Start with a
basic recipe – a classic burger or toast with jam – and tweak a few ingredients
to give it an Asian flair. Food writer Michelle Tchea
shares six delicious recipes.
Rice burgers
Using
Korean – or Japanese-style sukiyaki beef slices is great since they already
come cut and prepared. All you need to do is sauté them. You can save them with
rice or stuffed in a sandwich the next day.
Rice burgers
Serves: 2
Prep
time: 30 minutes
Cooking
time: 20 minutes
For the
pickled vegetables
· 1 cup white wine vinegar
· 4 tablespoons Japanese rice vinegar
· 2 tablespoons sea salt
· 2 bird’s eye chilies (siling labuyo), seeded and sliced
finely
· 1 large carrot, peeled and cut into
thin strips
· 1 small white radish (daikon),
peeled and cut into thin strips
For the
onions and beef
· Cooking oil for shallow-frying
· 1 medium onions, peeled and chopped finely
· 100 grams Korean beef strips or
sukiyaki beef
· 2 tablespoons dark soy sauce
· 1 tablespoon port or Chinese wine
· 1 tablespoon store-bought Taiwanese
barbecue satay sauce
· Freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
· 300 grams cooked rice
· Toasted white and black sesame seeds
for sprinkling
· 1 to 2 tablespoon cooking oil
· 1 tomato, sliced
· Lettuce, to serve
· Mayonnaise, to taste
· Nori or dried seaweed, to serve
1. Make the pickled vegetables: Combine white wine
vinegar, Japanese rice vinegar, sugar, and salt in a small pot; bring to a
boil. Remove from heat and stir in chilies.
2. In a sterilized jar, add carrots and radish.
Pour in pickling liquid and leave to cool at room temperature. Cover with lid
and flip jar upside down. Place in the refrigerator for at least 2 days before
eating.
3. Make the onions and beef: Heat oil in a wok.
Add onions and stir-fry until fragrant and slightly browned, about 1 minute.
Make sure not to burn onions. Add beef and continue to stir-fry quickly with a
large spatula. When beef changes color, add the rest of the ingredients.
Stir-fry for about 2 minutes. Set aside.
4. Measure about ½ cup rice and shape into a ball.
Flatten rice ball slightly with your hands so that it resembles a pancake.
Sprinkle over with some sesame seeds. Repeat with remaining rice.
5. Heat oil in a pan and grill rice patties on one
side. Do not grill the other side. Remove from heat and place a tomato slice,
some lettuce, beef and onion mixture on top. Top with pickled vegetables, nori, and a dollop of mayonnaise. Cover with another rice
patty grilled side down. Serve immediately.
Tip
If you
don’t have Taiwanese barbecue satay sauce, you can use xo sauce or just omit it
altogether.
Sweet toast with poached eggs
Start day
with an authentic Singaporean treat. The runny eggs are perfect for dunking!
The whole experience is sweet and savory, and great
enjoyed with coffee.
Sweet toast with poached eggs
Serves: 2
Prep
time: 20 minutes
Cooking
time: 10 minutes
For the
poached eggs
· 2 large eggs
· Salt, freshly cracked black pepper,
and chives (optional), to taste
· 2 tablespoons soy sauce
· Crisp-fired shallots for garnish
· 4 thick slices sourdough bread
· ½ cup kaya (coconut jam)
· 2 slices cooked bacon
· 30 grams butter, chilled and cut
into 2 slices
1. Make the poached eggs: Bring a pot of water to
a boil. Lower heat to a simmer.
2. Crack eggs into a bowl and gently slip them
into the hot water remove using a slotted spoon.
3. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and chives, if
desired. Runny yolks with almost solid egg whites are recommended for this
recipe. Set aside.
4. Spread each bread slice with kaya. Top two
slices with a slice of bacon each. Place slices of butter on top and top with
remaining slices of bread. Spread more butter on top, if desired.
5. Place under the grill for in a toaster oven and
toast for about 2 minutes. The outside should be toasted and the butter inside
should be soft but not melted. Cut sandwiches into strips.
6. Drizzle poached eggs with soy sauce and
sprinkle with crisp-fried shallots.
7. To eat, dip toast into the poached eggs.
