Ube Butter Mochi, Street Corn Dip & a Punjabi-Italian Fusion You’ll Love

July 07, 2025 • Read in 3 minutes

Dear Hyphenly Readers,

We hope you had a restful long weekend—one filled with good food, great convos, and maybe even a second (or third) helping of dessert.

At Hyphenly, we truly believe food is fuel—for the body, yes, but also for culture, connection, and storytelling. 

So, this weekend, we rolled up our sleeves and dove into some of the best immigrant-inspired recipes we found online.

Ube Butter Mochi with @eatsbyrachel

Are you also devoted to Trader Joe’s seasonal Ube Mochi Pancake & Waffle Mix? Rachel found a genius new way to use it—by turning it into ube butter mochi.

Ube is a vibrant and sweet purple yam native to the Philippines. Butter mochi, meanwhile, is a chewy Hawaiian dessert made with sweet rice flour and coconut milk. What better mash-up than one that celebrates both cultures—especially since Filipinos make up the second-largest ethnic group in Hawaii? This recipe just makes sense.

High-Protein Elote Dip with @fitfoodieliving

Corn is sacred in Mexican cuisine—from tacos and tamales, it is an essential ingredient to the country. Our favorite? Elote, a street food classic grilled with cheese, mayo, chili, and lime.

Liv, a fitness coach and cookbook author, puts a protein-packed spin on this nostalgic dish with her elote dip—perfect with tortilla chips, carrots, or celery.

Bonus: It takes under 10 minutes to make.

Saag Gnocchi & the Punjabi Roots of Parmesan

You’ve had parmesan. But did you know that 90% of Northern Italy’s dairy workers are Punjabi immigrants?

Nadir explores this untold story—and celebrates it with a stunning recipe: saag gnocchi. It’s a warm, comforting dish that fuses Indian and Italian food traditions while honoring the immigrant labor that makes Italian cheese possible.

🎬 Watch the short doc to learn more about the Punjabi community's contributions to Italy’s dairy industry.

We’d love to know:

Tried any of these recipes? What’s your favorite comfort food with an immigrant twist? Hit reply and tell us!

This newsletter was curated by Suhasini Patni.

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Hyphenly curates the latest news, art, and businesses from immigrants around the world. Have a tip or story we should feature? We’d love to hear from you.