We all know the temptation to track down a take out menu and call in an order. If you’re not planning on running out, there’s always a better alternative to sitting and waiting for a delivery to arrive! You can craft DIY takeout recipes that are often quicker, less expensive and healthier, too, since you control the portions and ingredients.
Below, we’ll cover five Asian cuisine staples that you and your family can cook together at home.
1. Salad Rolls
Rice or noodle rolls are likely the first foods to make it to your restaurant table. Stuffed with vegetables and meats, there’s no better type of dippable takeout food — and you can bring it to your dinner plate in no time!
The key is finding edible roll wrappers made from wheat or rice. Grocery stores make these increasingly available in the international foods section if you don’t have an Asian food market nearby. We recommend our Vietnamese Salad Rolls made with poached shrimp, vermicelli noodles, lettuce and more. Don’t forget a bowl of Thai Peanut Sauce for that extra spicy kick!
2. Dumplings
You might also love sharing freshly-made dumplings with the whole table. Whether you dunk this appetizer with your fingers or chopsticks, you’ll want to use your rice paper wrappers for delicious dumplings. You can find pre-made dumpling wrappers in the refrigerated or freezer section at the grocery store.
For a gluten free option, try making Lamb Potstickers with a diverse mix of seasonings inside. We also include a special dipping sauce in this recipe made with San-J Tamari, rice vinegar, honey, and chili garlic sauce. It’s much tastier than whatever arrives in plastic cups or packets in a bag!
3. Noodle Soup
Isn’t a warm, hearty broth delicious when it’s loaded with noodles and vegetables? By the time you transport a serving of soup home from a restaurant, though, it’s already cooled down!
Our Easy Asian Noodle Soup is the perfect way to serve up a piping hot bowl as a side or main course. Use chicken broth, mushrooms, green onions, and a helping of Tamari. Cook it up with udon noodles and strips of nori seaweed for an authentic experience at home. Use mai fun noodles instead of udon noodles to make recipes gluten-free, or add noodle of your choice to San-J White Miso Soup or Wakame Soup to make a hearty noodle soup bowl.
4. Orange Chicken
Orange flavor with chicken is an especially popular item on takeout menus. It’s served over rice or with vegetables, but the sweet, citrusy flavor is enjoyable on its own, too.
You can make our version of Orange Chicken in minutes. With just a rice flour coating, deep fry, and a stir of our Orange Sauce, this easy takeout recipe gives you restaurant-quality taste to pair alongside grains or greens.
5. Stir Frys
Making a stir fry yourself is a great opportunity to experiment and test your cooking repertoire. Plus, you can easily include vegetables, meats and seasonings to create the perfect combination of flavor.
With our wide variety of Asian-inspired cooking sauces tossed with your choice of ingredients, the possibilities are almost endless. Try our recipe for Mongolian Beef and Broccoli Stir Fry that’s a quick, delicious way to have a savory portion of steak and crisp tender veggies.
Find More Healthy Recipes
We hope you can make some new dinner plans come together with these tips and recipes. For more meal ideas, browse our recipe pages online! Feel free to read our article on conversation starters for the dinner table as well!
