my top 10 go-to asian dishes/cuisines

everyone loves the classic ramen noodles or sushi, but what if i told you there were even more flavorful dishes?

Next time you go to an Asian restaurant, and you wonder what to get, you will at least have a few of these safety nets waiting for you! From savory to umami, these are the few dishes I've grown to rely on at any Japanese, Chinese, Korean, Thai, [etc] place I go to. These dishes aren't too niche so you can typically find them at any Asian restaurant.

(These aren't in any rank or order, just my top 10).

1. Gu Bao

Gu Bao's are like the Chinese version of hamburger sliders. They come in many shapes and forms with meat (or no meat), vegetables, a sauce, and garnish. The outside is the dough thats kneaded into the perfect fluffy texture that hugs everything perfectly. The brother of this dish would be the baozi, which my favorite is the pork baozi, that is made from the same dough but sealed with a pinch at the top.

2. Chicken Karaage

Chicken karaage is similar to US fried chicken or even Chick-fil-a chicken minis. The main difference, in my opinion, is how crispy the chicken gets and how juicy the meat stays. I love chicken karaage and other asian fried chicken (Korean fried chicken breaded with rice) because the coat stays so crispy. It's the best fried chicken yet because it doesn't feel messy or greasy and there's always a nice crunch.

"Karaage meaning "Tang fry" is a Japanese cooking technique in which various foods—most often chicken, but also other meat and fish—are deep fried in oil. The process involves lightly coating small pieces of the meat or fish with a seasoned wheat flour or potato starch mix, and frying in a light oil" -Wikipedia

3. Radish Puffs

Dimsum is one of the best Asian cuisines, and one of my favorite dishes of dimsum are radish puffs. These delectable cute dishes are often decorated plain - a tan layered coat - or made into pretty, eye-catching designs, like these swans I had. Both of these different looking radish puffs have the same layered texture with ham and green onions inside, giving you a delicious and juicy bite whenever you break that delicate shell. There's nothing like it.

4. Takoyaki

Takoyaki can be translated into simply Japanese octopus balls, which it's exactly what it sounds like, and it is the BEST and most common Japanese street dish. The ball is made out of wheat flour batter and usually made in sphere molds in a big pan. It's always a show to watch chefs cook takoyaki and seeing how they fastly turn over these balls to cook them evenly. While the outside is crisp, the inside has hot, steamy octopus and when you bite into it, the amazing sauce spills out and fills your mouth with flavor. The takoyaki sauce that covers it usually varies in recipes but it's typically mayo and soy sauce based. It's garnished with tempura scraps, pickled ginger, dried bonito, and green onion.

5. Edamame

For some simply prepared vegetables, edamame comes a long way in taste and healthy benefits. They're known to be high in protein, potentially lower cholesterol, doesn't affect blood sugar, high in vitamins and minerals, and much more. Plus, you can find these beans anywhere, like Target or Walmart, and preparing them is super easy.

Edamame is a preparation of immature soybeans in the pod, found in cuisines with origins in East Asia. The pods are boiled or steamed and may be served with salt. In Japan, they are usually blanched in 4% salt water and not served with salt. -Wikipedia

What I love most about edamame is how fun it is to eat the beans. After you finish one, the beans just slide into your mouth after you pop each pod, you reach for another one, and sooner or later, you've finished the whole bowl! I also love how versatile spicing these beans is, such as the one in the picture is spiced with salt and pepper but also paprika and more.

6. Galbi

Galbi is traditional Korean grilled ribs made with beef short ribs. This dish can easily be found at any Korean BBQ. It's always steaming, hot, and fresh and the ribs are garnished with onions and sesame seeds and marinated with different kinds of sauces. The meat is so tender and flavorful, pulling right off the bone. While galbi is a finger food, galbi is super easy to eat.

7. Sashimi

In my opinion, sashimi is the better alternative to sushi. If you enjoy a Japanese delicacy and raw fish, sashimi is perfect for you. Sashimi is usually prepared with fresh raw fish or meat or sliced into thin pieces and accompanied by soy sauce, ginger, and wasabi. The flavor of sashimi is very light and varies depending on what fish you get. I usually get the yellowtail or salmon. The most important thing about sashimi is the texture and how delicate it feels in your mouth. It's usually served as a dish and advised to eat first before anything else so your taste palate is clean and prepared for this delicate, fine dish.

8. Chicken Feet

Chicken feet isn't commonly eaten in the US so the idea of it might be a bit unsettling. However, it's eaten in many parts of the world, including China. Chicken feet is usually seen as an appetizer, in dimsum, or street dish in China and associated with SiChuan flavors. The chicken feet is usually braised or pickled with spicy sauces. Eating this is a bit tricky with the bones, but you will get used to it. It's delicious because of the sauce and many people find chicken feet the best part of the chicken.

9. Hotpot [Cuisine]

While hotpot is not a single dish, it is a very well known Chinese cuisine. This dining experience is fun, interactive, delicious, and great for social gatherings. The pot is usually split into two sides, spicy and non spicy, and the water is kept boiling. Everyone gathers around the pot and throws in the raw dishes they want to eat, such as lamb meat, vegetables, fish eye, shrimp, mushrooms. My favorites are: fish balls, sliced lamb, pork belly, bok choi, napa cabbage, shrimp, udon and ramen noodles. Another important aspect of hotpot is the sauces you choose for anything you fish out of the pot, I usually like to mix my sauces.

Hot pot dipping sauce is a very personal thing–everyone makes their own. When mixing sauces, we set out tahini or sesame paste, soy sauce, vinegar, white pepper, chili-garlic hot sauce, black-bean chili hot sauce, cilantro, scallion, garlic, sesame oil, and a store-bought “hot pot sauce.” -TheWoksofLife

10. SiChuan [Cuisine]

SiChuan [Szechuwan] is a province in China and one of the most popular places because of its bold flavors. SiChuan food has become popular not only in China, but globally in the United States. The food typically is very spicy, but SiChuan spicy is a special spicy with garlic, chili peppers, broad bean chili paste, star anise, shallots, and the SiChuan pepper. People might describe the taste as hot and numbing, which sounds scary, but it's delicious. I love spicy food and I find SiChuan dishes to be the perfect balance of spicy. My favorite SiChuan dishes are: mapo tofu, suizuyu (boiled fish), and diced chicken. These are also the most common SiChuan dishes.

There's my top 10 go-to Asian dishes. I hope you try them out or learned something new. Of course, this isn't the most extensive or unique list, I am always learning and trying new things, so it will grow. If there are any dishes I missed that should have made the list, let me know. I'm always looking to eat!