Sunday, January 30, 2011

Momofuku To Start

I bought myself a little post-Christmas present about a week ago; David Chang's Momofuku cookbook. Having been an occasional follower of Momofuku For 2, I was really excited to get started, and I've already book-marked a bunch of recipes:
  • Momofuku Pork Buns
  • Ramen
  • Bo Ssam
  • Banh Mi
  • Tomato Salad
  • Roasted Cauliflower
I started with the pork buns, an endeavor that took two days from start to finish, not including shopping. I went to T&T in West Edmonton Mall, to get pork belly, baby cucumbers and some other bits and pieces. When I asked the butcher for 3lbs of pork belly, he gave me 3-2lb pieces! He skinned them for me free of charge, and the whole thing cost me about 15$.
Yesterday (Saturday) was spent making all those bitty steamed buns. I had a bunch of plans that day, so the process was spread out over the course of the day. I mixed and kneaded the dough in the morning, and left it for the first rise. After I'd punched down, and divided the dough up (into 48, not 50. My math skills are lacking), I left it to rise again while I went to the spa(!). After I was done there, about an hour later, I came home, and shaped the Muppet mouth-shaped buns. I left them again, this time for about two hours, while I went out for lunch with my sister, to Café Beirut (an amazing meal, I'll go back for sure and write about it!). When I got back home, I steamed them, in batches of 12 at a time.
On to the pork belly! I took my three pieces of belly, and rubbed them in the salt and sugar mix, and let them cure in the fridge overnight. The next morning, I started them in a 450F oven, for 45 minutes, instead of Chang's recommended full-hour, before I turned to oven down to 250 for another hour and 15 minutes. I let the belly rest, 'til it came to room temperature.
We had the buns and pork with Chang's Quick Salt Pickled cucumbers, hoisin, siracha, and Scallion-Ginger Sauce. All in all a perfect lunch, and a huge hit for with the fam.

Behold the beauty of roasted pork belly.

No comments:

Post a Comment