19 Asian street food recipes

Try this on-trend recipe at home with our step-by-step guide. The secret to steamed buns is adding extra raising agent and double rising, which gives you a pillowy bun to stuff your pork belly into.

Where to try steamed buns in London: Bao, Soho

Bao bun fillings

Here we’ve used bao buns as a base for fish goujons, breaded chicken and sweet potato. Top with a homemade sweet and sour slaw.

Tom yum soup – Thailand

Check out our quick and easy tom yum soup recipe with crunchy peeled prawns, punchy chillies and soft button mushrooms.

Where to try tom yum soup in London: Addie's Thai

Prawn laksa – Malaysia

Laksa hails from Malaysia and is a fragrant, coconut-based noodle soup served with two types of noodles, seafood or chicken and plenty of veg. Listen to our podcast here to hear how to make the perfect laksa.

This quick noodle soup for two hails from Malaysia and takes just 20 minutes to prepare. Warming prawn noodle broth with spicy laksa paste is topped with cucumber and coriander.

Where to try laksa in London: Sambal Shiok Laksa Bar, Islington

Korean spicy radish salad

If you need an easy way to liven up a midweek meal, this spicy radish salad is a great choice. Fruity gochugaru adds a subtle heat while sesame oil perfumes the dish beautifully.

Easy okonomiyaki – Japan

Okonomiyaki is a savoury Japanese pancake made from shredded cabbage, squid, spring onions and plenty more ingredients. The hearty street food snack originally comes from Osaka in Japan.

Okonomiyaki is a brilliant way to use summer cabbage. This is a super-simplified version to make midweek.

Where to try okonomiyaki in London: Okan Okonomiyaki, Brixton

Pork and prawn dumplings – China

Dim sum are steamed dumplings filled with meat, seafood and vegetables, popular in China at lunchtime and often served with tea in the afternoon. They come in many different forms including shumai, shen jiang bao soup dumplings and more. We learn all about dim sum in our podcast here.

Small parcels of succulent meat and fish with a kick of chilli and ginger, pork and prawn dumplings are a dim sum favourite. Learn how to make them with step-by-step help from our test kitchen.

Where to try dim sum in London: Pearl Liang, Paddington

Try our step-by-step soup dumplings recipe here

Where to try soup dumplings in London: Dumpling Shack, Spitalfields

Korean fried chicken – Korea

This Korean fried chicken (or Jin Chick) is the signature dish at Jinjuu in Soho. Served with a fiery gochujang red sauce or black soy sauce and a side of pickled white radish, they're irresistible.

Where to try Korean fried chicken in London: On The Bab, Covent Garden

Dishoom’s chole bhatura – India

Chole bhatura is one the most popular dishes of Punjabi cuisine. It combines chana masala (spiced chickpeas) with bhatura (a fluffy, deep-fried bread) and is often eaten for breakfast, or as a popular street-food snack in Delhi.

The combination of spicy chickpeas and fried bhatura bread make this dish an extra special flavoursome dish.

Where to try chole bhatura in London: Dishoom, various locations

Bacon and egg bibimbap – Korea

We've given a classic flavour combination a new twist with this bacon and egg bibimbap. Prep all the veg before cooking the rice, so it stays warm while you cook the toppings.

Where to try bibimbap in London: Bibimbap, Soho, or Lime Orange, Victoria

Rainbow stuffed banh-mi – Vietnam

Banh-mi is a Vietnamese stuffed baguette – banh means bread and mi, wheat. It is a true mash up of French and Asian ingredients. Try it at Hoi An's cult banh-mi shop, Phuong.

This version is packed with flavours and looks fantastic with so many colourful ingredients.

Where to try banh mi in London: Banh mi Bay, Soho

Also try our chicken schnitzel bánh mì with satay sauce

Nasi goreng – Indonesia

Nasi goreng literally means "fried rice" in Malaysian and Indonesian. It originates in Indonesia but is also very popular in Malaysia where it's often served for breakfast or lunch.

Check out our nasi goreng recipe with chicken, topped with super crispy fried eggs and punchy hot sauce. This simple Indonesian recipe makes a comforting recipe to feed the whole family.

Where to try nasi goreng in London: Rasa Sayang, Chinatown

Simple chicken pho – Vietnam

Pho is a fragrant noodle soup made with rice noodles, meat and Vietnamese herbs. It is eaten for breakfast and lunch at roadside stalls all over Vietnam. It is traditionally made from beef but the chicken variety has become just as popular.

Check out our super simple cheat's chicken pho. This wholesome recipe is packed with rich warming flavour, and it's easy to make.

Where to try pho in London: Mien Tay, Dalston

Try our beef pho recipe here

Thai corn cakes with pickled cucumbers– Thailand

Tod man khao pod (sweetcorn fritters) are a classic Thai street food snack often served with a side of sweet chilli sauce. Here we’ve added pickled cucumber for extra crunch.

Our Thai corn cakes are quick to whip up and make the best canapés or dinner-party starter. Using fresh corn makes all the difference. Serve with pickled cucumbers.

Where to try Thai corn cakes in London: The Begging Bowl, Peckham

Bone Daddies' spicy miso ramen – Japan

Ramen originates in China but has become most popular in Japan. Thousands of ramen joints can be found across the country (including contemporary River Ramen in Kyoto) where punters patiently queue, punch in their order at machines, and sit up at the counter to slurp noodles from rich broth.

There are many variations of ramen, including this spicy miso ramen from London's hip Japanese ramen restaurant Bone Daddies. It takes a little time but the result is worth it: rich pork broth with noodles and exotic ingredients. Prepare and marinade the eggs and the meat the night before for best results.

Where to try ramen in London: Bone Daddies or Tonkotsu

Quick pad thai – Thailand

Pad thai is a classic spicy noodle dish and is very popular street food in Thailand.

Recreate your own pad thai at home with our easy 15 minute recipe.

Where to try pad Thai in London: Rosa's Thai, various locations

Thai chicken wings (Peek gai tod) – Thailand

Popular in Bangkok, small chicken wings are marinated in soy, coriander root, white pepper and garlic before being fried. The crunchy kaffir lime leaves add texture and fragrancy, making the wings distinctly Thai.

This recipe with crispy skin comes from Woody Leela, group development chef for Thaikhun.

Where to try Thai chicken wings in London: Som Saa, Shoreditch

Bulgogi cheese steak sandwich – Korea

Bulgogi is a Korean sauce which is used as a marinade for BBQ beef. It is a combination of garlic, ginger, pepper flakes, brown sugar, gochujang, rice wine vinegar, soy sauce, and sesame oil.

Philly cheese steak + Korean bulgogi is a marriage made in heaven sometimes known as a koagie. This indulgent sandwich is super easy to make.

Where to try Korean food in London: On The Bab, Covent Garden

Roti canai

olive cookery writer Adam Bush shares his test kitchen secrets and techniques on how to make the classic crisp layered bread, roti canai. Super easy, super quick, all you need is a well-oiled surface!

Where to try roti canai in London: Roti King

Satay chicken

Originating in Indonesia but now popular across Asia, satay is a type of seasoned (often with turmeric), skewered and grilled meat. Pork satay is popular in Bangkok as it is the most common meat, but chicken and tofu are also used across Asia. The base of a satay sauce is peanuts.

Liven up your dinner time with this fragrant Thai-style chicken dish. It also tastes great served cold as a picnic or party dish.

Where to try satay chicken in London: Guan Cha's Malaysian nyonya supper club

Feeling inspired? Click here for our guide to the best street food in Bangkok