Asian Recipes
806 recipes. Page 2 of 34
The Asian category gathers popular dishes from Japan, China, Thailand, Vietnam, India, and beyond. Curry, stir-fried noodles, mapo tofu, pad Thai, and pho are among the Asian favorites commonly enjoyed in Korean households.
Bettara-zuke (Daikon Pickled in Amazake)
Bettara-zuke is a moist Tokyo daikon pickle. Peeled radish is divided into thick spears, cured overnight with salt, lightly rinsed, and coated with prepared amazake and dried chili for another two to three days. It is traced to lightly pickled daikon sold at Edo-period Ebisu observances, and one origin story links its name to the sticky koji coating that could cling to clothing. Unlike fully dried takuan, the daikon retains water and a crisp bite while amazake supplies gentle sweetness and a white fermented coating. Bettara stalls still gather at the autumn market of Takarada Ebisu Shrine in Nihonbashi.
Ants Climbing a Tree (Sichuan Glass Noodles with Minced Pork)
Ants Climbing a Tree combines glass noodles and ground pork with doubanjiang and soy sauce. Soak the noodles in lukewarm water for only 10 minutes and drain while they bend but remain slightly firm in the center. This lets them finish in the pan without breaking as they absorb the seasoned liquid. Loosen large clumps of pork before cooking and press the meat into fine crumbles with a spatula. Once no pink remains, add the doubanjiang and soy sauce and stir without scorching, then add the water and noodles. Finish when the noodles are translucent and almost no liquid remains on the pan bottom, then mix in the green onion and serve.
Mentaiko Cream Pasta
Mentaiko cream pasta is a Japanese-style cream pasta in which salted pollock roe is stirred into a warm butter, heavy cream, and milk base until the sauce turns silky and coats the spaghetti in a fine layer studded with tiny bursts of roe. Minced garlic is sauteed gently in butter over low heat until just fragrant and sweet, then the cream and milk are poured in and brought only to the point before a full boil, as a rolling boil causes the sauce to break and separate. Once the temperature is controlled, two-thirds of the roe goes into the sauce along with the drained spaghetti, everything tossed quickly so the roe cooks only through the residual heat of the pasta and sauce rather than direct flame, which would make it taste fishy. Reserved pasta water, added a spoonful at a time, adjusts the consistency without diluting the richness. Finely grated Parmesan adds another tier of umami and salt, while a few drops of fresh lemon juice cut through the cream and leave a clean, bright finish that keeps the dish from feeling too heavy. The remaining raw roe and crumbled roasted seaweed are arranged on top before serving, creating a contrast of red and black that signals the flavors inside, and folding them in at the table releases a fresh, briny aroma.
Choju Namasu (Vegetables in Sesame Tofu Dressing)
Choju namasu is a regional dish from the Reihoku area of Fukui, prepared for New Year osechi, celebrations, Buddhist memorial services, and Ho-onko gatherings. Its name expresses a wish for longevity. Unlike a light vinegar-only namasu, this version grinds grilled atsuage with toasted white sesame, miso, sugar, mustard, and vinegar until the tofu skin disappears into a thick dressing. Salted and firmly squeezed daikon and carrot remain crisp, while briefly blanched snow peas add color and a fresh bite.
Aimaze (Simmered Root Vegetables with Vinegar)
Aimaze is a root vegetable side dish from the Noto area of Ishikawa, traditionally prepared for New Year and other special occasions. Soak 20 g flattened dried soybeans in water. Cut 40 g burdock into thin shavings and soak it separately, then pour boiling water over 20 g fried tofu and slice it into narrow strips. Cut 200 g daikon and 20 g carrot into strips about 3 cm long. Blanch them briefly, cool them, and squeeze out the water thoroughly. Put the drained soybeans, burdock, and fried tofu in a saucepan. Add 4 tablespoons soy sauce and 1.5 tablespoons each mirin, sake, and sugar. Simmer over medium heat only until the soybeans and burdock are seasoned but still retain some bite. Turn off the heat before mixing in 1.5 tablespoons vinegar. Add the squeezed daikon and carrot last and fold gently so the thin strips stay intact. The components should remain distinguishable instead of collapsing into one soft mixture. Serve the aimaze warm or let it cool completely before plating.
Basbousa (Middle Eastern Semolina Syrup-Soaked Cake)
Basbousa is a Middle Eastern cake made by baking a thick semolina and yogurt batter until deeply golden, then saturating it with lemon sugar syrup. The semolina gives the crumb a distinct coarse grain, while yogurt and melted butter bind the interior into a firm but tender slice. Mix the semolina, sugar, and baking powder thoroughly before adding the wet ingredients so the leavener is evenly dispersed. Once yogurt and butter enter, stir just until every grain is moistened and spread the heavy batter level in the pan without compacting it. Shallow diamond scoring marks the portions before baking, and an almond pressed into each section gives every finished piece a toasted center. Bake at 180C until the top is a deep golden color, the edges feel set, and the center has lost its wet appearance. While the cake is in the oven, simmer sugar, water, and lemon juice until the sugar dissolves. Pour the hot syrup evenly over the cake as soon as it leaves the oven. The porous semolina absorbs the liquid quickly, leaving a faintly crisp surface over a moist, syrup-rich crumb. Rest it for at least 10 minutes, then follow the score lines for clean portions.
Ayu Rousui (Tokushima Sweetfish and Vegetable Rice Porridge)
Ayu rousui is a rice porridge from the Katsuura area of Tokushima. Rice, potato, eggplant, onion, and shimeji simmer in ample water before whole sweetfish are laid on top and cooked, allowing the fish to season both broth and vegetables. Rousui is regarded as a local form of the word zosui, meaning rice porridge. This recipe uses 150g rice and 1600ml water so the grains can expand fully. Four cleaned ayu enter only after the vegetables begin softening. Once cooked, their heads, bones, and fins are removed carefully and only the flesh returns to the pot. Nesashi miso, garlic chives, thin sudachi slices, and a little shichimi finish the porridge with salty soybean depth, green aroma, citrus, and gentle heat.
Buta-ae (Octopus and Eggplant Miso Stir-Fry)
Buta-ae is a sweet and lightly spicy miso stir-fry of boiled octopus and eggplant from the Amakusa area of Kumamoto Prefecture. Three medium eggplants are halved lengthwise and cut diagonally about 5 mm thick. Two salt-boiled octopus legs are cut into bite-size chunks. The eggplant goes into the oiled pan first and cooks until the surface is coated and the flesh begins to soften. The octopus is added only for a brief stir-fry so its firm texture remains. Miso, mirin, and sugar are mixed beforehand, then folded quickly through the hot ingredients with optional sliced chili. The dish is finished as soon as the thick seasoning coats the eggplant and octopus evenly. Despite the word for pork in its name, the dish arose when octopus from Amakusa Bay replaced pork, which was once scarce in the region. It is served with rice, with shochu, or cooled in a lunch box.
Anmitsu (Japanese Agar Jelly Red Bean Fruit Dessert)
Anmitsu is a Japanese dessert with roots in the Meiji era, developed from mitsumame - a simpler preparation of agar cubes and boiled peas - when sweet azuki bean paste was added to create a more fully composed treat. The structural foundation is kanten jelly: agar-agar dissolved in water, set into a firm translucent block, and cut into cubes that have a clean, rigid snap distinct from the soft wobble of gelatin. Around the jelly, the bowl holds seasonal fruits - mandarin segments, peach slices, cherries - alongside a mound of tsubuan, which is coarsely mashed sweet red beans that retain some grain and texture, and small balls of shiratama mochi whose sticky, glutinous chew contrasts with everything else in the bowl. A small ceramic pitcher of kuromitsu - dark sugar syrup made from Okinawan black sugar - arrives separately and is poured over at the table, its molasses-deep sweetness acting as a unifying sauce across the disparate elements. No single spoonful of this dessert tastes the same as the last: the ratio of crisp jelly, soft fruit, sticky mochi, and grainy bean paste shifts with every bite.
Miki (Amami Fermented Rice Drink)
Miki is a lactic fermented drink made with rice, sweet potato, sugar, and water in the Amami area of Kagoshima. Rice flour is cooked while stirring for 15 to 20 minutes, sweetened, and cooled to about 30°C before juice pressed from grated sweet potato is mixed in. The covered mixture rests in a cool, dark place overnight in summer or for two to three nights in winter, with occasional stirring. Fresh miki is thick and distinctly sweet; as fermentation continues, its acidity becomes more pronounced before the drink is chilled.
Ayam Bakar (Indonesian Grilled Chicken in Sweet Soy Marinade)
Ayam bakar marinates chicken thighs in soy sauce, sweet soy sauce, garlic, ginger, ground coriander, turmeric, and lime juice, then cooks the chicken gently before finishing it over high grill heat. Pat the chicken dry so the marinade stays on the surface. Cook it over low heat until the center turns opaque, remove the pieces, and reduce the remaining sauce only until it coats a spatula thickly. The sweet sauce can scorch quickly, so lower the heat and brush it on in thin layers. Grill for 2 to 3 minutes per side, then remove the chicken when the center is cooked and dark glossy patches appear. Rest for 3 minutes.
Bo Kho (Vietnamese Lemongrass Beef Shank Stew)
Bo kho is Vietnam's beef stew, born in the southern kitchens of Saigon where French colonial influence introduced slow-braised preparations and Vietnamese cooks adapted them with local aromatics. Beef shank and tendon are cut into large chunks and braised with lemongrass, star anise, cinnamon, and annatto oil - the annatto tinting the broth a vivid orange-red that sets bo kho apart from the darker tones of Western stews. Tomato paste and a spoonful of curry powder go in early, building a base that is simultaneously sweet, earthy, and warm. The stew simmers for two hours or more until the beef is fork-tender and the tendon has turned gelatinous, releasing its collagen into the broth and giving it a lip-coating richness. Carrots and daikon radish soften in the liquid during the final thirty minutes, absorbing the concentrated aromatics as they cook. Bo kho is eaten two ways - ladled over steamed rice, or alongside a crusty baguette torn for dipping into the broth. Street vendors in Ho Chi Minh City serve it from dawn, when the morning air carries the scent of star anise from their simmering pots across the alleyways.
Jelly Fry (Okara and Potato Fritters)
Jelly fry is a snack from Gyoda in Saitama, made by kneading okara with skin-steamed potato, carrot, onion, flour, and egg. The mixture is shaped like an oval coin and fried directly without breadcrumbs. Jelly does not refer to dessert: the name is thought to have evolved from zeni fry, or coin fry, after its koban-like shape. A Gyoda teahouse owner who had served in the Russo-Japanese War is said to have adapted it from a vegetable bun of northeastern China, and it was common by the late Meiji period. The hot fritters are briefly dipped in a six-to-four blend of Worcestershire and chuno sauces.
Cabbage and Trout Layered Pickle
This layered cabbage and trout pickle comes from the Tsugaru region of Aomori. Cabbage is combined with salt-preserved trout, carrot, dried chili, ginger, amazake, and vinegar under a weight. In inland central and southern Tsugaru, fresh seafood was once difficult to obtain, while four months of heavy snow made pickles an important vegetable source. Salted trout kept well, and households used grilled flesh for meals and the remaining edible parts in pickles or shirani soup. For safer home preparation, this version fully cooks commercially salt-cured trout, removes firm bones, and keeps the vinegar-amazake pickle at 4°C or below throughout.
Asam Laksa (Tamarind Fish Noodle Soup)
Asam laksa is Penang's defining noodle soup, recognized by UNESCO as one of Malaysia's intangible cultural heritage items. Where Singapore's curry laksa builds its richness on coconut milk, this version draws its entire character from a tamarind-soured fish broth that is tart, briny, and aggressively aromatic in a way that coconut-based versions never are. Whole mackerel is poached until it flakes, then removed and broken apart by hand; the remaining liquid is blended with torch ginger flower, lemongrass, and galangal pounded into a coarse paste to build the broth's layered fragrance. Tamarind sourness arrives first and dominates the initial impression, followed by a slow build of chili heat and the ocean depth of fish sauce. Thick rice noodles sit at the bottom of the bowl, their chewy resistance offering physical contrast to the sharp, lean broth that pours over them. The table condiments - julienned cucumber, fresh mint leaves, thinly sliced onion, and a spoonful of belacan-enriched prawn paste - are not optional garnishes but integral components: the fermented prawn paste in particular adds a dimension of umami that rounds the broth's acidity into something far more complex. Every hawker stall in Penang has its own spice ratios handed down through family lines, which is why no two bowls taste exactly alike.
Japanese Napolitan Spaghetti
Napolitan spaghetti is a Japanese yoshoku pasta stir-fried with ketchup, sausage, onion, and green bell pepper that traces its origins to postwar Japan, when imported ingredients were scarce and cooks adapted Western techniques with locally available pantry staples. Cooking the ketchup in the pan first drives off moisture and concentrates its tomato sweetness, transforming it from a condiment into a sauce base with genuine depth. Worcestershire sauce adds a layer of fermented complexity that ketchup alone cannot provide. The sausage goes in first to render its fat and build flavor, followed by onion and pepper stir-fried quickly over high heat to retain their texture. Spaghetti cooked al dente with a quarter cup of pasta water reserved helps the sauce cling to the noodles when tossed together in the pan. A knob of butter stirred in at the end rounds off the ketchup's acidity and gives the finished dish a glossy, sweet-savory character that has made napolitan a beloved nostalgic dish in Japanese home cooking.
Edamame Avocado Salad
Edamame avocado salad brings together two ingredients with contrasting textures: shelled edamame, which snaps with a firm, slightly starchy bite, and ripe avocado cut into generous chunks that are smooth and buttery. The dressing is a soy-lime combination with a small pour of sesame oil - the lime cuts through the fat in the avocado, the soy adds umami depth, and the sesame oil contributes a roasted, nutty backdrop that pulls the Asian flavor profile together. Thin-sliced cucumber and halved cherry tomatoes fill out the bowl with crunch and bright acidity, keeping the whole thing fresh rather than heavy. Beyond boiling the edamame, no cooking is required: the avocado goes in raw, the dressing is whisked together in under a minute, and the whole salad is assembled cold. Total time from start to table is under 15 minutes, making it a practical option for quick lunches or side dishes.
Akagai Garanmushi Shell-Steamed Clams
Akagai garanmushi is an Izumo dish from Shimane that cooks small sarubogai clams in their shells with dashi, mirin, and light soy sauce for only a brief time. Locally called akagai, sarubogai are a separate species from the commonly marketed ark shell, smaller and with fewer grooves, and were once emblematic of brackish Lake Nakaumi. The shells are rubbed together to clear mud and sand from their ridges, then all the clams enter the boiling seasoned stock at once under a lid. As soon as the pot returns to a boil, it is shaken, removed from the heat, and left covered for thirty seconds. Open clams are lifted out immediately so the flesh stays tender. The cloudy cooking liquid is not poured onto the plate, and any clam that remains closed is discarded. This fast, controlled cooking preserves the shellfish sweetness prized at New Year meals.
Castella Cake (Japanese Honey Egg Sponge Cake)
Castella is a Japanese sponge cake descended from the pao de Castela brought by Portuguese missionaries to Nagasaki in the sixteenth century, then reimagined over generations into something distinctly Japanese. The batter works without baking powder, relying entirely on extended, vigorous whisking of whole eggs to build a stable foam that lifts the cake during baking. Honey and millet jelly are added together, and this combination keeps the crumb moist for several days after baking. The flour ratio is kept unusually low, producing a fine, even grain that springs back slowly when pressed. Baked in a rectangular wooden frame lined with paper, the cake develops a thin caramelized layer along the bottom where sugar settles and browns under heat, creating a slightly chewy base that contrasts with the airy body above. The cake improves noticeably from the day after baking, once moisture has distributed evenly through the crumb and the honey flavor has deepened. Green tea is the traditional accompaniment, its bitterness countering the cake's mellow sweetness. Castella shops in Nagasaki still compete on their precise methods, some guarding recipes that have remained unchanged for centuries.
Bao Zai Fan (Cantonese Claypot Rice with Chinese Sausage)
Bao zai fan - claypot rice - is a Cantonese winter dish served in Hong Kong dai pai dong stalls and Guangzhou old-quarter restaurants for well over a century. Raw rice cooks directly in a heated clay vessel with Chinese sausage, cured meats, or marinated chicken layered on top; their rendered fats drip down and season the grains as they absorb liquid. Clay retains heat well after leaving the flame, continuing to toast the bottom layer of rice into a golden, crackling crust called fan jiu - the most coveted part of the whole dish. A sauce of dark soy, light soy, sugar, and sesame oil is poured over at the table and stirred through, staining the white rice amber and releasing a rush of caramelized soy fragrance. Within a single pot, textures shift from sticky-soft grains on top through a chewy middle layer to a shattering crust at the bottom - a range that has kept claypot rice central to Cantonese comfort eating despite the patience it demands.
Buta Shogayaki (Japanese Ginger Pork Stir-Fry with Soy Mirin Glaze)
Buta shogayaki is one of the most frequently cooked dishes in Japanese home kitchens, appearing in bento boxes, teishoku set meals, and university cafeterias with equal regularity. The name translates directly as pork ginger stir-fry, and the technique is as precise as it is simple: thinly sliced pork loin or shoulder is marinated briefly in a mixture of soy sauce, mirin, sake, and freshly grated ginger, then seared quickly in a hot pan and finished with a reduction of the marinade. The ginger does more than add flavor -- it contains proteolytic enzymes that break down muscle fibers, measurably tenderizing the meat even in a marinade as short as ten minutes. The slices must not overlap in the pan; piling them causes steam to accumulate and the pork poaches rather than sears, losing the caramelized, slightly charred edges that define the dish. The marinade is added only in the final thirty seconds so it reduces rapidly into a sticky, glossy glaze that adheres to every surface rather than pooling at the bottom of the pan. Placing the finished pork over a mound of shredded raw cabbage is not optional in traditional presentation -- the cold, crunchy vegetable contrasts sharply with the hot, lacquered meat and cuts through the sweetness of the mirin glaze. Shogayaki has been a menu fixture since the mid-20th century, when rising pork production in Japan made it affordable enough for everyday cooking. From pantry to plate in fifteen minutes, it demands nothing more than a hot pan, fresh ginger, and attention to heat control.
Black Sesame Tangyuan (Glutinous Rice Balls with Sesame Paste Filling)
Black sesame tangyuan are Chinese glutinous rice dumplings filled with a dense, jet-black sesame paste and traditionally served in a light ginger broth during Yuanxiao Festival and the Winter Solstice -- occasions when eating round dumplings represents family reunion and wholeness. The filling is made by grinding toasted black sesame seeds and mixing them with sugar and softened butter until a thick, almost solid paste forms; chilling this paste before wrapping makes it much easier to handle and prevents it from oozing out during shaping. The outer dough is shaped from glutinous rice flour mixed with just enough boiling water to create a smooth, pliable skin that seals without cracking. Dropped into boiling water, the dumplings are ready when they float to the surface, at which point they should be transferred promptly to avoid overcooking and tearing. A single bite breaks through the springy, chewy exterior and releases the molten sesame filling, which flows out with concentrated nuttiness. Served in a ginger syrup made by simmering fresh ginger slices with rock sugar, the warmth and mild spice of the broth complement the heavy richness of the sesame, making the bowl feel balanced despite its density. The textural contrast between the elastic skin and the flowing interior is what makes tangyuan distinctly satisfying.
Thai Iced Tea
Thai iced tea is a boldly flavored, sweet milk tea made by steeping black tea leaves with cardamom over low heat for five minutes to produce a deeply concentrated brew. The intentionally strong extraction is necessary because the ice slowly dilutes the drink as it sits, and a weak brew would taste watery long before the last sip. Sugar is dissolved while the tea is still hot, then the liquid is cooled fully before being poured over a glass packed with ice. Milk and condensed milk are poured gently on top without stirring to create a visual gradient of white layered over amber, and the drink is mixed at the table before drinking. Once combined, the cardamom's floral spice and gentle bitterness weave through the sweetened black tea base to produce a complex flavor that goes beyond simple sweetness. Adjusting the amount of condensed milk is the easiest way to control how sweet the finished drink turns out.
Baingan Bharta (Punjabi Flame-Roasted Smoky Eggplant Mash)
Baingan bharta roasts whole eggplant over a flame until the skin is black, then cooks the softened flesh with onion, tomato, garlic, ginger, cumin, and garam masala. Pierce the eggplant several times before roasting so steam can escape. When all the skin is charred and the center has collapsed, cool it briefly, peel it, and mash it coarsely. Cook the onion, garlic, and ginger, then add the tomato and continue until its moisture evaporates and the mixture becomes a dense paste. Add the spices and eggplant and cook until no loose moisture remains, keeping small pieces of eggplant instead of making a smooth puree.
About Asian
Each country brings its own signature spices and sauces, so even the same ingredients can produce completely different flavors. With a few key pantry items - coconut milk, fish sauce, curry powder, doubanjiang - you can recreate the tastes of Asia at home.