Asian cuisine is renowned for its rich variety of vegetarian dishes, a feature that goes back to ancient culinary traditions and practices. Historically, in many parts of Asia, an abundance of meat was a luxury, and consequently much of the daily diet was based on plant products.
A wide range of ingredients
Asian cuisines take advantage of a wide range of plant-based ingredients such as tofu, tempeh, various types of mushrooms, leafy vegetables, roots, and grains like rice and noodles. These ingredients are used to create tasty, nutritious dishes.
Cooking methods
Asian cooking methods such as steaming, stir-frying and broiling are ideal for preparing vegetarian dishes. They retain the natural flavor of the ingredients, while adding spices and herbs to enhance the taste.
Double-fried Japanese sweet potatoes, glazed with a mirin–soy syrup and finished with black sesame for an irresistible crisp-outside, tender-inside bite. Under the warm glow of street stalls, big wedges of sweet potato gleam beneath a glossy amber coat. The thin crust gives way with a clean crackle. A puff of […]
Savor these irresistible squares of fried rice cake, served with crisp pickles and a sweet-and-tangy sauce, Vietnamese street-food style. On a large cast-iron griddle, blocks of rice starch sizzle and turn deep golden brown. The vendor often cracks a duck egg (or a chicken egg) on top: the yolk spreads, […]
Discover Nurungji, crispy Korean rice pan-toasted and glazed with soy sauce and sugar for an irresistible snack. In a pot set over the fire, the rice swells and then stops boiling. At the bottom, a thin layer keeps sizzling, turns golden, and fills the kitchen with aromas of corn and […]
These double-coated banana fritters, perfumed with coconut milk, have a custardy center and an ultra-crispy crust. The sizzle of hot oil briefly drowns out the roar of traffic. A wire skimmer lifts a raft of golden, crispy, caramelized fritters with ragged-edged crusts. One bite through that delicate shell releases a […]
Crispy fried eggs topped with a tangy, spicy, and aromatic Thai salad—perfect for a quick, flavor-packed meal. When the wok hits its smoke point, a raw egg slides in with a sizzle. In seconds, the white puffs up into a golden, lacy crisp while the yolk wobbles in the center: […]
These homemade Indian chapatis are incredibly soft and puffy, and make the perfect side for your favorite curries. The magic happens the moment a thin disc of dough hits the open flame. It tightens, puffs up, then rises like a little golden balloon. This instant transformation is more than just […]
Black urad bean soup simmered with Nepali spices, then finished with a crunchy ghee tempering. Steam rises from a mound of white rice while a thin, golden dal coats each grain, perfumed with ghee and fried garlic—the everyday emblem of Nepal. Dal bhat is both meal and ritual: fluffy rice, […]
A refreshing Filipino ceviche of raw tuna bathed in rice vinegar, bright citrus, and crisp vegetables. The sun has barely risen. Aboard a wooden banca off Surigao, the workday has already given way to breakfast. A fisherman hoists his net, revealing a shimmering tanigue, still trembling in the rigging. He […]
Crisp on the outside and irresistibly tender within, these Korean zucchini fritters come with a fragrant, gently spicy dipping sauce “Pshht!”—the gentle hiss when egg meets a hot pan says it all. A whiff of seared egg, the fresh green scent of zucchini, the promise of an airy pancake. For […]
Korean cold noodles tossed in a sweet and spicy chili sauce for a dish that’s both refreshing and fiery. The first bite is a shock: Asian noodles chilled and coated in a glossy red sauce. It starts off sweet on the tip of your tongue, then the bite of fermented […]
