There are a few reasons why "Momofuku'' was one of the most talked about cookbooks of 2009.

First, it was written by one of the most buzzed about chefs in the country, David Chang of the wildly successful, mini Momofuku restaurant empire in New York.

Second, legions of diners have gone gah-gah over Chang's reinterpretation of Korean street food, born anew with pristine ingredients and molecular gastronomy techniques.

And third, the irrepressible Chang never ceases to capture the spotlight anytime he opens his mouth, unleashing a stream of expletives, along with his way-too frank, yet often thoughtful, musings about the industry and life.

All of that is reflected in "Momofuku,'' the cookbook co-written by New York Times writer, Peter Meehan, who successfully captures Chang's unique voice, right down to the f-bombs.

Yes, this is a cookbook like no other - replete with cuss words and deal-breaker recipes, including a ramen one that spans 10 pages.

But get past that, and you'll find inventive recipes that don't require days at the stove, including "Roasted Cauliflower with Fish Sauce Vinaigrette'' and "Roasted Asparagus with Poached Egg and Miso Butter.'' Momofuku fans also will be delighted to find recipes for their favorite pork buns stuffed with juicy pork belly, and the famous bo ssam, a family-style feast of roasted pork butt and raw oysters folded up into lettuce leaves with kimchi and chile sauce.

Even more than the food, what makes this cookbook so special, though, is Chang's story. It unfolds page by page almost like a memoir, as he recounts his days working at the esteemed Café Boulud in New York, where he never felt he measured up, to his stint in Japan, where he labored to learn the nuances of the ancient culinary art of ramen. His is a story of struggle, self-doubt, and real disbelief at his own success. In the end, it's a story as delectably addicting as the food he creates.

Read more about Momofuku including his famous pork buns recipe in Carolyn's full review of Momofuku and Carolyn's Q&A with David Chang on her blog foodgal.

Win a copy of Momofuku

The registered Project Foodie user that leaves the most memorable or creative comment below will win a copy of Momofuku.  Keep the comments clean and relevant - tell us what attracts you to Momofuku and/or what you feel makes this book award-worthy and we'll select one to be the winner of Momofuku.

Please note that you must be registered to enter this giveaway and upon winning provide a US postal address for us to ship Momofukuto.  We'll announce the winner on May 2nd.

If you have not yet registered with Project Foodie, please take a moment to do so right now--it's absolutely free; and we promise never to share your email address with spammers or other unsavory types.

PermaLink