I love Asia. I mean, I really really love Asia. I spent 3 years studying about it in college studying Japanese, and also dabbling with Cantonese and Korean on the side recently. Here is small conglomerate of some of my favorite eats that one can find on the street. Don't let anyone fool you, the best chow to be had in a foreign country, especially the countries where it's perfectly normal to go get a bowl of some steamy mess of deliciousness at 4am (hell yes, Singapore), is on the street. This goes for Mexico too. Street food is the heart and soul of a culture. It's what the rickshaw driver seeks when he's done with a shift, it's what the wok jockey goes for when he's off of work. It's moms food. Here is a small portion of my favorite street dishes. Shout out to Taiwan, Korea, and Thailand. Keep rockin.
- 1 cup warm water (105-115°F), divided, plus more if needed
- 1/2 teaspoon active dry yeast
- 3 tablespoons sugar plus a pinch
- 2 tablespoons nonfat dried milk
- 3 1/2 cups flour (ideally cake, but plain works fine)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- Canola oil for greasing and brushing
For filling:
Pork shoulder or belly
Soy
Brown sugar
Water or stock
Optional -
Ginger
Garlic
Scallions
Star anise
Cinnamon
Bacon
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. If using shoulder/butt, cut into 2"x2" cubes. In a large stock pot that is oven proof, and will fit in your oven (or ideally a 8" half hotel pan if you are fortunate to have access to restaurant cookware) add water and soy in a 4 or 5 :1 ratio, til it's the color of tea. Add sugar and optional aromatics, meat, and bring to a simmer. If using pork belly, sear chunks of the belly first, and then add the liquids and aromatics. Cover with foil, and place in oven for at least 4, ideally 7 hours.
When tender, shred shoulder in a separate pan and moisten with braising liquid. Season with soy and 5 spice (star anise, clove, cinnamon, fennel, ginger)
Mix 1/4 c water with yeast and sugar, let stand in a warm spot until foamy, about 5 minutes. Add remaining water.
In a separate howl, mix flour and milk powder. Add wet mixture to this and knead until it forms a smooth ball of dough. Some additional water may be necessary here. Knead a few minutes longer to incorporate all ingredients. Place dough ball in oiled bowl, rub or soray with oil, and cover with plastic wrap. Let rise about 2 hours or until doubles in size.
Punch down dough and flatten onto a floured surface. Sprinkle with baking powder, knead to incorporate. Allow to rise another 30 minutes to an hour.
Tear off goofball sized pieces of dough and flatten into oblong shapes. Line either a pot with a steamer rack in it or an electric steamer with parchment paper and steam baos for about 3 minutes.
Brush baos with hoisin, fill with pork and toppings. Eat gratuitously.
BINDAETTOEK
2 cups dried (split, ideally) mung beans, rinsed in a few change of water
1/4 cup short grain rice, rinsed to remove white powdery dust
2 cloves garlic, finely minced or 1 T garlic powder
1 1/2 cups fermented kimchi, chopped
4 oz mung bean sprout, blanched and squeezed to remove moisture.
1/2 cup kimchi juice
1 tablespoon soy sauce
Salt and pepper to taste
Green/red chilies for garnish, optional
Frying oil
For a dipping sauce:
1/2 c soy sauce
2T rice vinegar
Chopped cilantro
Sambal
Soak the beans over night. When soft, blend beans, rice, garlic, Kim chi juice, and soy til smooth.
Mix sprouts, Kim chi, and bean mix in a bowl. Fry felafel to pancake sized portions. The smaller they are the easier they will be to flip. Season with salt when golden and allow to sit on a wire rack or a plate with paper towels to soak up the extra oil. Serve with a dipping sauce.
PAD THAI (Kway Teow pad Thai)
This is well known to be the national dish of Thailand, however many people do not know that it's origins lie in Chinese cuisine. The full name literally means "stir fried noodles thai style". It is also argued to have Vietnamese origins, called Bahn Pho Xao Sate, meaning stir fried pho, a traditional noodle soup. It's basically stir fried rice noodles with bean sprouts, egg, fish sauce, and chilis, with options such as tofu, chicken, shrimp, or even hot dogs. Garnishes will sometimes include crushed peanuts or cashews, cilantro, a lime wedge, or any other of the multitude of Thai condiments. Some people put tamarind in it, some people use rice vinegar and kaffir lime, brown sugar or jaggery, the combinations are endless
3 packages rice noodles (the thick kind, usually labeled as pad thai, not the thin mei fun noodles)
Tofu
Bean sprouts
Red bell pepper julienne
Garlic
Ginger
Thai chilis (optional)
Scallions (white and green parts separated)
Eggs
Cilantro
Crushed peanuts or cashews
Lime wedge
Fish sauce
Tamarind (juice) or rice vinegar or even lime + orange juice
Soy
Brown sugar or jaggery (palm sugar)
Cook rice noodles according to package directions, when al dente, rinse in a colander with cold water and spread out on a baking sheet with a little oil to prevent from sticking.
In a wok or large frying pan, sauté whites of scallion cut into bite sized pieces, bell pepper, garlic, ginger, and sprouts.
Whisk eggs in a separate bowl and add to wok and scramble. Add tofu, cut into 2"x1/4"x1/4" batons. Cook til tofu is golden.
Add fish sauce, tamarind, soy, and sugar. Add noodles and toss until all ingredients are incorporated. Serve with chopped cilantro, nuts, and lime wedge.
