A Christmas Feast Made in Asia

Rev up your guests’ appetites with some spiced nuts. Select nuts of your choice such as pecans and almonds and start by glazing them with brown sugar. Pour the glaze over the nuts in a bowl and mix them together with dashes of local spices such as chilli flakes, curry leaves and paprika powder. This sweet-and-salty mix of crunchiness will leave guests asking for more.

Mince pies are traditionally known to be savoury and have evolved into sweet pies made from fruits and spices. Substitute the sweetness for some Asian-flavoured minced meat such as spicy basil minced chicken. Stir fry dried red chilli slices, basil leaves, brown sugar, and minced chicken in soy sauce and put them in mini pastry doughs. Bake the pies until golden brown and serve.

As the beef ribs are being roasted in the oven, get your tropical-inspired salsa ready. This easy-to-make fruity dip can help balance palates for the heavy ribs. Mix diced pineapple, watermelon, cucumber, mango, and chili with a dash of Knorr’s Lime Flavoured Powder, then top it off with fresh cilantro leaves. Another way to eat this dish is to make it into a beef wrap – shred the roast and put it into a multigrain wrap along with the tropical salsa.

This fuss-free gratin uses greens such as cauliflower, broccoli, red bell peppers, shiitake mushrooms, carrots, red onions and potatoes. Sprinkle some salt and drizzle olive oil over the mixture. Lastly, spread a generous amount of parmesan cheese on top and put it in an oven to bake. Before serving, sprinkle some sesame seeds and sesame oil for Asian fragrance. This serves well as a main or even a side dish.

Just like regular bread pudding, this recipe adds ginger and cinnamon for that Asian Christmas flair. Add an extra dose of ground ginger to the bread mix for a spicy punch. For a more localised flavour, serve it with gula melaka icing or syrup, with a scoop of ice cream on the side.