What to Eat: Southeast-Asian Menu
Take a culinary journey across one of the world’s most exciting and flavorful regions with these robust recipes.
Mark Shapiro
From the Philippines: Fresh Vegetable Spring Rolls with Filipino Garlic Sauce by Andrew Chase
This passionate chef’s personal spin on a traditional Filipino dish can be credit to the time he spent living in Asia.
Say goodbye to the greasy egg rolls of Chinese takeout, and turn to the Philippines for a fresh, light, incredibly tasty alternative. Filipinos have adapted the Chinese egg roll to create one of their national dishes, called lumpia. Served either fresh or lightly fried, lumpia usually contain fresh heart of palm wrapped in a thin wheat-and-egg wrapper. This recipe is for those who want the ease of takeout but the freshness and flavor of homemade spring rolls, and uses Vietnamese rice-paper wrappers, which get a quick soak in hot water before they’re stuffed with fresh veggies, rolled up, and eaten.
Click here for the recipe.
From Malaysia and Indonesia: Beef Satay with Spicy Peanut Sauce by Dave DeWitt
The king of all things hot and fiery brings you this mouth-watering dish-on-a-stick.
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As adults, we’re expected to not speak with our mouths full, keep a napkin on our laps, and always use a fork and a knife, with the occasional exception made for chopsticks. But every once in a while, you want to dig in with your hands. Satays are popular throughout Malaysia and the 17,000-odd islands that comprise Indonesia, and are eaten as a snack, an appetizer, or as part of the main meal. And why not? Made of beef, chicken, pork, or lamb, it’s a food that can accommodate all tastes. But the spicy peanut sauce, also known as sambal kacang, reminds you that this is food for adults.
Click here for the recipe.
From Thailand: Thai Grilled Prawns with Emerald Noodles by Joey Altman
With this recipe from a James Beard Award winner, eating green has never tasted so good.
The Asian-inspired pesto that puts the “emerald” in these emerald noodles gives them an aromatic, nutty pop that helps them stand up to the savory prawns they’re paired with. Cilantro, mint, and basil form the base of the sauce, with ginger, garlic, sesame oil, and jalapeño tossed in to give them a Thai kick.
Click here for the recipe.
From Cambodia: Khmer Chicken Samla with Coconut Milk by Jeffrey Alford and Naomi Duguid
A perfect Cambodian dish for chilly weather brought to you by a pair of Asia experts and world travelers.
Lemongrass is one of the most characteristic features in Cambodian cooking. According to Southeast Asia food experts Jeffrey Alford and Naomi Duguid, “In local produce markets, it is impossible to miss the lemongrass vendors. They sit there with huge piles of finely slivered lemongrass in front of them, always slivering more while at the same time measuring out lemongrass by the bag to shoppers. They’re a beautiful sight, the piles of freshly slivered lemongrass, and fragrant as well.” This dish, which falls somewhere between a soup and a stew, is based on a rich curry paste made with loads of fresh lemongrass, and provides a true taste of Cambodia.
Click here for the recipe.
From Vietnam: Crème Caramel by Nancie McDermott
Cultures collide in this French-meets-Vietnamese dessert from this author of some of the best Asian cookbooks out there.
In the 17th century, the French arrived in Vietnam, bringing with them a whole host of influences that can be seen in Vietnamese cuisine to this day. But while this rich, sweet custard would appear to be just such a French import, desserts of this type were popular in Vietnam and Southeast Asia long before the Parisians arrived. Unlike the classic French crème renversée, which is made with chicken eggs, sugar, and milk, the Vietnamese banh ca ra men is made with coconut milk, duck eggs, and palm sugar, and is steamed rather than baked in a water bath. This version offers the best of both cultures.
Click here for the recipe.
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