spicy pork sliders
this past saturday, i threw a small party to celebrate the launch of sohntaste with some of the friends who have supported, encouraged, and inspired me to start this blog.
as usual, i have no sense of portion control and got a little over ambitious with the menu which featured:
spicy pork sliders with pickled daikon and kimchi slaw (recipe below)
slow roasted gochujang chicken and roasted potatoes
spicy cucumber salad (oi muchim / 오이무침)
asian nicoise salad salad platter (tea eggs, tempura green beans, roasted potatoes, roasted tomatoes, greens) - made by the amazing amelia
charcuterie boardmomofuku milk bar-inspired corn cookies
olive oil chiffon cake (with pistachios, cocoa nibs, orange blossom bubbles) - also by amelia
dim sum sugar cookes - by my butter counterpart, also named joyce
whew i’m out of breath just listing everything! while preparing food throughout the week, i frequently second-guessed myself (okay, i panicked) and worried that there wouldn’t be enough food. in the end, i made half the amount i had originally set out to do and it turns out that less is more than enough. there was just enough food for everyone to enjoy seconds/thirds with hardly any leftovers (though i do have several jars of spicy marinade leftover that will be sustaining me for many #quarantinecuisine meals). all the food prepping gave me lots of food for thought and i reflected on how thankful i am to have found a such a diverse and supportive community in a place that is notorious for its transience. as much as i love good food, it really means nothing to me without good company, which explains the vast disconnect between the beautifully plated, fancy meals you see here and the basic avocado toast/millionth iteration of roasted sweet potatoes you’re likely to find me eating on a random weeknight when i’m just feeding myself. while i’m still figuring out what i want to accomplish with this blog and where it’s headed, i am certain of this - these recipes and byproducts are meant to be shared and my hope is that they will foster extravagant generosity and hospitality in places that are difficult to call home.
ironically, just a few days after this event, the bay area shelter at home policy was announced and we have to stay at home until april 7. a friend shared these words with me and they deeply resonated with me:
“i’m not really into the term, “social distancing.” it fuels social isolation and xenophobia, and separates us further - in a time when we need each other the most. my friend and fellow psychologist Stacy Taniguchi coined the term, “responsible radius,” which i am using instead. this is the time to come together and be there for each other, not to distance ourselves socially (only physically). I am observing how fear and panic make it hard for us to think and act rationally (tp hoarding?? makes zero sense). and how feeling afraid/threatened leads to excusing or justifying bad behavior. the already gigantic divide between the haves and have nots is growing exponentially every day. keep a #responsibleradius. remember we’re in this together. don’t hoard essentials. be a good neighbor. most of us will survive corona. but what will the social aftermath be in our community?”
if anything, i believe this time of extreme uncertainty and anxiety is a wake-up call to see the growing economic and social divisions within our society and to step up, shed the scarcity mentality and to see the abundance we are living with - or look past what we don’t have and get creative with what we do have.
ok that’s all for my sohntaste spiel, if you’ve made it this far congrats! your prize is the spicy pork slider recipe below.
it’s easy to make large quantities whether you’re pleasing a crowd, or just trying to stay sane during a 3-week quarantine. special shoutout to boawen wang for the spotify playlist featured to the right. i requested one with “tom misch disco yes” vibes for the party, and he came thru with this upbeat, funky fresh lineup with an even better name: mochi muffin. sadly, i wasn’t able to play it at the party but it’s just as great for prepping food (such as these sliders) in the kitchen. it also makes for great background music when you’re going on day 3 of wfh and already getting cabin fever. enjoy!
limprovising: if you don’t have brioche buns, the spicy pork, slaw, and pickled daikon is also great with rice - add an egg on top for a well balanced meal. or for a vegetarian alternative you can sub tofu (fry them till lightly golden brown first) for the meat.
spicy pork sliders
ingredients:
spicy pork
16 cloves garlic
1 cup gochujang (korean red pepper paste)
½ cup gochugaru (korean red pepper flakes)
1 cup low-sodium soy sauce
½ cup honey
1 cup sugar
¾ cup sesame oil
¾ cup mirin
2 lbs pork shoulder, pork belly, or even boneless skinless chicken breast/thigh
1 onion, thinly sliced
1 tbsp neutral oil, for frying the meat
thinly sliced scallions, for topping
sesame seeds, for topping
kimchi slaw
¼ cup gochugaru
3 tbsp sugar
2 tsp salt
¼ tsp black pepper
3 cloves garlic, minced
¼ cup water
3 tbsp white or rice vinegar
3 tbsp sesame oil
1 lb finely shredded green and red cabbage
3 carrots, peeled and julienned
pickled daikon
3 daikons, peeled and cut into 1/4” matchsticks
½ cup sugar
⅔ cup rice vinegar
for serving
brioche buns
kewpie mayo
instructions:
day before
prepare the spicy pork marinade: in a blender, combine all ingredients for the spicy pork except for the meat and sliced onions. puree on medium high speed until everything is evenly incorporated and no chunks of garlic remain. place meat and onions in a ziploc bag and pour in the marinade. seal the bag and and massage so that the marinade gets mixed in and all the meat and onions are evenly covered. place in refrigerator and let it marinate at least 6 hours, preferably overnight.
prepare the pickled daikon: in a large glass jar or tupperware, mix sugar and rice vinegar until fully dissolved. add the daikon matchsticks and secure the lid on top before shaking to combine, then place in refrigerator to let it marinate for at least 2 hours.
get some beauty rest!
day of
prepare the kimchi slaw: in a large bowl, combine all ingredients for the kimchi slaw except for the cabbage and carrots. once fully emulsified, throw in the cabbage and carrots and mix until the sauce is evenly incorporated.
cook the spicy pork: heat neutral oil in a pan over medium-high heat. once preheated, add the pork to the pan and wait until fully browned on one side (~3-4 minutes) before stirring quickly so that the gochujang does not burn. continue to fry until fully cooked through and the meat has a light crust to it. top with sliced scallions and a generous shake of sesame seeds.
assemble the sliders: once the meat is done cooking, you’re ready to start assembling the sliders! dab the inside of the bun with some mayo and fill with spicy pork, kimchi slaw, and some daikon.
photography by emily lai
