If you’ve wondered how to make homemade ramen noodles, there’s a simple to make ramen noodles from scratch. You will need some plain flour, egg, salt, soda and some water. 

A Christmas lunch with all the trimmings can be a daunting prospect for many home cooks, sending them into panic mode leading up closer to the 25th December lunch for their family. The idea of working over a baking oven might be less than appealing for many, as Australia starts heat up during Summer sun and your thoughts of visiting a pool while refresher. Take the stress out of Christmas Day and opt to make fresher, healthier and simpler affairs. However you choose to celebrate, the most important aspect is spending time with family, loved ones and friends.

Here’s a few ideas on how to have a great Christmas Lunch.

ENTREE

• Selection of Seafood
• Vietnamese Summer Rolls
• Selection of BBQ skewers

MAIN

• Cold Turkey Salad
• Thai Beef Salad
• Glazed Ham and Asian Apple Salad
• Japanese Cold Soba Noodle 

DESSERT

• Mango and Sticky Rice
• Palova, Cream, Berries and Kiwi
• Summer Fruit With Coconut 

Australian is well known as a melting pot of disparate food culture. However, people have forgotten about the amazing Australian native foods that can be easily found in their own backyard for decades. Until recently, native ingredients are experiencing a revival. Embraced by high profile Australian chefs, they have begun to switch their focus and look into the exciting world of bush foods.

Melbourne is a food lover’s paradise, and dumplings are one of the city’s most beloved dishes. Whether you're after soup-filled xiao long bao, crispy pan-fried potstickers, or creative vegan options, there’s no shortage of incredible dumpling destinations across Melbourne. Here’s your ultimate guide to where to find the best dumplings in town.

Chinatown & City Classics

HuTong Dumpling Bar – Melbourne CBD

Address: 14-16 Market Ln, Melbourne VIC 3000
Visit Website

HuTong is a must-visit for traditional Shanghai-style dumplings. Their xiao long bao (soup dumplings) are some of the best in town, known for their delicate wrappers and rich, flavorful broth.

Must-try: Xiao Long Bao, Spicy Wontons

Shanghai Street – CBD

Address: 146 Little Bourke St, Melbourne VIC 3000
Visit Website

This casual eatery is always packed, and for good reason. With handmade dumplings and quick service, it’s perfect for a tasty lunch or a late-night snack.

Must-try: Fried Pork Buns, Chicken Dumplings

Dumplings Plus – Swanston Street

Address: 269 Swanston St, Melbourne VIC 3000
Visit Website

Located conveniently near Melbourne Central, Dumplings Plus is ideal for a quick, filling meal. Their handmade dumplings are served with a range of dipping sauces and sides.

Must-try: Chicken & Prawn Dumplings, Chilli Oil Wontons

Modern & Stylish Dumplings

New Shanghai – Emporium

Address: Emporium Melbourne, Shop 323, 287 Lonsdale St, Melbourne VIC 3000
Visit Website

New Shanghai offers a more upscale dumpling experience with vibrant, colourful dishes and beautiful presentation. It’s a great place to explore more adventurous dumpling flavours.

Must-try: Rainbow Dumplings, Crab Xiao Long Bao

Supernormal – Flinders Lane

Address: 180 Flinders Ln, Melbourne VIC 3000
Visit Website

For a modern fusion take on Asian classics, Supernormal delivers a premium dining experience. Their signature lobster dumplings are a highlight and perfect for special occasions.

Must-try: Lobster & Prawn Dumplings, Pork Bao

Vegan & Gluten-Free Friendly

Vegie Tribe – Carlton

Address: 123 Swanston St (enter via Little Lonsdale), Melbourne VIC 3000
Visit Website

This plant-based buffet includes an impressive selection of vegan dumplings. Their dumplings are packed with flavour, using tofu, mushrooms, and herbs to create satisfying fillings.

Must-try: Vegan Tofu Dumplings, Mushroom Dumplings

Loving Hut – Richmond

Address: 10/242 Victoria St, Richmond VIC 3121
Visit Website

Loving Hut is a fully vegan restaurant with a variety of gluten-free options. Their dumplings are handmade and filled with fresh vegetables, herbs, and spices.

Must-try: Steamed Vegan Dumpling Platter

Make Your Own Dumplings

Otao Kitchen – Dumpling Cooking Class

Address: 393 Victoria St, Abbotsford VIC 3067
Visit Website

Want to try your hand at dumpling making? Otao Kitchen offers hands-on dumpling cooking classes in Richmond. Perfect for beginners, foodies, and team-building events, the classes cover techniques, folding styles, and recipes to take home.

What to Expect:

• Learn how to make and fold three types of dumplings

• All ingredients and equipment provided

• Enjoy a shared meal with drinks included

Honourable Mentions

• Juicy Bao – 178 Little Bourke St, Melbourne VIC 3000
  Juicy Bao

• Din Tai Fung – Emporium Melbourne, 287 Lonsdale St
  Din Tai Fung

Final Bites

Whether you're chasing traditional dumplings in Chinatown or discovering vegan takes on the classic, Melbourne’s dumpling offerings are diverse and delicious. Better yet, take the experience home by learning to make your own. The next time you’re planning a night out—or in—let dumplings be the star.

If you have a favourite dumpling spot that should be on this list, let us know. We’re always happy to discover more places to eat well in Melbourne.

THE FOOD OF BALI INDONESIA

Balinese food celebrate Balinese people from the volcanic island of Bali using spices blending with the fresh vegetables, meat and seafood. Balinese food sometime refers to special regional Indonesian cuisine. It demonstrates indigenous traditions and other Indonesian regional cuisine, Chinese and Indian. Bali's culinary traditions are somewhat distinct with the rest of Indonesia. The people Bali celebrate their foods with festivals and celebrations.

INGREDIENTS

Spices such as Kaempferia galanga galangal, shallots, garlic, turmeric, ginger and Kaffir lime are used in Balinese foods. For example popular Balinese 8-spice is made with white and black pepper, coriander, cumin, clove, nutmeg, sesame seed, and candlenut. Other ingredients such as palm sugar, fish paste, and basa gede spice paste are used in everyday dishes.

Many tropical foods are rambutan, mangoes, mangosteen, bananas, jackfruit, rambutan, passion fruit, nangka, pineapple, salak snake fruit, duku, kelengkeng, wani white mango or Mangifera caesia, papaya, longan, melon, oranges, custard-apple, coconut and durian.

Steamed rice is commonly consumed in every meal everyday. Pork, chicken, seafood and vegetables are widely consumed. Because many Balinese follow Hindu tradition so they never or rarely consume beef.

If you've mastered classic French tarts to Australia Palova, perhaps it's time to add some new flavours into your dessert. From Vietnam to Japan and Thailand, traditional Asian desserts are as varied as the cultures and peoples from which they come. With the former, a diversity of Japanese and Japanese cultures has yielded a wealth of ingredients used in desserts such as mochi, glutinous rice, and red beans. In the canon of Thai desserts, find a complex array of confectionary building blocks that range from pandan to cassava root and coconut.

It would be overwhelming to try to master such a vast collection of cuisines, but we've rounded out some of our favourites to help you get a taste. From Thailand's khanom chan to a Vietnamese ca phe sua  inspired ice cream and a Japanese mochi, here are some of the best Asian dessert recipes to try this weekend.

 We love beans and lentils as it is versatile ingredients in Asian kitchen. According to Global Pulse Confederation https://iyp2016.org/themes/food-security-nutrition-innovation beans and lentil are healthy balanced diet and play an important role in stopping illnesses such as cancer, diabetes and heart disease. Bean dishes and lentil dishes are low fat and high fibre plus they also give you essential minerals and vitamins.

You’ve been asked to organise the hen party to beat all hen parties, keep reading for hens party ideas. Whether you’re inspired by celebrity style hen party in Bali or are after a more chilled affair in Great Ocean Road, now is the time to start planning. We have 5 amazing hen do activities.

Freshly made rice paper rolls packed with prawn, rice noodles, carrots, cucumber and herbs, with a sweet chilli dipping sauce.

INGREDIENTS 

For the dipping sauce

• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1 small red chilli, finely chopped, remove seed if want less spicy
• 1 tbsp caster sugar
• 3 tbsp fish sauce
• juice 1 lime 

For the rolls

• 100g vermicelli rice noodle or bean thread noodles
• 12 x 20cm rice papers
• 1 bunch of mint
• 18 cooked medium prawn cut in half lengthways
• 2-3 large iceberg lettuce leaves, torn into 12 pieces
• 1 medium carrot cut into thin batons
• a handful coriander
• a handful Thai basil 
• a handful long chives
• 50g bean sprouts

METHODS 

1. Make the dipping sauce by chopping the garlic, chilli together then stir in the fish sauce and lime juice. 

2. Boil a pot of water and add the rice noodle and cook the noodle for 5-7 mins and then drain well. Please check the package for instruction first.

3. When you are ready to make the rolls, dip one of the rice papers in a bowl of hot water, moving it around until the whole wrapper is soft about 3 secs then drain on a tea towel or use one of mat to stop them sticking on the the surface.

4. Place a rice paper wrapper on a board and at one edge of the wrapper, add a few mint leaves, then 2 prawn halves.

5. Place some lettuce on top of the prawns, followed by some noodles, a few strips of carrot and cucumber, some more herbs and finally some beansprouts. Don’t overfill or they will be hard to roll.

6. Lift the edge of the rice paper wrapper nearest to you over the filling and, holding the filling in position with your fingers, start rolling up tightly.

7. When you’re about halfway, fold the ends of the rice paper in and over the filling so that it is completely enclosed.

8. Keep on rolling tightly until the whole rice paper wrapper is rolled up.