The New Wave of Asian Sauces with Crystal Ung of Bowlcut
Founded in 2021, Bowlcut is the first and only Asian American sauce brand that is focused on reducing sodium and sugar. Today, the brand's portfolio includes Chili Crisp, Char Siu BBQ, & more!
Happy Tuesday! I’m so excited to share with you this week’s conversation with Crystal of Bowlcut. She is taking a refreshed look at beloved Asian sauces to ride the wave of the need for lower sodium, plant-based options. We discuss the importance of community and how she’s seen the benefits while growing up in her parent’s restaurant to now while starting Bowlcut. I learned so much from this conversation and it served as a great reminder to trust my gut.
I have a few new recipes below and honestly I’m most excited by the simplest one, salted strawberry maple cold foam. If you don’t have strawberry salt you could use a mixture of freeze dried strawberries crushed into a powder and coarse kosher salt.
There’s a recipe for red plum simple syrup which I made from an impulse farmer’s market purchase. Only to remember I don’t love the texture of plums. I do love their flavor which is why a syrup was the most logical move. I’m feeling like it’ll be perfect in mocktails and cocktails alike. Please send any recommendations you may have!
Okay, time to get on with everything <3
Podcast
Meet Crystal Ung, founder of Bowlcut! Crystal grew up in her family’s Chinese restaurant in Southern California — where cardboard boxes served as my makeshift stepping stools and the line cooks included eight year old me in everything they did. The restaurant was her second home. Though it was hard and often thankless work, she was always inspired — by the vibrant flavors & aromas constantly wafting from the kitchen, the laughs & lively conversations wafting from the dining room.
After college, Crystal worked in the fashion industry where she worked for the likes of J.Crew and CFDA -- becoming obsessed with quality and craftsmanship and learning how to operationalize an organization's mission that unknowingly was a foreshadow to her future business.
During the pandemic, Crystal went back to her roots and started crafting healthier variations of her family’s recipes. It was important to her to use better-for-you ingredients but still have the same punch of flavor. Ultimately this led to the inception of Bowlcut – staples that taste like home, but meet the needs of the next generation of thoughtful eaters. Founded in 2021, Bowlcut is the first and only Asian American sauce brand that is focused on reducing sodium and sugar. Today, the brand's portfolio includes Chili Crisp, Spicy Chili Crisp, Char Siu BBQ, and a new line of Stir Fry sauces.
Crystal resides in Los Angeles with her husband and her young son.
IG getbowlcut | thebowlcut.com
Rapid-fire questions —
Go-to snack plate:
Soft cheese, persimmon, Kettle brand jalapeño chips or Siete BBQ chips, mochi
No. 1 piece of advice:
Trust your intuition and your gut.
Listen to the episode:
Recipes
Tahini Roast Cabbage, Broccoli, and Green Beans
Enjoyed with Curious Elixir’s no. 9, a sparkling Rosé
I followed Justine Doiron’s cabbage recipe and it was beyond delicious as usual. I used Churn’s shallot and garlic butter for the brown butter component in the recipe. Which just gave it a whole new level of flavor. Broccoli and green beans were roasted in olive oil, salt, and pepper at 400 degrees for ~20 minutes. [video]
Summertime One-Pan Dinner
Enjoyed with Curious Elixir’s no. 5, a smoked cherry chocolate old fashioned
Slice quarter of an onion, 3 small eggplant, handful of cherry tomatoes, 2 garlic cloves, and 3 green onions. Sauté vegetables in a high-walled pan until soft and fragrant. Deglaze the pan with white win. Add in 1/2 cup of couscous and 1.5 cups of water. Cook for 15 minutes and remove from heat. Season with salt and pepper. Add in the juice of half a lemon. Serve hot with lots of parmesan and freshly grated black pepper. [video]
Salted Strawberry Maple Cold Foam
Combine 1/4 cup heavy cream, ~2 tsp maple syrup, and 1/2 tsp strawberry salt in a small jar or milk frother. Whisk or froth until the cream has doubled in size and is light + fluffy. Pour over a cup of ice coffee or matcha. Enjoy! [video]
Red Plum Simple Syrup
Combine 150g of fruit, 150g of granulated sugar, and 240g of water. Bring to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes. Remove from heat, strain, and allow to fully cool before storing in the fridge. Enjoy in cocktails and mocktails. [video]
Everything I’ve Been Loving
Fashion/Lifestyle
Our Place Coup Glasses — I just ordered these and I’m SO excited to have some more fun glassware on my shelves (as if I have any space lol)
Oddli gingham shorts — I just got the orange gingham shorts in the mail and I’ve been having so much fun styling them!
Zwilling Digital Kitchen Scale — I’ve always heard people talk about how important a kitchen scale is but I didn’t realize how much of a game changer they are until I started using one. Less dishes, more accuracy!
Food & Bev
Brightland Parasol champagne vinegar — After talking with Michael from Churn, I’ve been very inspired to cook more with vinegar and he was SO right when he talked about the depth of flavor vinegar adds to a dish
Churn shallot and garlic butter — I’ve been subbing this butter in for
Fish Wife x Jacobsen Salt lemon zest salt — I’m already obsessed with the Oishii strawberry salt…which means I obviously need this one too
Curious Elixirs no. 9 sparkling Rosé — I’ve worked with Curious Elixirs before and they kindly sent me a restock of my favorites + some new flavors to try. They just launched no. 9 and it is such a perfect alc-alternative, I’m obsessed!
Consumption Guide
R.E.P.O.R.T is an acronym for Reading, Eating, Playing, Obsessing, Recommending, and Treating
R- The Flavor Bible; every home chef should own this tbh
E- I picked up a bag of yellow peaches after The Peach Truck visited Columbus and I have my eyes on a Molly Baz peach biscuit recipe
P- The same podcasts as usual, I’d love any recs to food-related shows I should know about!
O- These recipes: crunchy parm chicken sandwich, chocolate tahini fudgesicles, garlic bread grilled hot dogs, chili oil steamed eggs, matcha cream
R- Branch Basics cleaning supplies; I swapped over my cleaning products to safer, all-natural alternatives a few years ago and Branch Basics has the best products that I’ve tried. Perfect for cleaning up in the kitchen after I’m done with cooking + baking projects.
T- My friend brought me a slice of the first place blackberry pie at the state fair and it was just as delicious as you’d imagine
ICYMI
Compound Butters for the Home Cook
xx,
Lauren (Hodgen)
Dear Citrus Diaries Host | @ citrusdiaries.studio
Citrus Diaries Studio | Creative Director
If you’re interested in working together, drop me a line: hello@citrusdiaries.com 🍊
Coup glasses, Oddli shorts, garlic shallot butter, and garlic bread hot dogs — I love these recommendations! 🌭❤️