Fusion Recipes

My kids are huge fans of BBQ Pulled Pork Sandwiches, so I experimented and came up with an Asian version.  I use homemade pickled vegetables in these sandwiches, reminiscent of Vietnamese Sandwiches and Sriracha Mayo to give it a little kick.  Feel free to omit the Sriracha.  This recipe can be made in a slow cooker or pressure cooker, so no need to babysit a pot on the stove. 

This is a variation of the Hot and Spicy Lamb stir-fried with Sichuan Chilli Oil that I so love in my favorite Sichuan restaurant. Baking the lamb chops whole cuts down on preparation time to make it perfect for a weeknight meal.

This is a simple sandwich that my kids love in the summer, to celebrate the flavors of barbeque without actually grilling. Cooking time takes a few hours, but if planned ahead, an easy meal that requires minimal effort. If started 3 hours ahead of time, you may even start with frozen pork, as I often do. I also like this recipe, because it doesn't require any meat cutting. A large cut of pork, the way I get it from the store, works very well for this dish. You may also use a crockpot if preferred.

A tasty spiced beef taco filling with lots of fresh topping ideas.

One of my favorite Malaysian dishes is Beef Rendang. However, to make an authentic Rendang requires toasted coconut, blending and slowly frying the blended ingredients to a just-so perfection. Though I hope to make an authentic rendang sometime in the near future, my current schedule just doesn't allow for it right now. So I have improvised. Using lndian spice powders (garam masala) and unblended ingredients, I have tried to mimic the amazing fragrant braised goodness of authentic Rendang. Don't be put off by the number of ingredients - once you have them on hand, it's just a matter of placing it in the pot and simmering.  Feel free to substitute Beef with Lamb or Mutton or Pork.  And yes, like the original Rendang, it tastes better the next day.

A perfect blend of spicyness, chewiness and crispiness from the buffalo chicken, melted cheese and crispy tortilla

I was inspired to create this recipe from a Burmese Pork recipe we found on memalee.com. I worked to make some minor changes to the original recipe so that it fit with our tastes and cooking style. I keep all vinegar used in the dish, I added potatoes, and of course, I added chili peppers. Unlike the curries that I grew up with, this curry is not overpoweringly spicy. It is a wonderful compromise between our spicy tastes, and our kids' mild preferences. This dish tastes much like a flavorful stew. Additionally, it goes very well with steamed rice. I frequently prepare this dish on weekends and then freeze it for use in meals on busy weekdays.

I use fresh tomatoes in this homemade spicy Arrabbiata sauce. You can use frozen tomatoes if you prefer, without detracting from the taste too much. Canned tomatoes, however, I found doesn't have the tang that comes with fresh tomatoes. I decided to omit tomato paste to avoid masking the amazing flavors of the fresh tomatoes. Unfortunately, tomato paste also helps redden the color of the sauce, so omitting it causes the sauce to be less red. With Calamari and Basil, this dish is a delicious light tasting meal, perfect for a taste of summer, whether in warm weather or cold. Feel free to substitute calamari for shrimps if you prefer.

Though not the most beautiful of dishes, this dish is delicious. The eggplant in this dish is oven baked before being stir fried. Pre-baking the eggplant reduces the amount of liquid in the dish and keeps the eggplant moist and tender, a tip I received from a Cambodian friend.

A hearty meal of roasted chicken and tomatillo sauce wrapped in soft tortillas, topped with more roasted tomatillo sauce and lots of shredded cheese.

A spicy soup made of okra and a medley of vegetables that is a perfect comfort food for a cool day.

This is a super simple recipe , perfect for a weeknight meal or a quick meal to suit the busy holiday season.

This is a great dish to warm up on a cold winter's night, especially for those who like the heat of chilli without the heaviness of beans.  I recently updated this recipe with the addition of celery, carrots and bacon to give it a little more depth in flavor.   For an Italian twist, I serve it over some spaghetti and topped with fresh Jalapeno chilies.  A squirt of lemon juice over the top of the chili lightens the dish.

A classic one pot meal.

This recipe is more of a stew, and the gravy adds to the flavor of the tacos. Because of the gravy there is no need for additional salsa to be added to the tacos.

This curry is one my mom, who is Malaysian Eurasian (of Portuguese descent) taught me to make as a basic chicken curry. My mom tends to cook with tamarind, but I tend to prefer lime or lemon juice to add the tangy flavor to the curry.

This tangy and spicy authentic Eurasian curry comes directly from the Malaysian village of Portuguese Settlement in Malacca. It is bursting with the flavors of lemon grass, coriander, ginger, onions, garlic and vinegar. The perfectly tender potatoes completes the flavor infusion. This dish is usually served during Christmas and special occasions. It can be made with chicken or pork.

This recipe adds curry to mash potatoes. It makes a great side to any meat dish. Go ahead, give it a try!

Curry Shepherd's Pie was a product of making my mash-potato-loving son enjoy his curried meal.  The curry and spice flavors works well beside the creamy mash potato.  It is one of the few dishes that all my picky family members can agree on and enjoy.

Mashed Curry Eggplant is another Indian dish that my family loves.  It works great as a dipping sauce for breads, as a vegetable side or as a filling for quesadilla or roti.  Making it is not as difficult as I thought.  Start the process by baking the whole eggplant in the oven to and start a curry in the pan, then put the two together.  Because of this dish, my husband buys eggplant every chance he gets.

One of the things I love about  vacations is the different foods and different meal ideas we encounter. Loco Moco is one such idea. Simple and hearty, it is one that serves a very useful purpose for us. We hike often and are usually in the middle of mountains or trees, where there is no food truck or lunch cafe close by. Lucky for us, we just need to stop under the shade of a tree, and pull out Loco Moco to satisfy our hunger.

This lasagna is full of flavor with tomato sauce, béchamel sauce and cheese alternating with eggplant layers. A fusion of Greek and Italian tastes with a touch of Mexican spiciness.

This side is an abbreviated version of the typical vinegar chilli that I used to have in my childhood. It's quick, a little sour and spicy, perfect to spice any noodle dish up.

Currywurst is a popular fast food in Germany. It is usually comprised of tomato sauce, bratwurst and curry powder. In my version, I add some mushrooms and onions to round out the flavors to be part of a sandwich. Great as a lunch or a picnic.

My kids love MaPo Tofu.  They love the saucy tofu dish over rice.  I have always enjoyed Gochujang.  So I decided to put the two together.  Gochujang MaPo Tofu has a sweeter flavor than original MaPo Tofu. It  tastes great over warm steam rice.  I've added fish sauce as part of this dish to add more dimension to the sauce.  I haven't tried it myself, but I think it will work well as part of a lettuce wrap.

This is a dish I make with leftover ham bone.  It is easy to make, flavorful and very much a comfort food, especially on cold days.  This recipe is Not a "creamy" Ham and Split Pea Soup, it's more of a "chunky" soup with cubes of veggies and ham interspersed throughout, Goes well on its own or served with warm toasted bread. 

Asian inspired and made with fresh tomatoes, this sauce tastes great served over any pasta. Light and hearty all at the same time, this dish was a comforting go-to meal in college when I had some time to spare.

This is a grown up version of the pasta sauce I used to make in college. I use fresh tomatoes in this homemade spicy pasta sauce. You can use frozen tomatoes if you prefer, without detracting from the taste too much. Canned tomatoes, however, I found doesn't have the tang that comes with fresh tomatoes. I decided to omit tomato paste to avoid masking the amazing flavors of the fresh tomatoes. Unfortunately, tomato paste also helps redden the color of the sauce, so omitting it causes the sauce to be less red. It's an easy sauce to make, so give it a try! Double the recipe and save some in the freezer. You' won't want to go back to store bought pasta sauce after you have tried this sauce.

A delicious salsa to go with any Mexican dish!

This recipe is similar to Sichuan Chilli Oil, but without the mouth numbing Sichuan pepper. This side works great to spice up any meal, either during the cooking process or afterwards at the table.

The chicken version of this recipe was given to me by my mom, and it's one of my favorite and easy recipes. It tastes even richer with lamb. Still great for a weeknight meal.

A fairly quick and hearty meal.

This is a great recipe to make if you have leftovers of Hot Mango Chutney Chicken, or if you have leftover store bought roast chicken.

This pizza is a quick meal if starting out with store bought rotisserie chicken and store bought tikka masala sauce.  Feel free to use leftover Tikka Masala dishes, either home made or take out. Great for a weeknight meal.

A tangy and spicy curry made with readily available curry powder, with potatoes to thicken the curry and absorb all the flavors.

This recipe was given to me by my mom, and it's one of my favorite and easy recipes. Rich and tasty, and quick to prepare. Perfect for a weeknight meal.

This dish uses the chicken marinade of Tikka Masala Chicken.  Not wanting to waste the flavorful marinade, I added it to steamed rice and Yogurt Lime Rice was born.  Works well as a side to any curried dish.

A spicy creamy sausage soup full of flavor from a medley of simmered vegetables and herbs.

A hot and spicy Jamaican grilled chicken perfect for a summer barbeque. One of my favorite spice mixes for the grill.

This recipe is a variation of the Jerk Chicken, using most of the spices in dry form, hopefully reducing preparation time. This dish could make a great weeknight meal!

This sandwich is a great hot sandwich. It is spicy, as most Jerks are, but layered with sweet red peppers and sweet red onions.

This recipe combines shrimps with very hot Scotch Bonnet peppers. Traditionally this dish is eaten as an appetizer, but here I have added a few vegetables to make it part of a meal.

GoChujang (Korean hot fermented bean paste) is quickly becoming one of my favorite condiments in the kitchen.  It has such complex flavors - rich, salty, sweet and spicy.  In this vinaigrette, I add vinegar and sesame seed oil to round out the many flavors of GoChujang.  I have used this over roasted broccoli or a simple lettuce/cucumber salad.  Feel free to add to any of your favorite vegetables, roasted or not!

The Korean Tofu Soon Soup is my inspiration here. I use the fermented hot bean paste, Gochujang to help flavor the soup.

One of my favorite things to do with leftover rice is to fry it. I saw the GoChuJang paste in my refrigerator and thought, why not? I love the complex flavors the GoChuJang lends to the fried rice. It's sweet, it's spicy, and rich all at once!

Jap Chae is one of my favorite dishes. I love the sweetness of the noodles. I'm used to having these vegetarian, but I added some meat to this recipe. And as I do in most of my dishes, I spiced it up, but feel free to omit the spice. Hope you enjoy it.

My favorite Korean dish - spicy pork served over warm steam rice with lettuce on the side to cool down the palate. My friend from Korea taught me to add the sliced carrots to add some sweetness to the dish.  Gochujang adds a complexity of flavors evident in most Korean cooking.

This is one my favorite banchans in a Korean restaurant. Cooling and fiery, with a bit of sweet to the round out the flavors.

This recipe uses Gochujang in the vinaigrette to add a layer of flavor that is uniquely Korean. Spicy, sweet, salty and sour.

A simple, light, lemony pasta dish complemented by the sweetness of shrimp and the spiciness of crushed peppers.

This lasagna recipe is somewhat different because I use precooked eggplant to mix into the meat sauce. I find that it makes the lasagna lighter than the usual meat lasagna, but a little heavier than eggplant layered lasagna. There is also some Asian infusion with the use of soy sauce and green onions to enhance the flavors.

A favorite amongst locals in Malaysia - A spicy, tangy noodle dish complemented by the sweet taste of shrimp and cabbage and cooled with a cucumber topping. Perfect for lunch or dinner.

A rich curry gravy bursting with the flavors of coconut and lemon grass served over noodles, shrimp, bean sprouts, eggs and shredded chicken. A favorite breakfast in Malaysia. It is a hearty meal and we have it for lunch or dinner.

A favorite in my house. This noodle dish is sweet, tangy, spicy and saucy all at once!

Rich flavorful rice topped with spicy shrimp.

Sambal is a thick red spicy paste made of onion, garlic, ginger and red chillies. It makes a good gravy over almost anything - shrimp, fish, eggs, chicken. It is best served over rice. A typical Malaysian fare.

An old hawker favorite - spicy flat rice noodles sauteed to perfection with shrimps, garlic, eggs and soy sauce served with slightly stir-fried, still crispy beansprouts. A favorite street food amongst the locals in Malaysia.

Thick, spicy, zesty onion and garlic based sauce over fried fish.

This is a perfect dish to make when you have day old rice and a little bit of vegetables left over in the fridge. The proportions I use tend to have less rice than traditional fried rice dishes but I feel it just makes the dish more tasty!

A hawker favorite - thin egg noodles bathed in spicy seasoning sauce, served with blanched green vegetables, vinegar chilli and ground meat or chinese roasted pork (char sieu) with a side of wonton soup. A favorite local street food amongst locals in Malaysia.

A perfect blend of spices to make a great side for chilli

A good friend of mine gave me this idea for a hearty breakfast. Thanks Alison! Easy, nutritious and the kids love it!

This is a variation of the Malaysian Dry Wonton Noodles. It uses Gochujang as a main ingredient of the noodle. The egg replaces the meat as a quick alternate for protein.

This is a variation of the Malaysian Dry Wonton Noodles. It uses Gochujang as a main ingredient of the noodle sauce. I found it to have several layers of flavors. Try it!

I've always liked Pad Thai. It's sweet, it's sour and spicy all at the same time. I use lime juice instead of tamarind in my version, since those are more readily available to me. The lime juice imparts a freshness to the dish, in my opinion.

This is a quick and easy meal, great for a weeknight. The tang of lime complements the mild spiciness of paprika. Feel free to substitute with hot chili powder to increase heat.

This is a quick and easy meal, great for a quick lunch. It works very well if using leftover Paprika Lime Pork for the quesadilla filling. In this picture, I added leftover mash potato to please my little customers. However this recipe works just as well with only Paprika Lime Pork and cheese as filling.

A Chinese and Italian fusion to create a quick and nutritious blend of pasta, meat and vegetables perfect for a weeknight meal.

This recipe is a comfort food for the Portuguese. Simple to make, but warms the soul. Perfect for a cool fall or winter's night.

Sambal is a thick red spicy paste made of onion, garlic, ginger and red chillies. It makes a good gravy over almost anything - shrimp, fish, eggs, chicken. It is best served over rice. This is a quick version of a typical Malaysian dish.

In Malaysia, there is a wonderful condiment called "Sambal".  It usually involves a paste of onions, garlic, chilies and if you were lucky, dried shrimp.  While I love the flavors of onions and garlic, making pastes (rempah) is too time-consuming right now for my schedule.  So upon learning how to make Sichuan Chili Oil, I thought that it would taste great with some dried shrimp in it.  So this my quick and dirty version of my beloved Sambal.  Feel free to reduce the amount of oil to 3/4 the amount that it is called for, but I find the extra oil useful when frying something starchy (such as noodles or rice) when more oil is needed.  The flavored oil adds color and flavor to any dish that it is used in.

This recipe is based on the Greek lemon potatoes recipe but with a little bit of spiciness to it.. Makes a great side.

Roasting the vegetables gives this salsa a nice smokey flavor. Feel free to cut back on the jalapeno peppers if needed. Give it a try!

A delicious sauce to add to any meal.

One of my Mom's awesome fusion recipe ideas. Here Malaysia's flat bread, roti canai, (also known as roti paratha), becomes rich and even more flavorful with the addition of cheese and chopped chilli peppers. Great for an afternoon snack, or a quick lunch. Thanks Mom!

This recipe combines Sichuan hot chili oil with shrimp fried rice. A great way to use day old rice for a quick lunch. Feel free to substitute shrimp for any meat.

A friend of mine, who is originally from the province of Sichuan, told me how to make this side. Thanks, Didi! I couldn't believe how easy it was! Being a lover of all foods spicy, this side is something I use often to "spice" up my meal. The addition of the ginger enhances the flavor of the chili oil.

These noodles are great on cool day. My family tend to like tangy foods, so I increased the amount of vinegar used, which I find helps lighten the rich flavor of the sesame paste. I use cucumbers as a garnish in this recipe, which, in my opinion, also helps lighten the flavor and cools down the dish. Great for a hot summer day!

Sichuan Style Beef Noodle Soup is one of my favorite noodle soup dishes - and if you know me, you know I like noodle soup.  It's a spicy comfort food that is perfect on a cold day.  If you have the time to make homemade beef bone broth, your mouth will thank you.

A little bit of spice in addition to the sweet of my regular peanut puffs. Baked not fried. Peanut puff molds make the job easy.

A thick and rich gravy of beef and mushroom over buttery noodles - A classic Russian dish with a twist.  Here I add some tomato along with crushed chilli peppers.

Spicy Curry Hummus brings the delightful flavors of Indian Curry and Hot Peppers to Greek Hummus. My family really enjoys this as a spread or as a Hummus dip.

This is one of my favorite meals, spicy combined with a little sweetness from the shrimp, onions, leeks and cabbage. Makes a perfect breakfast, lunch or dinner.

My family loved this recipe when I made it for them. A little spicy, a little sweet and a little sour. Marinade and bake, perfect for a weeknight meal.

This is a spicy version of a Hong Kong Style Pork with Tomato Sauce,  I simmer the pork with the sauces to cut out a step, and also increase the flavor infusion of the pork in the tomato sauce.  I use a couple of non-traditional ingredients in this recipe, star anise and fish sauce, both of which I believe has accentuated the flavor of the dish.  I hope you enjoy the changes.

A fusion of Indian samosas and Jamaican patties. The filling is made with potatoes instead of bread crumbs that is commonly used in traditional Jamaican patties. The potatoes make the meat filling tender and moist.

This recipe is a meat and potato recipe with a dark gravy; usually served over warm steamed rice. What makes this dish diffferent from the other ones I've posted, is the use of taucheo (preserved soybean paste commonly found in Malaysian dishes). Though it looks similar to other dark meat and potato dishes, the soybean paste gives it an additional dimension of flavor. Traditionally made without the chilli peppers, I find that the chilli peppers adds another layer of flavor, but certainly feel free to omit it, if preferred. It is also traditionally made with onion and garlic blended into a paste for use in the dish, but in the interest of time, I have omitted this step. I have found that using chopped onion and garlic doesn't take anything away from the flavors of this dish. This recipe can also be made with chicken.

A very moist, slightly spicy meatloaf recipe topped with a slightly sweet glaze - perfect for a Sunday night dinner.

Homemade fries to go as a side.

A mostly traditional shepherd's pie but with a slight spin.

This chicken recipe is a quick make ahead weeknight meal.. Here I use Sriracha sauce as part of the marinade to spice things up.

This recipe puts a twist on the traditional Coleslaw. Here we add spicy Sriracha Sauce to regular coleslaw. My kids loved it so much they became vegetarians for the night.

This recipe is from my brother who, like me, enjoys, cooking and eating. A crispy, Sriracha spicy, moist and tender fried chicken. Can be served with more spicy dipping sauce to accentuate the flavors or a cool dipping sauce to cool down the palate.

This is a perfect dish to make when you have day old rice and a little bit of vegetables left over in the fridge. The proportions I use tend to have less rice than traditional fried rice dishes but I feel it just makes the dish more tasty!  Sriracha sauce adds the spicy and subtle sweetness to the dish.

This Italian Asian fusion recipe combines pasta and sausage with Chinese ingredients such as soy and Sriracha sauces. It was a hit with my family, and ready in a pinch!

With oven roasted sweet peppers, zucchini and leeks, this recipe makes a sweet and optionally spicy dip for pita or nacho chips, or a flavorful spread for sandwiches, tortilla wraps or quesadillas. Great for a picnic, a quick lunch or an appetizer.

Quick and easy, great with or without the chlli oil. Great for a picnic!

Sweet, tangy and savory all at once. One of my favorite meals that my aunt makes at her house. This is her signature dish!

Taiwanese food has always had a hold on me.  I love the strong flavors.  Being keen on strong flavors, I've increased the amount of spices used. Also being a fan of noodles, I added noodles to the Braised Pork dish to make Taiwanese Braised Pork Noodle Soup.  It is a great dish to warm up with on a cool winter's day.

Inspired by the Taiwanese Three Cup Chicken recipe, this version is also bursting with flavor, with the addition of potatoes to thicken the gravy, and Chinese mushroom to make it even more hearty.

This dish works perfectly on a cold winter's day. It does a great job warming up from the inside. Spicy, rich, sweet and salty, the many layers of flavors goes perfectly with a simple boiled egg and some blanched greens. This recipe yields about 6 bowls of noodle soup. If time is a limiting factor, feel free to substitute with dry garlic, onion and ginger powders.  I recently updated this recipe using soybean paste instead of hot bean paste, since it would be easier to adjust the heat according to taste.  I use homemade Sichuan Chili Oil to add heat, both while cooking and in the bowl.

I enjoyed this at a Thai restaurant once and couldn't get it out of my head.  I have spiced mine up with lemon leaves and chili flakes but feel free to omit these if you prefer or if you don't have it on hand.  Sweet, spicy and lemony, these corn cakes are a nice afternoon snack, or a unique appetizer.

Tikka Masala has such a creamy, rich and spicy flavor, it is a wonderful dish for so many different fusion dishes.  A fusion recipe itself, it was developed in India as the British colonized it.  As part of a lasagna, it contributes a wonderful full-flavor of spice, but yet rich and creamy with a tomato base, like the original lasagna.  To make it an easier recipe, feel free to used store or restaurant-bought Tikka Masala.  If using store bought, just follow the directions on what to add to make a tikka masala sauce for your lasagna. My recipe below uses garam masala to simplify the spices, which you can purchase at the store, or make at home using this wonderful garam masala Allrecipe by KitchenBarbarian.

Creamy salad dressing with a touch of spiciness to wake up any salad!

Shakshuka is a breakfast of eggs poached in tomato sauce common in Israel.  Being one who favors spice, I thought the eggs would go well with the creamy and spicy tomato-based Tikka Masala.  It can be a breakfast, lunch or dinner, served with a light salad and bread.  Here is my version.

This dish was inspired by the Trinidadian style of making shrimp. A little sweet, a little sour and spicy all at once. Many different layers of flavors on sweet tasting shrimp and red peppers....

This recipe combines Korean Style Jap Chae and Spicy Cucumber Salad in a Vietnamese style Fresh Spring Roll. It's a quick meal idea if using leftovers of Jap Chae and Spicy Cucumber Salad. It makes a wonderful light meal or snack. It can be prepared ahead of time for picnic.