East Asian Recipes
Explore 30 authentic East Asian dishes. Import them into your Cook Planner weekly calendar.
Basil Chicken Pad Krapow
Savoury stir-fried chicken with garlic, Thai bird's eye chilies, and holy basil served over steamed rice with a crispy fried egg.
Beef Chow Fun
Prep Time: 20 minutes | Cook Time: 10 minutes Step 1: Slice flank steak thinly against the grain. Marinate with light soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, cornstarch, baking soda, sugar, black pepper, water, and vegetable oil for 20 minutes to achieve tender velvety texture. Step 2: Gently separate fresh wide flat rice noodles (ho fun) into individual ribbons. Step 3: Heat 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil in a wok over high heat until smoking. Sear marinated beef slices for 90 seconds until 80% cooked. Remove and set aside. Step 4: Wipe wok clean, heat remaining oil over maximum heat until smoking. Add ginger and scallion whites for 10 seconds, add noodles in a single layer, and let sear without stirring for 1 minute to develop charred wok hei. Drizzle dark soy sauce, light soy sauce, oyster sauce, and sesame oil. Toss gently with chopsticks to coat noodles without breaking. Return seared beef, toss in fresh bean sprouts and scallion greens, and flash-fry for 45 seconds until sprouts are tender-crisp. Serve piping hot.
Biang Biang Noodles
Prep Time: 35 minutes | Cook Time: 10 minutes Step 1: Mix all-purpose flour, water, and salt into a smooth dough, knead for 10 minutes, divide into oblong logs, brush with vegetable oil, and rest covered for 1 hour. Step 2: Flatten each dough log with a rolling pin, press a chopstick indentation down the center, gently stretch and slap the noodle ribbon against the counter, then split down the center into wide belt ribbons. Step 3: Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Cook fresh hand-ripped noodles and baby bok choy for 2 minutes until chewy and al dente. Drain and transfer to serving bowls. Step 4: Top hot noodles with minced garlic, finely sliced scallions, chili powder, ground roasted Sichuan peppercorn, light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, and Chinkiang black vinegar. Heat vegetable oil and toasted sesame oil in a small pan until smoking hot, then pour directly over the aromatics to sizzle and bloom. Toss immediately to coat every ribbon in glossy, fragrant chili oil.
Budae Jjigae
Prep Time: 15 minutes | Cook Time: 20 minutes Step 1: Whisk spicy jjigae seasoning paste in a bowl: combine gochujang (Korean red chili paste), gochugaru (Korean chili flakes), soy sauce, minced garlic, grated ginger, mirin, sugar, black pepper, and toasted sesame oil with 2 tablespoons anchovy broth. Step 2: Slice spam into 1/4-inch slabs, smoked sausage diagonally into bite-sized coins, and medium-firm tofu into rectangles. Thinly slice green cabbage, shiitake mushrooms, scallions, and drain canned baked beans. Step 3: Arrange spam, smoked sausage, tofu, sliced cabbage, mushrooms, kimchi, baked beans, and sliced rice cakes symmetrically around the perimeter of a wide shallow hot pot or skillet. Place seasoning paste in the center and pour rich broth gently around the ingredients. Step 4: Bring to a vigorous boil over high heat, spooning broth over the center paste to dissolve into soup. Add instant ramen noodles in the center and top with American cheese slice and green scallions. Simmer for 4-5 minutes until ramen noodles are chewy and cheese melts into a velvety, spicy broth. Serve bubbling hot at the table.
Bulgogi Beef Kimbap
Classic Korean rice rolls wrapped in crispy roasted seaweed, packed with tender sweet soy-marinated ribeye beef, yellow pickled radish, blanched sesame spinach, carrots, and fluffy egg ribbons.
Char Siu BBQ Pork
Tender Cantonese roasted pork shoulder marinated in hoisin, fermented red bean curd, five-spice, honey, and Shaoxing wine, roasted to caramelized perfection with a sweet glossy maltose glaze.
Chicken Karaage
Prep Time: 20 mins Cook Time: 15 mins Irresistibly crispy Japanese izakaya fried chicken marinated in soy sauce, fresh ginger, garlic, sake, and toasted sesame oil, dredged in potato starch and double-fried to golden, ultra-crispy perfection, served with Japanese Kewpie mayonnaise and fresh lemon wedges. 1. Cut boneless, skin-on chicken thighs into bite-sized 4cm pieces. 2. In a bowl, combine grated ginger, grated garlic, soy sauce, Japanese sake, toasted sesame oil, sugar, black pepper, and salt. 3. Add chicken pieces, massage marinade into meat, and let rest for 20 minutes to absorb deep flavors. 4. Generously dredge each marinated chicken piece in potato starch, shaking off excess so a light, even powdery coating forms. 5. Heat vegetable oil in a deep pan to 160°C (320°F); fry chicken in batches for 3-4 minutes until lightly golden, then remove and rest for 3 minutes. 6. Increase oil temperature to 185°C (365°F) and flash-fry chicken for 60-90 seconds until deeply golden, shatteringly crisp, and sizzling. 7. Drain on a wire rack and serve immediately with Kewpie mayonnaise, lemon wedges, and a pinch of shichimi togarashi.
Crispy Scallion Oil Noodles
Shanghainese comfort staple featuring thin wheat noodles tossed in slow-infused aromatic crispy scallion oil, light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, and caramelized sugar.
Crispy Sesame Tofu Poke Bowl
Crispy pan-fried sesame tofu served over steamed jasmine rice with cucumber, edamame, and spicy sriracha mayo.
Dakgalbi
Chuncheon-style Korean sizzling skillet dish of boneless chicken thighs marinated in a fiery-sweet gochujang sauce, stir-fried on a hot cast iron grill with chewy rice cakes (tteok), sweet potato, green cabbage, perilla leaves, and melted mozzarella cheese.
Galbi Jjim
Luxurious Korean slow-braised beef short ribs simmered in a savory-sweet glaze of soy sauce, mirin, grated Korean pear, and toasted sesame oil with tender daikon radish, carrots, shiitake mushrooms, and chestnuts.
Garlic Cheese Bread
Pull-apart soft bread rolls stuffed with sweetened cream cheese and drenched in savory garlic parsley butter.
Gochujang Creamy Garlic Pasta
Silky, spicy-sweet Korean gochujang chili paste and heavy cream sauce tossed with al dente rigatoni pasta, garlic, and grated parmesan cheese.
Hainan Chicken Rice
Prep Time: 25 mins Cook Time: 45 mins Renowned Singaporean and Hainanese culinary icon featuring silky, succulent poached whole chicken steeped in ginger, scallions, and aromatics, served over fragrant jasmine rice toasted in rendered chicken fat and simmered in poaching broth, accompanied by homemade ginger-scallion oil, dark sweet soy sauce, and fiery chili-garlic sauce. 1. Rub whole chicken generously with coarse salt inside and out to clean and smooth the skin; rinse and pat dry. 2. Stuff chicken cavity with crushed ginger slices, scallion stalks, and garlic. 3. Lower chicken into a large pot of simmering water with salt; gently poach at a bare simmer for 40 minutes until just cooked through. 4. Immediately plunge poached chicken into an ice bath for 10 minutes to lock in juices and create a delicate gelatinous skin; brush skin with toasted sesame oil. 5. In a pot, render chicken fat with garlic and ginger; add washed jasmine rice and sauté until translucent. Pour in seasoned chicken poaching broth and cook until fluffy and aromatic. 6. Prepare ginger-scallion sauce by pouring hot oil over minced ginger, scallions, and salt. 7. Chop chicken into neat portions and serve alongside fragrant rice, sliced cucumber, fresh cilantro, ginger-scallion oil, and chili-garlic dip.
Japanese Garlic Butter Miso Ramen
A rich, comforting Hokkaido-style miso ramen soup featuring rich broth, red miso tare, garlic butter, and ramen noodles.
Kimchi Jjigae with Pork Belly & Tofu
Sizzling Korean comfort stew simmered with aged sour kimchi, succulent sliced pork belly, silken tofu, scallions, gochugaru, and anchovy-kelp broth.
Korean Cheese Buldak (Spicy Fire Chicken)
Tender chicken thigh pieces coated in a fiery sweet-spicy Gochujang glaze, topped with a thick blanket of gooey melted Mozzarella cheese.
Korean Creamy Rose Tteokbokki
Chewy Korean cylindrical rice cakes and fish cakes simmered in a silky, spicy-sweet Gochujang and heavy cream rose sauce.
Korean Gochujang Honey Garlic Fried Chicken
Crispy double-fried chicken bites coated in a sticky, sweet, and spicy Korean Gochujang honey garlic glaze.
Oyakodon
Japanese mother-and-child rice bowl featuring juicy chicken thigh and sweet onions simmered in savory dashi broth, bound with soft custardy eggs.
Pad Kee Mao
Sizzling high-heat Thai wok-tossed wide flat rice noodles with sliced chicken breast, garlic, bird's eye chilies, baby corn, sweet bell peppers, and copious handfuls of peppery holy basil in a smoky savory sauce.
Scallion Pancake
Prep Time: 30 minutes | Cook Time: 15 minutes Step 1: In a large mixing bowl, combine all-purpose flour with boiling hot water, stirring with chopsticks until shaggy, then stir in cold water. Knead for 8 minutes until a smooth, pliable dough forms. Brush with vegetable oil and rest covered for 30 minutes. Step 2: Prepare aromatic roux paste by mixing 2 tablespoons flour, toasted sesame oil, Chinese five-spice powder, and fine sea salt in a small bowl. Step 3: Divide dough into 4 portions. Roll each portion out very thinly on an oiled work surface into a translucent rectangle. Spread a thin layer of the spiced oil roux over the surface and sprinkle generously with finely sliced green scallions. Roll tightly into a long rope, twist into a spiral snail shape, tuck end underneath, and rest for 10 minutes. Flatten gently with a rolling pin into a 7-inch disc. Step 4: Heat vegetable oil in a heavy cast iron skillet over medium heat. Fry pancakes for 3 minutes per side until golden brown, blistering, and crisp. Use two spatulas to squeeze and fluff the pancake from the edges to shatter the flaky internal layers. Cut into wedges and serve hot with a dipping sauce of soy sauce, Chinkiang vinegar, and chili oil.
Spicy Dan Dan Noodles
Classic Sichuan street noodles in a fiery, fragrant broth of chili oil, sesame paste, soy sauce, and Sichuan peppercorns, topped with crispy spiced ground chicken, preserved greens, and scallions.
Spicy Japanese Miso Sesame Ramen
Rich umami ramen broth seasoned with red miso and tahini sesame paste, topped with fresh noodles, soft-boiled egg, baby bok choy, and chili oil.
Sticky Gochujang Salmon Bites
Crispy bite-sized salmon cubes glazed in sweet-spicy Korean gochujang chili sauce, garlic, ginger, and toasted sesame oil over warm steamed rice with scallions.
Taiwanese Lu Rou Fan (Braised Pork Rice)
Melt-in-your-mouth tender pork belly cubes braised with fried shallots, Five-Spice, soy sauce, and rock sugar, served over steamed rice with braised eggs.
Taiwanese Popcorn Chicken
Crispy bite-sized chicken thigh pieces marinated in five-spice powder, soy sauce, and garlic, coated in sweet potato starch and fried with fresh Thai basil.
Thai Basil Tofu Stir-Fry (Pad Krapow Tofu)
Crispy golden tofu wok-tossed with aromatic Thai holy basil, spicy bird's eye chilies, garlic, and savory soy glaze over steaming jasmine rice.
Three Cup Chicken
Classic Taiwanese sizzling clay pot dish of chicken thighs braised to a glossy glaze in equal parts toasted sesame oil, premium soy sauce, and Shaoxing rice wine with whole garlic cloves, ginger coins, and fresh Thai basil.
Tonkatsu
Prep Time: 20 minutes | Cook Time: 15 minutes Step 1: Trim excess fat from thick pork loin chops and make small slits along connective tissue to prevent curling. Pound gently to 1/2-inch thickness, season both sides evenly with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Step 2: Set up a dredging station with all-purpose flour in one shallow bowl, beaten egg whisked with a tablespoon of water in the second, and Japanese panko breadcrumbs in the third. Dredge each cutlet in flour, dip in egg, and press firmly into panko until thoroughly coated with an airy crust. Step 3: Heat vegetable oil in a deep heavy pot or skillet to 170°C (340°F). Deep fry breaded cutlets for 5-6 minutes, turning once halfway through until crispy and golden. Drain on a wire rack for 4 minutes to let residual heat finish cooking the center. Step 4: Whisk Worcestershire sauce, ketchup, oyster sauce, sugar, and soy sauce together to form tonkatsu sauce. Slice crispy cutlets into thick strips and serve hot alongside finely shredded green cabbage, steamed short-grain white rice, lemon wedges, and karashi mustard.
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