There’s something undeniably exciting about the colours, flavours and aromas of Asian food. From the crunch of fresh vegetables, to the depth of soy-based sauces and the hit of chilli and lime, Asian dishes never feel boring. But many home cooks shy away, thinking it’s too complex. Well! Chef reveals you don’t need professional equipment or hard-to-find ingredients to enjoy these flavours at home. With a few simple tweaks and basic pantry staples, you’re all set
The beauty of Asian cooking lies in its balance of flavours and quick methods, says Chef Sagar Sarkar, Corporate Chef, Eight Restaurant, Bellona Hospitality, Bengaluru. “Sweet, sour, salty and spicy come together in a matter of minutes with the right ingredients. Simple things like sesame oil, soy sauce, lime juice and fresh herbs do most of the heavy lifting. Rice paper, green papaya or even everyday avocado can be turned into flavour-packed dishes with minimal effort. It’s all about combining textures and giving each ingredient its right place,” Chef Sarkar says.
According to Chef Sarkar, good Asian cooking is about fresh produce, the right sauces, and understanding how to balance flavour. He shares his personal favourites, easy enough for weekday cooking but fancy enough to impress guests.
He shares 3 flavour-packed asian recipes that bring restaurant magic to your table:
Crispy Prawn Cheung Fun
Spice level: Non-spicy
Allergens: Gluten, Shellfish, Soya
Ingredients:
| For the prawn filling: | |
| Freshwater minced prawn | 200 gm |
| Rice paper sheets (cut to wrap size) | 6 |
| Homemade tempura batter | Enough to coat |
| Finely chopped scallion | 2 tbsp |
| Finely minced ginger | 1 tsp |
| Sesame oil | 1 tsp |
| Salt | To taste |
| Pinch of pepper | Optional |
| For the rice flour sheet (Cheung fun): | |
| Rice flour | ½ cup |
| Water chestnut flour | 2 tbsp |
| Wheat starch | 2 tbsp |
| Castor sugar | ½ tsp |
| Water | 1¼ cup |
| Few drops of sesame oil | For greasing |
| For the sauce: | |
| Kikkoman soya sauce | 3 tbsp |
| Water | 2 tbsp |
| Castor sugar | ½ tsp |
| Sesame oil | ½ tsp |
| Few drops of light vinegar | Optional |
- In a bowl, mix minced prawn with scallion, ginger, sesame oil, salt and pepper. Wrap small portions of the filling in rice paper like mini spring rolls.
- Dip each roll in a light homemade tempura batter and deep fry until golden and crisp. Drain on a paper towel. Meanwhile, mix all flours with water and sugar to create a lump-free batter for the Cheung Fun sheets.
- Lightly grease a flat tray, pour a thin layer and steam each sheet for 2–3 minutes until translucent.
- To assemble, wrap one crispy prawn roll inside each steamed rice sheet.
- For the sauce, gently heat soya sauce, water, sugar and sesame oil until slightly reduced (avoid boiling). Drizzle the warm sauce over the Cheung Fun rolls just before serving.
Som Tum (Thai green papaya salad)
Spice level: Spicy
Allergens: Peanuts, Fish sauce, Shellfish (optional)
Ingredients:
| For the Salad Base: | |
| Shredded green papaya | 1½ cups |
| Shredded carrot (optional) | ½ cup |
| Cherry tomatoes (halved) | 8–10 |
| Green beans (cut into 1-inch pieces) | 5–6 |
| Dried baby shrimp (optional) | 1–2 tbsp |
| Roasted peanuts | 2 tbsp |
| For the Dressing: | |
| Thai bird’s eye chillies (adjust to taste) | 2–3 |
| Garlic | 2 cloves |
| Fish sauce (or soy sauce for vegetarian version) | 1½ tbsp |
| Freshly squeezed lime juice | 1½ tbsp |
| Palm sugar (or brown sugar) | 1 tbsp |
- Peel and shred the green papaya using a julienne peeler or box grater. Soak it briefly in ice water for extra crispness, then drain. In a large mortar and pestle, pound garlic and chillies until coarsely crushed.
- Add palm sugar and mix until dissolved. Stir in fish sauce and lime juice to form a balanced dressing.
- Add the papaya, optional carrot, green beans and dried shrimp. Lightly pound and toss everything together to ensure the flavours coat the vegetables.
- Add cherry tomatoes and crush slightly to release their juices.
- Finally, mix in roasted peanuts. Serve immediately, garnished with extra peanuts or a lime wedge.
Asian-inspired avocado toast
Spice level: Mild (adjustable with chilli flakes)
Allergens: Gluten (from bread), Soya, Sesame
Ingredients:
| Avocado | 1 ripe |
| Toasted bread (your choice: sourdough, whole wheat or multigrain) | 1–2 slices |
| Light soy sauce | 1 tsp |
| Sesame oil | ½ tsp |
| Sesame seeds | ½ tsp |
| Chilli flakes | To taste |
| Juice of half a lime |
- Scoop and mash the ripe avocado with a fork until smooth but still chunky.
- Spread generously over toasted bread slices. Drizzle with light soy sauce and a few drops of sesame oil.
- Sprinkle sesame seeds and chilli flakes over the top for a bit of texture and heat. Finish with a fresh squeeze of lime juice for brightness. Serve immediately for best flavour and texture.
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