The best wok is a superhero. Hit it with high heat and it stir-fries veggies and proteins with ease, propels steam through a stack of bamboo steamer baskets like it’s nothing, deep-fries, braises, and produces eggs with crispy, lacy edges that cry for a drizzle of soy sauce—and a piece of bread to sop up … Read more
Like many generations-old dishes, the origins of chiles rellenos are fuzzy. Indigenous cooks in what’s now Mexico and Central America have charred and stuffed chile peppers for centuries. According to one popular story, the dish rose to prominence in Mexico in 1821. As the legend goes, nuns in a Puebla convent served stuffed peppers beneath … Read more
Every morning, when my mom was a child, my Lolo and Lola would pack produce from the farm into large woven baskets, load them onto tricycles—sometimes one, sometimes three, depending on the harvest—and wheel off toward the market in Paniqui, spinning dust into the air. Together they’d sell the day’s goods, keeping an eye out … Read more
Step 1 Whisk 2 cups buttermilk, 1½ tsp. smoked paprika, ¼ tsp. cayenne pepper, 1 tsp. Diamond Crystal or ½ tsp. Morton kosher salt, and 1 tsp. garlic powder in a shallow bowl; season with freshly ground black pepper. Add four 4–6-oz. catfish fillets, patted dry, to marinade and turn to coat. Let sit at … Read more
A vodka-and-cornstarch-based batter creates a coating that fries up gloriously golden brown, with a seriously crunchy exterior that gives way to tender bites of shrimp and tangy giardiniera. One cup of liquor might seem like a shocking amount, but it’s what makes the fry so intensely crisp. The alcohol in vodka won’t bind to flour … Read more
A Hawaiian delicacy with Portuguese roots, malasadas are yeasted doughnuts enriched with butter, sugar, and evaporated milk. The key to great malasadas is their fluffy texture, so don’t rush the rise, and make sure your yeast is fresh. The type of yeast you use matters here. If you only have active dry yeast available, you … Read more
Holi is the Hindu festival of colors and welcomes the arrival of spring in India. There are many delicacies that are prepared during the celebrations, but one is particularly special: dahi vada, also known as dahi bhalla. This is a beloved Indian snack of fermented lentil dumplings that are fried until golden brown, then soaked … Read more
Step 1 Peel 4 large russet potatoes (about 2¼ lb.) and halve lengthwise, then cut lengthwise into ½”-thick wedges, transferring as cut to a large bowl of cold water. Chill 30 minutes. Step 2 Heat 3 qt. vegetable oil (96 oz.) in a deep 6-qt. heavy pot or fryer fitted with deep-fry thermometer over medium-high … Read more
In 1985 the first blooming onion hit the fryolator at Russell’s Marina Grill in New Orleans, a creation of chef Jeff Glowski. Glowski’s friend and colleague, Tim Gannon, brought the fried onion to a neighboring restaurant in NOLA. And then, in 1988, take a wild guess what popular restaurant chain Tim Gannon cofounded. The blooming … Read more
An American institution shrouded in red-hot mythology, the Buffalo wings recipe that kicked off the game day and bar night staple is hard to pin down. According to one origin story, a proprietor of Anchor Bar in Buffalo invented hot wings sometime in the 1960s. Faced with hungry patrons and a fridge full of chicken … Read more