Ok, so the reason why the title of the post is “home style” vs. “homemade” is because I’m pulling a Sandra Lee and cheated a bit with pre made ingredients. I recently came into possession of a pasta making machine but I’m still working out the kinks in the pasta dough recipe (long story). In the meantime, here’s something you can whip up in literally minutes.

Dan Dan noodles is a classic Chinese Si Chuan dish and are traditionally made with a spicy peanut sauce, ground meat, chilli oil, and scallions over noodles. The Chinese characters dan dan (担担) mean carrying pole, which alludes to the poles that street food vendors use to transport their food. Basically, dan dan mian means peddler’s noodles or street vendor noodles.

There’s many variations of dan dan mian some with a broth and some without. The ones that I’ve had in Beijing and here in NY Chinatown usually serve the noodles dry with a spicy chili meat sauce. This is the type that I’ve prepared in this recipe.

Homestyle 担担面（dan dan noodles) Recipe
1) 1 package of fresh Chinese flour noodles (these should be thicker than spaghetti noodles and thinner than Udon) Look for the fresh noodles that are moist and sealed tight – not the dry variety.
2) Bottle of Spicy Si Chuan Sauce – I prefer Lee Kum Kee brand
3) 1 Cucumber
4) Enokitake Mushrooms – rinsed and cleaned
5) Scallions – thinly sliced

Ground Meat
1/4 lb. Ground Pork or Ground Turkey
2 cloves garlic minced

Boil the noodles for 3-4 mins, rinse, drain and set aside. While cooking the noodles, fry the minced garlic and ground meat over medium heat till cooked and remove from heat. Slice the cucumber into small matchstick sized slivers AKA julienne cut. Place noodles into a bowl, add cucumber, noodles, mushrooms, meat and pour a few tablespoons of the sauce. Add scallions on top. Mix and and eat!

191 Bedford Ave ? (Next door to Bagelsmith @ N7th St)
Brooklyn NY

In Jan, when I visited Gisa in Germany I remember eating at a Turkish Kebab place with a funny sidewalk sign that read: “Döner makes you Schöner” (lamb kebabs make you pretty). So naturally I laughed when I saw that the space that was once the optical shop on Bedford and N7th is now a brand new Turkish Döner shop.

But before you write off Oasis, the original kebab of Williamsburg, I’m going to have to say that Turkish Döner comes up a bit short. The döner in Germany is amazing. That place in Cologne that had the “Döner makes you schöner” sign actually rolled their own fresh flat bread with each schwarma order. Here, like the majority of places in NY, they use prepared tasteless pita bread. On the plus side, Turkish Döner loads up the meat to the brim of the pita. I think what’s missing, besides fresh flat bread that no one seems to do here in NY, is the dressing of the coleslaw salad. Then again, it’s their first week so I’m going to give it a bit of time. (I asked – these guys aren’t from Turkey or Germany) Either way, here’s another option for those late night places to hit every weekend.

On Tuesday, my friends and I attended a French Quarter Shanghainese themed dinner party in a secret loft space in Ft Greene Brooklyn, and what better hosts for an East meets West dinner than the half-Asian cofounders of Hapa Kitchen: former Momofuku cook Akiko Moorman and Not Eating Out in NY’s Cathy Erway (pictured on right below)?!

Not new to the underground supper club scene, Hapa Kitchen has thrown previous events at BKLYN Yard and a lavish dinner party on location at an organic farm in Queens. With duck as the secret ingredient, this 3rd Hapa Kitchen event titled Paris of the East featured local organic greens from Sang Lee Farms of Long Island, ducks from D’artagnan NJ and wines from Suffolk County NY. You really can’t get any more fresh, local and gourmet than this.

We started off with duck mousse canapés and steamed duck breast stuffed Chinese bread rolls (馒头) with Dijon dressing. Simple, yet amazing. I think I had at least 3-4 each.

Then the dinner started with a five spiced duck pastry and a duck dumpling in cucumber dill sauce. The main dish was a seared duck breast with baby bok choy over herb buttered wild rice. Finally, we finished with spring salad (fresh greens from Sang Lee Farms) with crispy duck and an amazing red bean crème brulée. Yes, excellent wine pairings accompanied each dish throughout the night!

Although on this night I think I would have been way out of my league in the kitchen, I did feel pretty good in the dining room hanging out with 30+ food lovers and famous local food blogging literati including Katherine Goldstein of The Huffington Post, Keith Wagstaff of The-Feedbag and Robert Sietsema of the Village Voice (Keith and Robert both assisted in cooking).

As I finished my crème brulée (and the rest of my friend’s), I began to realize that no matter how famous or fancy the restaurant, it would be very difficult to replicate the fun and intimacy of dining with your friends (and meeting new ones) over amazing fresh gourmet meals like at a dinner party such as this. Now, I especially appreciate the truth behind Cathy’s NotEatingOutInNewYork.com’s blog – why eat out if you love cooking, eating and hosting? That’s fucking right! Maybe just maybe, look out for a Plate Of The Day.com food event soon.

Sadly, I end with RIP MJ AND FF! Dude, WTF??!! (yeah he’s a freak but legendary music)

172 Bedford Ave (Bet N7th and N8th)
Williamsburg Brooklyn NY
718 384 0028
Open 7 days
10-11pm Sun – Thurs
10 – 1AM Fri – Sat

If you’ve been following my posts, you’ve probably noticed my recent obsession with banh mi sandwiches. Luck would have it that a small banh mi sandwich shop opened up a few weeks ago in Williamsburg. Actually it’s just phase one of the owners’ plans as they are preparing to launch their restaurant in a few months (located adjacent to the sandwich counter) that will be serving a full Vietnamese menu. You know that means bowls of fresh pho! In the meantime, the banh mi sandwiches are flying off the counter at this latest food enterprise in Williamsburg. LOL, is Vietnamese the new Thai of Williamsburg?

Priced at just $5 each, Banh Mi 172’s 7 varieties of banh mi include xiu mai (Vietnamese Meatball), banh mi ga nuong sa (grilled lemongrass chicken), banh mi thit khia (bbq pork), banh mi cha ca (fish cake sandwich) and a vegetarian option (of course). I’ve tried the #1 special combination (all of the above excluding the lemongrass chicken) as well as the classic #2 (thinly sliced pork). I really liked the special combination since it was a bit different especially with the fish cake slices. The #2 Classic is spot on and will defintiely do the job. The next time I’m definitely going to try the BBQ Pork sandwich. I found out one of the owners is Chinese and I’m hoping they’ll use Chinese Cha Xiu BBQ Pork like they do it out in the Vietnamese restaurants in California. Check it out!

P.S. Banh Mi 172 is open till 1AM on Fri and Sat so you now have an alternative option to the greasy pizza across the street!

Well, it is official now. The Van Leeuwen Ice Cream Truck has found a hot spot on N8th and Bedford in Williamsburg. It was on and off for a few weeks since its debut back in late May. Unfortunately hot spot or not, the weather hasn’t been cooperating and on most days the Van Leeuwen Ice Cream crew is pretty lonely. Fortunately today, there was a break in the clouds and a lined quickly formed. Check it out (just a block N of the L train Bedford stop)!

Hey I did it – I made my own Banh Mi! Well, sort of. It’s good but I have a feeling it could still be better. The more I research Banh Mi, the more I’m discovering that the varieties and possibilities are endless. According to Wikipedia, the Banh Mi sandwich is made up of thinly sliced pickled carrots and daikon, onions, cucumbers, cilantro, jalapeño peppers and meat. But that is just the start. Think about the basic hamburger and how many varieties and crazy toppings you can stuff in. That being said, here’s my recipe that I’ve put together but by no means is it THE way to make a banh mi and I have to honestly say I’m ashamed to compare mine to the one down the street here in Brooklyn. Oh well, I’ll keep revising and trying.

(my humble) Banh Mi Vietnamese Sandwich Recipe
Sliced Pickled carrots and daikon
One Vietnamese Banh Mi bread roll
Mayonnaise (optional)
Liver Pate (optional)
Jalapeño peppers
Cilantro
Sriracha sauce
Chinese BBQ Pork sliced thinly

Seasoned Banh Mi Pork Meat:
1lb thinly sliced pork (from pork chops or pork loin)
2 tablespoons of fish sauce
2 cloves of garlic (use a garlic press or finely sliced)
2 tablespoons of sugar
1 teaspoon of sesame oil
1/2 onion sliced thinly
Fresh ground pepper (to taste)
2 tablespoons of Olive oil.

Mix the garlic, fish sauce, sugar, sesame oil, olive oil, onion, and pepper in a shallow bowl. Slice the meat and let marinate in the sauce for about 1 hour at room temperature. Fry on high heat till golden brown.

Assembly your Banh Mi Sandwich!
Slice the bread roll lengthwise and lather on the mayo and liver pate. Then add the sliced pickled carrots and daikon, followed by the slices of jalapeño peppers, cilantro and cucumbers. Finally add the pork meat and bbq pork on top. Lastly season with spicy Sriracha sauce to taste. Toast and serve! Enjoy!

p.s. The autosave feature in the new Wordpress 2.8 is FUCKING annoying. It keeps pushing the focus back to the top of the page. You know what that means right? Another ensuing wordpress upgrade. At least I don’t use itunes anymore. HAHA

379 Grand St
Lower East Side New York
www.DoughnutPlant.com
Open Tues-Sun (closed Mon) from 6:30 AM till all donuts are sold out ~5/7pm (no stale ones for tomorrow!)

A few weeks ago I embarked on a Banh Mi making quest after having lunch with some friends. That same day on the way home my friend Leah Kim introduced me to the Doughnut Plant.

It’s evil.
It’s amazing.
You have to fucking try this shit. NOW

Doughnut Plant features completely fresh doughnuts made everyday with a variety funky flavors such as Creme Brulee, Toasted Almond, Raspberry, Peanut Butter glaze with raspberry jam, and valrhona chocolate. Eventhough they use all natural ingredients, no preservatives, no trans fat, no artificial flavorings, and no eggs, you’d never guess because these doughnuts are probably the best you’ll ever enjoy.

Many donuts are made with the old school method using yeast which makes for a richer and more flavorful dough. Doughnut plant is the end product of a legacy of family baking traditions starting from 1910. The bakery has been around since 1994 and at its current location since 2000. Can’t get down to the LES? You can enjoy Doughtnut Plant donuts at Dean and Deluca and also 9 locations in Japan! Needless to say, even on full stomachs from the noodles we had at lunch we still managed to have 2 donuts. The creme brulee was a definite hit. Enjoy!

hmmmmm, maybe I should try to make my own doughnuts too???

A few weekends ago I got inspired to make my own Banh Mi Vietnamese Sandwich which led me to making my own pickled carrots and daikon. The next step was to make my own bread. It’s probably the most complex component to this sandwich. You can’t just use a regular hero roll from the corner deli (as I found out). A French baguette is probably the closest you’ll get to the crunchy flaky skin of a proper Banh Mi Vietnamese bread baguette. I did a few searches on the internet and fooled around with a few recipes and this is what I came up with. I know a little bit about bread making but I am by no means a baker so if anyone has any suggestions, please let me know. The use of a bit of rice flour apparently lends to a harder outer crust on the bread, and at the same time gives a chewy interior – exactly what you’d expect from a real Vietnamese Banh Mi bread roll.

Banh Mi Vietnamese Sandwich Bread Recipe
4 cups of all purpose unbleached flour
1 cup of rice flour (make sure it’s not glutinous rice flour)
2 cups of cool water (room temp)
One packet of Yeast
2.5 teaspoons of salt
Pinch of sugar

Add sugar to water and stir in yeast. Allow to activate for 5 minutes. Meanwhile, mix the flour and salt and pour onto a clean surface and create a mound and make it into a volcano. Pour a bit of the yeast water, then slowly draw the flour into the water. Repeat till water is fully mixed with the flour. Now grease hands with a bit of olive oil and then knead for about 5 minutes to thoroughly mix the flour and water. Let rest for 15 minutes (autolyse).

First Rise
Roll the dough into a tight ball. Cover with a towel and let rest for 1.5 to 2 hours, maybe 3 hours until it doubles in volume. It all depends on the room temp.

Shape the Banh Mi Bread Rolls
Slice dough into 4 pieces. To shape, flatten dough into a rectangle shape, then fold 2/3 over and fold bottom 1/3 back on top. Form a tight seam by pinching along the length of the roll. Fold over the ends and also pinch a smooth seam. Carefully pinch along the length of the roll to make the skin tighter. Finally cup your hands and gently roll the baguette to make a smooth surface. If you have a baking stone, place baking stone in oven and gently lay rolls on a floured wooden surface or paddle. If you don’t have a baking stone, place your bread rolls on a floured baking sheet.

Final Rise.
Cover with a lightly floured towel and allow to rest till dough doubles in volume. (2-3 hours, maybe 4)

Baking The Bread
Place a shallow pan on the very bottom of your oven. Fill up a container with 2 cups of cool water. Heat oven to 425F.

1) Pour the water into the pan and close the oven door to trap the steam.
2) Quickly slash the tops of the rolls lengthwise (not too deep).
3) Open and place the baking sheet with the bread into the oven and quickly close the door (or slide bread directly onto your baking stone).

Bake for 20 to 25 mins or until the internal temp is 200F. Allow to cool for 20 mins before enjoying. For long term storage, allow to cool a few hours ,then seal in a ziplock bag and freeze.

Once you’ve made the banh mi bread, now make the banh mi sandwich!

Skip the so-what bottled sauces and come to our ‘cue! MeanRed Productions is throwing a party on the Gowanus, at BKLYNYard. We’re cooking a $7 dinner of meat (or tofu) on a stick, summer-licious sides and something-else sauces. Booze to buy. Desserts by Treats Truck. Beats by DJ’s Finger on the Pulse.

Doors at 6pm – food served ’til 9pm. Free to enter.

Menu:
Tequila-Soy Pork Kushiyashi
Vietnamese Pork Meatballs
Buffalo Tofu Skewers

sides:
Curried Potato Salad with Rosemary and Chickpeas
Honey Miso Coleslaw
Hoisin Chipotle Baked Beans

*choose one main course and get all three (vegetarian-friendly) sides

Where?
http://www.BKLYNYard.com

Hapa-what?
See more at our site: http://www.hapakitchen.com

Host: Hapa Kitchen
Type: Party – Barbecue
Network: Global
Date: Saturday, June 6, 2009
Time: 6:00pm – 9:00pm
Location: BKLYNYard
Street: 388-400 Carroll St.
City/Town: Brooklyn, NY

On Sunday I went out to Chinatown to meet up with a few coworkers at my favorite noodle joint on East Broadway. Having arrived a bit early, I decided to kill some time by buying up some Chinese BBQ Pork (cha xiu) at my favorite greasy hole in the wall deli.. After somehow being drawn into buying 1.5 lbs of BBQ pork, I got the brilliant idea to try to make my own Banh Mi Vietnamese sandwiches; I could use some of this BBQ Pork along with my Pernil Roast Pork ! When I finally I met up with my coworkers, they insisted that I had to have the highest quality Vietnamese french bread and pickled carrots & daikon root. On the way home my coworker Leah took me on a detour to the Doughnut Plant for a some amazing doughnuts and by the time I got home, I realized that my local deli didn’t carry any high quality french bread baguettes and I had completely forgotten to pick up the pickled carrots and daikon!

What to do???!! Make your own!

Here’s a recipe I got from http://battleofthebanhmi.com
BTW, I did a search online with the new Microsoft search engine www.Bing.com (give it a try, it’s awesome).

Pickled Carrots and Daikon Recipe
3-4 large carrots peeled
1 medium daikon / white turnip root peeled
3 cups warm water
3 Tablespoons distilled or rice vinegar
3 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons salt

Stir the water, vinegar, sugar and salt and set aside. Sharpen your knife and then cut down the carrots and daikon root down to the size of matchsticks AKA julienne cut. If you have a fancy Mandolin, then all the better for you…. Place the carrots and daikon into glass jars and fill with the vinegar pickling solution. According to the recipe you can use them within an hour but it’s best if you wait 3-5 days. Check out my Banh Mi Bread Recipe here.