Asian cuisine is a wonderful way to introduce children to a variety of flavors and ingredients. Here are ten kid-friendly Asian recipes that are easy to make, delicious, and sure to be a hit with the little ones.
10 Asian Food Recipes for Kids To Try
1. Teriyaki Chicken Bowls
A good teriyaki bowl could be a good introductory Asian food for kids to try. A filling, delicious, savory, but can also be sweet, chicken bowl will be able to feed hungry stomachs into happiness. This sweet and savory dish can be perfect for lunch or dinner.
Ingredients:
2 chicken breasts, diced
1 cup teriyaki sauce
2 cups cooked rice
Steamed broccoli and carrots
Instructions:
Cook chicken in a pan until browned.
Add teriyaki sauce and simmer until the chicken is fully cooked.
Serve over a bowl of rice with steamed vegetables on the side.
2. Vegetable Fried Rice
A vegetable fried rice can be a hearty and healthy meal for kids to try. Asians are known for their staple food, rice. When it comes to this savory dish, parents can control and add any vegetables their kids would love and their preferred protein source aside from eggs if they want.
Ingredients:
2 cups cooked rice
1 cup mixed vegetables (peas, carrots, corn)
2 eggs, beaten
2 tablespoons soy sauce
Instructions:
Heat a pan and scramble the eggs.
Add the vegetables and stir-fry for 2-3 minutes.
Mix in the rice and soy sauce, cooking until everything is heated through.
3. Chicken Satay Skewers
Chicken satay skewers will be perfect for children who loves a classic barbecue. This dish is made of sliced marinated chicken meat and cooked in a skewer and usually served with peanut and chili sauce.
Ingredients:
1 lb chicken breast, cut into strips
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 tablespoon honey
Instructions:
Mix peanut butter, soy sauce, and honey to make the marinade.
Thread chicken onto skewers and coat with marinade.
Grill or bake until chicken is cooked through.
4. Mini Spring Rolls
Spring rolls are a crowd favorite. In some countries in asia, this dish can either be deep fried or served fresh. It can be made to your preferred liking whether you opt for something sweet or savory.
Ingredients:
Rice paper wrappers
Shredded carrots
Cucumber strips
Cooked shrimp or chicken
Lettuce leaves
Instructions:
Soak rice paper wrappers in warm water until soft.
Place a small amount of each filling on the wrapper and roll tightly.
Serve with a side of dipping sauce like hoisin or peanut sauce.
5. Sweet and Sour Meatballs
Another highly recommended Asian food recipe for kids to try, is a sweet and sour meatballs dish. This could possibly be a favorite for kids and tweens since it can be filling and tasty.
Ingredients:
1 lb ground beef
1/2 cup breadcrumbs
1 egg
1 cup sweet and sour sauce
Pineapple chunks and bell peppers
Instructions:
Mix beef, breadcrumbs, and egg, and form into meatballs.
Bake or pan-fry until browned and cooked through.
Simmer meatballs in sweet and sour sauce with pineapple and bell peppers until heated through.
6. Sushi Rolls
Sushi rolls are another crowd favorite made with sticky and vinegared Japanese rice, vegetables, and commonly seafood as a protein source. This recipe can be tweaked to your kid's liking, as such rolls have had numerous recipe variations.
Ingredients:
Sushi rice
Nori (seaweed sheets)
Cucumber strips
Avocado slices
Cooked crab or shrimp
Instructions:
Spread sushi rice over nori sheets.
Add cucumber, avocado, and crab/shrimp.
Roll tightly and slice into bite-sized pieces.
7. Miso Soup
If you want to serve a soup dish that is truly an Asian food, a miso soup could fill that craving. This soup is a traditional Japanese soup consisting of a dashi stock.
Ingredients:
4 cups dashi (Japanese soup stock)
3 tablespoons miso paste
Cubed tofu
Sliced green onions
Instructions:
Bring dashi to a boil and reduce heat.
Dissolve miso paste in the broth.
Add tofu and green onions, simmering until tofu is heated through.
8. Dumplings
Dumplings can be your children's next comfort food craving. Throughout the years and across cultures, dumplings have had numerous iterations. Dumplings are delicate, bite-sized treats with different fillings inside.
Ingredients:
Dumpling wrappers
Ground pork or chicken
Finely chopped cabbage
Soy sauce and ginger
Instructions:
Mix meat, cabbage, soy sauce, and ginger.
Place a small spoonful in each wrapper and fold to seal.
Steam or pan-fry until cooked through.
9. Pad Thai
Trying the flavors of a Pad Thai dish also resembles a unique Asian cooking experience. Pad Thai is a stir-fried rice noodle dish that originated in Thailand.
Ingredients:
Rice noodles
1/2 cup bean sprouts
2 eggs
1/4 cup peanuts, crushed
Pad Thai sauce
Instructions:
Cook noodles according to package instructions.
Scramble eggs in a pan, then add noodles, bean sprouts, and sauce.
Top with crushed peanuts before serving.
10. Coconut Milk Popsicles
For a sweet and cold treat perfect for the summer, one true Asian fruit that can be seen in numerous countries is the abundance of coconuts. Hence, making a variation of coconut milk popsicles will be a good idea!
Ingredients:
1 can coconut milk
1/4 cup honey
Fresh fruit slices (mango, pineapple, berries)
Instructions:
Mix coconut milk and honey.
Place fruit slices in popsicle molds and pour in the coconut milk mixture.
Freeze until solid.
These recipes are not only fun and easy to make but also a great way to introduce kids to the diverse and flavorful world of Asian cuisine. Enjoy cooking and sharing these delicious dishes with your family!
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