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This preparation is the perfect way to enjoy tomato soup even in the heat of summer. It highlights pure tomato flavors, complementing them with the sweet acidity of limes and a touch of heat. There are times when you can cheat and use tomatoes that aren't fully ripe. This isn't one of them. Use only the very best tomatoes, because that's what will come through in the end.

The fun of this amuse bouche, literally a "mouth amuser," is playing with expectations. The shape imitates the primary ingredient complete with greenery. It looks like a fruit sorbet, yet tastes of tomato. It amuses both mouth and mind at the start of a meal.

Tomato Basil "Soup" in Parmesan Cups
Serves 6 as a very light starter course
Special equipment: an ice cream maker

• 1 lb. tomatoes
• 5-6 basil leaves
• 1/2 c. water
• 1/3 c. sugar
• 1/2 t. salt
• 1/4. t. pepper
• dash cayenne
• juice from one lime
• approximately 1 1/2 c. freshly grated parmesan cheese
• basil leaves for garnish

Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil and drop in the tomatoes for 20-30 seconds until the skins begin to split. Remove tomatoes from the pot and rinse under cold water until cool enough to peel. Peel and core. Remove seeds and coarsely chop. Puree chopped tomatoes and basil leaves with 1/2 cup water in a blender until smooth.

Pour pureed tomato mixture into a small pot, adding sugar, salt, pepper and cayenne. Simmer for five minutes over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Remove pot from heat and allow to cool to room temperature. Stir in lime juice, then strain the entire mixture through the finest sieve or chinois available. Freeze according to ice cream maker instructions.

While the soup is freezing, grate 1 1/2 cups fresh, moist parmesan cheese. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and make six equidistant mounds of grated cheese. Gently press the cheese down into flat, three inch rounds. Bake in a 350 degree oven for ten minutes until golden brown. Remove from oven, let cool sixty seconds, then gently transfer each round to an empty muffin tin cup and press down to form a cup shape. They remain pliable for just a few minutes before stiffening. Allow to cool completely.

Scoop the frozen soup with a melon baller and place one scoop in each parmesan cup. Top with basil and serve immediately.

This recipe took second place in the Hamakua Springs Tomato Recipe Contest soups and bisque category.

Tomorrow is (American) Thanksgiving. Every family has their own traditions and trimmings—my brother-in-law whips up a pot of gumbo, for instance—but a big turkey on the table is nearly universal. This recipe for Kālua-style turkey tastes authentic enough, but with the convenience of cooking in an oven.

Oven Kālua Turkey
Serves a small crowd.

• 12-20 lb. turkey (mine is 18 lbs. this time)
• 1/3 c. olive oil
• 2-3 T. coarse sea salt
• 2 t. liquid smoke
• 18 (or so) ti leaves. I didn’t have enough, so used banana leaves as well

Completely thaw turkey, remove necks and gibblets then wash the entire carcass thoroughly inside and out. Line a large roasting pan with about half of the ti leaves, overlapping then slightly so that the pan is completely blanketed. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Rub the turkey inside and out with the olive oil, then the sea salt then the liquid smoke. Place the bird in the roasting pan, breast side up.
 

Cover the turkey with the remaining ti leaves. If you can, tuck the leaves under the bird so that it is fully wrapped. If your leaves are young and small like mine, just do your best to overlap and get complete coverage. Cover the roasting pan with a double layer of aluminum foil and crimp the edges tightly so that it is as airtight as reasonably possible. Cook for six hours.

After six long, long hours have elapsed, remove the turkey, uncover, and let cool until it can be handled. The meat should literally be falling off the bone. Shred the meat with two forks then drizzle with pan juices. Serve with rice and a table full of trimmings.

Happy Thanksgiving!

This recipe is so simple it's hardly mentioning, yet it's also the second most popular way to eat kālua pig. The most popular is to sneak little bits as the pig is fresh from the pit (or crockpot).

Besides tasting great, mixing kālua pig with cabbage is a great way to stretch the meat across multiple meals. The first night I serve the pig unadorned. The second night, with cabbage. After that I either freeze the remainder or start using it in salads, quesadillas, etc.

Kalua Pig and Cabbage

• 2 T. vegetable oil
• 1 head cabbage, thinly sliced
• several cups leftover kālua pig (see recipe)

Heat the oil in a large skillet. When hot, add the sliced cabbage and stir fry for a few minutes until it softens but isn't fully cooked. Stir in the pork along with its juices. Cover and simmer 3-4 minutes until the cabbage is no longer crunchy.

Traditional imu kālua puaʻa involves a big pit filled with burning kiawe wood, red-hot rocks, wet banana stumps, layers of ti leaves and a whole pig. Yes, the result is indescribably delicious, but it's not the kind of meal people turn to at the end of a long workday.

Crock pot kālua pig approximates the imu kālua flavors but with a fraction of the effort. Start this early in the day and just leave it until dinnertime.

Crock Pot Kālua Pig
Serves 6-8

• 4-5 lb. pork butt, preferably bone-in
• 1 T. Hawaiian salt
• 1/2 T. liquid smoke
• 3-4 ti leaves
• 1 c. water

The ideal pork butt for this recipe is well-marbled and bone-in for maximum flavor and moisture. Rub the butt with salt, dribble with liquid smoke then wrap it in several layers of ti leaves. Besides helping to steam the meat, ti leaves provide a subtle flavor that shouldn't be skipped. If ti is not available, substitute banana leaves.

Place the wrapped butt in a crock pot and pour the cup of water around it. The water is there primarily to prevent scorching until the meat cooks down enough to render its own juices. Cook on low for at least 5-6 hours but up to all day.

When cooking is complete, remove the butt, reserve juices and discard the leaves. Let the meat rest for a few minutes. When cool enough to handle, shred with two forks. Pour reserved liquid over the shredded meat and serve.

Assuming you have any leftover at the end of the night, kālua pig freezes well.

This post is part of my long-running Hawaiian luau series.

Related:
→ Closer to imu cooking, Pomai makes his kalua pig on the grill.
→ Reid, Kirk and Kristin all provide oven roasted recipes, each slightly different from the others.
→ My kālua pig and cabbage recipe is ideal for any leftovers.
→ Kālua pig is versatile, like in this Kalua Pork Salad with Pineapple Salsa recipe at HawaiiDiner

The only beer supply store in Hawaiʻi, Hawaii Home Brew is closing at the end of the month. They're looking for a buyer to carry on the legacy, but just in case that doesn't happen seamlessly we decided it was time to get in another batch. This recipe, based loosely on tips from the owners of HHB, is just right for the winter: good body and seasonal spices.

Teaching brewing from the ground up is beyond the scope of today. If you've already brewed a batch or two, then this recipe is for you.

Christmas Wheat Ale

• 1 lb. Crystal Malt 10L
• 8 lbs. liquid wheat extract
• 1.5 oz German Hallertauer hops
• zest from 3 oranges
• 1 six inch cinnamon stick
• 1 T. whole coriander seeds
• 1 T. fresh ginger, grated
• 1/2 oz. German Hallertauer hops
• 1 lb. honey
• 2 pkgs. Muntons dry yeast
• 3/4 c. corn sugar

Crush the crystal malt and place in a big pot of cold water. Heat the mixture until just before it boils--don't let it boil yet--then remove the grain with a strainer. After the grains are out, boil the liquid then dump in the wheat extract. Bring to a boil again then start your timer. We want a sixty minute boil.

At the zero minute mark, add 1.5 oz of your hops. At 45 minutes, add all the spices. With five minutes remaining, add the final half ounce of hops. At sixty minutes, remove the mixture from the stove and add the honey. You now have wort.

Pour the wort into your fermenter and top with cold water to five gallons. Once the wort has cooled to 86 degrees, pitch the yeast. Original gravity should be 1.042, as measured by my trusty hydrometer. After the initial fermentation period of 2-3 days, rack to a glass carboy and allow secondary fermentation and settling to continue for another week. Rack back into the fermenter, stir in 3/4 cup corn sugar and bottle.

I may have started this batch too late. The hope is that it'll be fully matured in time to pass around as holiday cheer. We'll see.

The first mango drops, a welcome gift from the tree. It is eaten straight and unadorned, juices running down the chin. Little bits of mango fiber get stuck in your teeth but you don't care. It's that good. The second and third mangoes are shared around with family and friends. Everyone is happy the mangoes have begun.

Then the tree starts raining fruit faster than it can be consumed. A few break upon impact. Others are attacked by ants almost before they roll to a stop. Most are scooped into a pile on the kitchen counter to eat and give away.

Yet even after passing out mangoes left and right, there are still more mangoes. If you let you guard down for even a day or two, the stench of fermenting mangoes overtakes the yard. Clearly, something must be done.

Mango bread to the rescue. It's tasty, easy, freezes well and uses a whack of mangoes at once.

Mango Bread

• 2 c. flour
• 2 t. cinnamon
• 2 t. baking soda
• 1 t. baking powder
• 3 eggs
• 1/4 c. butter, melted
• 1/2 c. vegetable oil
• 1 1/2 c. granulated sugar
• 2 1/2 c. fresh mango
• 1/2 c. walnuts, chopped
• 1/2 c. shredded coconut

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease two standard 9x5 bread pans.

Sift together flour, cinnamon, baking soda and baking powder in a medium bowl. In a larger bowl, beat together eggs, butter, oil and sugar. Blend the dry ingredients into this.

Mash about half of the mango and roughly dice the remainder. You want a mix of soft mango and decent chunks. Fold the coconut, nuts and all the mango into the bread batter.

Bake for 50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean. Remove from the oven and let cool for about ten minutes. Turn gently onto baking racks and let cool completely.

The beauty of grilled pineapple lies in its simplicity. You've already got coals going for your main course, so adding pineapple to the menu simply means basting a few wedges then throwing them on the grill at the end. The caramelization and smoking cut back pineapple's typical sweetness, making this side dish subtle and complex.

Grilled Pineapple
Serves eight-ish.

• 1 fresh pineapple
• 3 T. butter
• 2 T. honey
• 1 T. lime juice
• healthy dash of cayenne pepper

Start your coals. While the coals are getting hot, skin and cut the pineapple into wedges. For wedges, stand the pineapple on edge and cut lengthwise. What size wedges? Up to you. Drop the wedges into a sturdy ziplock bag.

Melt the remaining ingredients together in a small saucepan until combined. Allow the syrup to cool briefly so that you don't melt right through bag, then pour them over the pineapple. Mush the wedges around to coat thoroughly. (That part is fun.) Set the bag aside to marinate while you cook your main course.

Throw your steaks, salmon, zucchini or small rodents on the grill to cook. When they're done and removed, scrape the hot grill down to remove any savory bits. I forgot this step last time and my pineapple all tasted vaguely like BBQ pork ribs. Sweet and spicy BBQ is awesome... just not rubbed off on your pineapple.

Lay the pineapple wedges on the grill and cook until they have pretty grill marks, flipping once. Serve alongside the main meal.

Zen Buddhist monks cry, "Katsu!" during martial arts training; literally, "Victorious! (勝つ)" Today, students down a bowl of the sound-alike dish katsudon before a big exam in the hopes that they too will be victorious. Hey, it can't hurt.

Katsudon, named from the marriage of the Japanese words tonkatsu (pork cutlet, 豚カツ) and donburi (rice bowl, 丼), was born in the last century when cooks began using simmered tonkatsu over rice in donburi rice bowl preparations. The result is pure comfort food, combining the salty goodness of deep-fried breaded pork with savory soup and rice.

Katsudon
Serves six.

• 1.5 lbs. pork tenderloin
• salt and pepper
• 1 c. flour
• 3 eggs, beaten with 2. T water
• 2 c. panko
• oil for deep frying
• 2 c. dashi stock
• 5 t. sugar
• 6 T shoyu
• 6 T mirin
• 1 medium onion, sliced thinly
• 6 eggs, beaten
• 1/3 c. cooked green peas
• cooked rice

Freeze the pork for half an hour to firm it up, then slice 1/8 inch thick cutlets. Salt and pepper to taste then set aside while prepping the breading.

Place the flour, beaten eggs and panko in three separate, shallow bowls. Dredge each pork cutlet with flour and knock off any excess. Dip the cutlet in egg and then panko. Press the panko crumbs into the cutlet to coat evenly, then place the coated cutlet on a tray. Once you've coated all the cutlets, refrigerate for two hours.

Heat one inch cooking oil to 325 degrees. Cook the cutlets a few minutes on each side until golden brown, removing them to drain on paper towels when done. It's better to cook in small batches than to crowd the cutlets into the pan. They need good oil circulation and steady temp to cook to their best. Congratulations, you now have tonkatsu. Slice the tonkatsu into 3/4 inch strips, but keep the strips aligned as whole cutlets.

While you're letting the cutlets cook, bring your stock ingredients (dashi, sugar, shoyu and mirin) to a simmer in a wide pan. Figure that you'll be laying the cutlets into this pan without overlapping--divide the stock into multiple pans if you need more room. Add sliced onion and simmer a few minutes until tender.

Add the sliced tonkatsu cutlets, lifting them with a wide spatula as whole cutlets and sliding them gently into the stock. Immediately pour the beaten egg over the tonkatsu, onion and stock. Cook just until the egg is nearly solidified. If you cook too long at this stage, the steam while soften the crispy tonkatsu coating.

Divide cooked rice into six large bowls. Top each rice bowl with a cutlet and a portion of the onion, egg and stock mixture. Garnish with the cooked peas and serve immediately. I make no promises that you'll now ace your exam, but at least you'll be well-fed. Katsu!

More info:
→ Oyako Donburi uses chicken instead of tonkatsu.
→ Another katsudon recipe, this one at mmm-yoso!!!
→ The origins of tonkatsu.
→ Katsudon at Wikipedia

Often when I'm in the mood for fish, I head to the market not knowing specifically what I'll buy. Instead, I wait to be inspired by what looks freshest. Yesterday afternoon, Tamashiro's Fish Market had a big catch of some of the prettiest uhu I've seen--almost too pretty to eat.

Almost, but not quite.

Also known as parrotfish, uhu are best known for their tough teeth, used to grind algae off coral reefs. Those nice Waikiki beaches? Uhu are partly to thank. These iridescent beauties produce prodigious amounts of sand from chewing on coral.

Uhu are tender fleshed, with a mildly bitter flavor, suitable for cooking whole, or in the case of larger specimens, filleting. As a point of interest, uhu are also capable of spontaneously changing gender, not that there's anything wrong with that.

I wasn't sure how to cook uhu, but Ben behind the Tamshiro counter recited this recipe from memory. "Get some mayonnaise, onions, lop cheong, tomato. Stuff 'em inside, wrap in foil and bake. No need anything on the outside." His version didn't specify quantities or baking time, but Junko and I improvised.

Before...

...After

Local-style Baked Uhu

• 4-5 lb. whole uhu (parrotfish), gutted and scaled
• salt and pepper
• 3/4 c. mayonnaise
• 2 Roma tomatoes, diced
• 1 medium onions, diced
• 3 lop cheong, sliced

Rinse the ulu thoroughly, inside and out. Pat dry then salt and pepper the skin and cavity. Spread mayonnaise inside and out, then stuff the cavity with the tomatoes, onions and lop cheong. If you have extra stuffing, lay it on top then seal the fish in aluminum foil and bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes to an hour. The fish is done when flesh closest to the spine has just changed from translucent to white. Don't overcook.

To serve, place the whole fish on a platter. Use a large, flat spoon to scoop off portions of the body for each person. Watch out for toothpick-sized bones. When one side of the fish is clean, flip it over and serve the other side.

Some of you reading this article assume fried rice is one of the four main food groups.
If you're one of the fortunate who were weaned from your mother's breast straight to fried rice, you can stop reading now.

I have a few readers out there who have never, ever made fried rice on their own. This post is for you. Fried rice is tasty, practical, affordable and can be whipped up in less than fifteen minutes. A single batch of fried rice can effectively clear your fridge of leftovers. Take that lower produce drawer, dice everything you find, add rice and you've got a meal.

All three recipes below are common variations that start with the same rice base, add accent flavors then finish with soy sauce to taste. Simple, eh? None of the three recipes below specify quantities. Use what you have on hand along with a dash of common sense. I make no claims to authenticity, but who needs authenticity if they taste good.

General tips:

• Use day-old rice. Fresh rice will work in a pinch, but tends to clump.
• Short grain white rice is standard, but I often use brown rice instead. That's probably blasphemous, but when you buy brown rice in 25lb. sacks, you tend to make a lot of brown fried rice.
• A non-stick skillet isn't required, but will bring you happiness. Bigger is better. Curved sides are nice.
• Use just enough oil or butter in the pan to keep things from sticking. Too much and your rice will end oily. Have you noticed that teppanyaki places use a pad of butter for their fried rice? That's because it tastes better. The recipes below allow for either butter or oil.
• Stir fry any meats first. When you add the rice, stir frequently to separate the grains. Add any vegetables just long enough to cook them, then add soy sauce, green onion and/or cilantro right before removing from the heat.
• There isn't a rule of thumb for knowing when the rice is done. Look for most of the excess moisture to cook off, and for some of the grains to be a little crispy. You'll get a feel for it.
• Cook everything over medium heat. Too hot and the rice will scorch and stick. Ask me how I know this.
• Finish with a drizzle of soy sauce (shoyu) and salt/pepper to taste.

Kimchee Fried Rice

• ground beef or pork (not more than a 1/2 cup or so)
• rice
• a generous amount of kimchee - this defines the variation, so be bold
• sesame oil
• sliced green onions

Brown meat in skillet, then add rice. Stir frequently until rice is done. Add the kimchee and continue cooking until the kimchee is hot. Drizzle with sesame oil, and green onions and stir. Finally, season with shoyu, salt and pepper. Kimchee fried rice, known as kimchi bokumbop in Korean, is a common fixture in Hawaiian diners.

Lop Cheong Fried Rice

• lop cheong (Chinese sausage), cubed
• rice
• sliced green onions
• lots of fresh chopped cilantro

Skip adding oil to the pan for this variation; the lop cheong has enough. Saute the sausage for a few minutes, then add the rice. Stir frequently until the rice is done, then add the green onions and cilantro. Season with shoyu, salt and pepper. The sweetness of the sausage plays well with the fresh cilantro.

Fried Rice with Veggies and Egg

• minced garlic
• rice
• green peas (frozen is okay)
• yellow corn (frozen is okay)
• carrots, diced
• egg, scrambled with a drizzle of sesame oil and a few drops shoyu
• sliced green onions

  LIghtly brown the garlic in a little oil then add the rice and cook until the rice is nearly done. Add the vegetables and stir frequently until they are cooked by not yet mushy. Push the rice mixture to the sides of the pan, making an opening in the middle. Add a few drops of oil then pour the scrambled egg into the well and cook until it just begins to solidify. Toss the egg in with the rice and add the green onions. Season with shoyu, salt and pepper.

  Whichever version you make, or something else entirely, the key is to make the most of whatever is laying around in your kitchen and improvise!

Twice a year, at Christmas and Easter, I notice a surge of visitors seeking ham recipes. I'm all too happy to oblige. This recipe is the culmination of my quest to find a truly excellent ham preparation. You can read more about the start of my journey, and the moment of my enlightenment.

Guava-Glazed Ham
Serves an extended family

The ham:

• 20 lb fully cooked bone-in ham
• 2 liter bottle Coke

The glaze:

• 10 oz. jar Hawaiian Kukui guava jam (claims 99% Hawaiian ingredients-- maybe the pectin is imported?)
• 1/2 t. cinnamon
• 1/2 t. cloves
• 1/2 c. pineapple juice
• 1/4 coke stolen from the cooking ham
• healthy dash cayenne. i like a little heat

Cut the tough outer skin from the ham, leaving a thing layer of fat. Put the ham in a roasting pan, pour as much coke around as will fit without spilling over. Tent the ham with aluminum foil and simmer on the stovetop at medium heat for 3 1/2 hours (~10 min per lb).

While the ham cooks, prepare the glaze by mixing together all the ingredients in a saucepan. Simmer over medium low heat until the glaze has reduced by 1/3 to 1/2 then allow to cool thoroughly. Reserve half the glaze to serve alongside the sliced ham.

When the ham is done cooking on the stovetop, transfer it to a 400 degree oven and cook for another 30 minutes, brushing every ten minutes with the glaze. Remove the ham and let it set for 10 minutes before slicing. Reheat reserved glaze and serve with the sliced ham.

Two years ago, I also made an addictive mandarin orange cheesecake for Easter. Read it at your own peril, but don't blame me if you feel irresistibly drawn to baking it for yourself.

Let's assume you've made it to Giovanni's Shrimp Truck, but like me, can't trek to the North Shore every day. What we really need is the secret to making their famous shrimp at home. This recipe is the closest I've come to reproducing shrimp truck mojo from the confines of my own kitchen.

Shrimp Shack Garlic Shrimp
Add a scoop of rice to serve one as a meal.

• 1/4 c. olive oil (sub. butter for extra artery clogging power)
• juice of one lemon
• 2 tablespoons white wine
• 8-10 or more good sized cloves of garlic, minced. You can never have too much.
• 1 T paprika
• a dozen shrimp, the biggest buggers you can find
• sticky plastic tables, stray cats, graffitti (optional)
• lemon wedges (optional)

Sautee everything but the shrimp over medium-low heat until the garlic is a nice golden brown. While shrimp is cooking, spill soda on the plastic table to create authentic stickiness. Crank the sautee heat to turbo and add the shrimp. Keep stirring until the shrimp are just barely done. Remove immediately to prevent them going all rubbery and flavorless.

Serve shrimp over rice, scraping all the little garlic bits onto the rice. By now the stray cats will have been drawn by the aroma and your shrimp truck experience is complete!

No matter where your climate, this simple ice cream using canned lychees brings the taste of the tropics. I've made a fresh version of lychee ice cream before, but this recipe can be made year round.

Lychee Ice Cream
Serves 6-8

• 1 20oz can lychees
• 1 pint heavy cream
• 1/4 cup sugar
• juice from 1/2 lime

Drain the lychees, reserving their syrup. Coarsely chop the lychee then combine all ingredients including the reserved syrup. Freeze according to the directions for your ice cream maker. Simple, eh?

I almost never, ever buy ice cream in the store, but for some reason I'm crazy about making it. A light ice cream or sorbet is often the perfect way to cap a good meal. Here are a few of my past recipes:

→ Caramelized Pineapple Over Ice Cream with Toasted Macadamia Nuts
→ Ginger Pineapple Sorbet
→ Green Tea Ice Cream
→ Lychee Sorbet in Coconut Macadamia Tuiles with Papaya Coulis
→ Orange Mango Sorbet
→ Soursop Sorbet

Goi cuon

Today is the start of the Chinese New Year, and what better way to being the Year of the Boar than by consuming a little pig. In Vietnam, the New Year is known as Tet. After several days or prepatory cleaning and wrapping up last year's loose ends, the start of the new year is celebrated with feasting while visiting family and friends. These spring rolls take prep time but are totally worth the effort.

Goi Cuon
Serves 6-8 as an appetizer

• 1/2 c. water
• 2 T. rice vinegar
• 15 large shrimp, peeled
• 1 T. cooking oil
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1/2 lb. lean pork, cut into this strips
• 1 T. nuoc mam
• 15 round rice paper wrappers

Choose a selection optional ingredients:

• small package of rice vermicelli, cooked and cooled
• bean sprouts
• fresh mint
• thai basil
• cilantro
• carrot, julienned
• lettuce (any mild variety with a flexible leaf)
• cucumber, cut lengthwise then sliced on an angle
• scallions cut into 2 inch lengths

Bring water and rice vinegar to a boil in a medium skillet. Add the shrimp and cook until done. Remove shrimp, reserving liquid, and reheat the pan over medium high heat. Add the cooking oil and heat until it almost smokes. Add the garlic and stir for ten seconds. Add sliced pork and sear for 2-3 minutes. Add the reserved shrimp liquid and the nuoc mam then simmer for ten minutes. Many recipes simply call for "cooked pork" but simmering it with the liquid infuses much yumminess. When the pork is done, set side to cool.

To assemble, run cold water over 3-4 rice wrappers and lay them on a flat surface. Lay down a lettuce leaf, a pork slice and a shrimp. Top with your preference of ingredients from the optional list then roll snugly, tucking in the loose ends.

Traditionally, goi cuon are served with a complicated peanut sauce, but I like them best with hoisin sauce and crushed peanuts.

As they say in Vietnam, Chuc Mung Nam Moi! Happy New Year!

Two years ago, I shared a fried spring roll recipe for Tet.

Lomi Lomi Salmon

As far back as we have records, Hawaiians have been combining fresh fish with a bit of salt, tomato and onion, massaging (lomi lomi) them together to bring out the flavors. When the first whaler ships brought salted salmon from the Pacific Northwest in the 1830s, it was adopted as a stand-in for local fish. Today, salmon is the most popular choice for this technique and has become a staple at luaus.

Visitors to maʻona sometimes ask questions that merit a a follow-up post. Most recently, "TEA" inquired about the texture of penuche.

Chris and I first met on Molokai just outside Kaunakakai but we continue bump into each other on a regular basis around Honolulu. He's quiet at first, inscrutable, but time and talk story reveal a man of well-formed convictions. Still waters run deep and all that. Best of all, he has a talent from cooking the most amazing meals from just a few, simple ingredients. Chris and his wife Joslyn recently made this garlic chicken for a group of us.

I became an instant addict.

Chris' Garlic Chicken

• 1/4 c. sweet shoyu (thicker than normal soy sauce)
• 1/4 c. Japanese shoyu
• 4 large cloves minced garlic
• 1/4 c. sliced green onion
• 1 c. flour
• boneless chicken thighs or breasts cut into large chunks
• cooking oil

Prepare the sauce by combining the shoyus, sliced green onion and fresh crushed garlic in a small saucepan. Bring the sauce just up to a simmer then remove from heat. This takes the edge off the garlic.

Put flour in ziplock bag and shake the chicken pieces around to coat thoroughly. Fry the chicken in an inch of oil at medium high heat until golden brown. Remove the chicken and drain briefly on paper towels. Give the fried chicken a quick dip in the sauce and pull it back out. If you let it sit even a few seconds in the sauce it'll become soggy. Serve immediately, and try not to eat too many on your way to the table.

Although we haven't had the deadly heatwaves experienced by other parts of the country, Hawaii is unequivocably in the midst of summer. This recipe is refreshing either at the end of a meal or as an afternoon snack.

Orange Mango Sorbet
Special equipment: an ice cream maker Serves 6-8

• 3/4 c. sugar
• 3/4 c. water
• 2 c. fresh squeezed orange juice
• Zest from 1/2 orange
• Juice from 1 lemon
• 1 c. coconut milk
• 2 1/2 c. mango, frozen or fresh
• 1/4 t. ground ginger
• sprig fresh mint (optional)

Heat water and sugar in a small saucepan until sugar dissolves completely, then set aside to cool completely. When cool combine sugar solution with remaining ingredients in a blender and puree until smooth. Freeze according to the instructions that came with your ice cream maker. If you've lost those, just make something up and I'm sure you'll be fine. Garnish with fresh mint if you have it.

Fresh, wild Alaska Salmon is only available for a narrow window each year. If you happen to find some at a price that doesn't involve selling vital organs to raise cash, this recipe is a quick and delicious preparation.

Dengaku is a traditional Japanese technique that consists of coating fish or vegetables in a sweet miso sauce before grilling or broiling. I add ginger into my own version, just because I think ginger and miso pair so well together. Shiro miso, also known as white miso, is a sweeter, light yellow variety popular in summer. Feel free to substitute any miso, as long as you stay away from the saltier red and brown styles.

Sake no Dengaku (Miso-Glazed Salmon)
Serves 6

• 4 T. shiro miso
• 2 T. mirin
• 2 T. dashi stock
• 1 T. freshly minced ginger
• 1 large egg yolk
• 2 lbs. salmon fillets (or steaks)

Place oven rack 4 inches below broiler and pre-heat oven to 400 degrees.

In a small double boiler over medium hear, combine miso, mirin, dashi and ginger. (If, like me, you don't happen to have a large selection of double boilders at your fingertips, just prop a smaller saucepan inside a larger one and place an inch of water in the lower pan.) Add the egg yolk and stir constantly for 5 to 6 minutes until the sauce thickens slightly and takes on a silky texture.

Place salmon fillets skin down on a lightly oiled sheet and bake for about 10 minutes until medium-rare. The middle should still be somewhat translucent. Remove from oven, and turn the oven to broil. Brush the salmon liberally with miso sauce and finish cooking under the broiler until nicely browned. Serve immediately.

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..

Lotus Root Chips
Special equipment needed: thermometer and a mandoline or food processor.

• 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.

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.

This post is part of my Hawaiian Luau series.

Tokyo, Japan - Sometimes travel doesn't seem worth the trouble. We had just spent hours and hours on a flight, only to be almost turned back from Narita International Airport due to passport problems. Immigration must have felt sympathy for the desperation in our faces, because we were eventually released. The next few hours were spent in a series of bus and taxi rides through the dead of night, Tokyo suburbs sliding by in a weary fog before we finally stepped off one last subway. Half a mile further by foot and we arrived at our friend's tiny apartment, our home base for the next seven days.

The next morning, we awoke to the quiet cooking from the kitchen where Kaoru was preparing a breakfast of oyako donburi for her new houseguests. After the emotional rollercoaster ride at the airport, the meal was just what we needed to sooth our souls.

Literally, o-yako combines words for parent and child, referring to both the chicken and the egg sitting atop a bowl of rice. Donburi describes the porcelain bowl. I didn't learn all this until much later though. At that moment, oyako donburi was the perfect comfort food to welcome us to Japan, warm, soothing and savory.

Oyako Donburi
serves 2

• 6 oz. boneless, skinless chicken breast or thigh, sliced into thin strips
• 1/2 yellow onion, sliced very thin
• 3 shiitake mushrooms (fresh or dried), sliced into 1/4 strips
• 1/2 c. water
• 1 T. dashi no moto
• 2 T. soy sauce
• 2 T. mirin
• 1 T. sugar
• 3 eggs
• 2 c. cooked rice

Start rice cooking. Slice chicken and set aside. If you're using dried shiitake mushrooms, soak them in hot water for five minutes to soften, then discard stems. Slice the mushrooms and onion, then set aside.

Combine water, dashi, soy sauce, mirin and sugar in a skillet and heat until just boiling. Add chicken, mushrooms, and onion. Allow to simmer until the chicken is just barely done, just a few minutes. Beat the eggs and pour them over the chicken mixture. Cover and allow to cook another minute, until the eggs have set.

To serve, place a scoop of rice in an individual bowl. Lay a section of the egg/chicken across the rice then ladle a small amount of broth over the top.

This post is my second for the Virtual Vacation Contest. I had a hard enough time narrowing down to just two recipes. Limiting to only one was out of the question. The previous vacation recipe was for bánh xèo.

Limu salad is the perfect food for the health conscious, ecosystem-aware gourmet.. Seaweed is high in high in iron and other vitamins while being very low in fat. Plus, every time you eat invasive seaweed, you're consuming an over-abundant resource and helping to curtail its spread. Eat as much as you want, knowing that you're caring for both the coral reefs and your own body. Now doesn't that make you feel all warm and fuzzy?

The key to this salad is the freshness of the ingredients. Seaweed breaks down very quickly, so you'll want to get the very best you can. Go to the ocean yourself and grab an armful. The best edible seaweeds only grow down to a depth of about 20 feet, so you shouldn't have to go too far.

Run--don't walk--back to your prep area. If you trip and fall down, start over, because you'll already have taken too long. I said fresh!

Limu Salad
Serves about 8.

• 1/3 c. soy sauce
• 1/3 c. cider vinegar
• 1 T. Sriracha hot sauce (optional, but tasty)
• 1.5 lbs. Gracilaria salicornia (substitute ogo or limu manauea, but you don't get as much credit for helping the reefs), well-rinsed and coarsely chopped
• 2 tomatoes, diced
• 1 Maui onion, diced
• 1 cucumber, diced

Start a big pot of water boiling. While it is coming up to temp, mix the soy sauce, cider vinegar and hot sauce in a small bowl and set aside. Drop the limu in the boiling water and blanch it for one to two minutes, or until it turns bright green. It'll darken up again when you add the sauce, but the blanching softens the crunch nicely, and the bright green color allows you to easily spot critters that may not have rinsed off.

Toss together the tomatoes, onion, cucumber and tomatoes then pour the sauce mixture over top. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. This doesn't count against the freshness countdown, because we're now allowing the flavors to intermingle together in one big lovefest of flavor. If that's not fresh, I don't what else you'd call it.

Enjoy!

This recipe is my attempt to recreate a salad at a recent He`eia Fish Pond work day. If it tastes good, they get the credit. If you hate it, blame me.

I'm certainly not the first person to pair medjool dates with a little honey. Variations on this theme have been around since at least Roman times, when Apicius is reputed to have boiled dates in a mix of honey and rosewater, tinted them with saffron then spread them on trays of briarwood.

The recipe below is far easier to assemble than the ancient version, and adds a local twist by incorporating gingered honey from the Big Island. Not only does it avoid refined sugar, but the bite-sized portions make it easy to stop eating after reasonable amount. Unless you can't stop at one or two. Or six.

Medjool Dates with Ricotta and Gingered Honey

• medjool dates
• fresh ricotta - fresh goat cheese works equally well
• almonds, lightly toasted
• Rare Hawaiian Organic White Honey with Organic Ginger - or stir a small portion of freshly grated ginger into the honey of your choice

Slice the dates in half and discard the pits. Stuff each half with cheese, lightly press an almond into the cheese then dribble honey over the top. Serve with a spiced tea for a simple dessert.

Now I have a confession to make: the dates weren't my first attempt for Sugar Low Friday. I had a brilliant idea for an apple tart seasoned with this same gingered honey, but to say that it flopped is an understatement. The apples didn't cook like I'd hoped, the honey got lost and the whole wheat crust tasted like a punishment.

It was bad, truly awful.

I wouldn't subject anyone to that tart, not even my worst enemy. Well... maybe the person that stole my chair off the front porch. You know who you are, and I'm saving a tart slice with your name on it. The dates, however, I'm keeping all for myself.

Tagged with: SHF # 15 + Low Sugar

I thought I was done with the whole cookie plate thang, but then I made a casual comment to my mom that I missed having toffee at Christmas this year. Mom spoke to my Aunt Helene, the designated toffee maker in our clan, and then a few days later I found myself standing over a hot stove with Aunt Helene, learning all about her toffee. This recipe isn't fancy or elegant, but it's a childhood favorite of mine.

Aunt Helene's Toffee

• 1 c. butter
• 1 c. brown sugar
• 1/2 c. chopped pecans or walnuts
• Some, um, chocolate chips. I don't know how many, but less than a standard bag

Lightly grease an 8x8 pan, then sprinkle a tablespoon or two of nuts evenly across the bottom of the pan.

Heat butter and brown sugar in a saucepan over medium heat, until the temperature reaches a soft crack (270 degrees). Helene says this takes 15 minutes. Stir in all except 1-2 tablespoons of the nuts, then pour into the pan. Let the candy rest for one to two minutes, then evenly sprinkle chocolate chips over the surface until most of the toffee is lightly covered. Wait until the chocolate has melted, then smooth with a spatula and sprinkle with reserved nuts. Allow to cool completely before cutting into squares.

An old stand by, caramel corn can be stuffed into festive little bags as gifts alongside a cookie plate. Simple but loved.

Caramel corn

• 1 c. margarine, melted
• 2 c. brown sugar, packed
• 1/2 c. corn syrup
• 1 t. salt
• 1/2 t. baking soda
• 1 t. vanilla
• 8 quarts popped corn, without butter, salt, etc

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Melt margarine then mix in brown sugar, corn syrup and salt. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Let cook and gently boil for five minutes without stirring further. Remove from heat and stir in baking soda and vanilla. Pour mixture over pop corn and place in oven. Immediately turn heat down to 250 degrees and bake 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes.

Rosettes are a Scandinavian treat common around the holidays. Thin batter is deep fried in the shape of delicate snowflakes and stars, then dusted with sugar. You'd think frying process would make these heavy and oily but properly made, each are as light, airy and delightfully crisp.

Rosettes
Special equipment: a rosette iron, pictured below

• 2 eggs
• 1 c. flour
• 1 c. milk
• 1 t. sugar
• 1/4 t. salt
• 1/4 t. baking soda
• 1 can Crisco shortening
• marble sized piece of parrafin wax (in the canning section)
• sugar for dredging

Thoroughly mix eggs, flour, milk, sugar, salt and baking soda. Pour through a strainer to remove any lumps then refrigerate at least 2-3 hours. You don't want any bubbles in the batter, because they'll cause swiss cheese holes in your rosettes.

Heat the shortening and wax over moderate heat to about 370 degrees. You want it hot, but not too hot. You'll know you've got a good temperature, even without a thermometer, when it takes 30-45 seconds for a rosette to turn golden brown.

Warm the rosette iron in the oil then dip halfway down in to the batter. Don't let the batter come over the top side of the iron or you won't be able to get the rosette off in one piece. Pull the iron out of the batter and dip it back a second time. Place the battered iron in the hot oil and hold it there for 10-15 seconds, then lift it slightly to get the rosette to release and float free. Remove cooked rosettes to brown paper and let the oil drain off them. While still warm, dredge each rosette through a bowl of sugar. Store stacked in an airtight container lined with paper towels.

These cookies will be making an appearance on the cookie plates.

Stupid name; great tasting little cookie. My family has been making these at Christmastime for as long as I can remember.

• 1/3 c. butter
• 1/2 c. sugar
• 1 t. lemon peel, grated
• 1 t. vanilla
• 1 egg
• 2 T. milk
• 1 c. flour
• 1/2 t. baking powder
• 1/4 t. baking soda
• 1/4 t. salt
• 1/2 c. raisins, chopped
• 1/2 c. walnuts, chopped
• 2 1/2 c. Wheaties cereal, crushed
• About 20 candied cherries, cut into halves

Cream butter, sugar, lemon peel and vanilla. Mix in egg and milk. Sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a separate bowl, then mix into batter. Stir in raisins and nuts. Form small balls of dough using two spoons and coat in crushed Wheaties.

Place on an greased cookie sheet, and top each ball with a cherry, pushing halfway down into the dough. Bake at 400 degrees for 12 minutes. Cool slightly before removing to a wire rack.

These cookies will be making an appearance on the cookie plates.

Basically a peanut butter cookie topped with a Hershey's Kiss, these are particularly popular with kids. But then, what cookie isn't?

Kiss Cookies

• 1 3/4 c. flour
• 1 t. baking soda
• 1/2 t. salt
• 1/2 c. butter
• 1/2 c. creamy peanut butter
• 1/2 c. sugar
• 1/2 c. brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 t. vanilla
• 1 bag Hershey Kisses

Sift together dy ingredients. In a separate bowl, cream butter and peanut butter, then mix into dry ingredients. Mix in sugars, then finally mix in egg and vanilla.

Shape into small balls and place on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 - 15 minutes. Place a Hershey Kiss on top of each cookie, pressing it in slightly. Return cookies to the oven for another 2 - 5 minutes.

These cookies will be making an appearance on the cookie plates.

As if the Christmas season isn't busy enough already, my wife has decided we're giving plates of Christmas cookies to everyone who has been even a little bit nice to us this year. I actually thought this was a great idea... until we started baking. We've been working at it for days and have only enough cookies to give to half of Honolulu. Do I sound like a scrooge? Baking up holiday cheer is hard work!

We're filling our cookie plates with a mix of vintage family recipes, as well as new discoveries from the recent Virtual Cookie Swap (check out the wrap-up: part one and part two). I'll be posting a couple of the family recipes here so that I have a more permanent record this time and don't have to keep calling home for them. Mom, I'm sorry I'm giving your recipes away to the world, but after this you won't have to keep reciting the same ones to me year after year.

Candy Cane Cookies

Simple, almost kitsch, but people like 'em. I prefer the almond flavoring to the peppermint.

• 1 c. sugar
• 3/4 c. butter, softened
• 2 eggs
• 1 1/2 t. almond or peppermint extract
• 2 1/2 c. flour
• 1 t. baking powder
• 1/2 t. salt
• 1/2 t. red food coloring
• extra sugar for dusting the tops

Mix sugar, butter, eggs and almond (or peppermint) extract. Sift together dry ingredients and add to batter. Divide the dough in half and tint half with the red coloring. Cover and refrigerate at least one hour.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Take one teaspoon of each color and form into four to six inch ropes by rolling them back and forth alongside each other on a floured board. Lightly press the two ropes together and twist. Place on an ungreased cookie sheet and curve the top down to form the hook of the cane.

Bake 7-10 minutes, then dust with sugar while still warm. Let cool completely before removing from the cookie sheet.

These other family recipes will also be sharing the limelight on our cookie plates:
→ Caramel Corn
→ Cherry Winkies
→ Kiss Cookies
→ Frosted Gingerbread Cookies
→ Mandarin Orangettes (not really a family recipe)
→ Penuche
→ Rosettes
→ Spiced Nuts

Spiced nuts. When you're walking through the mall and the fresh aroma of spiced nuts grips you, it can be irresistable. Darla from Messy Cucina recently attempted to recreate those roasted nuts one finds in shopping malls, but they weren't quite what she remembered. I made an attempt of my own, and then gave up and called Mom. Of course she was able to dig into her files and pull out her own recipe for spiced nuts. These may not match your memory of spiced nuts from the mall, but that's because these taste even better.

According to Mom, this recipe originally appeared in the Pet Milk Book, a cookbook whose recipes all featured... wait for it... Pet Evaporated Milk. This was a more common marketing strategy in the earlier half of the twentieth century in which manufacturers issued their own cookbooks to boost sales. The proportions are from the original recipe, but the instructions are mother's.

Spiced Nuts

• 1 c. sugar
• 1/2 t. cinnamon
• 1/3 c. evaporated milk
• 1 1/2 c. pecans (or walnuts, almonds, etc.)
• 1/2 t. vanilla

Mix together the sugar and cinnamon, then add the evaporated milk. Heat to 236 degrees, stirring constantly, or until a few drops form a soft ball when dropped into cold water. Remove from heat.

Add nuts and vanilla. Stir until mixture can no longer be stirred. Turn out on wax paper and separate the nuts into small pieces with the fingers. This'll burn your finger tips, but must be done quickly before the candy fully hardens. They'll cool quickly, and are best eaten within a few days.

There are few dishes at a pā'ina that get people as excited as a big platter of laulau, those savory bundles of pork and fish nestled in taro leaves. We do love our laulau. Part of the excitement comes from a mistaken impression that preparing laulau is a complicated process, and must therefore be saved only for special occasions. That couldn't be further from the truth!. While you won't be assembling laulau every night of the week, they're easy enough that you can make them for more than just birthdays and graduations. The preparation of the inside ingredients is dead simple, and if you can wrap a gift, you can bundle a laulau for steaming.

No good records exist documenting the culinary origins of laulau, but the consensus is that it pre-dates Western contact. Early laulau contained pork and local fish rubbed with salt, wrapped in young taro leaves called lu`au. When the whaling industry arrived in force, they brought salted butterfish with them and it quickly became the "traditional" fish to use in laulau. The meat, fish and lu`au bundles were carefully wrapped in ti leaves then baked in an imu. Contemporary laulau remains essentially unchanged. If you order a Hawaiian plate lunch place, the laulau still contains pork, butterfish and lu`au. Common variations on the theme use chicken in place of pork, omit the butterfish, or add onions and other vegetables. For convenience, most laulau today are steamed on the stovetop rather than in an imu.

The recipe below makes 12 laulau. You can make far fewer of course, but once you setup an assembly line, the difference between making four and twelve is negligible. Leftover laulau (ha! as if...) can be frozen in their entirety and reheated on another day. Finally, laulau is a fantastic communal cooking event. Invite a friend or two over to help assemble!

Laulau
Prep time: less than 30 minutes
Cooking time: 4 hours!
Special equipment: a steamer large enough to easily accomodate a dozen laulau

• about 50 lu`au leaves
• 24 to 30 ti leaves
• 3 lbs. pork shoulder or butt. Don't trim any fat!
• 1.5 lbs. salted butterfish
• 2 T Hawaiian salt

Notes on the ingredients:

• Fresh spinach may be substituted for lu`au leaves, but reduce the cooking time to 90 minutes if you do. The flavor of spinach is similar enough, but not identical to lu`au.
• Banana leaves or even corn husks may be substituted for ti leaves.
• Salted (not smoked) salmon or cod may be used in place of salted butterfish. If all else fails, use fresh butterfish, salmon or cod, but add 1/3 t. extra Hawaiian salt per laulau.
• Kosher salt may be used in place of Hawaiian salt
• On the one hand, please feel free to substitute as needed. On the other hand, it is well worth a little extra effort to stick as close to the traditional preparation as is feasible. If you substitute everything, is it still laulau?

First, start with all your prep work. Wash the ti and lu`au leaves. Prepare your ti leaves, then set them aside. Remove the center stem and fibrous veins from each lu`au leaf. If you have tender, young lu`au, you may be fine leaving the veins intact. Optionally, dice and reserve the lu`au stems to use in the laulau.

Cut the pork into 12 pieces and rub with salt. Cut the fish into 12 pieces. Start heating a large steamer with water in the bottom. At this point, your prep work is done. Easy so far, eh?

Stack four to five lu`au leaves on a flat surface, with leaf tips pointing in different directions. Place a piece of pork in the center of the leaf stack, and then a slice of fish on top. If you've decided to use the reserved lu`au stems, add a tablespoon of diced stems. Fold the lu`au leaf to enclose the bundle, much like you would enclose a burrito or wrap.

You now need to choose a wrapping method, package style or Ho`okupu style. Wrap each laulau bundle in the style of your choosing, then place them in the steamer, stacking if necessary. Make sure to leave spaces between the laulau so that the steam can reach everywhere! Steam for four hours.

I like to present the laulau still wrapped on a large platter and allow the guests to open their own bundles, discarding the outer ti leaves and eating everything else. It's messier at the table to do it this way, but when that first wave of lu`au smell rises from a newly opened laulau, the excitement on people's faces is completely worth it.

Other good articles about laulau:
→ Laulau Legacy The Honolulu Star-Bulletin talks about making laulau, and a few of the possible variations.
→ Laulau 'Onokinegrindz scales his laulau recipe down to serve two.
→ Wow, Lau Lau! Mmm-yoso gets excited when laulau arrives through the mail.
→ For the love of laulau Another Star-Bulletin article about possible laulau variations. Sadly, no recipes included here.

This post is part of my Hawaiian luau series.