7 Must-Try Thermal Cooking Asian Recipes You’ll Love!

Introduction

What is thermal cooking?

The easy and energy-efficient thermal cooking method may keep food warm for hours without regular heating. You begin cooking your food on the stovetop or in a pressure cooker, then move it to an insulated pot or a specialized thermal pot like the Shuttle Chef, rather than using high heat throughout the whole process.

By controlling heat, these pots allow your food to cook gradually with little effort. It’s like a secret recipe for soft, delectable food! For instance, this method makes it simple to prepare delicacies like Chinese soup or filling Southeast Asian meals. By using these methods you can make thermal cooking Asian recipes at home.

Benefits of Thermal Cooking Asian Recipes

1. Efficiency of Energy: Because you don’t have to keep the heat on for hours, thermal cooking uses less gas or power. The cooking pot uses its stored heat to cook the food naturally after the first or rapid boil.
2. Preservation of Nutrients: Cooking food slowly over low to medium heat retains more nutrients. Recipes like pork belly, chicken meat, and sweet potatoes are delicious and nutritious!
3. Usefulness: You can prepare your food in a thermal cooker, place it in the inner pot, and leave it to cook while you take care of other things. When you want to spend time with family rather than waiting by the stove on hectic days or even during a school holiday, this is a terrific option.
4. Flexibility: The technique works for a variety of foods, including spicy food, home-cooked food, and even festive feasts for Chinese New Year, from Asian recipes like Mee Soto to hearty stews and more.

Looking for another delicious option? Check out this Pork Con Tiki recipe that’s ready in minutes!

Essential Tools and Ingredients

Choosing the Right Thermal Cooker

Choosing the appropriate instruments is crucial when it comes to thermal cooking. This cooking method works best with a high-quality thermal pot, such as the Saratoga Jacks or Shuttle Chef. Choose one with an excellent inner pot that retains heat. To keep the food cooking without losing heat, a good quality thermal cooker should have thick insulation.
Before putting the meal in the thermal cooker, you could also want to cook it in a pressure cooker or stovetop pot. When cooking specific dishes, such as Chinese soup or heavy stews, these instruments assist you in starting with a rapid boil.

Common Ingredients in Asian Thermal Cooking

Simple but tasty ingredients are frequently used in Asian thermal cooking. Among the most prevalent ones are:

• For seasoning, use both dark and light soy sauce.
• For soups and stews, use chicken stock or a cup of water.
• To give the dishes depth, use aromatics like star anise, cloves, and pandan leaves.
• For more depth, use proteins like fish sauce, pork belly, or chicken thighs.
• White rice and vegetables, such as sweet potatoes, provide balance.
• For creamy recipes like Thai Green Curry, include coconut tastes, like coconut milk.

From festive meals to regular home-cooked food, these components are ideal for making rich and nourishing Asian dishes.

Craving more quick Asian meals? Here’s a Bo Luc Lac recipe you’ll love with tomato rice.

Popular Thermal Cooking Asian Recipes

Chinese Congee

• Prepare the ingredients: Collect white rice, water, and optionally chicken stock for added taste.
• Boil on the stovetop: Combine 1 cup of water for every cup of white rice and boil on the stovetop until the mixture slightly thickens.
• Enhance flavor: Add optional extras like pork belly, shredded chicken meat, or a little light soy sauce for taste.
• Transfer to the thermal pot: Move the mixture to the thermal cooker and allow it to continue cooking.
• Achieve the perfect texture: Let the congee cook in the thermal pot until it reaches a smooth texture, making it ideal for a light dinner or breakfast.

Japanese Oden

• Gather ingredients: fish cakes, boiled eggs, and daikon radish.
• Prepare the broth with dashi, star anise, and dark soy sauce.
• Boil all the ingredients in the prepared broth.
• Once the broth develops a rich taste, transfer it to a thermal cooker.
• Steam the ingredients gently in the thermal cooker.
• Allow the prolonged, low heat to infuse the flavors into every component.
• Serve the warm and savory meal of Oden.

Korean Samgyetang (Ginseng Chicken Soup)

• Boil chicken thighs filled with rice, ginseng, and garlic to prepare this classic Korean meal.
• Enhance the flavor by adding seasonings like cloves garlic and a dash of white pepper.
• Bring the cooking pot to a rapid boil using a burner or a pressure cooker.
• Transfer to an insulated pot to let it finish cooking.
• Enjoy a nutrient-dense soup, perfect for cold weather.

Thai Green Curry

• Combining succulent meat, aromatic spices, and creamy coconut milk, Thai Green Curry is delicious.
• In vegetable oil, first make a spice paste using garlic, lemongrass, and green chilies.
• Add the pork belly or chicken meat, the sliced sweet peppers or sweet potatoes, and the basil leaves.
• Simmer everything before moving it to the thermal cooker to gradually develop strong flavors.

Vietnamese Pho

• A traditional South East Asian noodle soup called pho.
• First, make a broth by boiling chicken stock, cinnamon, and star anise.
• Add rice noodles, thin meat or chicken pieces, and fresh herbs such as Thai basil and cilantro.
• Allow all of the flavors to gradually blend in the thermal cooker.
• For a Vietnamese touch, don’t forget to add a little fish sauce!

Malaysian Beef Rendang

• The meat in this slow-cooked meal is tender and bursting with spices.
• Start by using a thick mixture of spice paste (garlic, ginger, turmeric, and chilies) to sear the beef in a frying pan.
• Add pandan or curry leaves, coconut milk, and a small amount of brown sugar.
• Transfer it to the thermal cooker for a mouthwatering texture after cooking it on medium heat.

Indian Lentil Curry (Dal)

• Gather ingredients: lentils, garlic cloves, turmeric, cumin, onions, chilies, and vegetable oil.
• Cook lentils with water until tender.
• Prepare the tempering by sautéing onions, garlic, and chilies in vegetable oil.
• Add the tempering to the cooked lentils.
• Transfer the mixture to your thermal cooker and cook until the lentils are creamy and flavorful.
• Serve with flatbread or steaming rice for a filling supper.

Step-by-Step Thermal Cooking Techniques

Preparing Your Ingredients

• Begin by preparing for thermal cooking to ensure excellent results.
• Collect fresh, good-quality ingredients to start.
• Measure liquids like chicken stock or a cup of water.
• Chop vegetables such as sweet potatoes.
• Season meats, such as pork belly or chicken thighs.
• Cut up any herbs, like basil leaves.
• Peel garlic cloves.
• Collect flavor enhancers, including fish sauce, light soy sauce, and dark soy sauce.
• Prepare everything in advance to ensure a smooth and effective cooking process.

Using the Thermal Cooker

1. To produce a rapid boil, start in a pressure cooker or on the stovetop. For instance, while preparing Chinese soup, add pandan leaves and star anise to the boiling water.
2. After all of the ingredients have heated up completely, move them into the inner pot of your thermal pot or a similar device, such as the Shuttle Chef.
3. To prevent the pot from using more energy to continue cooking, seal it to retain the heat. For meals that need hours of simmering time, like Malaysian Beef Rendang or Vietnamese Pho, this approach is ideal.

Tips for Perfect Thermal Cooking Asian Recipes

• Avoid skipping the boil: Before adding your ingredients to the thermal cooker, be careful to bring them to a boil or a full high heat. This guarantees that food gets the proper temperature for complete cooking.
• Layer wisely: Put the foods that cook more quickly on top of the longer-cooking components, such as sweet potatoes or pork belly, near the bottom of the cooking pot.
• Don’t open it: Avoid opening the lid of the thermal cooker too often while the food is inside since this allows heat to escape.
• Make a plan: The next day or for special events like a school holiday, thermal cooking is a terrific way to make meals since it takes time.
• Clean properly:  To maintain your cooker’s good quality, always give the inner pot and lid a thorough cleaning.

Health Benefits of Thermal Cooking Asian Recipes

Nutrient Preservation

The health benefits of thermal cooking are among its greatest features. Cooking food slowly in an insulated pot preserves more vitamins and minerals compared to cooking at high heat all the time. In recipes like Chinese soup and Indian lentil curry (Dal), ingredients such as sweet potatoes, garlic cloves, and chicken meat preserve their nutrients. It is a healthier option for regular meals since the low heat keeps your food from overcooking and allows you to enjoy all of its benefits.

Energy Efficiency

When it comes to energy conservation, thermal cooking is a champion. The thermal cooker retains heat and keeps cooking without requiring additional electricity after a first boil on the stovetop or in a pressure cooker. This makes it ideal for making Asian dishes with minimal effort, such as Thai Green Curry or Vietnamese Pho. You save money and the environment by using less gas and electricity. Additionally, it’s perfect for cooking during hectic occasions like the Chinese New Year, freeing up more time for family time.

Conclusion

Recap of Benefits

For those who like creating tasty dishes with minimal effort, thermal cooking is a game-changer. You can make tasty Asian recipes like Vietnamese Pho, Japanese Oden, and Malaysian Beef Rendang while conserving energy and time by utilizing equipment like a thermal pot or the Shuttle Chef. It’s a sustainable cooking method that keeps your kitchen cool, retains nutrition, and makes meal preparation easier. Thermal cooking makes sure your food is tasty and nutritious, whether you’re creating a robust Chinese soup or a creamy Thai Green Curry.

Encouragement to Try Thermal Cooking Asian Recipes

Why not experiment with thermal cooking? It’s ideal for preparing meals at home that are ready to eat when you’re ready. For special events like Chinese New Year or simply a laid-back school holiday, you’ll adore how simple it is to prepare meals. Some of the best Asian recipes shine when you use the right ingredients, like coconut milk, dark soy sauce, basil leaves, and a reliable thermal cooker. So take out your cooking pot and give this amazing cooking method a try. Your schedule and taste senses will appreciate it!

FAQ’s