March 2006 Archives

Water drop on luau leaf.

Today marks the 38th consecutive day of rain in Hawaii. Part of me just wants to see sun again, but another part recognizes this water is vital, filling the thirst of the land. There's a Hawaiian saying, aia i ka `ōpua ke ola. "There is life in the clouds." The taro plants out front yard are thriving, and we'll soon be able to harvest luau .

Recipes using luau leaves:
→ Chicken Luau
→ Laulau

Lotus root chips

Long and bulbous, whole lotus root has a smooth--even plain--exterior. Think butternut squash on a diet. Slice into one though, and you'll see the distinctive lacy crosssection. The boring exterior conceals the circular pattern inside that I find so fascinating. The first time I saw them for sale in Chinatown's pedestrian mall I thought, "Hmm, fresh lotus root," and kept walking, never suspecting how thoroughly such a simple ingredient would come to occupy my psyche.

A few weeks later and another visit to the market; a generous pile of lotus root seemed to beckon. (Technically lotus "root" isn't a root but the rhizome of the lotus). "I wonder what I could make with it." It has a mild crunch when fresh that turns savoriness when stewed, but without any decent recipes up my sleeve, I kept walking.

The siren call grew stronger with each trip to the marketplace. Lotus root transitioned from curiosity to obsession. It would catch my eye as I shopped, pulling me over to lift segments, checking their freshness and heft. I started hunting for recipes and daydreaming about lotus root during work. (Boss: that's just a figure of speech. I was working the entire time, not googling or daydreaming. Honest.)

The recipe below is an elaboration of a brief sidebar in a recent Saveur. The chips work well enough on their own, but can be paired with anything from hummus to guacamole. For visual interest, slice up an okinawan sweet potato and a white sweet potato. Cook them in separate batches according to the same directions below then toss together to serve..

• 12-18 inches lotus root, about 3-4 segments
• vegetable oil for frying
• coarse sea salt, or your favorite flavored salt like lemon or kiawe-smoked

Heat 1 inch oil to 300 degrees in a frying pan. While that's coming up to temp, trim rough ends off each lotus root segment and remove out skin with a peeler. Thinly slice the root with a mandoline or the slicing blade of a food processor. I seriously doubt you can slice this thin enough and consistent enough by hand, but you're welcome to try.

Gently slide sliced root into the hot oil and separate with chopsticks or tongs. The temperature will drop to about 250 degrees as the moisture boils off. Once you see the temp climbing back around 280 degrees, remove a chip and taste it for a nice crunch. You don't need the thermometer, but I found it helpful the first time for keeping an eye on progress. Now that I have a feel for how the chips cook in the oil, I might skip the thermometer in the future.

When done, drain the chips on paper towels and salt generously while still warm.

After several weeks of talking about the idea between him and myself, I finally sat down with The Brewer so he could give me tasting notes and feedback on my beer. Without disclosing too much, let's just say that The Brewer makes tens of thousands of gallons a year here in Honolulu, and knows his stuff.

I have to confess to a bit of nervousness. It's one thing if friends like my beer, but to be honest, some of them wouldn't notice if I swapped it for apple juice. It's something else to offer it an expert then invite criticism. He was gentle though, complimenting the recipe on its smoothness and good ginger nose. The main suggestion was to add the finishing hops five minutes prior to the end of the boil so that more of them "go aromatic."

We talked story and recipes for a while before he summed up, "This is a good beer." That was enough to make my day. Hey, I was just thankful he didn't spit it back out!

Many have said that chicken long rice is an acquired taste but I have to think they're confusing taste with texture. That first slurp can be disconcerting as it slips playfully down. Then the subtle warmth of chicken, ginger and onion lingers comfortingly. The mild flavors are familiar to most of us, combined in a way that quickly earns our love.

Although it has become a staple of luaus today, chicken long rice is actually a Cantonese contribution, arriving sometime after the first wave of Chinese immigrants to Hawaii in the late 18th century. Since that time it has become a local favorite, making regular appearances at not only luaus, but countless restaurants and plate lunch wagons. A nice benefit of this dish is that it makes a perfect potluck contribution: it's affordable in large quantities, tastes good even when not piping hot and is well-loved.

Traditionally, chicken long rice uses just chicken, onions, noodles and salt. When I'm seeking more variety, I look to Sam Choy's version in Sam Choy: Cooking From the Heart which adds carrot, celery, shiitake mushrooms and onion. This latter preparation makes for a heartier dish, more suitable for use as a main course.

Chicken Long Rice
Serves 12

• 3 lbs. chicken thighs, skin and fat removed
• 1 inch thumb of fresh ginger, peeled and minced
• 4 oz. bean-thread noodles, aka cellophane noodles, aka "long rice"
• 12 dried shiitake mushrooms (optional, non-traditional)
• 1 medium carrot, julienned (optional, non-traditional)
• 2 small stalks celery, sliced very thin (optional, non-traditional)
• 1 small yellow onion, minced (optional, non-traditional)
• 6 green onions, cut into 1 inch lengths
• sea salt, to taste

Prep work
Submerge the chicken and ginger in approximately four cups water and simmer for one hour. Some people prefer to smash the ginger but basically leave it intact. Overlooking their violent tendencies for the moment, I prefer delicate mincing to smashing because more ginger infuses into the broth.

While the chicken simmers, soak shiitake mushrooms and long rice noodles in separate bowls of warm water for at least 20 minutes. After soaking, discard mushroom stems, thinly slice caps and set aside. Cut noodles into three inch lengths with a pair of scissors and set aside. Prep carrots, celery and green onions... set aside.

Remove the chicken, reserving broth, and let cool slightly. Remove chicken bones and discard. Cut the chicken meat into rough cubes and set aside. By now, you should have a small forest of bowls, each brimming with prepped ingredients that have been "set aside." Enough prep, let's assemble.

Assembly
Taste the broth and lightly salt to taste. Bring the broth back to a simmer, add the mushrooms, carrots, celery and onion if you're including them then simmer for five minutes. Add chicken, long rice and green onions. Simmer for 3-4 minutes until the long rice turns translucent. Don't overcook, or you'll end up with gelatinous sludge! Most of the broth will have been absorbed, but you want a little to remain. Chicken long rice is typically served from a bowl or tray that can contain any liquid, but is suitable for scooping generously onto flat plates.