Whether it is Japanese, Korean, or Chinese food, Asian cuisine offers a wealth of flavors and spices that make it perfect for pairing with unique local ingredients.
The foundation of Asian cooking involves ginger, soy sauce, rice wine, and sesame oil. Ginger is always present in Asian cuisine because it adds an elusive sweet heat that balances numerous flavors.
From there, soy sauce, rice wine, and sesame oil give dishes a rich, deep flavor that perfectly enhances stir-fries, roasted veggies, or fresh salads. However, the pairing of Asian food is not as easy due to complex flavor profiles that are not well understood by other cultures.
What to eat with Asian food? Asian food pairs wonderfully with fried rice, stir-fried vegetables, soup, quick salad with sesame and vinegar, pancakes, dumplings to complete meal with beef, pork, and chicken dishes.
Start with a main entree and add a variety of side dishes, drinks, and desserts that represent the authentic cuisine of the origin.
The traditional combinations below have been around for centuries and are always delicious. These classic recipes are ideal for introducing cohesive flavors when building a menu!
Whether it is take-out or cooking at home, prepare the right spice and ingredients to complete satisfactory Asian food with drinks. In this article, we answer the commonly asked questions about what to eat with Asian food so you no longer have to ponder the question.
What goes well with Asian food?
Asian food pairs perfectly with a variety of meats, veggies, nuts and grains. Asian cuisine is one of the most complex and flavorful globally, so it’s common to enjoy it with a glass of wine.
There are options for every dish, from bold reds to immensely aromatic whites. Pairing with Asian food can get tricky due to the type of ingredients used in the dish, but the perfect match is out there with a bit of practice.
The complexity of Asian cuisine demands an equally complex and sophisticated wine. As part of a meal, rice wine is always present in most of Asia.
- Meats: chicken, pork, beef, egg, shrimp
- Vegetables: eggplant, zucchini, napa cabbage, bok choy, shiitake mushroom, snow peas, carrots, cauliflower, baby corn, bamboo shoots
- Nuts: water chestnuts, almonds, pistachios, pine nuts
- Grains: white rice, barley, jasmine rice, brown rice
- Wine: rice wine
- Condiments: sesame oil, soy sauce, oyster sauce, fish sauce, miso paste, ginger, chili paste, rice vinegar
What side dish goes with stir fry?
Asian stir fry offers a perfect opportunity for pairing vegetables, grains, and spices. Plus, these dishes are relatively easy to prepare, making them the ideal complement to a wide variety of menu items.
When serving stir fried food, especially meat, seafood, and tofu, consider side dishes to pair with to make a well-rounded meal.
- steamed white rice
- fried rice
- noodles
- steamed vegetables
- soup
- pickled vegetables
- dumplings
- lo mein
What is a good side dish to go with fried rice?
Fried rice is a combination of rice, vegetables, and meat that is flavored in various ways to suit your tastes.
From pork to fish and shrimp, it’s an easy dish to make at home or the restaurant. This rice dish works well with a simple Asian rice wine or miso vinaigrette.
Additionally, it pairs with an assortment of vegetables, salad, or soup on the lighter side. Here are the best side dishes to try with fried rice:
- fried egg
- dumplings
- egg rolls
- cucumber salad
- egg drop soup
- hot and sour soup
- steamed vegetables
- chicken teriyaki
- Mongolian beef
- omelet
- curry
What flavor goes well with Asian food?
A blend of cloves, cinnamon, fennel, star anise and Sichuan peppercorns gives Asian food the sour, sweet, savory, bitter, spicy and salty flavor it requires. These spices work excellently with marinade meats and vegetables.
Here are classic flavor combinations that most Asian food consist of:
- hoisin sauce + egg rolls + steamed shrimp
- Szechuan sauce + sesame oil + rice vinegar + soy sauce
- Thai peanut sauce + soy sauce + scallions + hot pepper
- Mongolian sauce + beef + rice + steamed vegetables
- orange sauce + tamari soy sauce + olive oil + vinegar + almonds
Eat with Asian Food: Conclusion
Asian cuisine is an ancient and delicate form of cooking that takes a skilled hand and a keen mind to make it taste balanced because it is full of bold flavors and spices with various degrees of complexity.
No wonder these recipes have stood the test of time, making people fall in love with its rich taste for centuries. The way ingredients work with other local ingredients or dishes is one thing that makes Asian food so unique.
This is why there are so many different flavors and spices used to enhance the taste of a dish. Every dish has a flavors that include a range from ginger to garlic, and tamari soy sauce to sesame oil.
Local ingredients or homemade recipes make Asian food a versatile cuisine whether it is made at home or prepared in any fine dining establishment. As one of the most complex and flavorful cuisines in existence, it’s no wonder that Asian food is often enjoyed with a glass of rice wine.
Asian dishes complement well with a side of fried rice, stir-fried vegetables, soup, and cucumber salad or pickled vegetables, and dumplings with deliciously marinated meat including beef, pork, and chicken.
From stir-fried noodles to fried rice, use these classic combination to enjoy the deep flavors of Asian cuisine at any time.