Dishes from the AAPI Flavors May menu.
This May, for Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month, we’ve been proud to celebrate the AAPI community here at HelloFresh. We’ve shared stories of accomplished and powerful members of the community (meet Henry Llarena, Janice Huynh, Christina DelaCruz, and Chirag Jain), hosted an array of events organized by our Asians Mobilizing for Progress (AMP) employee resource group, and added 16 menu items over the month that highlighted different pockets of Asian cuisines. Take a look at what went into crafting May’s menu.
As the world’s largest and most populous continent, Asia is a vibrant tapestry of diverse cultures, each with its own unique culinary traditions. Within this diversity, there are also shared flavors, textures, and aromas found in Southeast and East Asian cuisines, including Thai, Vietnamese, Chinese, Japanese, and Korean dishes. Common elements include the use of aromatics such as ginger, scallion, garlic, star anise, cinnamon, lemongrass, curry powder, chili peppers, and coriander to craft authentic local flavors. Different types of rice, noodles, and breads form the foundation of meals. These staples are accompanied by a wide variety of vegetables and meats and are complemented by different sauces ranging from soy sauce and sesame oil to fish sauce. Some dishes even include fresh lime juice and creamy coconut milk. These cuisines frequently offer a harmonious blend of salty, spicy, sour, sweet, and bitter notes, creating a balanced sensory experience. Given such a vast array of flavors, it’s no wonder Asian food enjoys a massive global following.
A Look at May’s Menu
In celebration of AAPI Heritage Month, our culinary team put together a menu of Asian-inspired dishes that reflect the diversity of the AAPI culinary community. After seeing how much the HelloFresh community loved last year’s AAPI Heritage Month Menu, the team created an equally beloved limited-time menu for this year.
Marina Schulze
“We brought in a new partner, Sun Noodle, for non-upcharge dishes and kept SUMM! and Omsom items in the HelloFresh Market so that customers could discover even more AAPI-owned brands,” Angel Song from our Product Management Team explained. “We wanted to include more cuisines, so the culinary team developed a new Bangladeshi-style Shrimp & Green Beans and included our Hawaiian-style Coconut Tempura Shrimp. Throughout the entire process, we leaned on our partners in the AMP ERG to ensure authenticity and inclusive language.”
The recipe team wanted to create a menu featuring dishes from cuisines not currently represented on our menu. “We saw this as a great way to introduce our customers to new flavors and techniques,” said Marina Schulze, one of our recipe developers. Some of the dishes were inspired by personal memories and experiences, too. When Marina learned about the Sun Noodle partnership, she knew Yakisoba needed to be on the menu. “My Okinawan grandmother would make this for us all the time growing up, and I really tried to replicate those familiar flavors with our HelloFresh ingredients,” Marina shared. “Making the pickled ginger was the icing on the cake.”
Some of the dishes that were in our May meal kits:
- Japanese Yuzu Miso-Glazed Trout with Cucumber Carrot Salad
- Bangladeshi-Style Shrimp & Green Beans with Basmati Rice & Cilantro
- Indian-Style Chickpea Coconut Curry with Basmati Rice & Topped with Yogurt
- Chinese-Style Super-Speedy Beef Lo Mein with Garlic Chili Oil & Sesame Seeds
- Chickpea Coconut Curry with Shrimp with Basmati Rice & Topped with Yogurt
“I really love all of our AAPI dishes and am proud of the work that went into them. I hope our customers enjoy making and tasting them,” Marina said. “If I had to choose a favorite, it would be the Fried Pork Wontons with Sweet Chili Dipping Sauce from the Market menu. Cooking should be a fun family activity, and making wontons is a great way to get everyone involved. Plus, they are SO delicious!”
More Asian-Inspired Dishes to Try
While the 16 new recipes were a limited edition offering, our menu includes an array of dishes that represent the various Asian communities, cuisines, and culinary perspectives. Explore the full menu offerings here.
