Malai Ice Cream, a brand redefining what ice cream can be by infusing South Asian flavors into an American classic. Behind the brand, there’s Pooja, the founder of Malai and Malai is her love letter to her identity, culture, and community. We dive into how she is embracing her Gujarati-American roots to challenging what "authenticity" means in food, expect laughs, spice, a honest conversation about what it means to belong.

📣 GET 15% OFF SCOPES!! 🍨

Use code HungryImmigrantPodcast at any Malai store to enjoy the offer - limited to the month of July only!

This special episode of The Hungry Immigrant is brought to you in partnership with Neerja PR, and was shot on location at the Brown Girl Clubhouse, right in the heart and heat of New York City.

Timestamps

0:00 - Intro

02:43 - What is Malai Ice Cream?

04:19 - How Pooja’s cultural roots shaped her food journey; why spices belong in ice cream

08:34 - Ice Cream vs. Kulfi vs. Gelato vs. Sorbet; Ice cream is air?! (Overrun explained)

14:59 - Joy over calories: ice creams are about moments in life

18:27 - Malai’s growth & The Malai Cookbook: Fried Ice Cream Pie

22:54 - Sambal Survey + Malai ice cream taste test

27:41 - The Hungry Journal: Pooja’s love for Gujarati food

30:49 - Malai as a reflection of Pooja’s identity & why ‘authentic’ is personal

32:57 - The flavor that almost didn’t make the menu: Rose with Cinnamon Roasted Almonds

34:29 - Hungry Questions

36:51 - What’s next for Malai: Malai Cookbook Tour (details below!)

-

🎟️ Get your tickets to Malai cookbook tour - You’ll try sweets from the book, meet Pooja, and get your book signed.
🍨 Key Dates:

July 16, 6:30pm | Binding Agents, Philadelphia

Sweet Treats, Signing & Author Talk in conversation with Chef Jen Carroll
July 24, 7pm | Essex Market, New York City

Sweet Treats, Savory Bites from Dhamaka, Book Signing & Author Talk with Kristen Kish!
July 29, 7pm | Madison Street Books, Chicago

Sweet Treats, Signing & Author Talk in conversation with Molly Yeh
More info on: https://www.malai.co/cookbook-tour

FOLLOW POOJA & MALAI

https://www.instagram.com/malai_icecream/

https://www.instagram.com/pooja_bavishi_/

FOLLOW US

⁠⁠@abangbrian⁠⁠

⁠⁠@hungryimmigrant⁠

We headed to Brooklyn, New York to meet the one and only Auria Abraham — aka The Sambal Lady. From a classically trained pianist to running a jingle house to pioneering Malaysian food in America, Auria shares how she built Auria’s Malaysian Kitchen, the first Malaysian-made brand in the US. Over rendang and sambal, we dive into identity, challenges of breaking into the American market, and the flavorful power of sambal.

Timestamps

0:00 - Intro

03:00 - “My favorite thing is to feed people Malaysian Food”: Rendang, broccoli, ikan bilis & sambal

07:31 - Auria’s family Rendang recipe; a perfect Malaysian plate

10:41 - Auria's Malaysian Kitchen: Sambal, Kaya & spice blends

13:00 - What is Sambal; Who is Auria — from Music to The Sambal Lady

22:14 - Sambal Survey; what is “Sambal Tumis”

26:15 - Auria’s Malaysian Kitchen: sambal, spice blends, & upcoming launches

29:55 - The Hungry Journal

31:18 - Educating Americans about Sambal

34:39 - Hot take: Malaysia needs to do more to support its cuisine abroad

39:30 - Auria’s practical tips to start a food business in the US

41:25 - Auria’s first big break

43:54 - The Legacy of Auria’s Malaysian Kitchen

46:11 - Hungry Questions

FOLLOW AURIA

https://www.instagram.com/thesamballady/

https://auriasmalaysiankitchen.com

FOLLOW US

⁠⁠@abangbrian⁠⁠

⁠⁠@hungryimmigrant⁠

We sat down with Serene, the dynamic second-generation Korean American behind Sorimmara USA, to unpack what it’s like growing up in a family-run restaurant business. From childhood memories of rice cakes and Korean soups to fighting stereotypes about Asian food pricing and authenticity in the US, they dive deep into food culture, identity, and generational shifts.

Timestamps

0:00 - Intro

02:32 - Serene’s as a second-generation Korean American & her reluctance growing up to join the family restaurant business

05:06 - Cultural shame around Asian food in childhood: Yakult; the double-edged nature of Korean community dynamics

09:30 - Sambal Survey: Malaysian sambal tumis

12:33 - How Sorimmara adapted Mala for local & Korean-American palates

15:45 - The family businesses from delis to rice cakes to restaurants; childhood memories of holidays & Chuseok traditions

22:07 - Korean food is NOT just K-BBQ; the variations of kimchi, Army Stew (Budae Jjigae)

27:17 - Koreans love their soups BOILING HOT; fight fire with fire?

32:40 - Sambal Survey: sambal oelek & Chinese-style spicy sauce

35:30 - Challenges of running a Korean restaurant in America; Asian food should be cheap?

41:16 - Vision for the future & advice for newcomers to Korean food

Follow Serene, Sorimmara, & Siroo & Juk:

https://www.sorimmaraus.com/

https://www.instagram.com/sorimmara_usa/

https://www.instagram.com/sorimmara_va/

Follow Us:

⁠⁠@abangbrian⁠⁠

⁠⁠@hungryimmigrant⁠

We sit down with Jules Guiang — journalist, public servant, and third-generation food entrepreneur behind Urban Chick. We talk about the power of food memories, the unique fusion of Filipino cuisine, and how one street in Manila became a battleground for small restaurants rebuilding after the pandemic. Plus, we swap stories about Filipino spaghetti, sambal diplomacy, and the surprising identity of the Philippines as a ‘halo-halo’ culture.

Timestamps

0:00 - Intro

01:53 - Who is Jules Guiang? Urban Chick in Quezon City, growing up in Manila and family’s F&B business

05:45 - The Filipino Spaghetti and banana ketchup

08:56 - The Maginhawa Food Community (MFC)11:44 - Filipino dishes beyond adobo — from spicy Bicol Express to Pampanga’s Sisig

14:45 - How religious traditions influence Filipino food: eating fish and mungo during Lent; sticky rice cakes food stalls outside churches

21:23 - Representation of Filipino food abroad

26:37 - Filipino food: fusion vs authenticity; Filipino culture is Halo-Halo

29:53 - Sambal Survey

32:58 - Looking ahead: Urban Chick and Maginhawa food district

FOLLOW JULES

https://www.instagram.com/julesguiang/

https://www.instagram.com/maginhawa.fc/

FOLLOW US

⁠⁠@abangbrian⁠⁠

⁠⁠@hungryimmigrant⁠

In this special episode, we connect across continents with Bonnie Nguyen, Senior Marketing Manager at Asian Hustle Network. From humble childhood memories of bánh cuốn in Vietnam to spearheading global initiatives like Asian Heritage Week, Bonnie shares how community, culture, and commerce intersect in her work. We unpack the evolving Asian identity in the modern world, the impact of DEI challenges, and why celebrating your roots isn’t just nostalgic — it’s revolutionary.

Timestamps

0:00 - Intro

03:00 - Asian Hustle Network (AHN) & Asian Heritage Week (AHW): From Facebook group to worldwide celebration of Asian culture

11:10 - Bonnie’s personal background: growing up in Vietnam & raised by a tiger mom

13:56 - Bánh cuốn, cultural identity, and community connection

17:38 - Discussion on DEI challenges

21:31 - A Vietnamese living in Vietnam vs pride abroad: struggle of balancing modernity with preserving tradition

30:15 - What Bonnie would tell her younger self?

34:30 - Upcoming global AHW events in US, Canada, and Australia

39:52 - Hungry Questions

FOLLOW BONNIE, ASIAN HERITAGE WEEK & ASIAN HUSTLE NETWORK:

https://www.asianheritageweek.com/

https://www.asianhustlenetwork.com/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/trang-bonnie-nguyen-192061180/

FOLLOW US:

⁠⁠@abangbrian⁠⁠

⁠⁠@hungryimmigrant⁠

We sit down with immigration lawyer and Executive Director of Chefs Stopping AAPI Hate, Pamela Yee; unpacking how food can be both activism and healing.

From the origins of CSAH, navigating anti-Asian sentiment, the future of DEI, and what it takes to rally chefs for rapid-response community relief events. And simply why “you can’t love our food but hate our people.”

Timestamps

0:00 - Intro

02:03 - A fourth-generation Chinese-American; from immigration attorney to CSAH executive director

05:20 - How Pamela met Chefs Tim Ma & Chef Kevin Tien; founding of Chefs Stopping AAPI Hate (CSAH)

16:34 - Fundraising for Black families in Altadena affected by LA wildfires

21:33 - Sambal Survey

25:49 - On DEI: funding, initiatives & consumer power in America

32:08 - Pam’s immigration advice for immigrants & F&B staff

36:24 - The mission of CSAH; beer fundraiser with Lost Generation Brewery

40:04 - Hungry Questions

FOLLOW PAM & CSAH

https://www.linkedin.com/in/pamelayee/

https://www.chefsstoppingaapihate.com/

FOLLOW US

⁠⁠@abangbrian⁠⁠

⁠⁠@hungryimmigrant⁠

We sit down with Wendy and Tommy, the dynamic owners of The Standard Barbershop in Old Town Fairfax. From IT jobs and real estate to building a beloved community hub, they open up about identity, Asian-American resilience, and founding one of Virginia’s biggest Asian cultural festivals — Asian Festival on Main.

Timestamps

0:00 - Intro

03:17 - From IT & real estate to partnership in building The Standard Barbershop

10:57 - Balancing marriage & business; tattoo stories & cultural perceptions

14:40 - Wendy’s Chinese-Vietnamese upbringing; Tommy’s family history in F&B

19:33 - How food bonds communities and shapes identity; Wendy’s rediscovery of her roots through food terms like ‘kaya/‘kayang’

23:57 - Cultural differences in families; cooking at home & the ‘pandan struggle’

27:40 - Sambal Survey

31:07 - Asian Festival on Main: from a parking lot idea to a 25K-strong city-wide celebration

39:17 - Challenges chairing and organizing the AFM

42:51 - Tommy’s legacy vision for The Standard Barbershop

45:01 - Wendy’s reflection on AFM’s growth and its legacy

FOLLOW THE STANDARD BARBERSHOP

https://www.thestandardbarbershop.com

https://www.instagram.com/thestandardbarbershopffx/

FOLLOW US

⁠⁠@abangbrian⁠⁠

⁠⁠@hungryimmigrant⁠

Jinson Chan — co-chair of the Asian Festival on Main and owner of High Side in Fairfax — shares what makes this year’s festival bigger than ever, how this street-style Asian food and drink spot came to life, and his takes as Asian living abroad.

Timestamps

0:00 - Intro

01:59 - Who is Jinson? Malaysia origin, from engineer to owner of High Side, & co-chairing Asian Festival on Main

05:25 - Behind Asian Festival on Main: the celebration of AANHPI month, the growth over the years, and the support of local institutions

10:48 - The cultural contrast: pride and discrimination

17:39 - Building and showcasing a community through Asian Festival on Main

26:38 - Sambal Survey

31:20 - The biggest fear for the festival this year? The dos and don’ts

37:21 - Hungry Questions

38:41 - How to support Asian Festival on Main

FOLLOW JINSON & ASIAN FESTIVAL ON MAIN:

https://www.asianfestivalonmain.com/

https://www.instagram.com/asianfestivalonmain

https://highsideva.com/

FOLLOW US

⁠⁠@abangbrian⁠⁠

⁠⁠@hungryimmigrant⁠