Food is one of the most common (and, in my opinion, one of the best) avenues through which people learn about different cultures. When we try new dishes that are important to certain groups of people, we get to know more about them — their traditions, their preferences, their countries and their histories. So if you’re looking to enhance your appreciation of various AAPI cultures this month, food is a great place to start. Here are five delicious Asian and Pacific Islander-inspired recipes that you can make while celebrating AAPI Heritage Month:
- Scallion Pancakes (Pajeon)
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Pajeon — or Korean scallion pancakes — are the crispy, savory pancakes of your dreams. They are traditionally made with scallions, but you can also throw in other vegetables or seafood to spice them up. The most time-consuming part of this recipe is the preparation of the batter, but after that, all you have to do is fry them up quickly and get to eating! You can eat them for lunch or as an appetizer; or, if you’re like me, as a satisfying savory breakfast.
- Pork Satay with Spicy Sweet Dipping Sauce
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Satay is a term that refers to small pieces of marinated meat that are grilled on skewers and then served with a dipping sauce. This recipe is for pork satay, but if you don’t eat pork, you could also use another meat, like chicken. Don’t be scared away by the spices and seasonings required to make it — that’s where the incredible flavor comes from. This dish is delicious, satisfying and definitely well worth the effort.
- Khanom Tom
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These Thai coconut balls only have four ingredients and are vegan and gluten-free. They’re the perfect soft, sweet dessert to finish off any meal. If you want to have some fun, you can get a fresh coconut from the store and shred it yourself (or you can get it pre-grated; no one will judge you, I promise). And you can get creative by dying the dough with different colors if you want to make them really pop!
- Scrambled Egg Curry
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This dish is great for everyone who loves to eat but hates cooking elaborate meals. Scrambled egg curry is exactly what it sounds like: scrambled eggs flavored with traditional Indian spices. And if you don’t happen to already have ingredients like ground turmeric or coriander around the house (and don’t want to go out and buy them all individually), you can totally just buy some curry powder and add that to your eggs instead. Eat these eggs alone or wrapped up in some flatbread; it’ll be the perfect start to your day.
- Spicy Tofu and Vegetable Lo Mein
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This spicy lo mein recipe only takes 30 minutes and it’s so much better than takeout. If you’re looking for a way to get more vegetables into your diet (without actually feeling like you’re eating a bunch of vegetables), this one’s for you. It’s also really easy to make — tofu, pasta and vegetables are some of the easiest things to prepare, and then all you need to do is throw them together in a pan with some flavorings and voila! You have the perfect dinner.
There are so many amazing traditional AAPI dishes that you can make for yourself and your loved ones. These are just a few to start you off. This AAPI Heritage Month, challenge yourself to learn more about AAPI cultures and all of the incredible foods they have to offer. Your taste buds will definitely thank you.