If you’re a NYC foodie, then it is safe to say you’ve experienced David Chang’s magic at one of his Momofuku venues. If you’re a foodie outside of NYC, it’s likely you’ve heard about the Chang magic and want to try to reproduce it at home. And now you can, using the Momofuku Cookbook as a guide.

I bought this cookbook when it released last Fall and found myself reading it as if it were a novel. The snarky tone and autobiographical nature in which the stories and recipes are written gives the Momofuku fan a trip into David Chang’s mindset and a better understanding of him as a person. I’m grateful for this insight as I fear had I not understood his journey, humility, personality, and self-deprecating humor, I would have written both Chang and Momofuku off upon meeting him earlier this year…a story for another day.

As a home cook, I found this cookbook to be extremely challenging. The recipes are long and involved and, quite often, require other recipes in the book to have been made ahead of time - sometimes by a week or two. Having made a number of the dishes in this book, I can offer some suggestions that may make the process a little easier.

First, make sure you have the following ingredients on hand as they are required for many of the recipes:

• Usukuchi (Light Soy Sauce)
• Sake
• Mirin
• Konbu (explanation)
• Ginger
• Shiro Miso
• Grapeseed Oil
• Sesame Oil
• Sherry Vinegar
• Scallions

Second, check out this grid I created. It basically takes the recipes in the book and maps them to the other recipes. If you want to make something in the left hand column, you can see the other recipes you’ll need to make/have made marked with an X. I created this tool after the fifth time I read a recipe only to learn I needed to have made another recipe the week prior.

Finally, here are five suggestions for getting started:

• Make the Ramen broth (pg 49). It’s in at least 10 other recipes, it freezes well and is very delicious.
• Make the pickling recipes (pgs 64-74). They are also in many other recipes but I’ve found myself using them in a pinch to jazz up another dish.
• Make the Scallion Sauce (pg 57) and put it on whatever you have in your fridge…meat, cheese, veggies, mixed with mayo as a spread… Actually make all of the sauce recipes. They are easy and pair well with many other dishes.
• Try the Bo Ssam recipe. You will use the all of the sauces and it makes for a very fun dinner party. NOTE: Don’t try to double the meat until you get it right. I know from experience this isn’t a good idea!
• As soon as Summer corn hits the stands, buy it and make the Roasted Sweet Summer Corn Recipe (pg 93). If you follow my first two tips, this should be a piece of cake. And I bet you’ll make it every week until Fall.

I hope this helps. Let me know if you’ve got some tricks I missed! Or need help getting through any of the recipes!