One-Stop Shop: All-Asian Ingredients for Guilt-Free Asian Desserts

We’ve been talking about Asian main dishes for a while now. After drowning in savory, spicy, tangy, and various other explosions of umami flavors from your favorite Asian food picks, there’s one thing left-- one that can literally put the icing on top of your Asian dining experience: Asian desserts! 

Compared to western desserts, Asian desserts are not overly sweet. Instead, you’re presented with unique textures grounded on minimalist and traditional recipes that you wouldn’t expect from the usual chocolates, macarons, and the like. In the East, we’ve got spongy cakes, sticky rice desserts, and even rich coconut milk-based treats that offer a satisfying and balanced mouthfeel without any overpowering or dizzying sweetness.

Karman Foods has some hidden sugary gems that can help you prepare guilt-free Asian desserts in a matter of minutes!

1. Beksul Sweet Korean Pancake Mix for Hotteok

 

 

Developed by TOUS LES JOURS, one of Korea’s top bakery chains, Beksul’s Hotteok Pancake Mix allows you to enjoy this Korean street food favorite from your own homes. All you have to do is add water to the mix, knead the dough for five minutes, add your cinnamon filling at the center, fry it, then you’re done! For something more unique, try adding some irresistible red bean filling. It’s like walking down the streets of Seoul on a cool winter evening.

2. Thai Dragonfly Black Sweet Rice for Khao Neeo Dahm

 

Prepare Thailand’s coconutty, rich, dairy-free, and gluten-free khao neeo dahm, a black rice pudding that consists of black rice, coconut milk, and toasted coconut. Mix 2 cups of water, a cup of black rice, and a cup of coconut milk, and bring it to a boil. Let it simmer until the rice is tender. Once that’s done, add in 3 tablespoons of sugar and a pinch of salt, and continue to stir until you get your desired texture. Top it with coconut flakes and you’ve got yourself a dessert that can also pass off as a breakfast meal! 

 

3. Thai Sticky White Rice for Mango Sticky Rice

 

 

When talking about Thai desserts, we can’t leave out Mango Sticky Rice. This fruity dessert is usually eaten during the summer peak mango season. To prepare the dish, cook your sticky white rice based on packaging instructions, while heating (not boiling!) your mix of coconut milk, sugar, and salt on the side. After the rice is cooked, mix the coconut milk concoction until the rice absorbs into the rice. Peel your mangoes, scoop some rice, and drizzle in some condensed milk and voila! One bite and you’ll be reminded of sunny days spent roaming around the streets of Bangkok.

4. Prince of Peace Ginger Honey Crystals Instant Tea with Lemon for Adrak Wali Chai

 

 

Imagine having a bad case of dessert cravings while nursing a sore throat. You’re in luck because Prince of Peace has a sweet ginger tea that’s infused with lemon, giving you a soothing balance of spicy and zesty flavors to cure both your cravings and throat issues! Add in some milk and you’ve got yourself some instant Adrak Wali Chai, an Indian ginger milk tea that can be served hot or cold.

5. Coconut Secret Traditional Coconut Crystals

 

 

This might not necessarily be a dessert but it can definitely turn any of your sweet cheat days into a guilt-free one! Coconut Secret’s Traditional Coconut Sweetener Crystals is a low glycemic sugar alternative made from 100% organic coconut tree sap. With only 15 calories per serving, you can use this in baking or even as coffee sweeteners without feeling guilty of having a little more than your usual.

If you want to create the best Asian desserts, you can find the best Asian ingredients at Karman Foods in our online Asian market.