Taste By Asia
On this ancient land of Asia, every signature dish is a product of regional culture and life wisdom. This list discards authoritative ratings and only includes the delicious foods that are fragrant on the streets and lanes of Asia and carry the memories of generations, allowing you to experience the rich layers of Asian cuisine.
1. Thai Tom Yum Soup
Hand-drawn scene: A tin stand in the Bangkok night market, surrounded by tropical green plants. The owner is pouring lemongrass and lemon leaves into a clay pot, then pouring coconut milk and the soup turns milky white. Fresh shrimp and mushrooms are added, and beside the pot are cut fresh limes and fish sauce bottles. The diners are scooping up the soup with spoons.
"Tom Yum" means sour and spicy, and "Kwan" means shrimp. This soup is a textbook example of Thai spices: the herbal fragrance of lemongrass, the spiciness of galangal, the sourness of lime, and the richness of coconut milk are all combined together. The freshness of the shrimp is fully unleashed, and each mouthful feels like an adventure in the tropical jungle. The authentic way to eat it is with a bowl of jasmine rice, ladling the soup over the rice with a spoon, and you won't get tired of it even after three bowls. The Tom Yum soup in the night market has a more rustic flavor. The owner will adjust the spiciness according to the diners' preferences, adding more shrimp or mushrooms.
2. Singaporean Hainanese Chicken Rice
Hand-drawn scene: An old-established stall in Bukit Timah, Singapore, under a red awning. The owner is slicing the white chicken with a knife, and the chicken skin is shiny and transparent. Next to the earthenware pot is cooking chicken oil rice, and small dishes are filled with chili sauce and ginger powder. Diners are queuing up to pack up. The background is a Chinese-style arcade building.
This dish brought by the Hainan immigrants has taken on a new life in Singapore: The chicken is slowly soaked in boiling water until it is eight-tenths cooked, then cooled in ice water to make the skin crispy and the meat tender. The chicken skin is light yellow, like amber with a lustrous sheen. The rice is simmered with chicken oil and chicken broth, and each grain of rice absorbs the aroma. The grains are distinct. The authentic way to eat it is "separating the chicken rice", first eating the original flavor of the chicken, feeling the tender meat, then mixing a spoonful of ginger powder, and finally mixing the chicken sauce with the rice, accompanied by a slightly spicy chili sauce to cleanse the palate, and it's full of satisfaction in one bite.
3. Vietnamese Pho with Raw Beef
Hand-drawn scene: A noodle shop in the old district of Hanoi, with neatly arranged wooden tables and chairs. The owner is putting pho noodles into a porcelain bowl, pouring hot beef bone soup over it, and placing freshly cut raw beef slices (the slices instantly turn color). It is sprinkled with cilantro and lemon slices. Next to it are fish sauce and chili flakes. Diners are squeezing lime juice.
The soul of Vietnamese pho is the soup: Beef bones, beef brisket, and lemongrass are simmered slowly for 6 hours, resulting in a clear soup with rich flavor. A sip can taste the freshness of the beef and the layers of spices. The raw beef slices should be thinly sliced like paper, and they become tender when heated. The pho is made from rice, and the texture is smooth. When locals eat pho, they will squeeze half a lime, add a spoonful of chili flakes, and finally sprinkle a little fish sauce — the acid, spiciness, freshness, and fragrance burst in the mouth instantly, making it the preferred breakfast of Vietnamese people.
4. Malaysian Coconut Rice
Hand-drawn scene: A street stall in Kuala Lumpur, wrapped in banana leaves with coconut rice. When opened, the rice is milky white, with fried chicken legs, fried eggs, cucumber slices, and sambal chili sauce on top. The owner is wrapping it with newspaper and handing it to the diners. The background is colorful Malay houses.
Coconut rice is Malaysia's "national breakfast": The rice is simmered with coconut milk, cinnamon leaves, cloves, and other spices, with a rich coconut aroma and herbal fragrance. The side dishes are rich, with fried chicken legs that are crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, and sambal chili sauce is the soul, made by simmering chili peppers, shrimp paste, and coconut sugar. It is spicy with a hint of sweetness; cucumber slices add a refreshing taste. The authentic way to eat it is "grabbing with your hands", letting the rice wrap the chili sauce, biting into the fried chicken legs, and the coconut, spiciness, and meat flavors interweave together, simple yet highly flavorful.
5. Indonesian Padang Beef
Hand-drawn scene: A family kitchen in Jakarta, with a copper pot simmering large pieces of beef. The soup is thick and dark brown, with cinnamon leaves, cloves, and other spices. The housewife is ladling the beef onto white rice, and next to it are fried tofu and pickled cucumbers.
Padang beef is the most representative dish of Indonesia, known for its "rich spices": The beef is marinated with more than ten spices (cinnamon leaves, cloves, cardamom, turmeric, etc.) and simmered slowly for 4 hours until the meat is tender and falls off the bone, and the soup is thick enough to hang on a spoon; When eaten, it is served with white rice, and the soup is mixed with the rice. The complex layers of spices gradually spread in the mouth - there is the warmth of cinnamon, the fragrance of cardamom, and the sweetness of coconut sugar. Indonesians say that Padang beef "becomes more delicious the longer it is cooked", and it is a must-have dish for family gatherings and a sign of hospitality for guests.
6. Philippines - Adobo
Hand-drawn scene: A residential courtyard in Manila, with chicken stewed in an earthenware pot, the soup is dark brown, containing garlic, black pepper, and bay leaves. The housewife is adding soy sauce and vinegar to the pot, and on the wooden table beside it are white rice and banana slices. The children are waiting around the table.
Adobo is the national dish of the Philippines. It is simple to make but extremely flavorful: the chicken is marinated with garlic, black pepper, bay leaves, soy sauce, and vinegar, then slow-cooked. The saltiness of the soy sauce, the sourness of the vinegar, and the fragrance of the garlic blend perfectly, and the chicken is tender and flavorful. The soup is used to mix with rice and is considered a culinary masterpiece. This dish was born out of food preservation and is related to vinegar, which can extend the shelf life of the chicken. In the era without refrigerators, it was a manifestation of the wisdom of the Filipinos. Now, Adobo has become a symbol of family taste, and every Filipino family has its own way of making it.
7. Cambodia - Amok Trei
Hand-drawn scene: A riverfront restaurant in Phnom Penh, with fish wrapped in banana leaves and steamed, the fish meat is white, coated with coconut milk and spices, and there is jasmine rice on the table. The diners are scooping up the fish with spoons.
Amok Trei is Cambodia's signature dish, known for its "delicate and fragrant" taste: fresh freshwater fish (usually tilapia) is deboned and cut into small pieces, mixed with coconut milk, kroeung spices (lemon grass, turmeric, garlic, etc.), and steamed wrapped in banana leaves. The fragrance of the banana leaves is integrated into the fish. When eaten, it is served with white rice, and the richness of the coconut milk, the freshness of the spices, and the tenderness of the fish combine to create a smooth and delicious taste. It is the essence of Cambodian cuisine.
8. Laos - Larb
Hand-drawn scene: A street food stall in Vientiane, with chopped chicken in a bamboo basket, beside it are mint leaves, coriander, lemon juice, fish sauce, and chili powder. The owner is mixing the ingredients by hand, and the diners are wrapping the chicken in lettuce leaves and eating it. The background is the scenery of the Mekong River.
Larb is a national dish of Laos, belonging to a type of cold dish: chicken (or pork, beef) is cooked, chopped, and mixed with mint leaves, coriander, lemon juice, fish sauce, and chili powder, and then steamed. The taste is refreshing, with a hint of spiciness. The authentic way to eat it is to wrap it in lettuce leaves. The crispness of the lettuce, the tenderness of the chicken, and the fragrance of the mint combine perfectly, making it particularly appetizing in the summer. Laosians say that Larb is "simple yet full of vitality", and it is an indispensable delicacy in daily life.
9. Sri Lanka - Hoppers
Hand-drawn scene: A breakfast stall in Colombo. A small earthenware pot is baking Hoppers. It looks like a bowl, with golden edges that are crispy. Inside, there is fried eggs. The owner is using a small spatula to remove Hoppers. Next to it, there are sambal chili sauce and coconut milk.
Hoppers are a classic Sri Lankan breakfast. They are made by mixing rice flour and coconut milk, then baking them in a specially designed earthenware pot. The edges are crispy, the bottom is soft, and you can crack an egg in the middle to make an "egg Hopper". When eating, you can dip it in sambal chili sauce (made from chili peppers, shrimp paste, and coconut meat) or coconut milk. It is spicy yet fresh, with a rich coconut flavor. Sri Lankans say that having a Hopper for breakfast can make the whole day energetic. It is the most flavorful street food.
Food Packaging Factory Products：Plastic Bento Lunch Box，Paper Lunch Bento Box，Paper Soup Bowl
