

3. Heat oil in a wok or large pot on medium heat. The oil is ready when a bamboo chopstick/wooden spoon starts bubbling when placed in the hot oil.

4. Prepare and cook fritters in batches. Dip bananas, one at a time, into the batter to coat then carefully slide into the hot oil. Do not overcrowd the oil. Cook until lightly golden, turning occasionally when needed. Drain on a wire rack and repeat with remaining bananas.

5. Turn up the heat on the oil and re-fry the fritters. You can crowd the oil in the second fry. Fry until golden and crunchy. Rest on a wire rack.

6. Serve fritters on their own, with a side of ice cream, coconut butterscotch sauce, or all of the above!

Making your instant soup

1. Boil a big pot of water on the stove

2. Add in seasoning paste of your choice

3. Season to taste with fish sauce (or salt), chicken boulion powder and sugar

Prep your vegetables 

1. Wash all your vegetables and place in a larger colander or on a serving platter

Making your sauce

1. The options are endless. I like adding hoisin sauce, sesame oil, topped up with chopped garlic, coriander and chilli in mine

2. My family uses a premade bottle of sukiyaki sauce 

Setting up everything else

1.Place all other ingredients into bowls or on serving platters 

2. Set up your gas/electric portable stove. 

3. In a hot pot pot, add in your soup and bring to boil

3. Gather your friends and family around and enjoy (remember ingredients like beef, pork, lamb and chicken slices cook much quicker than others)

* The ingredient measurements will vary depending on how many people are eating. This is just a rough guide. 

Serves 4-6

1. Add rice to a large bowl and fill with tap water. Leave to soak overnight.
2. The next day, drain and rinse the rice under cold running water. Line a steamer basket with baking paper then fill with drained rice. Steam for 30 mins.
3. Meanwhile, add coconut milk, white sugar, palm sugar and salt into a small pot. Tie the pandan leaf into a knot and add to the pot. Heat to dissolve the sugar. Simmer for 5 minutes then remove from the heat. Remove and discard the pandan leaf.
4. Transfer the cooked rice into a large bowl and pour in ¼ to ½ of the coconut sauce. Mix until everything is well combined then set aside for about an hour for the coconut milk to absorb into the rice. Set aside the remaining coconut sauce to serve just after plating.
5. To serve, spoon a mound of sticky rice onto each serving plate. Place one durian segment next to each mound. Drizzle on coconut sauce and garnish with toasted sesame seeds.

Serves 1

Method:

1. Pour one tablespoon of oil into a hot pan.Add in chicken and season with salt and pepper (or fish sauce/soy sauce)
2. Once cooked, add water, alongside the noodles + noodle seasonings and fish balls
3. For extra creaminess, stir in coconut cream and mozzarella cheese (optional) and let the water cook down to a thick/creamier texture. 
4. At the desired consistency, turn off the heat and top off with soft boiled eggs, crispy fried shallots and fresh spring onions.

Makes 12 large buns

For the Taro Paste Filling

1. Cut taro halves in half then slice into 5mm thick slices.
2. Place taro into a large steamer basket then steam over rapidly boiling water for 30mins or until cooked.
3. Add cooked taro into a food processor, along with coconut milk/cream, sugar and a drop of ube flavouring. Blitz until smooth.
4. Transfer taro puree to a large non-stick pan.
5. Cook taro puree on medium heat. Steam will be released as the water evaporates from the puree. Keeping moving the puree around in the pan with a spatula to prevent any dark spots from forming. Continue doing this until your puree turns into a paste.
6. Take off the heat and allow to cool completely. You can make the paste ahead of time and chill in the fridge. The paste will set further on cooling.

For the Buns

1. Add sugar, yeast and water to a bowl and mix. Leave for 10mins.
2. Add flour to the bowl of a stand mixer. Make a well in the centre and pour in the yeast mixture. Mix on speed 1 for 10mins. If you don’t have a stand mixer, knead with your hands until the dough is smooth.
3. Form the dough into a ball and place in an oiled bowl and cover with cling film. Set aside for 90mins.
4. Mix baking powder and water together in a small bowl. Set aside.
5. After 90min, transfer your dough to a work surface. Roll out into a large rectangle. Pour baking powder mix onto the dough. Fold the dough over the liquid and gently knead until the dough feels smooth (about 2 mins). Divide your dough into 12 equal parts. Form into balls then cover with cling film and allow to rest for 10mins.
6. Divide your prepared taro paste into 12 equal parts and form into balls.
7. Roll out your ball of dough and place a ball of filling in the centre. Gather the dough around the taro filling and pinch together to seal at the top. Place on a square of baking paper and into a steamer basket. Repeat until all 12 buns are made.
8. Add a splash of vinegar into a pot of water and bring to the boil. Lightly mist your buns with water (optional) then steam for 10mins. After 10mins, turn off the heat but DO NOT OPEN THE LID. Leave steamer undisturbed for 3mins before opening the lid.

Serve hot.

Makes 6 cubes

1. Drain your tofu and wrap it a clean tea towel. Place between two plates. Place a couple of cans on top to draw out excess moisture from the tofu. Leave for 15mins.

2. Heat water and dashi powder in a small pot. Stir to dissolve the powder then add soy and mirin when the liquid starts to bubble. Turn off the heat and set aside.

3. Place oil in a med pot or wok. The depth of the oil needs to cover your tofu when you are deep frying it. Heat the oil on med-high heat.

4. Place potato starch in a medium sized bowl. When the oil is ready, remove the tofu from the tea towel. Coat a cube of tofu in the potato starch then deep fry until crispy. Do not overcrowd the pot as they may stick to each other. Coat and deep fry the cubes in batches. Remove and drain on a wire rack.

5. Place tofu in serving bowls. Gently pour the warm broth into the bowls around the bottom of the cubes.

6. Garnish with spring onions and katsuobushi.

 

1. Add the pork to a pot of water and fill to cover by 5cm. Bring to the boil. Allow to boil for 1 min then remove and drain. Rinse impurities off the pork pieces in fresh tap water and set aside.

2. Add sugar and water to a clean wok or medium sized pot. Heat on med-high heat to create the caramel. Let it bubble away until a rich, dark caramel forms (not burnt). Swirl the pan as you do this to distribute the heat in the pan.

3. Add in 1T oil and swirl through. Add ginger and onion and saute until the onion has softened.

4. Add prepared pork pieces and cook for about 5 mins.

5. Add Shaoxing wine, soy sauces and fish sauce. Stir to mix and heat through.

6. Add coconut water. Stir through then bring to the boil.

7. Cover with a lid, reduce heat to low and allow to simmer for one hour.

8. After one hour, remove the lid, add in the eggs and turn the heat up to medium. Allow the braising liquid to evaporate and thicken into a sauce. Gently rotate your eggs from time to time to allow it to absorb and take on a darker hue. Turn of the heat when the sauce reaches your desired consistency. Taste and adjust seasoning if required.

1. Add garlic, coriander and sugar into a mortar. Using a pestle, pound until the garlic and coriander are crushed.

2. Add in chilli and basil leaves and continue to pound until you reach your desired consistency.

3. Add in fish sauce and lime juice and mix through. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary.

Serves 4

1. Add the pork bones and spare ribs into a large pot. Fill with water and bring to the boil. Boil for 5 mins then strain pork into a colander. Clean the pot, then rinse and strain pork to remove the physical impurities. Return the pork to the cleaned pot. Add dried shrimp, lemongrass, galangal, makrut lime leaves, garlic, chilli, 3L water and soup seasoning cubes. Bring to the boil then remove any surface scum. Reduce heat to low and cover the pot with a lid. Simmer for 60mins or until the ribs are tender.
2. Meanwhile, make the crispy garlic oil by adding the chopped garlic and oil into a small pot. Heat until the oil starts to sizzle and the garlic starts to fry and turn lightly golden. The garlic will continue to cook in the oil so turn off the heat when the garlic starts to colour. Set aside.
3. Remove the pork bones and aromats in the pot, leaving only the spare ribs and broth in the pot. Add in half of the prepared crispy garlic oil, sugar, lime juice and fish sauce. Bring to the boil then taste and adjust seasoning as needed.

Prep Everything Else

4. Slice egg wonton wrappers into strips. Deep fry until crispy then drain on kitchen paper. Set aside.
5. Slice gai lan to separate the leaves from the stems. Slice stems to create discs. Blanch leaves and stems in a pot of salted water with a dash oil. Remove and set aside.
6. Warm through fish and pork balls to packet instructions.
7. Prepare noodles to packet instructions.

Serve Up

8. Add a bundle of noodles to each bowl. Add in gai lan, a couple of fish balls and pork balls, a few slices of cha Hue and spare ribs. Ladle in soup. Garnish with crispy garlic oil, dried chilli flakes, coriander, spring onion and fried wonton strips.

Pandan Agar Agar:

1. Add all ingredients to a medium sized pot and gently bring to the boil.
2. Stir to dissolve the sugar and immediately reduce the heat once it reaches a boil. Simmer for 5 mins then pour into a mould (I used a 7”x10” plastic container). Allow to sit at room temperature for half an hour then place in the fridge to set. This will take a few hours.
3. Once set, you can cut your agar agar into blocks and serve.

Coffee Agar Agar:

1. Add all ingredients to a medium sized pot and gently bring to the boil.
2. Stir to mix in the condensed milk and immediately reduce the heat once it reaches a boil. Simmer for 5 mins then pour into a mould (I used a 7”x10” plastic container). Allow to sit at room temperature for half an hour then place in the fridge to set. This will take a few hours.
3. Once set, you can cut your agar agar into blocks and serve.

Real menma requires fermentation but you can use this quick method as the perfect substitute and it still tastes good! Best thing. It takes less than 10 minutes. 

1. Drain and wash the bamboo shoots thoroughly (you can also soak the bamboo in boiling hot water if you want to get rid of the smell before washing it)
2. Pour the sesame oil into the pan and stir fry the bamboo on medium high heat for 2 minutes 
3. Add in sugar and continue stir frying for another 2 minutes, ensuring the sugar coats all the bamboo 
4. Add in chicken stock, soy sauce, chilli oil (optional) and water and stirfry until the water evaporates 
5. Garnish with sesame seeds when serving (toasted for more fragrant aromatics) 

For the marinade: 

1. In a small saucepan, combine all the ingredients for the marinade 
2. Bring to a boil and whisk it a few times to let the sugar dissolve completely. Once boiling, lower the heat and simmer for 1 minute. Set aside to cool completely 

For the eggs: 

1. Heat water (plus a splash of vinegar + salt to easily peel the eggs later) in a saucepan and bring it to a boil.  Tip: there should be enough water to fully cover the eggs 
2. Once fully boiling, gently lower the eggs into the water. Set a 6 to 6 1/2 minute timer for a runny/custard like egg yolk 
3. Lower the heat to maintain a gentle boil
4. Prepare a bowl with ice and water, and once the timer goes off, immediately take the eggs out and shock them in water for 10 minutes. 

To marinate:

1. Peel the eggs and place them in a small zip lock bag or small airtight container
2. Pour marinade over the eggs, ensuring all the marinade is covering the eggs.
3. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours, but best overnight! 

1. Slice thin rounds from your radish. Stack the rounds then slice into thick match sticks. Add sugar, water and vinegar and mix to combine. Set aside for 30mins. After this time, your radish would have released a lot of liquid. Strain away this liquid and press through a clean tea towel to remove any excess moisture.
2. Add 1T gochu garu and mix with a gloved hand to coat all the radish pieces.
3. In another bowl, mix together 1T sugar, 1T fish sauce, minced garlic and remaining gochu garu.
4. Add spring onions, garlic chives and prepared radish. Mix everything well together and serve.

Serves 12-15

Make the Red Rubies

1. Bring a medium pot of water to the boil.
2. Meanwhile, add the chopped water chestnuts to a medium sized zip lock bag. Add food colouring then mix to colour the chestnuts. Add tapioca floor. Seal the bag then toss to coat all the chestnuts with the tapioca starch.
3. When the water is at a raging boil, slowly pour in prepared chestnuts, dispersing them in the water to avoid clumping. The red rubies will rise to the top when cooked. Allow them to continue to bubble for a couple of minutes before draining/scooping out into a colander. Rinse with cold running water to remove any excess starch and colouring. Add cooked red rubies to a bowl of iced water.

Put it All Together

4. Drain lychees, jackfruit, longan and coconut jelly, but reserve the syrup in a large jug.
5. Slice lychees in half and jackfruit into strips. Add them, along with the longan and coconut jelly into a large mixing bowl.
6. Add in grass jelly cubes and rinsed toddy palm seeds.
7. Add in evaporated milk.
8. Add in reserved syrup to taste (about 2 cups).
9. Finally, drain red rubies from their cold water bath and add them in this mix. Stir to mix everything through then chill well before serving.

Serves 2

1. Add corn kernels and milk to a medium sized pot.
2. Blitz with a blender then add in condensed milk. Stir to mix then heat the mix on medium-high heat.
3. Drop the heat to low, just before the milk comes to the boil.
4. Simmer for about 20-30 mins then strain the pulp through a fine mesh sieve
   (the longer you simmer the corn, the more pronounced the corn flavour will be)

Serve warm or allow to cool and pour into a tall glass filled with ice for a refreshing chilled option. Optional: Add a shot of cold brew or espresso

Serves 2-4

1. Place a piece of parchment paper over one piece of pork and tenderise using a rolling pin or food mallet. Repeat to tenderise all pieces.
2. Finely grate one brown onion into a bowl. Smother each piece of pork in this onion puree and refrigerate overnight. This injects so much flavour into the meat!
3. Just before cooking, set up your crumbing station with 3 shallow bowls:

• 1 bowl filled with the AP flour
• 1 bowl filled with beaten eggs (heavily seasoned with salt & pepper and a dash of vanilla extract)
• 1 bowl filled with panko breadcrumbs

4. remove all the excess onion puree from each piece of pork and lightly dust them in AP flour.
5. Slide each piece of pork (one at a time) into the bowl of beaten eggs. This egg mix will allow the crunchy coating to stick to your pork.
6. Coat each piece of pork with panko breadcrumbs. Gently press in the crumbs with your fingers to cover the entire surface area of each piece of pork.
7. Heat a wok, deep fryer or deep skillet to 180C (355F). Ensure that there is enough oil to fully submerge each piece of pork, leaving enough room for the oil level to rise in wok/skillet when you add in the pork pieces.
8. Deep fry your crumbed pork pieces in batches  (no more than two at a time) turning each piece over so that all sides are golden. Because each piece of meat is thin, it doesn't take long for each piece to cook.
9. Drain on a cooling rack lined with a sheet of paper towel. The rack helps air circulate under the tonkatsu and keeps it crunchy longer.

Use the tonkatsu as you please. Over a bowl of piping hot ramen or roll it into a sushi and pack it for a delicious lunch.

Makes 6

1. Wash and cook your rice.

2. While your rice is cooking, prepare the filling:

• Slice SPAM into 6 thick slices. Heat up a large skillet with 1tsp oil. Add SPAM slices and pan fry until each side is golden. Drain on kitchen paper and set aside.
• Crack eggs into a bowl and add a dash of milk/water. Season with salt and pepper and whisk well to combine. Heat up a non-stick skillet with 1tsp oil. Pour in egg mix and make one omelette. Slide omelette onto a chopping board and slice into 6 portions.

3. Once cooked, transfer the rice to a large bowl and mix in sushi seasoning to taste. Divide the rice mix into 12 portions.

To make each onigirazu:

1. Place a large sheet of cling film down on your bench.
2. Place one sheet of nori on top of your piece of plastic.
3. Place one portion of seasoned rice in the centre of the nori. Flatten it down to make a small square, rotated 45 degrees to the direction of your piece of nori. The rice acts like the bread in a sandwich.
4. Add a piece of omelette on the centre of your rice.
5. Add a piece of SPAM on the centre of your omelette.
6. Squeeze on Kewpie mayo to taste.
7. Tear up ½ a lettuce leaf to fit your rice square and layer on top of the mayo.
8. Grab another portion of seasoned rice and compact it in your hand before placing on top of the lettuce.
9. Fold each corner of nori over your ‘sushi sandwich’ to completely wrap your sandwich.
10. Wrap the cling film around your nori parcel so that it stays firmly in shape.
11. Allow your onigirazu to sit for 10 minutes to help set it before slicing in half.

Repeat with remaining ingredients to make the other 5 onigirazu.