Korean Spicy BBQ Pork

Gaaaah!  Today is my last day of vacation.  Talk about a real bummer.  I guess my total house cleaning will need to wait until my next break.  Oops...I won't be around for the next big break, so we can put off house cleaning until winter vacation.

I spent a good chunk of the summer working, but I really cannot grumble about that because I have a bunch of trips planned, and the extra $ will come in handy.

The Ds made it safely back from Russia and Japan; it was always in the back of my mind that they would be detained in Russia so I'm very relieved.  D1 also made it safely back to AZ.  She seems to be settled into her new digs, although she was splitting her time between both places so she could help clean the kitchen.  I was proud to hear that she was doing her part and sharing in the move-out cleaning duties, but then it hit me...how come she never offered to clean the kitchen here?

I did manage to take a trip to Oahu during my vacation for my cousin's wedding.  KikukatDad came along, and we were lucky enough to stay with UMiles in his new home.  When I grow up, that's the kind of place I want to have....huge kitchen, lots of storage, and tons of bathrooms!  It would have been nice to play with my youngest relative, Cody, but he was attending a wedding in Long Beach that weekend.  Cody isn't even eating solid food yet, but the kiddo has logged in more traveling miles than many adults I know!  UMiles deserves a huge shout out.  Not only did he chauffeur us around, but he took the hit from KikukatDad for all kinds of stuff.  He did it all with a smile (and sometimes a head shake).

My cousin's wedding was absolutely gorgeous.  The ceremony was at her picturesque home on the windward side.  They were married at the poolside gazebo which had been decorated with tulle and fresh flowers.  She must've been a good girl because the weather held up just long enough for Judge Sakamoto to marry them.  We toasted the newlyweds with flutes of Prosecco and sparkling cider.  Then the sky opened up.

Thankfully, the reception was at Ruth's Chris Steak House on the other side of the island, so we were able to escape from the rain.  I enjoyed the reception immensely, as we were given the luxury of selecting our entree.  I could not pass up the rib eye.  Of course, it was just too large for me to finish.  KikukatDad could not finish his rib eye either.  UMiles chose the fish option, as he had just regaled KikukatDad and me with tales of how beef/anything from the cow is bad for the health.

So with summer vacation over, I plan to mope a bit over the next few days/weeks.  It's just something I do every year.  My classroom is still not set up, and I have no desire to rush in to get everything set.  I'm hoping that the kind folks who took down my room at the ending of the school year kept everything in good order.

I will definitely miss the warm days, hanging out on the patio, the smell of food on a hibachi, and not having to worry about lesson plans and meetings.  In spite of my battle with GERD at the beginning of summer, I did do a lot of good eating (I just couldn't eat much).  The Help and I visited Shiono a few times.  They make a great salmon skin salad.  I was fortunate enough to be invited over to dinner by a coworker.  She and her husband made us (me and The Keeper) okonomiyaki.  Their version was much better than what I had in Japan.  They used a generous amount of bacon and poured some really good sake alongside.  Thanks to The Keeper, I got my bon dance andagi fix, and along with Nakaz and DHS we even managed to squeeze in an MKB brunch.

I did some pretty good cooking too.  We enjoyed Caprese salad several times, thanks to the thriving basil in the whiskey barrel garden.  The Help and KikukatDad enjoyed some grilled spicy pork.  Because the pork is marinated, it can be prepared in advance.  The pork I purchase for this is sliced "teriyaki" style, so somewhere between 1/8"-1/4". 

click on recipe title for printable recipe

Korean Spicy BBQ Pork

     1 1/2 lb thin sliced pork (not paper thin!)

     1 tbsp grated ginger

     2 tbsp sugar

     1 tbsp sesame seeds, ground

     1 tbsp sesame seed oil

     4 tbsp kochujang

     2 tbsp green onions, chopped

     4 cloves garlic, minced

     1 tsp salt

Combine all ingredients except sliced pork.  Coat pork slices well and marinate at least 2 hours (overnight is best).  Grill pork slices.  Slice in strips to serve. 

BBQ Country Ribs

BBQ Country Ribs

     4 lbs country style spare ribs
     3/4 c sugar
     3/4 c catsup
     1/2 c shoyu
     1/2 c oyster sauce
     thumb-size ginger, divided
     1/4 tsp 5-spice powder
     1 tbsp orange marmalade
     sesame seeds

Boil ribs for 25 minutes with half of ginger (smashed).  Meanwhile, grate remaining ginger and combine with remaining ingredients.  Drain ribs well and place in shallow baking pan.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Pour sauce over ribs and bake for 1 1/2 hours, turning every 30 minutes.  Remove from pan and sprinkle with sesame seeds before serving.

BBQ Country Ribs

Kikukat and family would like to extend their condolences to the Lewis family of Fredericksburg, VA.  On Saturday, their eldest child William was fatally shot in Chicago while waiting for a bus.  Although Chicago police believe the shooting to be gang-related, they believe Wil was not the intended target.  Wil was a talented young man with a bright future.  He was only twenty-eight.

Although I've never met Wil, his dad, Joseph, is a friend.  Joe's day job is principal of Stafford Senior High School in Fredericksburg, VA.  Joe's other profession is a writer.  A few years ago, I was honored when Joe asked me to read his manuscript Stolen Lives, prior to meeting with his publishers.

Joe is also a blogger.  His most recent post, With Sadness (Sunday, July 13, 2014), on his blog, Simple Thoughts from a Complicated Mind, Sort of. . ., is so heartwrenching for me to read.  The agony a parent goes through when dealing with the death of a child is beyond comprehension.  Mr. Dependable once said, "A parent should not bury a child."  He has said a lot of stupid ass things, but that was something he actually got right.

The Ds have been traveling for over a week, and I miss them terribly.  Everytime I see their messy rooms I want to scream, but I still miss them.  I want to hug them real tight and tell them how much I love them.  I think Desi and Kennie miss them too.  At least once a day I'll see one of the kats walking out from the Ds wing [of the house].  Reading Joe's blog made me miss them even more. 

As much as I miss them, I can't waste time fretting over their absence, for my vacation clock is ticking.  This is the last Monday of summer vacation for me.  I need to make the most of my time left.  Most teachers officially begin the school year on July 28, but I begin on the 21st.  I feel like I've been working all summer, and lately, even if I'm not doing esy, I'm extra busy!

Last week was a busy week.  I was nice to The Help and bought him a tray of botamochi/ohagi.  After watching the Kenmin Show, all The Help could talk about was ohagi.  My friend's mom makes the best ohagi so I ordered some for The Help, his parents, and my parents.  That kept him quiet for a while.

I went in to work on Wednesday to meet and greet a new teacher.  I offered to help him get his keys and show him around.  He is new to the school but not new to teaching.  I hope he will enjoy his new home!  Actually, he should.  He is leaving a toxic situation, which will not get better unless. . .

I also enjoyed a nice lunch with Brucie, who just returned from a magical trip to England and Switzerland.  Sounds like he had a lot of fun, and thanks to him, I now have another three mugs for my collection.  Brucie is who I wanna be when I grow up!

After about a year, The Help and I made an attempt to make it back to Takenoko Sushi for lunch.  When I called a few weeks ago for a dinner reservation, they told me their next dinner opening was in August!  I couldn't wait that long.  Luckily, the wait for a lunch seating was only a week.  At the last moment, The Help gave up his seat for my parents (I was able to secure another seat), so I ended up going with them instead.  Like Sushi Sasabune, the best part of Takenoko is the omakase (chef's choice).  But unlike Sushi Sasabune, where you think you might get scoldings (or kicked out) for eating something incorrectly, Takenoko is more laid back.  Kikukat Dad tried uni (sea urchin) for the first time.  He said The Help can have his share from now on.  He said there was something stinky about it.  Kikukat Mom is not an adventurous eater, so she stuck with the basics:  unagi (eel), hamachi (yellowtail), toro (fatty tuna), and salmon.  Boring.  Kikukat Dad has a habit of inhaling his food, so we were outta there within 30 minutes.  I soooo could not savor and enjoy every bite.

This past Friday, The Help and I went to Kona to take his car to the doctor.  We had most of the morning to leisurely walk around Kona and explore.  I hate "exploring", as I've come to associate it as a term The Help uses when he is lost.  Unlike The Help, my sense of adventure is nil.  I don't like "exploring".  I like "finding".

We had lunch at The Fish Hopper, a restaurant near the Kailua pier.  Both of us had salads.  The Help had the Cobb salad, and I had the chicken macadamia salad.  I wasn't expecting much, but both of us thoroughly enjoyed our meals.  The Asian dressing on the chicken salad was perfect.  I did ask for it without papaya.  I should've asked them to hold the red onions too, but the onions were easy enough to pick out.  The Help's salad looked like it was full of bacon.  If it wasn't for the bleu cheese, I might have thought about ordering that too.

After my salad, I was looking forward to a hearty dinner (we made it home from Kona in the afternoon).  I was tired so it was a good thing we had lotsa leftovers in the fridge.  The Help came across a good sale Safeway was having on country ribs.  I generally don't buy country ribs (country style spareribs) because I tend to like my pork extra fatty (like bacon & hocks).  I suppose The Help couldn't help himself.  Nearly 8 lbs of country ribs cost under $20 with the Safeway club card.  8 lbs is a whole lotta meat, so I baked it with an Asian barbecue sauce because I knew the leftovers would be good.

BTW, the sauteed greens to the side of the meat in the top pic and the pic below is such a simple accompaniment to throw together. . .shredded savoy cabbage, ham slivers, and salt.  Saute until cabbage shows slight browning.  Place in a serving bowl and top with a generous sprinkle of parmesan cheese.

click on recipe title for printable recipe

BBQ Country Style Spareribs

     4 lbs country style spareribs

     1/2 c shoyu

     1/2 c oyster sauce

     3/4 c ketchup

     3/4 c sugar

     1 tbsp guava jelly or orange marmalade

     1/8 tsp 5-spice

     1/2" piece of ginger, grated

Boil country ribs for 1 hour.  Drain well and wash off scum.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Place ribs in large baking pan.  Combine remaining ingredients.  Pour over ribs.  Bake 1 1/2 hours.  Remove from pan and slice across the grain to serve.

R.I.P. William Lewis. . .may your light continue to shine.

Hibachi Food, Potluck Food: Bacon Pickle Hot Dog

It's that time of year. . .hibachi season!  The next few months will be filled with graduation parties, picnics, Fourth of July BBQs, off-to-college parties and, eventually, tailgating.  Uh-oh.  Tailgating reminds me that the next school year is just around the corner (and we haven't officially ended this one yet!).

The Help and I came to the decision that we need to replace our current outdoor grill in order to be in top shape for hibachi season.  After several surgeries, it's time to just start fresh.  Hopefully the Weber grills will be on special!  We are looking at Weber because the replacement parts are easier to find.  Home Depot, Wal-Mart and Target have some off-brands which, while well priced, are difficult to repair.  The Charmglow gas grill on the patio has been looking like Frankenstein's monster for a while.  It is time.

If you are having a barbecue (or invited to one), bacon pickle hot dog is a great contribution.  UJames neighbor, GarretK, made this for one of his parties.  Upon first glance, it didn't seem appetizing at all, but I was amazed at how the tart dill pickle enhances the smokiness of the bacon and hot dog.

click on recipe title for printable recipe

Bacon Pickle Hot Dog

hot dogs, preferably red (found in Hawaii)
bacon, 1 slice for each hot dog
pickle spears, sliced thin, 1 slice for each hot dog

Slit hot dogs lengthwise, but don't cut all the way through.  Slice pickle spears lengthwise into quarters, sixths, or eights, depending on girth of pickle.  Shove pickle slice into slit of hot dog.  Wrap hot dog with bacon slice.  Broil or grill until bacon is cooked.  Cut each hot dog wrap in half to serve.

This weekend was a big graduation week.  For the first time in over a decade, I attended commencement and watched with pride when my students received their diplomas.  It was a great feeling to be able to congratulate the seniors as they made their way back to their seats.  Even the distasteful sight of the poorest excuse for an administrator #yofadagotuin did not dampen the moment.  The tassel changing was definitely a chicken skin moment, and it made me realize that my place is with the students.  I haven't felt this excited about my job in years!

The following day, Saturday, graduation excitement touched my own family.  CP, the first-born of the next generation, graduated from high school!  Congratulations, hugs and kisses go out to him!  Although I wasn't able to make it to the commencement exercises, I made him a lei to commemorate his momentous occasion.  If only his grandfather could have been there. . .he would have been so proud. 

This weekend served as a bittersweet reminder that in a year, D1 will be participating in her own commencement exercises.  If I could give her one bit of advice, it would be, "Make the most of your senior year.  Once it is over, there is no turning back."

Toaster Oven Food: Baked Beans

Last week's post was cole slaw, a wonderful accompaniment to barbecue.  This week's post features another terrific side dish for 'cue:  baked beans.

If you grew up in Hawaii, especially if your family hails from plantation days, I'm almost certain canned Pork & Beans was served at some time in your home.  I often had it with cut-up hot dogs (red, of course).  Sometimes it was served alongside hot dogs (yes, red again) in buns.  When I lived in Honolulu, my roommate used to eat it with mayonnaise.  As she ate the pork & beans, she would mix in small amounts of mayonnaise (Best Foods, of course).  She said she learned to eat it that way from her dad.  She grew up in Kona (Holualoa, specifically), so maybe thats Kona style.

Although I ate pork & beans, I never thought it was anything special.  I didn't learn how to doctor it up until I was an adult.  Once again, playing league tennis in Hilo afforded the opportunity to sample this dish at one of the after-match potlucks.  Since that time, this is the baked beans I've made.  A bowl of this has been taken on fishing trips to the southern part of the Big Island:  Honomalino, Kahuku Ranch, Kapoho.  It was requested by one of Mr. Dependable's friends, a fucking idiot who promised me a mu (bigeye emperor fish) in exchange for this.  I guess I'm the bigger idiot.  I made the beans and never got the mu.

Two weeks ago, I began a new posting category, "Toaster Oven Food".  These are dishes which I can prepare in my toaster oven (Cuisinart).  Of course, all of these dishes can be done in a conventional oven as well. This baked beans recipe will easily fit in a toaster oven.  You may need to play around a bit with the casserole dish/pan you use.  Its just nice to know you can do this without heating up a huge oven and racking up the kilowatts.

click on recipe title for printable recipe

Baked Beans

     3 cans (about 15 ounces each) Pork & Beans
     1 small onion, diced
     1 portuguese sausage, diced
     1/2 lb bacon, diced
     1 tbsp instant coffee crystals
     1/2 c ketchup
     2 tbsp shoyu
     1 tsp white vinegar
     3/4 c brown sugar

Fry onion, portuguese sausage, and bacon.  Drain fat.  Place pork & beans in a large bowl.  Add coffee, ketchup, shoyu, vinegar, and brown sugar.  Add bacon mixture.  Stir well.  Place in a 2 1/2 quart casserole dish.  At this point, beans can be refrigerated overnight.  Bake at 300 degrees for 30-45 minutes (45-60 minutes if refrigerated overnight).

Shaka continues to charm us with his antics.  The Help swears Shaka has been saying "hello" and making obnoxious burping sounds.  Most of his talking seems to happen in the morning, when I'm not home.  Aki is growing into his role as older brother.  He loves flying over to Shaka's cage in the morning.

Shaka

Crocodile Dundee stopped by on Wednesday afternoon with a package for me (courtesy of The Help).  It replaces the 2-waffle Krups Belgian waffle maker I've been using.  The Help thought it was taking too long to make waffles with making just 2 at a time.  His reasoning was that he could eat sooner with 4-waffles at a time.  We tested it out this weekend. . .recipes to come later.

top view

open

And for anyone out there keeping track, there are 15 days of school left in the school year...Zone adults have 18 days left.  I have 17 days left since I'm on personal leave today, preparing treats for BOTH Ds to take to a K-Kids potluck. D2 volunteered for cupcakes, and D1 decided to bring rainbow jello.

There will be big changes happening.  Soon it will be time to pack my stuff. . .

Ribbies are not for Rottweilers: Baby Back Ribs or Spareribs

Last week was supposed to be a short work week, but it felt like forever. It felt like an endless sea of meetings.  AND, I even went to work on Friday evening and Saturday! 

I'm still trying to recover from my cold, and I'm using that as an excuse for why I haven't made gao yet.  D1 tells me that some people at her school are eagerly awaiting their share. . .3 adults and a student.  I know, I know.  I need to get off my lazy ass and make some gao.  I already got the wong tong!

Actually, I did have a pretty good reason for postponing the gao making.  I was diagnosed with pink eye on Wednesday.  I've been on the drops a few days, so I'm no longer contagious.  Maybe next weekend.  Oops, no, not next weekend.  I need to work again.  Hopefully I will make gao before the year of the horse begins!

I was supposed to go to see Dr. KO this month, but because of my schedule, I postponed the visit to the beginning of march.  Off-hand, I know I've been pretty good this time.  Prior to getting sick, I was doing a fair amount of walking daily, and I was back to the oatmeal-for-breakfast gig.  I even stayed away from the Foodland deli fried chicken.  I think its the impending medical appointment that has me on this cholesterol kick (which began last week Thursday, at 5:40 am, after my fasting blood test).  I placed an order for a bag of smoked meat, ordered a smoked meat & onions plate lunch (with potato macaroni salad) and I even managed to make a huge pot of ashitibichi (Okinawan pig trotters soup).  Brucie, you there?  Have I lost you?

Anyway, since I'm on a cholesterol kick, why quit now?  Actually, this week's post is not so much about a recipe or ingredients as it is about a technique. . .a technique which has never failed me in two decades.  My family loves ribs, especially baby backs.  We've ordered it in restaurants and have been disappointed when the ribs were not cooked properly.  It just bugs the shit outta me when the meat is stuck fast to the bone and only a rottweiler could gnaw it off.  Ugh!  Ribs which are cooked right have meat which falls off the bone with the slightest tug.  "Rawhide" and "leather" should not be words which com to mind when eating ribs!

click on recipe title for link to printable recipe

Ribs

     1 rack of ribs
     2" piece of ginger, smashed
     1 c barbecue sauce

Place ribs in a stock pot with enough water to cover ribs.  Add ginger.  Poach ribs in water for 1 hour (not necessary for water to be boiling the entire time).  Discard water and ginger.  Place ribs in a flat pan.  Brush ribs all over with barbecue sauce.  Reserve leftover sauce.  Cover pan with foil.  Bake at 275 degrees for 1 hour.  Cut ribs into 2-3 rib segments.  Grill rib segments, basting generously with remaining barbecue sauce.

My cholesterol kick extended way beyond just my eating habits. Finding out a while after it happened, one of my email accounts spent two days sending out spam to my contacts.  Unfortunately, no rice went out, so there was no Spammabi opportunity.  I re-did my account, so I'm hoping this embarrassing episode is behind me.  Most of the spam (that I'm aware of) was an advertisement for raspberry weight loss pills.  Interestingly, one of the recipients thanked me for the suggestion and said she was going to order some because her clothes are tight.

Almost Boots & Kimo's: Pulehu Short Ribs

Summer vacation for me will be over in three weeks, and I have no plans in sight for a Honolulu trip.  Sigh.  I've spent so much time on the road this summer that I think I could've easily driven to Oahu and back!  Double sigh.

I guess I need to celebrate small victories of the first half of summer:  clearing the dining table (it remained clean for a day), swimming in water colder than 87 degrees, biting the bullet and buying the handheld cordless Dyson.  I would also like to recognize Kennie for protecting our family again and killing that ugly centipede.
 
Hilo weather has been, well, typical Hilo weather.  We had a few days of solid sunshine, followed by the second coming of winter... not kidding.  I'm going to be positive and hope that more sunny days will be in the forecast before I need to head back to work.  I love sunny days because that means its hibachi time...time to heat those ManGrates and start grilling.  My favorite grilled food (yes, even more favorite than rib eye steak) is pulehu short ribs. 

In 2005, some nice coworkers took me to breakfast at a hole-in-the wall in Kailua, Oahu:  Boots & Kimo's.  I ordered corned beef hash, but they insisted I try the macadamia nut pancakes and pulehu short ribs.  Once again, there I was, wishing I had ordered something else.

I never considered pulehu short ribs to be a breakfast food, but I'm no longer a doubter.  Of course, pulehu short ribs are good for any meal, and my recipe for pulehu short ribs definitely represents.  While it may not taste exactly like Boots & Kimo's, it can definitely hold its own.  Btw, pulehu is a Hawaiian word meaning to roast over a fire.

This recipe uses the same cut of short ribs used for khal bi (korean broiled short ribs), the flanken cut.  For more info on the different short rib cuts, click here.  For this recipe, do not be tempted to buy the boneless variety.  It just won't taste as good without the bones.

The picture on the left is a family pack of short ribs.  If you are worried about cholesterol, it might be a good idea to save this recipe for your periodic splurge because short ribs are a fatty cut.

If anyone out there has a good copycat recipe for the real star of Boots & Kimo's (the macadamia nut pancakes), please post a comment so we can discuss your price!

 click on recipe title for printable recipe
Pulehu Short Ribs

     3-4 lbs short ribs

     2 tbsp sugar

     2 tbsp rock salt

     3 tbsp shoyu

     1 1/2 tsp sesame oil

     1/4 tsp shichimi togarashi powder

Combine all ingredients (except short ribs).  Rub mixture onto both sides of short ribs.  Let stand at 30 minutes to 1 hour.  Grill on both sides.

We celebrated a belated Father's Day with The Rents at Hilo Bay Cafe.  Grampy ordered some wheat beer which he said was unreal sour.  I personally think they played the Jedi Mind Trick on him with the lemon slice on the glass.  Nevertheless, it took two silver bullets to wash the sour taste from his mouth. 

The Ds with their favorite victim.