LAUREN SHIN
신헤민
SEND CHINATOWN LOVE DIGITAL COOKBOOK
Selected Excerpts
In collaboration with Send Chinatown Love
New York 2021
In celebration of SCL's 1-year anniversary, we published a digital cookbook that showcases the recipes and stories of Asian-owned businesses found within NYC's Chinatowns. Leading the copywriting efforts, I wrote the first draft of this book during the week of the Atlanta spa shootings, in which six Asian women were murdered. It was an emotional process to absorb and justifiably tell the stories of AAPI business owners, whose experiences have long been silenced by the model-minority myth and pandemic-fueled anti-asian hate. That said, I’m proud to help share the empathy, transparency, and impact of the AAPI community's resilience. I have always seen food as a form of love language within the larger Asian-American experience, so with this cookbook, we hope to pay homage to the AAPI community.
A free, downloadable PDF of the cookbook can be found on Send Chinatown Love's website.
The story of Send Chinatown Love begins at the intersection of food and community.
Before New York City enacted its stay-at-home order, Asian-owned businesses across the boroughs had already lost 60-70% of their revenue. Racially-charged rhetoric like “kung flu” and “China virus” deterred customers away from bustling Asian neighborhoods, and unprovoked hate crimes became alarmingly commonplace. Local mainstays seemed to disappear overnight, leaving nothing but handwritten memos about temporary closures taped against their entrances.
LAZY SUSANS that turned endlessly during Sunday dim sum slowly collected dust. While modern food establishments adapted to the pandemic’s digital landscape, traditional businesses in Chinatown disconnected. It became clear to Justin, Send Chinatown Love’s founder, that Chinatowns across NYC were disproportionately impacted by the effects of the pandemic given their low-tech, cash-only nature. Thus, Send Chinatown Love was born out of an effort to keep this community alive during a time that, despite generations of hard work, offered little hope for survival. Working closely with our merchants, many of whom are immigrants, opened our eyes to the unique challenges faced by our Asian business community. “How can I break even as a two-person team?”, “What do I need to set up outdoor dining?”, and “Which delivery platform should I consider for my food stall?” may sound like common questions, but these were major roadblocks for our merchants.
It seemed impossible to reopen while operating under the debilitating pressure of unpaid rent, but we were determined to give our merchants the best chance through online fundraisers, relentless updates on dining laws, and new digital revenue streams whenever possible. Businesses across NYC’s 9 Chinatowns were too small to fail, and we were invested in their success.
One year later, we find ourselves celebrating the empathy, transparency, and impact of our community’s resilience. What started as a concerned rallying cry to support cash-only establishments has become an uplifting project of 50 volunteers, more than $600,000 in donations, and 14,000 meals for local aid groups. As businesses regain the confidence and resources to open up again, so, too, resumes the eternal rotation of Lazy Susans across the city. Consider this cookbook our version of a dinner turntable offering, overflowing with small business stories and revered family recipes that are within arm’s reach no matter where you are in the world. Brew Grand Tea and Import’s herbal tea remedy and steep yourself in the Liu family’s treasured memories. Save the center spot on your dining table for grand salt-baked chicken, a dish that inspired Patrick to open 46 Mott Bakery and continue fostering community through food. Prepare to be surprised by the taste of the fully vegan sweet & sour "ribs”, a dish Kent created at Bodhi Kosher, not just to pay homage to his hometown’s food, but also to honor his Buddhist practices. And make sure you save room, and energy, to prepare a decadent Kam Hing sponge cake for dessert. With this cookbook, we look to pay homage to our communities in New York City, and we invite you to share a seat at our table.
VEGAN SWEET & SOUR RIBS
Recipe by Kent Zhang, Bodhi Kosher Vegetarian Restaurant
77 Mulberry Street, New York NY
FOR THE RIBS
1 lb soy ham
1 lb sticky rice flour (also known as glutinous rice flour)
12 oz pineapple, finely chopped
6 oz red & green pepper
neutral oil for frying
FOR THE SAUCE
3 tsp sugar
3 tsp rice vinegar
2 drops red food coloring
1 tsp cornstarch
steamer large
pot/deep fryer wok
cooking thermometer
Opening its doors in 1999, Bodhi became the first vegan and kosher restaurant in Flushing’s Chinatown.
Kent immigrated to the States from Beijing and immediately took a post as a cab driver to make a living. With restaurant experience and a cunning knowledge of Dongbei and Shangdong cuisine under his belt, however, it was only a matter of time before he found himself drawn back into food service. He broadened his culinary skill set, gaining an understanding of Cantonese and Fujianese traditions, before opening the Queens flagship of Bodhi followed by its Manhattan-based sister location 13 years later.
As a practicing Buddhist looking to bring healthy, flavorful food to the five boroughs, he took a leap in opening the only vegetarian kosher Chinese restaurant in New York City at the time. Much to his delight, the concept was a hit, garnering the attention and regular patronage of Chinese Buddhists, kosher Jews, vegetarian Hindus, foodies, and the health-conscious alike.
When the pandemic hit, Bodhi Kosher Vegetarian Restaurant lost more than 75% of their regular business, forcing Zhang to lay off employees that he considered family. He was motivated to push his business forward in order to support them. Kent stays hopeful due to the support he has received from his own community, including one of his regulars and favorite customers, Mr. Henry, an orthodox Jew who was the first to step through Bodhi’s doors once Kent reopened mid-pandemic. Central to the Bodhi team is Christi, manager and resident sushi chef, who has worked even harder over the past year to keep the business afloat while supporting her two sons at home. One of Bodhi’s most popular dishes is the Sweet & Sour Ribs, a unique take on a recipe from Kent’s hometown. Kent shared this recipe in hopes of encouraging readers to eat more vegan food, protect the earth, and support small community-centered businesses like his own. Like so many of Bodhi's expertly executed and sublimely flavorful menu items, this is a dish that guests can hardly believe is vegan.
INGREDIENTS
EQUIPMENT
COOKING INSTRUCTIONS
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Add sticky rice powder into a small bowl. Begin adding water, a little at a time, thoroughly kneading until it reaches a soft, playdough-like consistency. Slice the soy ham lengthwise into long thin strips.
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On a clean surface or sheet of parchment, lay one slice of the soy ham, followed by a thin layer of the rice dough on top. Continue alternating layers until you’ve achieved three layers of ham and two layers of dough, replicating the marbled texture of ribs. This will be the “ribs”!
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Heat a large steamer basket and lay the “ribs” inside, covering and steaming for 10 minutes. Remove the steamer from the heat and allow the contents to cool before trimming the edges of the ribs to resemble a rectangular prism shape. Slice the ribs in two lengthwise pieces, before horizontally cutting individual ribs of desired length. To ensure the ribs don’t stick together, toss them in more sticky rice flour and set aside
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In a deep fryer or large pot, pour enough oil to ensure the ribs will be fully submerged. Heat oil to 350 degrees and carefully place each rib into the wok. Deep-fry ribs until the color resembles that of cooked bacon, about 2 minutes.
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In a wok, stir fry the cooked ribs, pineapple, red peppers, and green peppers. Add in the sugar, vinegar, and food coloring and stir sauce on low or medium heat. To thicken the sauce, add in 1 teaspoon of cornstarch until fully incorporated.
SALT BAKED CHICKEN
Recipe by Patrick Mock,
46 Mott Street, New York NY
According to Chinese legend, a salt merchant was given a live chicken as a gift before embarking upon a strenuous journey home.
Since salt was a well-known preservative at the time, and the merchant was in no short supply, he decided to bury the bird deep within one of his giant sacks of salt. One night when he was struck with a particularly persistent pang of hunger, he couldn’t resist any longer and decided to roast the chicken. He was stunned and delighted by the resulting dry brined bird: juicier, more golden and flavorful than any he’d had before.
While the tale may be fictional, the resourceful cooking techniques at its core reflect the resilience and cultural traditions of the Hakka (客家) people. A Chinese ethnic group whose name derives from the Mandarin word for “guest people,” their ancestry reflects centuries of migrations across Central and Southeastern China. The Hakka embody a distinct nomadic identity—many Hakka authors write that their people are like dandelions, flowers that will thrive under the most trying conditions.
Salt-baked chicken is the quintessential dish that has carried the Hakka legacy into modern times. Encasing the bird in a mountain of salt is a spectacular technique that has been adopted throughout the continent. This dish now has a cult-like status in food stalls across Taiwan, Malaysia, and beyond. It also happens to be a nostalgic dish that Patrick Mock, owner of 46 Mott Bakery, fondly remembers eating as a child. 46 Mott pays homage to traditional Cantonese cuisine, sprinkling in “newness” where and when Patrick sees fit. Named after its 46+ menu items, the bakery is frequented by the neighborhood’s aunties, uncles, and children, who all come craving the tofu pudding, rice cakes, morning buns, and more.
This past year, after seeing the detrimental effects of the pandemic on businesses like his own, Patrick quickly became one of the leading advocates for the continued support of his neighboring businesses and their patrons. He partnered with Assembly woman Yuh-Line Niou and community volunteers in order to provide 200 meals a day to low-income, elderly, and the homeless. Salt-baked chicken and its inherent legacy of making the most of any means is one of the many dishes that has inspired Patrick to use food as a resource in building, and rebuilding, community.
INGREDIENTS
1 whole chicken
8 lb coarse salt
1 tbsp sand ginger powder (salt-baked
chicken powder)
1 tbsp neutral oil
EQUIPMENT
large pot stirring
utensil parchment paper
COOKING INSTRUCTIONS
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Wash the chicken thoroughly, inside and out, and dry with clean paper towels to absorb all excess moisture. Once dry, massage the chicken with a generous amount of oil and sand ginger powder. Let rest for 30 minutes. Afterwards, wrap the chicken tightly in parchment paper and set aside.
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In a pot large enough to hold the chicken, add just the salt and toast it over medium heat, tossing occasionally. Toss for 10-15 min, or until salt changes color. Place the parchment-covered chicken into the pot, burying it until completely covered. Cover the pot tightly with a lid and cook over high heat for 10 minutes. Decrease the heat to low and cook for an additional 40 minutes. Do not lift the lid until the cooking process is completed.
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After the chicken has cooked for a total of 50 minutes, turn off the heat and let sit, still covered, for 15 minutes. Then remove the chicken from the salt and unwrap the parchment.
GRILLED PORK CHOP
Recipe by Wing Lee,
Noodle House, New York NY
Wing Lee has been working in restaurants since he was a teenager--in his mind, it was the one thing he was good at. He immigrated to the US in 1992 when he was just 20 years old, and since then he has worked in kitchens across the country, learning to cook while slowly creating the recipes that would become Noodle House’s signature dishes 18 years later, when he would eventually open his own restaurant with the hope of sharing his creations with the world.
For the past decade, Noodle House has been pushing the limits of cafeteria-style Chinese food from their takeout stand in the Queens Center Mall. Known for perfecting the beef noodle soup and the marinated pork chop, the Noodle House team puts their own twist on traditional menu items by introducing new flavors. Wing treats his staff as a part of his family, a natural bond considering that many of his staff members have been with Noodle House since the beginning of its establishment (the “newest” employee has worked there for 6 years).
Noodle House has been negatively impacted by the pandemic due to its location inside a mall. Outdoor dining is not an option, forcing them to depend on the sparse foot traffic in Queens Center Mall during recent times.
Wing is doing everything he can to both ensure that his team gets out of the pandemic together, and to continue his passion for sharing his innovative creations. He developed this particular dish to diversify their noodle-based menu and introduce more diverse Asian flavors into their Chinese takeout cuisine. Wing notes that the key to packing as much flavor as possible into this dish is to flatten the porkchop as thinly as possible. This creates more surface area for the meat to absorb the umami-packed marinade overnight.
INGREDIENTS
2 lb pork chop
1 teaspoon Bull Head Hot & Spicy Barbecue Sauce (ShaCha sauce)
1 teaspoon hoisin sauce
2 teaspoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon oyster sauce
3 teaspoons Shaoxing cooking wine
2 teaspoons honey
2 teaspoons brown sugar (substitute: white sugar)
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon white pepper
1 teaspoon garlic powder
½ yellow or white Onion
5 garlic cloves
Neutral oil for cooking
EQUIPMENT
Frying pans
Tongs
Large bowl
Meat pounder, mallet, rolling pin, or other blunt object for flattening pork chop
Meat thermometer (optional)
COOKING INSTRUCTIONS
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Tenderize the pork chop by placing it on a flat surface and pounding it with a mallet, rolling pin or other blunt object. Ensure that the flattened chop is even and not thinner or thicker in certain areas. Finely chop the onion and mince the garlic cloves. Place the flattened pork chop in a large bowl and massage the onion and garlic into it. Set aside.
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To make the marinade, combine the barbecue sauce, hoisin sauce, soy sauce, oyster sauce, Shaoxing cooking wine, honey, brown sugar, cornstarch, cumin, salt, black pepper, white pepper, and garlic powder into a small bowl and mix well. Pour the marinade over the pork chop, tossing to ensure it combines with the garlic and onions and makes contact with every surface of the chop. Drizzle 1 teaspoon of oil over the pork chop and marinate in a sealed container for at least 12 hours or overnight in the refrigerator.
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Heat a large frying pan or wok over medium-high heat. Remove the pork chop from its marinade and place in the hot pan, cooking for roughly 4 minutes on one side and around 6 minutes on the opposite side. To achieve a medium-rare pork chop that is juicy without drying out, aim for an internal temperature of 145°F. Otherwise, cook until the chop reaches your preferred temperature. Serve over rice or stir-fried noodles alongside steamed vegetables.
Resilience and inventiveness in the face of hardship embody the spirit of Chinatowns across the nation. But what never gets lost is also the care and love for others, whether it be fellow employees, customers, or community members. We encourage you to continue spreading love to our Chinatown community.
Please Consider donating to Send Chinatown Love and supporting New York's chinatowns here.
Collaborators
Project Lead: Tiffany Qian
Copy Lead: Lauren Shin
Copy Editors:
Nat Belcov
Marcia Hu
Elaine Mao
Margo Sivin
Ling Song
Abby Troy
Design Lead: Gabrielle Widjaja
Photography/Videography:
Peggy Chen
Michael Corcoran
Tiffanie Qian
Phillip Tang
Seller Empathy:
Pearl Ngai