
4 Springtime Asian Recipes To Try
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Cumin Tofu Stir-Fry
While cumin is one of the most-used spices in my pantry, using it in Chinese cooking is completely new to me. In Chinese cuisine, cumin lends more complexity, which makes otherwise familiar dishes taste foreign. At Xi’an Famous Foods in New York, the unique cuisine of Xi’an in northwest China tastes unmistakably like the confluence of China and the Middle East. Dishes are heavily spiced with cumin, chilli and Sichuan peppercorns, resulting in bold, not for the faint of heart, flavours. I was particularly intrigued by the sound of their signature lamb dish, with chunks of meat dry-fried in a heavy cumin spice mix. This is my take on the dish, featuring tofu and cauliflower.

Springtime Rolls With Miso-Kale Pesto
If spring had a flavour, it would be these brightly herbaceous spring rolls. The asparagus, snow peas, lettuce and abundant herbs provide a fresh, crisp mouthful, perfect for a gathering or a fun roll-it-yourself midweek dinner for the family. Rice paper rolls are incredibly versatile – fill them with your favourite seasonal vegetables and add some pan-fried tofu if you’re looking for protein. The miso-kale pesto dipping sauce makes the ideal companion; the miso adds a gentle umami, balancing perfectly with the earthy kale and sunflower seeds. If you’re looking for a new go-to vegan pesto recipe, this is the one.

Peach & Coconut Mochi Muffins
The texture, the signature chew and the mellow sweetness of these mochi muffins instantly transports me back to childhood, to a crowded dim sum restaurant in Sydney’s Chinatown, devouring lo mai chi, a sweet glutinous rice dumpling. There are many glutinous rice desserts in Asian cuisine, but mochi desserts are definitely the most popular, achieving cross-over into Western culture in the form of ice creams and chewy cakes. One of my favourite fillings is peanut and coconut, which is the inspiration for these muffins. Because they are so moreish, I’ve deliberately made this a big-batch recipe – 24 muffins. By all means halve the recipe if you want to, though I can easily eat two or three in one sitting. The muffins also freeze well and can be warmed up in the microwave or oven.

Life-Changing Udon With Soft Boiled Egg, Hot Soy & Black Pepper
In a diminutive noodle shop called Shin Udon, a short walk from Shinjuku station in Tokyo, I savoured a bowl of udon noodles that would ruin me for all other noodle experiences. Perhaps it’s unfair to compare all noodles to this – the thick, chewy strands are made fresh, moments before they are served (we spent half an hour watching the noodle maker at work while we waited for a table). My bowl of udon with hot soy, soft-boiled egg, butter and black pepper blew my mind and entranced my taste buds. As I slurped the toothsome, salty strands, I knew I was having a life-changing experience. While there is no way to truly replicate this unforgettable experience at home, my humble rendition of Shin Udon’s incomparable noodle dish is still satisfying and crave-worthy.

To Asia With Love by Hetty McKinnon is out now (Prestel, £26)
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