4 Springtime Asian Recipes To Try

For the marinated tofu, combine the tamari or soy sauce, Shaoxing rice wine and sea salt in a bowl. Add the tofu cubes and toss to coat. Allow to marinate at room temperature for 20-30 minutes.

Meanwhile, to make the spice mix, combine all the ingredients in a small bowl and set aside.

Drain the tofu. Place the cornflour in a deep bowl, add the marinated tofu cubes and toss gently to coat.

Heat a large frying pan over high heat; when hot, drizzle with oil and add the tofu cubes, arranging them in one layer. Reduce the heat to medium and allow the tofu to cook, undisturbed, for 1-2 minutes, until the bottom is golden. Flip the tofu over and cook until golden on all sides. Transfer the tofu to a plate lined with paper towels to drain. Wipe out the pan. Add a little more oil to the pan, toss in the onion, chile, ginger and garlic and stir-fry for about 1 minute until fragrant. Add the cauliflower, season with sea salt and stir-fry for 4-6 minutes until the cauliflower is just tender. Add the tofu, along with the spice mix, and stir to combine. Take the pan off the heat.

Taste and season with a touch of sea salt if needed. Top with the coriander and sesame seeds, then toss everything together and serve with rice.

For the miso-kale pesto, bring a saucepan of well-salted water to the boil. Add the kale leaves and cook for 30-60 seconds, just until they are wilted and bright green. Remove from the water with tongs (keep the water for the other veggies), place in a colander and rinse under cold water. Drain, then squeeze out any excess water. Roughly chop the kale and place in a food processor or blender. Add the basil, garlic and seeds and whiz to a paste. Add the miso, then slowly drizzle in the olive oil, lemon juice and about 2 tablespoons of water and blend again until combined. Stir in the lemon zest and season with sea salt and black pepper, then set aside.

If your asparagus spears are long, snap them in half so they are about 4 inches in length. Bring the pan of salted water back to the boil, drop in the asparagus and snow peas and cook for about 1 minute until they are bright green. Remove from the water with tongs (keep the water for the vermicelli) and place in a colander, then immediately refresh under cold running water until completely cold. Add the vermicelli to the boiling water and cook for 1-2 minutes until completely transparent. Drain and rinse under cold water. Drizzle a little sesame oil over the vermicelli and season with a pinch of sea salt. Set aside.

To assemble the rolls, take a deep plate that is slightly larger than the rice paper rounds and pour in some lukewarm tap water. Working with one round at a time, dunk the rice paper into the water and allow to soften for 30-60 seconds – don’t let it get too soft or it will break when rolling. When softened, lay it out flat on a cutting board and assemble your filling. Starting at the edge of the rice paper closest to you (and leaving enough room to begin the rolling process), layer a piece of lettuce, followed by a small handful of vermicelli, asparagus, snow peas, avocado and herbs. To roll, pull the edge closest to you over the filling – pull it tight to keep everything in place. Fold over once, then fold in the sides and continue to roll until you have a nice, tightly bound roll. Continue with the remaining wrappers and filling.

To serve, cut the rolls in half and serve with the miso-kale pesto.

Combine the butter, coconut milk and condensed milk in a bowl. Break one egg into the mixture at a time, whisking well after each addition.

In a separate bowl, combine the rice flour, baking powder, brown sugar and shredded coconut.

Add the dry ingredients to the milk mixture a few tablespoons at a time, whisking well between additions to prevent lumps (the mixture should look like pancake batter, not too runny or thick). Drop in the peanut butter, a tablespoon at a time, and give it a gentle stir (you don’t need to mix the peanut butter completely into the batter – just swirling it through is fine). Let the batter rest for 20 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 180°C. Generously spray two 12-hole muffin pans with cooking oil.

Spoon the batter into the muffin pans and bake for 30-35 minutes until the muffins are golden. Enjoy warm or at room temperature. Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days, or freeze for up to 3 months.

Bring a small saucepan of water to the boil. Add the eggs and set the timer for 6 minutes. As soon as the buzzer goes, immediately drain the eggs into a colander and place under cold running water until they are completely cold. (This will make very soft-boiled eggs – if you prefer a firmer yolk, cook them for another minute.) Peel and set aside.

Cook the udon noodles in a large saucepan of salted water according to the packet instructions until al dente. This will take 1-3 minutes, depending on whether your noodles are fresh, vacuum-sealed or frozen. Drain, then scoop the hot noodles into four bowls.

Meanwhile, combine the stock, tamari or soy sauce and mirin in a small saucepan and place over low heat until hot.

Pour the hot soy sauce over each bowl of noodles and top with a soft-boiled egg. Add a knob of butter and allow it to melt into the noodles. Add the onions and scatter a generous amount of black pepper over the noodles (use as much pepper as you like, but this dish is intended to be very peppery). Finish with a little drizzle of sesame oil and sprinkle with sea salt.