Dill Magazine spotlights Asian food

Asian noodles are the theme of Dill Magazine’s first issue, released July 17, as the magazine strives to uncover untold stories and “journey deep into the cuisine of Asia,” according to its website.

Shayne Chammavanijakul, the magazine’s founder, grew up enjoying food, and after listening to her Hakka Thai grandmother’s stories one summer, she was inspired to report on underrepresented cultures, cuisines and countries.

“I wanted [a] publication that explores Asian cooking in this detailed and nerdy academic way, focused on home cooks [and] mom-and-pop shops,” Chammavanijakul said.

An avid reader of food literature, Chammavanijakul said she noticed writing on Asian food concentrated just on celebrity chefs and famous restaurants. She wanted to fill a niche by sharing recipes with historical, cultural and political backgrounds.

Asian food accessibility does not necessarily mean removing the authenticity of the recipe, Chammavanijakul said. Instead, Dill offers a spectrum of food from a simple noodle stir-fry that can be done after school to big weekend projects with page-long ingredient lists, she added.