Asian cuisine truly has something for everyone, from the delights of Vietnam’s bánh mi to Japan’s delicious yakitori. And in Wagamama’s latest cookbook, Soul Kitchen, we get to see this variety in all its glory.

The book, which is available to buy now, follows Wagamama chefs as they visit restaurants, chefs, street food stalls and canteens across Asia, bringing together 70 recipes that span breakfast, lunch, dinner, late night and more. There are also interviews with the chefs behind the recipes so you can get a better understanding of their origin.  

But that’s not all. Alongside being delicious, many of the recipes in the book are incredibly nutritious, with ingredients ranging from protein-packed edamame to antioxidant-rich pumpkin. Below, we’ve pulled together three plant-based options to give you a taste.

Serves: 2–3

These tasty fritters deliver a healthy serving of protein and fibre, perfect for starting your day off on the right foot. You can also spray them with cooking oil and pop the fritters in the air fryer if you fancy. 

Ingredients

• 150g plain flour
• ½ tsp baking powder
• A pinch of salt
• A pinch of turmeric
• A pinch of chilli powder
• 1 egg
• 100ml water
• Juice of ½ lemon
• 200g drained canned sweetcorn
• 150g edamame beans
• 1 spring onion, chopped
• 200ml vegetable oil
• Sprigs of parsley (to serve)
• 100ml chilli garlic sauce (to serve)

Method

1. Add the flour, baking powder, salt, turmeric and chilli powder to a large bowl and stir to combine. Crack in the egg then add the water and lemon juice. Whisk together to form a smooth batter.
2. Pat the corn with kitchen paper to remove any excess moisture then add to the bowl along with the edamame and spring onions. Mix thoroughly then set aside.
3. Heat the oil in a large frying pan over a medium-high heat. Add a spoonful of the corn mixture to form a small fritter; the mixture should bubble when it hits the oil. If not, heat the oil for a little longer then re-test. Cook the fritters in batches, cooking each side for three to five minutes. Remove from the oil using a slotted spoon and set aside on a plate lined with kitchen paper to absorb any excess oil, then repeat with the remaining mixture.
4. Plate up your fritters, sprinkle with the parsley and serve with a bowl of the chilli garlic sauce.

Serves: 1

Healthy, fresh and quick, there’s a lot to love about this homemade instant ramen. You can modify it to suit your tastes, but this basic recipe gives you a good framework to start with.

Ingredients

• ½ tsp ginger paste
• ½ tsp garlic paste
• 1 tsp white miso paste
• 1 tbsp ready-made vegan stir-fry sauce
• ½ vegetable stock cube
• 5 shiitake mushrooms, trimmed and sliced
• 25g mangetout, thinly sliced
• 70g silken tofu, cubed
• 50g vermicelli noodles
• ½ tbsp crispy chilli oil
• Chillies, finely sliced
• A handful of coriander

Method

1. Add the ginger paste, garlic paste, miso paste and stir-fry sauce to a clean, lidded jar or plastic container and mix well. Crumble in the stock cube and stir again to combine.
2. Add the mushrooms, mangetout and tofu to the jar or container, followed by the noodles and the crispy chilli oil. Put the lid on and store in the fridge until you’re ready to eat.
3. To serve, just add boiling water to cover the ingredients and stir well. Cover with the lid and leave to stand for five to 10 minutes, or until the noodles have fully cooked. 

Serves: 2

This sweet, savoury and spicy Japanese curry uses pumpkin instead of kabocha squash – a Japanese ingredient which is commonly used to make this dish. Packed full of vegetables, the pumpkin, broccoli and green beans all deliver a dose of vitamin C, making this perfect for supporting your immune system during cold and flu season.  The spice concentrations can be easily adjusted to add more or less heat, so you can adjust it to your taste.

Ingredients

• 2 red onions, finely diced
• 3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 1 lemongrass stalks, thinly sliced
• 2.5cm piece of galangal, peeled and thinly sliced
• 1 tbsp hot curry paste
• 3 tbsp tamari
• 2 tbsp madras curry powder
• 1 tbsp chilli powder
• 1 tbsp ground turmeric
• 100ml chilli oil
• 400ml can coconut milk
• A pinch of salt
• 1 tsp sugar
• 200g pumpkin, peeled, deseeded and cut into 2cm cubes
• 150g long grain or basmati rice
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 60g long-stem broccoli
• 1 red pepper, finely diced
• 60g green beans
• 1 tbsp crispy onions (to serve)
• 1 red chilli, thinly sliced (to serve)
• 1 handful of mint (to serve)
• Lime wedges (to serve)

Method

1. Add half of the onion and two-thirds of the garlic along with the lemongrass, galangal, curry paste, tamari, and spices to a blender or food processor and blitz to create a fine paste.
2. Heat the chilli oil in a large saucepan over a low heat. Add the paste and cook, stirring, for five-10 minutes to bring out the flavour and aromatics.
3. Add the coconut milk, salt and sugar and simmer for five to six minutes until oil starts to appear around the sides of the pan. Meanwhile preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F), gas mark four.
4. Arrange the pumpkin on a large baking tray and roast for about 15 minutes, or until tender. Meanwhile, cook the rice according to the packet instructions.
5. Heat the vegetable oil in a frying pan over a high heat. Fry the remaining onion and garlic along with the broccoli, red pepper and green beans for two to three minutes. Remove the pumpkin from the oven, add to the pan and stir-fry for a further three minutes. Add the cooked vegetables to the pan and stir-fry for a further three minutes.
6. Add the cooked vegetables to the pan with the curry sauce and bring to the boil over a medium heat. Allow to simmer for three minutes.
7. Divide the rice between two bowls or plates and top with the curry. Garnish with crispy onion, chilli, mint sprigs and lime wedges.

Images: Wagamama