Native Dish

04/05/2021

Two East Village restaurateurs from Thailand offer a spicy stir-fried chicken recipe typically served in their hometown’s street markets. #terrathai #thailand
#trang #nativedish
#bangkok #kuakling

04/05/2021

Native Dish: Thai Kua Kling Chicken, Aung and Poon, Terra Thai Restaurant

A couple decades back, Thai natives Karuna Wiwattanakantang and Norawat Margsiri (Aung and Poon) came to the United States to study business and economics. To put their studies into practice, they opened a restaurant in Boulder, Colorado in 2013 that would mirror the many dishes served in their home town's street food stalls, which was uncommon in Thai cuisine at the time. It was an inopportune time, as the Colorado floods occurred shortly after opening, but their business thrived. Seeking more diverse pastures, they came to NYC in 2019, and signed the lease to an East Village storefront the next year, only to open during the start of the pandemic.

Through adjusting their business model to takeout and delivery, and with the support of devoted East Village neighbors and patrons, they continue to thrive in featuring reasonably-priced Thai-style street dishes, including one from Aung's Southern Thai hometown of Trang, stir-fried Kua Kling curry, which can be made of pork, beef, shrimp or chicken. Aung and Poon like the taste of chicken best, and infuse it with a savory fry paste made from turmeric, shallots, kaffir lime leaves, fish sauce and shrimp paste that offers a spicy sensation for the palette.

12/20/2020

Eating With My Five Senses

We’d like to thank Jenny Lam-Chowdhury of the blog Eating With My Five Senses for offering Spanish closed captioning on all of our episodes of Native Dish! As an educational service, she provides Spanish captions for many videos that promote cultural understanding through food. Please visit her website at eatingwithmyfivesenses.blogspot.com. For Native Dish episodes with Spanish captions, visit https://eatingwithmyfivesenses.blogspot.com/p/blog-page.html?m=1

A curated collection of culinary videos with subtitles. / Una colección curada de videos culinarios con subtítulos.

12/19/2020

Native Dish: Georgian Khachapuri Bread - NYC Immigrant Cuisine: Filmmaker Katie Orjonikizde-Casey

Nearly 20 years ago, filmmaker, journalist and native of the Georgian capital of Tbilisi, Katie Orjonikizde-Casey, came to Brooklyn's Brighton Beach to continue her reporting career and inform Americans about the happenings in her native country. While here, she learned English, earned a film degree from Brooklyn College and produced several award-winning films that pay homage to the traditions and experiences of Georgian-Americans. Her latest drama short, "Georgian Bread" chronicles a conflicted Georgian bakery owner from Brighton Beach struggling with the decision of holding onto his roots or opening a more lucrative Sushi restaurant instead.

Filmmaker friends who worked with Katie on "Georgian Bread" only had more questions about the star of the movie, Khachapuri, a buttery cheese bread she grew up eating. To entertain them, she began to bake this beloved staple during her house and wrap parties. Katie takes us to a café in Bay Ridge that faithfully continues this culinary tradition in the form of Acharuli Khachapuri--a boat-shaped cheese bread that allows the eater to mix raw eggs with hot cheese and butter inside the face of the bread. #khachapuri #acharulikhachapuri #tbilisi #georgia #georgian cuisine

06/09/2020

The Editor Of Bon Appétit Is Resigning After A Photo Of Him In Brownface Resurfaced — BuzzFeed News

The Editor Of Bon Appétit Is Resigning After A Photo Of Him In Brownface Resurfaced — BuzzFeed News

"I am stepping down as editor in chief of Bon Appétit to reflect on the work that I need to do as a human being and to allow Bon Appétit to get to a better place."

04/20/2020

The Search for International Grocery Items Is Getting Harder in NYC

The Search for International Grocery Items Is Getting Harder in NYC

Locals accustomed to ingredients like atta flour or Napa cabbage — which can be difficult to find in typical grocery stores — are struggling to find the food they need

02/26/2020

We're pleased to announce that our episode, “Senegalese Poisson Yassa" was nominated this year for a New York Emmy Award!! Congratulations to our profiled subject, Chef Cissé of Harlem’s Ponty Bistro restaurant for showing us his favorite family dish, and to our hard-working team, including Ivan Peña, Patrick Ulysse, Tony Austin and Max Shuppert! Fingers crossed...

06/12/2019

Native Dish: Upi Yuliastuti’s Beef Rendang

Check out the newest article from our friends at Culinary Backstreets, featuring the force behind Upi Jaya, Elmhurst's longtime Indonesian restaurant, Upi Yuliastuti and her daughter Tika. Whenever Native Dish features an immigrant profile of a Queens resident (or business), Culinary Backstreets will accompany it with an expanded article told from the subjects' point of view. The CB folks take a peek at Upi's very unique take on a signature Indonesian brisket, spicy Padang Rendang (Beef Rendang).

Upi Yuliastuti, the chef at Upi Jaya Indonesian restaurant in Elmhurst, Queens, is dedicated to her kitchen, wants to share Indonesian food with NY and has her own unique spin on beef redang.

05/25/2019

Thank you Luis Enrique Moncada Torrez for being the 1,000th follower! Sorry, no prize! 😄But thank you for all of your help!!!!

05/24/2019

As of today, we have 999 followers. While we think that number looks kind of cool and can symbolize many things including love, let's get it to over one-thousand! Will you be our new follower today?

05/22/2019

Native Dish: Jimmy Gurung’s Yak Momos

Check out the newest article from our friends at Culinary Backstreets, featuring Jimmy Gurung and Raksha Thapa of Jackson Heights' Himilayan Yak Restaurant. Whenever Native Dish features an immigrant profile of a Queens resident (or business), Culinary Backstreets will accompany it with an expanded article told from the subjects' point of view. The CB folks delve deeper into Jimmy and Raksha's journey to America, and the ways they bring their taste of home to the masses here in NYC. https://culinarybackstreets.com/cities-category/queens/2019/native-dish-5/

Jamyang “Jimmy” Gurung, manager of the Himalayan Yak, and waitress Raksha Thapa delve into their connection to Nepal, love of sharing food and Yak momo.

05/09/2019

Native Dish: Senegalese Poisson Yassa - NYC Immigrant Cuisine: Chef Ejhadji Cissé

One day in 1995, Dakar, Senegalese-native Ejhadji Cissé woke up from a dream of living in New York City. He took this as a sign, and with his cousin Cheihk, immediately headed West to pursue a career in the culinary arts. Upon arriving and getting his bearings in Harlem's "Little Senegal" community, Cissé quickly entered the restaurant business, serving as sous chef for star chefs Jean-Georges Vongerichten and Daniel Bouloud. As his talents started getting noticed, he found his way to the finals on the Food Network series "Chopped." He had dreams of opening his own Harlem restaurant, combining French-trained culinary excellence with authentic Senegalese recipes he grew up eating. Voila Ponty Bistro: a restaurant offering locals a taste of West Africa with a French twist. In this episode, Chef Cissé fries up Poisson Yassa, a favorite Sunday dish--one that families greet loved ones with: sea bass flavored with a familiar Yassa onion sauce of lemon, garlic, peppers, dijon mustard and olives.

04/16/2019

Native Dish: Isha Sumner’s Garifuna Tortillas

Check out the newest article from our friends at Culinary Backstreets, featuring Gariganu Woodside, Queens residents Isha Sumner. Whenever Native Dish features an immigrant profile of a Queens resident, Culinary Backstreets will accompany it with an expanded article told from the subjects' point of view, now complete with a recipe readers can make from home (in this month's article, Coconut Durudia Tortillas). https://culinarybackstreets.com/cities-category/queens/2019/native-dish-4/

Isha Sumner, an immigrant from Honduras with a large Garifuna family, shares her recipe for durudias, or coconut milk tortillas, with "Native Dish."

03/19/2019

Native Dish: Jeannie Ongkeo’s Tam Mak Hoong

Check out the newest article from our friends at Culinary Backstreets, featuring Jeannie Ongkeo (as profiled in our series) Elmhurst, Queens resident, Lao refugee and retired chef of Tribeca's "Mangez Avec Moi" restaurant. Whenever Native Dish features an immigrant profile of a Queens resident, Culinary Backstreets will accompany it with an expanded article told from the subjects' point of view, now complete with a recipe readers can make from home (in this case, it's Jeannie's recipe for Lao Papaya Salad). https://culinarybackstreets.com/cities-category/queens/2019/native-dish-3/

Jeannie Ongkeo, a refugee from Laos who has lived in Queens for over 40 years, shares her recipe for Tam Mak Hoong, or papaya salad, with "Native Dish."

02/21/2019

We're pleased to announce that two of our episodes, "Fujianese Nian Gao Lunar New Year Cake" and "Mongolian Byaslag Cheese" were nominated this year for two New York Emmy Awards!! Congratulations to our profiled subjects Byambaakhuu Darinchuluun and An Chen, and to our hard-working team, including Stephanie Lui, Sue Handman and Max Shuppert! Fingers crossed...

02/19/2019

Native Dish: Manashe Khaimov and His Family’s Bakhsh

Check out the newest article from our friends at Culinary Backstreets, featuring Queensite and Bukharian community organizer Manashe Khaimov (as profiled in our series), and his family's recipe for traditional Bakhsh green rice. Whenever Native Dish features an immigrant profile of a Queens resident, Culinary Backstreets will accompany it with an expanded article told from the subjects' point of view. https://culinarybackstreets.com/cities-category/queens/2019/native-dish-2/

Manashe Khaimov, who belongs to the Bukharian Jewish community in Queens, share his family’s recipe for bakhsh, or green rice, in this episode of Native Dish.

01/25/2019

Native Dish: Esneider Arevalo’s Arepas

We are very pleased to announce that Culinary Backstreets--the global guide to local eats and cultural food tours, will expand on our Native Dish subjects as part of their Queens, NYC coverage. Whenever Native Dish features an immigrant profile of a Queens resident, Culinary Backstreets will accompany it with an article that delves deeper into the subjects' story, told in their own words. We are excited about joining forces and can't be thankful enough for their help in promoting NYC's immigrant cuisine! https://culinarybackstreets.com/cities-category/queens/2019/native-dish/

In an episode of "Native Dish," CB walk leader Esneider Arevalo shares his family recipe for golden arepas as well as his experience in Colombia and Queens.

11/29/2018

Native Dish: Colombian Paisa Arepas - NYC Immigrant Cuisine: Esneider Arevalo

In the 1980s, many Colombians fled home due to the Cold War conflict, drug violence and a lack of opportunity. As a teenager then, Esneider Arevalo left the Paisa region and his dreams of being an olympic swimmer. He would eventually join his mom (the famed "Arepa Lady" in Jackson Heights, Queens) to help her to run her food cart and work in the restaurant business. After being in NYC awhile, he began to make a name of his own, leading a political punk rock band and managing restaurants. Today, he leads food tours through the immigrant communities of Jackson Heights, Corona and Elmhurst for the website, Culinary Backstreets, and gives visitors a taste of both Latin-American and Asian fare. When they want a taste of his native Medellín, he shares with them a family recipe for traditional golden Arepas, made from freshly-ground and soaked cracked hominy corn. In this episode, Esneider shows just how versatile this corn bread is--you can eat it anytime and top it with anything you can imagine: Hogao (Colombian sofrito), cheese, hot chocolate sauce, and more!

11/01/2018

Native Dish

Good news, Native Dish viewers and fans! Thanks to you, we now have our own URL on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/NativeDish😀

No Hosts or Foodie Stars. Just NYC Immigrants: Their Food. Their Culture. Their Words. Meet the faces and families behind New York's international cuisine, a...

10/09/2018

Hope our viewers and fans are having a prosperous fall season. We are very close to gaining 100 subscribers via our Youtube channel. Once we do, we will be eligible for a dedicated Youtube URL address (youtube.com/nativedish). If you already like us on Facebook, could you please subscribe to us on Youtube? Thank you!!!! https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC0nMJ4Uk-7eqW7sVPpssmTw

08/23/2018

Native Dish: Bukharian Jewish Bakhsh Rice - NYC Immigrant Cuisine: Manashe Khaimov

Shortly before 9/11, 14-year-old Manashe Khaimov and family emigrated from Samarkand, Uzbekistan to Rego Park, Queens, joining other Bukharian Jewish families seeking prosperity, religious freedom and educational opportunities. Over time, as a New Yorker, Manashe grew stronger ties to his identity and traditions, eventually becoming an educator and organizer within his community. Today, Manashe, 31, leads the Jewish Silk Road Tours, offering a taste of his commuty and culture--and food--to all New Yorkers, including his family's recipe for Bakhsh, an ancient, parsley-infused rice dish using Uzbek pilaf, green tea, shoulder beef, salt and pepper, all boiled in a traditional cotton sack.

05/17/2018

Ramadan Mubarak

05/13/2018

We at Native Dish wish our immigrant moms in NYC, the United States and all over the world a very happy and healthy Mother’s Day. We wish to especially recognize the matriarchs featured in our stories who came to NYC to provide prosperity and opportunity for their families...

Fauzia Abdur-Rahman
Mercedes Arroliga
Sara Martinez and Isha Sumner
Jeannie Ongkeo
Upi Yuliastuti
Mei Zheng

04/25/2018

Native Dish: Bulgarian Tarator Soup - NYC Immigrant Cuisine: Alexandra Mladenova

Sofia, Bulgaria native and Brighton Beach resident Alexandra Mladenova came to New York City two years ago. She ordinarily helps New Yorkers meet their fiduciary obligations during tax season, helping all walks of life file with the IRS. But as a part-time chef with thorough knowledge of Bulgarian cuisine, she also electrifies patrons’ taste buds as a resident grandma “Nonna” chef at Staten Island’s Enoteca Maria restaurant, cooking up favorite homestyle classics like Banitsa feta cheese Pastry. When they need something more refreshing to cool off, Alexandra reaches for some world-famous thick Bulgarian yogurt and mixes it with cucumber cubes, dill, garlic, olive oil and trace amounts of hot pepper to create her version of Tarator, a cold soup that also doubles as a dip.

03/16/2018

Boston Pays Tribute to Immigrant Grandmothers

Boston Pays Tribute to Immigrant Grandmothers

A new mural serves as a visual tribute to grandmothers and the values that residents share across ethnic lines

03/08/2018

Presentan el Indio Viejo en televisión Newyorkina | Canal2

Thank you, TV Noticias Canal2, for covering our profile on Nicaraguan Chef Javier Álvarez! We appreciate your help in spreading the word about Immigrant families and cuisine in NYC! http://canal2tv.com/presentan-el-indio-viejo-en-television-newyorkinapresentan-el-indio-viejo-en-television-newyorkina/

Un reportaje especial realizado por un reconocido Canal de Televisión de La Gran Manzana, presenta todos los ingredientes necesario para

03/08/2018

On this day, and every day, we at Native Dish celebrate the strength, power and achievements of Immigrant Women, who sacrificed so much to give our families a better life, give many a voice, fight for fairness and equality and help lead the world.

03/08/2018

Native Dish: Nicaraguan Indio Viejo Stew, Chef Javier Álvarez

Ever since the tender age of 8, Brighton Beach resident and Estelí, Nicaraguan-native Javier Álvarez knew that cooking would be his destiny. Six years later, after coming to New York City, his dream would become reality as Chef de Cuisine at Tribeca's Graffiti Earth Restaurant, led by restaurateur Jehangir Metha (of TV Iron Chef fame). His mom, Mercedes Arroglia, came to the U.S. in 2004 to provide better opportunity for her children. On his days off, Javier gathers the family and cooks for them his grandma's recipe for El Indio Viejo--a savory cornmeal pozole stew containing tomatoes, beef ribs, mint and a hint of orange bitters. It's a legendary recipe that even ancient Conquistadors who ruled old Nicaragua would dare not eat!

02/23/2018

We are pleased to announce that our "Estonian Kringel Bread" episode was recently nominated for a New York Emmy Award! Our thanks to Aarne, Liisi and Kadri of the New York Estonian House, Interviewer Shetal Shah and the entire NYC Media team for their support in making this story possible! The NY Emmys are announced April 14th...fingers crossed!🤞

02/15/2018

Native Dish: Fujianese Nian Gao Lunar New Year Cake, An Chen and Mei Zheng

Mei Zheng and her son, An Chen, came from a family of farmers, fishers and doctors in Fuzhou City, China. In 1996, they arrived in New York City in search of greater opportunity. Though their family has prospered in Chinatown's Little Fuzhou, Mei and An never forget their roots. They share how they celebrate Chinese New Year--one of the most important holidays in many Asian cultures--by steaming and frying Nian Gao, a traditional sticky rice cake dessert topped with boiled peanuts.