Sandwiches With an Asian Twist

Across the globe, the sandwich is perhaps the most popular and easily prepared dish that can be consumed at all hours of the day from meat to vegetables and condiments, the filling placed between two or more slices of bread can greatly differ from country to country, a person’s cultural background even their very own taste buds! So, give your ordinary sandwich a healthy Asian kick with these recipes and transform it into a local delight! 

While Petaling Jaya has their own delicious version of Kam Heong Chicken sandwich on their menu, why not create your own version at home! A popular dish served in Chinese restaurants throughout Malaysia, Kam Heong Chicken is a flavourful stir-fry chicken with a spice blend that includes dried shrimps, light and dark soy sauce, curry powder, dried, chillies, shallots and garlic. Turn it into a healthy sandwich filling by adding in some fresh greens like lettuce, rocket leaves or Japanese cucumber.

If you love Malaysian (not crispy) rendang, you’ll surely enjoy the rendang sandwich as well! Give your normal steak sandwich an Asian-inspired twist by using shredded beef rendang instead. To make a healthier version of beef rendang, you can replace the rich coconut milk with a moderate amount of kerisik (coconut paste) and use lean meat.

Sprinkle a generous amount of cheese (use feta as it’s lower in fat and calories) and grill till it melts, making the perfect cheesy beef rendang sandwich!

See also: Localise Your Salad Ingredients!

Here’s one all-veg, no-oil recipe to tantalise every vegetarian and even non-vegetarian taste buds. Packed with rich Indian flavours, this sandwich is made of potato masala filling that includes an easy mix of mustard, cumin, green chillies, coriander and mashed potatoes. You can add some fiery zest to your toasted bread with some green chutney paste which includes a quick blend of fresh coriander leaves and green chillies.

Try your own healthy homemade nasi lemak sandwich with this quick recipe. It’s simply combining all the things you love about nasi lemak with bread. For your fragrant chicken, marinate a deboned chicken thigh with lemongrass paste, turmeric and salt to taste. You can either grill, bake or air-fry it for a healthy ‘ayam berempah’. Add in a slice of egg omelette, cucumbers and a dash of sambal sauce to treat yourself with a nasi lemak sandwich.

Sure to make you drool, this sandwich includes tender grilled beef slices coated in a sweet and savoury satay sauce, combined with fluffy scrambled eggs in between two toasts. The healthy magic lies in the sauce which is a mix of low-fat, salt-reduced peanut butter, honey instead of sugar, cider vinegar, chilli flakes, lime, galangal, garlic and soy.

Love Korean kimchi? Eat it in a sandwich! Packed with vitamins A and C, fiber and healthy bacteria called lactobacilli, kimchi is lauded for its valuable nutritional benefits and potent antioxidant properties.

Make your own kimchi with napa cabbage, daikon radish, carrots, spring onion, garlic and ginger combined with Korean red chilli powder (gochugaru), fish sauce and salt. Use the kimchi and fresh cabbage as a healthy sandwich filling. For a non-veg option, you can also include pieces of grilled chicken or beef with the kimchi.

While you can experiment with these fun locally-inspired fillings, you can also consider giving your sandwiches a healthier twist by switching your regular white bread with sprouted-grain or 100% whole-grain breads. These breads are rich in protein, fiber, vitamin B and many other minerals delivering the best nutritional value.

Your best options are breads that deliver at least 3 to 5 grams of protein and fiber per slice, and no more than 3 grams of sugar per slice. Avoid any breads with potentially unsafe additives, sweeteners, preservatives, or fats.

References

https://womaninkitchen.wordpress.com/2015/05/14/20/

https://www.vegrecipesofindia.com/bombay-toast-sandwich/

https://www.8days.sg/eatanddrink/recipes/this-nasi-lemak-sandwich-rivals-mcdonald-s-burger-version-9048774

https://themissinglokness.com/2017/12/06/satay-beef-egg-sandwich/

https://www.health.com/health/article/0,,20410300,00.html

http://www.scrambledchefs.com/kimchi-sandwich/

https://greatist.com/eat/healthiest-bread-options

https://malaysiandelicacies.blogspot.com/2016/07/kam-heong-chicken.html

The above articles are intended for informational purposes only. AIA accepts no responsibility for loss, which may arise from reliance on information contained in the articles.