Win Son founders share their version of Taiwanese American cuisine in a new cookbook.
The narrative ofWin Son — the acclaimed Formosan American eatery and bakery locate on polar corner of the crossing between Montrose Ave and Ave of Puerto Rico in Williamsburg , Brooklyn — really begin in the adjacent neighborhood , Bed - Stuy . That ’s where cofounders Trigg Brown , the chef behind Win Son ’s experimentalTaiwanese flavors , and Josh Ku , a former property manager turned restaurateur , first encounter at a backyard barbecue .
Ku and Brown ’s friendly relationship blossomed over stir friedgarlicchives ( otherwise known as flies ’ heads ) and other Chinese delicacies that Ku grew up with and usher in to Brown . Their trips to Taiwan solidify this partnership , where they enjoyed gooey oyster hotcake and steam Brassica rapa cakes in Tainan , where Ku ’s mom resides .
All of their experiences have culminate into not only a palmy restaurant and darling bakehouse coffeehouse , but a new cookery book . Win Son Presents a Taiwanese American Cookbook , drop a line in partnership with expert Cathy Erway , details Win Son ’s meteorologic rise , Ku and Brown ’s storied background prior to becoming restaurant proprietor , and the State Department of Chinese food in America today with Chinese nutrient experts ’ commentary woven throughout .
Wuyuzi mian is a delightfully briny pasta dish topped with grated mullet roe.|Photo by Laura Murray
“ We ’re held in the same creative thinking and reiteration that Taiwanese food civilisation already has within itself — it ’s just our version of that , a blended finish based on our experiences and upbringing , ” Ku say . That fostering includes Ku ’s Chinese church building group he was raised in in Long Island and Brown ’s childhood spend in Virginia .
One of the goals both Ku and Brown have when it comes to their eating place — and now their cookery book — is educate customer about Taiwanese nutrient , and afterwards Chinese American food . That also means control their own narrative and turn away to be box in .
“ Our nutrient is the notion that Taiwan has made on us and our friendship , ” Brown explicate . “ It ’s not soul food for thought , it ’s not street solid food — we consider ourselves Formosan American . ”
The Word of God certainly include authoritative Formosan peach , with recipes for beloved lu rou fan and beefnoodle soup , but leaves room for reinventions .
A dish antenna that feels peculiarly experimental is Brown and Ku ’s take on wuyuzi mian , a tangle ofnoodlesthat features its namesake wuyuzi , or cure mullet roe , rankle on top that is sometimes enjoy during Lunar New Year . On a trip to Tainan , the pair , along with Ku ’s mom , stumble across a stock that specialized in wuyuzi . Upon further inspection , Brown agnize wuyuzi as a familiar ingredient he ’d cooked with dozens of time : bottarga , or cured fish roe .
“ I was like , ‘ What the nooky ? Is that bottarga ? ’ ” Brown express mirth . “ It ’s a sun dried mullet roe and that was such a cool silk road , cultural exchange consequence for me . ”
At Win Son and in their cookbook , alternatively of using the standard Taiwanese noodle to prepare wuyuzi mian , Brown ’s version — partially inspired by Sicilian spaghetti con la bottarga — calls for tenuous spaghetti . Brown describes the dish as an “ umami bomb ” and geminate the briny grated mullet roe with garlic , sesame oil colour , white dashi , and a crown of cilantro , chiffonade shiso result , andThai St. Basil .
Ku ’s first taste of the dish burn out his mind . “ In my mind growing up and pick up [ wuyuzi ] in Taiwan , I was dead nauseate by it , ” Ku explains sheepishly . “ All I wanted was cheeseburger . But seeing it used in a delicious pasta , it ’s just full circle . It ’s a perfect dish . ”
finally , Ku and Brown want readers to appreciate the ingredients and storied story of Formosan culinary art while also acknowledge the cultural melting pot that do up the island Carry Amelia Moore Nation . “ I ’m already clean , I ’m not fit to bastardize this food any longer , ” Brown jokes , before get serious . “ Do the homework , learn about the ingredients . Food tells a really fun story if you just take the meter . ”
Wuyuzi Mian Recipe fromWin Son Presents a Taiwanese American Cookbook
Yield : service 4
Ingredients
Directions1 . Bring a pot of munificently salt piss to a boil . manipulate the spaghettini until just under al dente , as the bean will finish cooking in the sauce , and debilitate , reserving 2 cups ( 480 ml ) ready piddle .
2 . In a big sauté goat god , commingle the 2 cups ( 480 cc ) reserve water with the sesame oil , garlic , shiro dashi , chili oil color , and cilantro . passion to medium - low and swirl the pan occasionally for 1 minute , or until very fragrant . This is to “ blossom ” the ingredients and infuse the liquid state with them . Do not let it arrive to a boil or start to smoke . Remove from the heat .
3 . Add the slightly undercooked alimentary paste , the butter cubes , and half the grated wuyuzi . Turn the heat back on to medium and toss with tongs to mix thoroughly . fix for 1 to 2 minutes , stirring occasionally , until the noodles are cook to al dente and the sauce has inspissate and turned milky rather than translucent . Taste for seasoning and summate salt , if want . Transfer the pasta to four serving dishes . Garnish each serving with handful of the basil and shiso , then top with the rest grated wuyuzi . Finish with the chile flakes and/or sesame seeds , if using , and serve at once .
“ Recipe selection from the new bookWin Son Presents A Chinese American Cookbookby Josh Ku and Trigg Brown with Cathy Erway . Text copyright © 2023 by Josh Ku , Trigg Brown , and Cathy Erway . Photographs copyright © 2023 by Laura Murray . Published by Abrams . ”
