Food
June 10, 2022
David Chang and Priya Krishna On How To Cook At Home Without Recipes
David Chang is a great believer in improvising when he’s cooking at home. The chef, Momofuku restaurateur and TV personality was forced to rethink his approach when he had a wife and baby to feed. “I’ve had to learn to become a home cook for the first time in my life, and it’s entirely different from how I cook at restaurants,” says David. “Now I make stuff up out of necessity with my new guiding principles: to create something as delicious as possible, in the least amount of time possible, while making as little mess as possible.”
When David came to writer Priya Krishna with a book concept based on this idea, the food journalist and author of Indian-ish was skeptical. How can you teach people what to do without measurements? But when the pandemic hit, David’s pantry-and-microwave-centric approach was suddenly top of mind. So they set to work, with David schooling Priya in his unconventional methods and Priya adapting them for regular home cooks. What they created is a hybrid cookbook–advice manual focused on ingredients you likely have on hand — from frozen peas to fish sauce.
There are plenty of great no-recipe dishes in the book, but the authors want you to go further than that; they believe in making meals tailored to your own taste. As Priya puts it, “With time, you’ll develop your favorite ways of cooking your preferred ingredients. The more you eat this way, really taking a moment to think about the flavors of each bite, the more you’ll gain a greater appreciation of all kinds of foods.”
Scroll down for three no-recipe recipes from David and Priya!
Family Meal Chicken
Inspired by a dish that David has served his restaurant staff many times, he says this dish has been eaten more than anything else. What makes it so special is the fat from the chicken dripping down onto the vegetables below.
Get the recipe here.
Sukiyaki
“This is an easy, interactive Japanese dish of meat, vegetables and noodles that’s cooked tableside — it’s always a crowd-pleaser. Often, sukiyaki is cooked over a portable stove in the centre of the dinner table, but if you don’t have one, you can cook the broth in a heavy pot and bring it to the table; the meat and the vegetables will still cook for a while in the residual heat.”
Get the recipe here.
Flatbread pizza
“I cook this until the pepperoni is crispy because it adds this salty, potato chip–like crunch to every bite. This is my go-to recipe for when I’m on vacation, staying in a rental with friends and need to make dinner. It doesn’t require much kitchen equipment, and it automatically makes me the most popular person in the house.” — Priya Krishna.
Get the recipe here.