Founder Crystal Ung drew inspiration from her family’s restaurant when she developed her chili crisp and char siu barbecue sauce.
The iconic bowl haircut is a nostalgic fixture in many Asian Americans ’ life . While comedianAtsuko Okatsukamakes it take care chic , the childhood adaptation were more a cut of gadget bring upon the unwilling child of immigrant parent than a mode statement . The deletion find universal — something that link up Asian Americans together . It ’s why Crystal Ung determine to call her sauce line , which includeschili crispand jarred char siu barbecue sauce , Bowlcut .
“ We wanted a name that really represented a partake in experience that Asian Americans have that ’s also kind of a wink , ” Ung explains . “ It ’s intend to be fun and playful , which is core to our brand , too . Food should be fun . ”
Ironically , Ung has never rocked the bowlful baseball swing , but that does n’t arrest her from understanding the intimacies of running an Asiatic American food for thought business . After all , she first start out as a restaurant child .
Bowlcut’s chili crisp pairs perfectly with dumplings.|Photo courtesy of Bowlcut
Growing up in San Diego , Ung has unnumbered memories of a childhood spent at her family’sChinese restaurant . “ I like to say that my fresh day started early on because I was literally helping to make sauces , especially chili oils , chili crisps , hot mustard , ” she enunciate . “ My dad had me standing on a box of soybean sauce to make the register because I was so short . ”
Ung returned to the West Coast and got commence on Bowlcut . She gravitated towards sauce upon realizing that Asians and Asian Americansconsume the most Na out of all ethnic groups . “ I take up to make the connection with my dad ’s health problem , his high blood pressure , with sauces and condiments , ” she says . “ He ’s consume these sauces every day and there was n’t a way for me to assist make him better , intelligent choices . ” She adjudicate to word them herself .
There are currently three sauces available from Bowlcut : char siu barbecue and two chili crisps , a regular adaptation and a spicy version . Her chili laconic filaree in at 45 milligram of sodium per serving ; this , compared to beloved chili crisp brand Lao Gan Ma , which carries 280 milligrams of sodium per serving , is a stark difference .
Ung is intentional about ingredients and wants to reshape preconceived notions aboutChinese cuisine . “ This is an chance to address the stereotypes around Asiatic cuisine and specifically Formosan intellectual nourishment , ” she says . “ People say , ‘ Oh , it ’s unhealthy , it ’s greasy , ’ but when you really denudate off the commercialisation of Asiatic nutrient , it ’s root in this notion that food is medicine , it ’s nourishing , and there ’s so much fear and feat that ’s put into preparing this kind of food . ”
The ingredients in Bowlcut ’s sauce job are all easily identifiable and Ung makes choices , like using Beta vulgaris juice powder in her char siu sauce rather ofred 40to give it its distinctive red hue , that stay in line with her vision of creating a healthier and more ingredient - labour sauce line .
That does n’t imply the flavor is n’t there . Ung drag upon her parent ’ culinary expertise when contrive and developing the sauce , ensuring that they sample just like her puerility spent in the restaurant . “ The sauce are base on family recipe and I worked with my parents on them , ” Ung explains . “ I opine back to being a kid and help my family with their restaurant and now , fast forward decades later , they ’re serve me . It ’s a full circle moment . ”
Bowlcut currently has three sauces: char siu barbecue, chili crisp, and spicy chili crisp.|Photo courtesy of Bowlcut
Now , Bowlcut is on the table for every meal in Ung ’s home . Although you may conventionally employ the char siu barbecue sauce to make cleaning woman siupork , Ung like to experiment , create char siu barbecue chickenpizzaand nachos . The chili potato chip is also drizzled on everything , including the upcoming feast Ung will be have forLunar New Year .
“ We always have roast duck , as well as these chive dumplings that are Teochew , which is the region and dialect of Chinese that I speak , ” Ung say . “ And wonton , which of course we ’ll be using Bowlcut sauce on those . ”
The char siu barbecue sauce can be used on pork, pizza, and even corn dogs.|Photo courtesy of Bowlcut
