PUC Café

We think pickles make everything better, and it isn`t just because they are good for your gut! 🥒 (You have to believe us. Please.) Here`s why:

1️⃣ They`re delicious on a sandwich. And it doesn`t just have to be pickled cucumbers! A pickled onion is honestly the best move here.
2️⃣ They`re a perfect midnight snack, whether or not you choose to use a fork.
3️⃣ Add them to your next girl dinner. ✅
4️⃣ They help with your gut health (we had to include this for the dietitians to be happy).
5️⃣ Plus, if you have produce that might go bad soon, you can always pickle it to prevent it from going to a landfill! (Look at you go, you food waste fighter!) ...

Get another taste of street foods for AAPI Heritage Month! This broad cross section of cultural foods ranges from the street stalls of Seoul to the islands of Hawai`i:

🇰🇷 Tteokbokki are chewy rice cakes in a gochujang-based sauce, a well-known Korean fermented chili paste. The comforting snack is often topped with boiled eggs, fish cakes, and scallions.

🌺 Spam musubi is a simple yet iconic handheld bite made with a slice of grilled Spam on top of sticky rice, which is held together with a strip of nori. It was invented in Hawai’i following World War II, representing the lasting legacy of American wartime rations and the influence of Japanese culinary traditions on local Hawaiian foods.

🇵🇭 Banana cue, a popular afternoon snack in the Philippines, features starchy yet sweet Saba bananas deep-fried and coated in caramelized brown sugar, served on skewers.

🇹🇭 Thailand`s Som tam is a vibrant and fresh green papaya salad with a balanced flavor of spicy, sour, sweet, and salty.

🇲🇾 Roti canai is a flaky, layered flatbread often served with lentils or curry for dipping. The flatbread reflects the history of Muslim communities from India migrating to Malaysia in the late 1800s and is now a staple of Malaysian cuisine.

Looking to try your hand making street food at home? Check out street food recipes inspired by our Bon Appétit chefs at the link in our bio! ...

From the streets of Tokyo to the islands of Indonesia, we`re exploring a taste of street foods for AAPI Heritage Month!

🇻🇳 Vietnamese Bánh Mì demonstrates a culinary fusion that emerged after the end of French colonialism in Vietnam, in which locals adapted Vietnamese traditions with French ingredients. Key elements of the sandwich include: a crunchy baguette, grilled pork or pan-fried tofu, pickled carrot and daikon radish, fresh herbs, and savory spreads like mayo or pâté. (P.S. A recipe for Bánh Mì Xíu Mại is available at the link in our bio, inspired by one of our Bon Appétit chefs!)

🇮🇳 Vada Pav is a well-known sandwich on the streets of Mumbai, India, featuring a spiced fried potato patty tucked inside a soft roll called a pav and layered with coriander, tamarind chutney, and sprinkles of dry garlic chutney and fried green chilies. It originated as an affordable snack for mill workers and has ballooned into a culinary staple sold to millions every day.

🇯🇵 Takoyaki is a Japanese octopus bite known for its chewy interior and crispy exterior, served with Takoyaki sauce, mayo, bonito flakes, and pickled ginger. They are popular at festivals and street markets.

🇨🇳 Jianbing is a savory Chinese breakfast crepe layered with egg, scallions, hoisin and chili sauces, pickles, and a crispy wonton cracker before being folded into a handheld wrap. The crepes are cooked to order by street vendors to ensure the perfect crispness.

🇮🇩 Satay is a beloved skewered chicken dish found in the street markets of Bali, Indonesia. They are cooked over charcoal, giving them a smoky flavor drawing crowds to street stalls.

Didn`t see your fave street food? Stay tuned for more later in the month! ...

We`re celebrating street food culture for Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month!

Whether enjoyed on street corners or in open-air markets, the breadth of street food culture across Asia and the Pacific speaks to a cultural preference for portability, convenience, and accessibility.

An essential part of daily life for many, street food is consumed by an estimated 2.5 billion people every day. But the diversity of street food across Asia and the Pacific mirrors the vastness of the region itself, including everything from savory pancakes in Japan and barbecued skewers in Indonesia to spicy green papaya salads in Thailand and spam musubi in Hawai’i.

Street food is rooted in regional identity, shaped by trade, colonialism, religion, and migration. Street food isn`t just eaten by billions every day: It`s an entry point to learning more about the flavors, histories, and everyday experiences of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders. ...