'Ono Kine Grindz

Virtual Vacation - San Francisco, CA

Many, many years ago, in fact, too many years than I care to remember, a young boy took his first trip away from home.  It wasn't just a camping trip, or a slumber party, but a journey that took him more 3,000 miles away in an airplane.

Just what goes through your mind at age five?  Who can remember what I felt all those years ago.  But I do remember the fog, the crisp cool air, the ferry to Alcatraz and the seagulls; Fisherman's wharf, the cable car ride and the chowder from Scoma's.  After that first trip with my grandmother, it became almost an annual event.  My next trip was at 7, then again at age 8.  By then, I could almost taste the hot chocolate at Ghirardelli as soon as I stepped off the plane AND I couldn't wait to step inside Emporium Capwell.

Then just last year, more than 30 years after my first visit to San Francisco, I made a journey there again after being away from the city for about 5 years.  The city had changed and there were lots of places to see.  One place in particular piqued my interest -- the Ferry Building Marketplace.  It was there, and on this visit, that I discovered the Slanted Door.

In recent years, my tastes have changed.  A couple of years ago, you couldn't even get me to walk into a Vietnamese restaurant, let alone say that it was some of the best food that I had ever had.  On this recent visit to San Francisco, I had tried hard to obtain a table at the Slanted Door, but to no avail.  It was booked solid and on the last day of my stay in San Francisco, I decided to drop in as the restaurant opened, hoping that I would be able to secure a table.

As luck would have it, many other people arrived early too.  I guess they had hoped on getting a table too since it was impossible to make a reservation.  What happened next?  Well, let's just say that I got a table and had some fabulous food, including a sublime dish of stir fried cellophane noodles with fresh Dungeness crab meat.  BUT, the dish that made want to go back AND to this day has me dreaming of my next visit to San Francisco has got to be the shaking beef (bò lúc lac).

I've ordered this dish several times at a few local Vietnamese restaurants and it just isn't the same.  Maybe it's the ultra tender filet mignon that's used here, or maybe it's the lime juice-based dipping sauce.  Whatever it is, it's driving me crazy!  Well, not really...  In any event, I was surfing on the web one day and decided to see if I could locate a recipe for the Slanted Door's shaking beef.  I came across this post at Bay Area Bites, tried the recipe posted in the comments, made some adjustments and came up with this.

  Shaking beef
  (bò lúc lac)

  Marinade

  1 t sugar
  1/2 t salt
  1/2 t black pepper
  1 T vegetable oil

  1 lb steak, cubed
  1 red onion, sliced
  green onions, chopped
  2 t minced garlic
  2 t unsalted butter

NOTE
I used New York steak, fresh ground black pepper and coarse Hawaiian sea salt.

Sauce

1/4 c rice vinegar
1 t sugar
2 1/2 T mirin
2 1/2 T light soy sauce
1 t dark soy sauce
1/2 t fish sauce (nuoc mam)

Dipping Sauce

juice from 2 limes
1 t salt
fresh ground black pepper

Garnish

Watercress

Combine sugar, salt, fresh ground black pepper and vegetable oil in a bowl and mix well.  Add cubed steak, toss to coat, then cover and refrigerate for a minimum of 2 hours.

Combine all ingredients for the sauce in a bowl, mix well and set aside.

Combine all ingredients for the dipping sauce in a bowl, mix well and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Heat a wok over high heat until smoking, adding just enough vegetable oil to coat the surface of the wok.  Add in beef and cook for about a minute before turning.  Add in minced garlic and allow to cook for another 30 - 45 seconds.  Next add in sauce and "shake" the wok to release the beef.  Add in butter, red onions and green onions (no green onions this time) and cook until butter is melted (about 30 seconds or so).  Remove the wok from heat and transfer beef to a plate that has been garnished with watercress. 

Serve with a dish of dipping sauce and a hot, crusty loaf of French bread (or a bowl of rice).

While this recipe didn't produce the exact same result, it was still delicious.  I'm still trying to fine tune the recipe to suit my tastes, but I'm glad that I found it.  I'm also happy to have experienced the food at the Slanted Door, but sad that I can't induldge more often.

Haupia

This will the my final post in my Hawaiian lu'au series.  For those of you who have joined me over the past week, I hope this weeks' recipes have provided an insight into food served at a traditional Hawaiian lu'au.  In addition to the dishes that were shown here, there are many others that you are likely to find at lu'aus -- poke, poi, steamed 'ulu and even pineapple upsidedown cake.  If there are any additional recipes that you'd like to have, please send me an e-mail.

Mahalo!

--------------------------------------------------

Haupia is a coconut pudding-like dessert that you will find served at any lu'au or Hawaiian food restaurant.  More like a gelatin-based dessert, rather than a pudding, haupia is usually served cut into squares for easy eating.  The trick here is to get the smoothest possible texture for your haupia while maintaining the rich coconut flavor and subtle sweetness.  For me, the best haupia uses the least amount of sugar to accent the natural sweetness of the coconut.

Haupia

1/4 cup sugar*
1/2 cup cornstarch
3/4 cup lukewarm water
2 cups fresh coconut milk*

**NOTE**

• Instead of fresh coconut milk, you can use frozen coconut milk that has been defrosted or canned coconut milk.
• If using frozen coconut milk, or canned coconut milk, use approximately 1/3 to 1/2 cup sugar.
• More sugar may be added depending on your personal preference.  I start with 1/4 cup and if needed, increase by the tablespoon.

In a mixing bowl, combine sugar and cornstarch and mix well.  Add water and stir until sugar and cornstarch are dissolved.  Set aside.

In a heavy bottomed pot, heat cook the coconut milk on low heat until warmed through.  Add in the sugar/cornstarch/water mixture, stirring constantly until thickened (about 5-7 minutes).  Pour into a 8" square pan and refrigerate until firm, about 4-5 hours (overnight is best).

Cut into squares and enjoy!

Lomilomi Salmon

With the passing of time, commercial fishermen made their way to Hawaii bringing with them some new flavors.  On their frequent, but long journeys overseas, these fishermen usually had some type of salted fish on board their ships.  The Hawaiian people incorporated some of these new flavors together to create a few new dishes for the lu'au spread -- one of these being lomilomi salmon.  A truly fusion style dish, lomilomi salmon combines salted salmon and tomatoes for the ultimate "side salad".

Lomilomi salmon (serves two)

1 large tomato, diced
2 ounces salted salmon*, diced
1/2 cup crushed ice
2-3 stalks green onions, chopped

**NOTES**

• If salted salmon is not available, substitute fresh salmon and a quarter teaspoon Hawaiian salt.
• If you'd like, a Maui onion may be chopped and added to this dish.  If Maui onions are not available, substitute using a sweet onion such as Walla Walla.
• For a spicy kick, try adding a finely chopped Hawaiian chili pepper or two.  If Hawaiian chili peppers are not available, substitute with a choped bird's eye chilli.

Soak salted salmon in water overnight.  Rinse salmon well and dice.  Place in a small bowl with crushed ice.  Add diced tomatoes and chopped green onions, then gently "lomilomi" (masssage) by hand until well combined.

To be continued...

Chicken Long Rice

Based loosely upon a dish of Chinese origin, the flavor of chicken long rice can take some getting used to.  The slippery long rice noodles, ginger and green onions give this dish an Asian flair, making this dish an interesting, and usually popular, one at lu'aus.  Although many different ingredients may be added to enhance the flavor of this dish, l like to keep the taste pure and simple.

Chicken long rice (serves two)

One bundle long rice (about one-two ounces)
1 to 1 1/2 cups chicken broth*
1 chicken thigh, boiled, deboned and shredded
1 1/2" length of ginger, sliced and smashed
2 stalks green onion, chopped

**NOTE**

• I normally use low-sodium chicken broth.  The amount of broth used depends on the amount of noodles used.  Ideally, this should not be like soup, but there should be just enough broth to allow the noodles to "float".
• If desired, you can use other vegetables in this dish such as shiitake mushrooms, carrots, celery and onions.
• If a large portion of chicken long rice is being made, use mini drumettes for an interesting presentation.  I also find mini drumettes to be more flavorful.
• Dish may also be seasoned with salt, white pepper and/or shoyu.

Soak long rice for 45 minutes in warm water.  Drain long rice, rinse well, then cut into short strands.

Add chicken broth, ginger and chicken to a pot, then bring to a boil.  Turn down to simmer and add long rice.  Simmer for approximately 10 minutes, or until noodles are done (they should turn transparent).

Remove from heat, transfer to serving bowls and garnish with chopped green onions.

To be continued...

Laulau

When I was much younger, we would eat Hawaiian food once a month at Helena's.  In my opinon, Helena's serves some of the finest Hawaiian food in the Islands.  Back in those days, wrapped inside the laulau, was a huge chunk of fat and a small piece of salted butterfish which were both used to flavor the laulau.  These days, the fat is gone, but the small piece of salted butterfish is still there.  The pork, salted butterfish and lu'au leaves make this a staple at any authentic lu'au.

Laulau (makes two)

1/2 pound lu'au leaves* (about 8-10)
2 1-ounce pieces salted butterfish*
1/3 pound pork*, cut into chunks
4 ti leaves, to wrap laulau
Hawaiian salt, to taste (if desired)

**NOTE**

• If lu'au leaves are not available, use spinach leaves.
• More lu'au leaves can be used if desired.  However, I don't recommend using more than 6 or 7 leaves for each laulau.
• If salted butterfish is unavailable, use fresh butterfish and add 1/2 teaspoon Hawaiian salt to each laulau.
• For more flavor, add a chunk of pork fat to each laulau.
• A small chicken thigh with the skin intact, or chunks of beef may be used as a substitute for pork, if desired.

Remove ribs from ti leaves (leave stem intact), then rinse well and pat dry.  Set aside.

Rinse lu'au leaves well and trim, removing stem and ribs.  Place lu'au leaves into piles of four-five leaves each, then place pork (or chicken/beef) in the center of each pile of lu'au leaves and top with a piece of salted butterfish.  Wrap lu'au leaves tightly around the filling, keeping the "gathered" end on the bottom of the "parcel".  (If using spinach, use as many leaves as necessary to wrap the filling completely.)

Arrange two ti leaves into an "+", then place a parcel in the center.  Gather the ends of the ti leaves together to create a "bundle".  Take one of the stem ends and wrap around the rest of the leaves securing the bundle by tying it in a knot.  If your leaves are too small, use kitchen twine to tie the ti leaves together.

Place inside a steamer basket and steam for one hour and thirty minutes.  Check the steamer often to make sure there is enough water.  (If using spinach, the laulau should be steamed for 40 - 50 minutes.)

Unwrap laulau from ti leaves to serve.  Serve with some Hawaiian salt and chili pepper water.

To be continued...

Squid Lu'au

One of my favorite Hawaiian dishes is this one called squid lu'au.  It's made by cooking lu'au leaves (young taro leaves) and squid in coconut milk until the leaves are tender.  People often mistake this dish for baby food, but I think it almost looks like creamed spinach.  The tender lu'au leaves and creamy coconut milk give this an irresistibly savory sweetness.

Squid lu'au (makes approximately two servings)

1/2 pound fresh lu'au leaves*
1 small squid (calamari)*, cleaned and cut into rings
1/2 teaspoon Hawaiian salt*
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1/2 cup coconut milk*
sugar*, to taste

**NOTE**

• If Hawaiian salt is not available, use kosher or rock salt.
• If lu'au leaves are not available, spinach is an acceptable substitute.  Use approximately 1 1/2 to 2 cups fresh spinach leaves.
• Fresh squeezed coconut milk/cream is best.  Start with about a half cup, add more based on your personal preference.
• Depending on the natural sweetness of the coconut milk, you may not need to use sugar.  If sugar is necesssary, start with one teaspoon.
• Lu'au leaves contain a high concentration of calcium oxalate which can cause intense irritation of your mouth, tongue and throat.  This is why the lu'au leaves must be cooked for a minimum of an hour.
• If you don't like squid, chicken makes an excellent substitute.  Use one boneless chicken thigh cut into thin strips.

Fill a large pot with water and bring to a rolling boil.  While waiting for the water to boil, rinse lu'au leaves then trim, removing stems and ribs.  Add Hawaiian salt and lu'au leaves to the pot, then reduce heat to simmer. Simmer for one hour.  (If you are using spinach, you can skip this step.)

While the lu'au leaves are simmering, clean and cut your squid (or chicken) into thin strips.  Set aside.

When the lu'au leaves are done, drain, rinse and squeeze to remove excess water. 

Heat butter in a small heavy bottomed pot and gently sauté squid until almost cooked through (about 5 minutes). Add coconut milk, lu'au leaves and sugar to the pot and cook on low heat, stirring constantly for about 30 minutes.  Dish into individual bowls and serve.

To be continued...

Kalua Pig

In the week ahead, I'll be posting recipes that will allow you to re-create your own Hawaiian lu'au experience at home.  No, hula dancers and leis are not included, however, you will be able to impress your spouse, your significant other, or your friends by providing them with an authentic (well, almost) Hawaiian feast.

When feasible, the recipes provided will be tailored to serve two people for a romantic evening under the stars, or an afternoon picnic at the beach.  Recipes can be increased incrementally to suit the number of people that you are trying to feed, and if you need help, just ask.  I hope you enjoy the series. 

This particular post is being done in conjunction with Kirk at mmm-yoso!!!.  He is a displaced Islander who currently resides in San Diego, California.  Read his post, including detailed photos and instructions, here.

Aloha!

--------------------------------------------------

Kalua pig is one of the mainstays of a traditional Hawaiian lu'au.  Cooking of the pig is traditionally done in an underground pit called an imu.  A pig is normally cleaned and gutted, then filled with hot lava rocks before being wrapped with ti leaves (or banana leaves) and lowered into an imu to cook.  Since many of us don't have the luxury of cooking a pig for an entire day in a pit dug into our backyards, the following recipe will provide you with a similar flavor.

Kalua pig (makes approximately 6 servings)

3 pound pork butt* (well marbled)
1 1/2 tablespoons liquid smoke*
Hawaiian salt*, to taste
6-8 ti leaves*, ribs removed

**NOTE**

• You may also choose another cut of pork if desired.  For a healthier version, use tenderloin.
• I use Wright's® Liquid Smoke.  Use mesquite for a milder flavor, or hickory for a more smokey flavor.
• If Hawaiian salt is not available, use kosher or rock salt.  I normally start with about 2 tablespoons.
• Banana leaves may be substituted if ti leaves are not available.

Preheat oven to 325º F.

Trim visible fat from the pork butt, then score the meat on all sides.  Rub with Hawaiian salt, then with one tablespoon liquid smoke.  Wrap the pork butt with ti leaves, or banana leaves, then tie with cooking twine to secure.

Place wrapped pork into a roasting pan, then add two cups water.  Add some Hawaiian salt and 1/2 tablespoon of liquid smoke to the water, then cover the pan with aluminum foil and roast for approximately 2 to 2 1/2 hours or until the internal temperature reaches 170º F.

Remove the leaves, then shred the pork, allowing it sit in the pan juices for approximately 15 minutes prior to serving.

Use the above instructions if you want to cook the pork using your oven.  On this particular occasion, my kalua pig was cooked in a crock pot.  To cook using your crock pot use the following instructions: Place the wrapped pork in a crock pot, add about an inch of water and cook on low while you're at work (at least 8 hours).  Come home, remove leaves, shred pork and eat.  Now isn't that easy?

The left over kalua pig can be used in sandwiches, or stir-fried with cabbage and a little shoyu to create another Island favorite -- kalua pig with cabbage.

To be continued...

Bakwan Kepiting (crab and pork ball soup)

When I visited Singapore earlier in the year, I was was lucky enough to sample quite a number of Nyonya, or Peranakan, dishes.  One of my favorites was bakwan kepiting.  It is a "meatball" made of crab, pork and bamboo shoots and is served in a clear soup that is very light tasting.  Tonight, I decided to make this for dinner.  The inspiration for this recipe came from "Shiok!  Exciting Tropical Asian Flavors" by Terry Tan and Christopher Tan. 

Bakwan Kepiting (crab and pork ball soup)
(makes about 18 "meatballs")

2 7-ounce cans crab meat, drained
10 ounces ground pork
4 cloves of garlic, minced
4 cloves of garlic, lightly smashed
1/2 teaspoon table salt
1 teaspoon sea salt
3/4 teaspoon white pepper
1 teaspoon soy sauce
4 stalks Chinese parsley, finely chopped
thinly sliced bamboo shoots*
vegetable oil, for frying garlic

*I used half a package of fresh bamboo shoots that was 150 grams in weight.  A little more than half went into the meatball mixture and the remainder went into the boiling water.

Bring 6-8 cups of water to a boil in a large stock pot.  Add 4 cloves of lightly smashed garlic and one teaspoon sea salt to the boiling water.  (You can also add some soy sauce as well.)

In a small pan, stir-fry minced garlic with a little vegetable oil until lightly browned.  Remove from heat and set aside.

In a small bowl, combine crab meat, ground pork, salt, white pepper, soy sauce, Chinese parsley and a small handful of chopped bamboo shoots.  Add in stir-fried garlic, including the oil, and mix until well combined.

Using your hands, form small "meatballs" and drop into boiling water.  After all the "meatballs" have been added to the water, turn down to simmer, then add in the remaining sliced bamboo shoots.  When "meatballs" float to the surface, they are done (about 5 minutes).

Serve hot and top with additional chopped Chinese parsley, if desired.

Enjoy!

Perkedel Jagung (Indonesian corn fritters)

Here is a recipe for perkedel jagung (corn fritters) that was passed to me by an Indonesian friend's mother.  There is one ingredient missing from this recipe as I could not decipher a few words on the handwritten recipe card.  If anyone spots a glaring omission in the recipe, please let me know (I am not too sure, but I think it could be galangal).  To me, this version is a lot more flavorful than the version that I had at the Taste of Honolulu earlier in the year.  This is easy to make and is an excellent appetizer.

Perkedel Jagung (Indonesian corn fritters)
(makes betwen 8-10 "fritters")

3 ears fresh corn, kernels removed from the cob
1 tablespoon chopped Chinese leeks (garlic chives)
1 egg, beaten
2 tablespoons rice flour
vegetable oil for frying

Spice paste

1 teaspoon coriander seeds, lightly toasted
1 teaspoon black peppercorns
6 shallots, minced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon rock salt
1 tablespoon granulated sugar

Combine the coriander seeds, black peppercorns, shallots, garlic, rock salt and sugar in a mortar and pound until a smooth paste is formed.  Set aside.

In a bowl, lightly pound corn, then add in spice paste mixing until well combined.  Add in Chinese leeks, then add in the rice flour and toss to coat evenly.  Add in beaten egg and stir until well blended.

Drop by the spoonful into hot oil and fry until golden brown, about 2-3 minutes.  Remove and drain well.

Enjoy!

Menchi Katsu

I really like croquettes and since I've been trying to eat at home more often during the week, I decided to make some.  Menchi katsu, is a type of croquette made from minced meat -- usually beef or pork.  This is an easy dish that can be prepared quite quickly and it's quite tasty.
 

Menchi Katsu

3/4 pound ground beef
2 large eggs
1 small onion, chopped
1/3 cup breadcrumbs
1 tablespoon mayonaisse
salt
white pepper
garlic powder
flour
panko
oil

Mix together ground beef, one egg, breadcrumbs, onion and mayonaisse by hand until the mixture comes together in a sticky ball. Season with salt, white pepper and garlic powder to taste.

Roll into balls, then flatten slightly.  I used an ice cream scoop, but the size is normally determined by how large you want the croquettes to be.  Dip each "patty" in flour, then in egg, finishing with panko. Fry in vegetable oil until golden brown. Drain well, then serve with katsu sauce.

I used a bottled katsu sauce here, but you can make your own at home using a few simple ingredients.  There are no measurements, but this should be made according to your own taste.  Here is the list of ingredients:

ketchup
Worcestershire sauce
sugar
rice wine vinegar
garlic powder
shoyu

Start with about 1/4 cup ketchup and 2-3 teaspoons of Worcestershire sauce.  Add the rest of the ingredients according to taste.

Enjoy!