Tea eggs

Happy May Day!  I can't believe it's already May.  In a few weeks, D1 will be home.  I hope she is able to power through her final exams.  She probably doesn't realize how much I stress over her.  It's probably more stressful than when I was in college.

May is also the month of Mother's Day.  Things will be different this year.  In honor of my mom (and D1's homecoming), the recipe for this month is tea eggs.  My mom enjoyed having these to snack on, and D1 loves them too.  The picture above is how I would serve the eggs if I was having a potluck.  The star anise and stray tea leaves look striking among the bronze-colored eggs.  I saw a similar recipe on the internet which called for a cinnamon stick, so I tried making a batch with the cinnamon stick.  It was okay, but I prefer it without the cinnamon.

A nice thing about tea eggs is that they don't need any additional seasoning (no need to carry a salt shaker).  The eggs are flavored during the simmering.  Be prepared for a beautiful surprise when the shells come off.

Tea Eggs

click on recipe title for printable recipe

     6-8 eggs
     2 tbsp pu'erh or black tea
     1/2 c shoyu
     2 tsp salt
     2 tsp sugar
     3 star anise
     1 strip orange peel

Bring water to a boil in a small saucepan.  Gently slip eggs into boiling water and set timer for 11 minutes.  Meanwhile, prepare an ice water bath.  When timer rings, use a slotted spoon to transfer eggs to ice water.  Add remaining ingredients to water in saucepan.  Stir to dissolve salt and sugar.  When eggs are cool enough to handle, use the back of a spoon to gently crack eggs all over.  Do not remove shells.  Return cracked eggs to saucepan.  Add water to cover eggs by at least 1/2".  Simmer eggs for 1 hour.  Drain and serve.

Li Hing Cucumbers

I'm baaaaack!

I took an extended vacation to attend to my ailing mother.  Unfortunately, KikukatMom had some insurmountable health issues.  She passed away peacefully.  I'm glad she did not suffer long.

Since then, KikukatDad has been having dinner here.  I don't mind; I know he is lonely, and I know how difficult it can be to cook for one person.

Li Hing Cucumbers

     1 lb seedless cucumbers
     1 tbsp salt
     1/4 c sugar
     2 li hing mui

Slice cucumbers into spears.  Pack in jar with remaining ingredients.  Chill overnight before eating.

Auntie's Chinese Salad Sauce

Memorial Day. . . a day to remember the brave men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice for freedom. 

Memorial Day weekend also marks the unofficial start of the picnic/outdoor eating/beach-going season.  Treat yourself to a refreshing salad to kick off summer. 

Many years ago, my auntie gave me this recipe, and we've been using it in our salad dressing rotation.  This dressing is strong, so my recommendation is to dress greens lightly.  Feel free to add won ton chips for additional crunch or throw in leftover chicken pieces for a chicken salad variation.

 click on recipe title for printable recipe

Auntie's Chinese Salad Sauce

     1 1/2 tbsp peanut oil
     1 1/2 tbsp sesame oil
     1/2 tsp peanut butter
     2 tbsp plum sauce
     1 tbsp sugar
     3 tbsp rice vinegar
     1 tsp salt
     1/4 tsp black pepper

Combine all ingredients and blend well.  Serve with mixed greens.
 

Oyster Sauce Chicken

I made sure this week was better than last.  For starters, I stayed out of work for 2 days.  Actually, both days were planned well in advance of last week.  I had an appointment on one day, and I had to be on the other side of the island for the other day.  I'm sure nothing catastrophic happened while I was gone, but I did miss the annual May Day Program.  Bummer because my school is knows for putting on a kick-ass program.  During my very first year at the school, I was blown away by what a monumental production it was.  The musicians were the musicians at a local halau, and the program was like a mini version of the Merrie Monarch Festival.  It was unreal.  Over the years, some of the fanfare has subsided, but it's still an awesome program.

Another thing that made this week better was dinner.  I did a repeat performance of Mississippi Roast.  I know there are a bunch of pins on Pinterest, but this is the recipe which I use.  Next time I will throw in a few move peperoncini.  The Help likes to eat them.

Of course the main reason why this week was better was D1's return.  She brought a big, heavy suitcase home!  I couldn't believe what she packed in there. She also used those Ziploc compressed bags to really pack a lot of clothing.  I have no clue why she didn't take more things to the storage unit I rented for her, but I'm not gonna spend too much time trying to understand what goes on in her little head.  I'm just happy she is home.

On the way home from the airport, we stopped at Noodle Club in Kamuela.  Noodle Club was a hit with D1 and the Rents.  KikukatDad was skeptical of the place when he heard it was one of D2's favorite restaurants.  He said D2 is one of 2 people whose opinion on what good food is remains extremely suspect to him.  The other is CAE!  Anyway, both D1 and KikukatDad loved the KFC (Korean Fried Chicken) there.  I really need to figure out how to make it, but I know it MUST contain ko choo jang.

Since I don't have the Noodle Club KFC recipe figured out yet, there was no chance in making it this weekend.  Instead, I went to an old favorite, oyster sauce chicken.  This is something everyone, including D2 and Mr. Dependable (the pickiest of the pickiest eaters I know), enjoys.

People I live with like wings.  The Help eats the drummettes, and the Ds and I prefer the flats.  KikukatMom also likes the flats. . .the flats have a higher skin to meat ratio.  If you don't want to take the time to disjoint wings or if you just prefer boneless chicken, you could easily make this with thighs or half breasts.  And while we are all aware of the cholesterol pitfalls from consuming chicken skin, how could you NOT want to have this with skinless chicken?

click on recipe title for printable recipe

Oyster Sauce Chicken

     2 lbs chicken wings

     1/2 c flour

     dash black pepper

     8 tsp water

     1 1/2 tbsp sugar

     1/4 c oyster sauce

     oil for frying

     sliced green onions

Cut each wing into 3 pieces.  Discard tips.  Heat oil to 350 degrees.  Place flour in a bag and shake chicken to coat.  Fry until golden brown,  Drain on paper towels.  Place chicken on a serving dish.  Heat black pepper, water, sugar and oyster sauce until boiling.  Pour sauce over chicken pieces.  Garnish with green onions.  May be served hot or cold.

Crisp Won Ton

Kung Hee Fat Choy!

Happy new year!

I was fortunate enough to go to Honolulu last month, so I managed to get my lucky gao.  I always feel good when I can get gao in January.  Of course, I could always make my own, but its so much easier when made by someone else...at least I think so.  In an effort to spread good fortune and cheer, I brought home a few extra gao for sharing.  If Homegirl had let me know ahead of time, I would even have brought back the half-dozen she wanted.

Over the years, around this time of year, I've shared some of my favorite Chinese recipes:

• gao
• almond cookies
• ginger-green onion crab
• rice noodles with crispy tofu and vegetables

This year I'm sharing my recipe for my favorite appetizer, crisp won ton.  I used to have trouble getting the seasoning just right.  It was often hit-or-miss; sometimes it was too salty and sometimes it was bland.  I must be onto something because several times a year, Mr. Dependable calls me for the recipe.  Perhaps it is also HIS favorite appetizer.

I don't usually do this, but The Help was playing with a new toy, so he took some sequence pictures of won ton wrapping.  There are tons of different variations in wrapping, but this is how I wrap it for special occasions.  If we are eating it at home (not for a party), I will fold it into a simple rectangle shape.  This makes it easy to reheat leftovers (toaster oven, 300 degrees, for about 10 minutes).

center 1 tsp filling on wrapper

moisten edges with water

press edges to seal (rectangle shape)

place a drop of water on lower left corner of rectangle; bring upper left over lower left corner; press to seal

place folded won tons in a single layer

click on recipe title for printable recipe

Crisp Won Ton

     1 lb ground pork

     1 can water chestnuts, chopped

     2-4 tbsp chopped green onions

     2 eggs

     2 tbsp shoyu

     1 tsp salt

     2 tsp sugar

     1 tsp sesame oil

     2 pkgs Twin Dragon brand won ton wrappers or 3 pkgs Chun Wah Kam won ton wrappers

     vegetable oil for frying

Combine all ingredients, except won ton wrappers and vegetable oil.  Fill wrappers with 1 tsp of pork mixture.  Deep fry until golden brown.  Oil should be 350-375 degrees. 

Shoyu Chicken

Going to work after Halloween is hard.  Kids are all strung out on sugar, and if that wasn't bad enough, the candy wrappers don't seem to find their way to the trash can.  I'm hoping the candy will be gone by now. . .until the major onslaught of  Christmas treat advertising begins in a few weeks.

I can hardly wait.

It is now very noticeable that the days are shorter.  The Help and I went out just after 6 pm last night and it was already dark.  As we passed the golf course, The Help lamented that his days of Sunday outlaw golf are gone for the next few months.  True dat.

I am looking forward to a holiday this week.  It's nice how the week is split in half.  Fall intersession was just over a month ago, but it seems like a long time ago, and Winter break seems like it's a long way off as well.  I know it will come quickly, but at this point, even Thanksgiving seems far away.

Before I left work on Friday, I made sure to have my mid-quarter grades figured out.  The same students who earned Fs for the 1st quarter are earning Fs for mid-quarter.  Both Fs are due to non-attendance.  I absolutely hate it that attendance gets held against schools.  It is the responsibility of the parent/guardian to see that the child gets to school.  The person who decided to hold student non-attendance against individual probably never taught a day in his/her life.  But like it or not, the local public education system has deteriorated to the point where now schools are crucified when the non-attendance rate is high.  These chronic non-attenders would not attend no matter the school, but to the state office, non-attendance of a student means the school is not doing something right.  What a crock!

On the bright side, my school doesn't fault teachers for failing chronic non-attenders.  One of my friends taught at a school where the dumb administrator told her failing students was forbidden.  The administrator told her that failing students is the job of high schools.  No wonder we get so many students who cannot do the work!  Only high school administrators must know the value of a high percentage of students passing end-of-course exams.

Okay, enough bitching about work.  Time to start thinking about what to make for dinner.  When D1 was home, I'd always be stumped as to what kind of chicken dish to prepare.  D1's affinity for poultry was limited to ginger chicken soup, gai jow, and, occasionally, cold ginger chicken.  KikukatMom could not get over how D1 could stand the strong ginger flavor of the soup.  With D1 away, shoyu chicken is D2's oft-requested chicken dish.  And for D2, the star anise is the best part...she loves to suck on the points of the stars at the end of the meal.

click on recipe title for printable recipe

Shoyu Chicken

     3 lbs chicken
     3/4 c shoyu
     1 tbsp honey
     1/2 c brown sugar, packed
     1 1/4 c water, divided
     3 cloves garlic, crushed
     1" piece ginger, sliced fine
     1 star anise
     2 tbsp shao hsing wine
     2 tbsp cornstarch
     1 tbsp chopped green onions

Parboil chicken for 10 minutes.  Rinse chicken and drain well.  Set aside.  In a medium pot, combine shoyu, honey, brown sugar, 1 c water, garlic, ginger, star anise, and shao hsing wine.  Bring to a boil and simmer 2 minutes.  Add chicken to pot.  Simmer 45 minutes.  If time permits, refrigerate overnight and skim off hardened fat or use a fat separator to remove oil if not able to chill overnight.  If chilled overnight, heat chicken until simmering.  Remove chicken to a large serving bowl.  Remove and discard garlic and ginger.  Combine cornstarch and 1/4 c water.  Stir into simmering liquid and bring to a boil, stirring constantly.  Pour over chicken.  Garnish with green onions.

Many, many thanks for all the birthday wishes this weekend.

Oyster Rolls

I love oysters.

I will eat them raw.  I will eat them cooked.

I've eaten raw oysters on both coasts of the United States and in a foreign country.  I bought oyster shooters from some seafood stand in Pike Place Market.  In a fit of drunkenness, my friend DY and I went to a seafood restaurant up the street from our apartment, sat at the bar, and had a bunch of oysters before stumbling home.  My raw oyster experience on the opposite coast was much tamer.  My family and I went to a raw bar in Lexington Market (Baltimore) and filled up on oysters and clams.  I couldn't believe how fast those guys could shuck oysters!  When The Help and I went to Victoria, we enjoyed a cold platter at a seafood restaurant near the harbor.  I got to eat all of the raw oysters on the platter.

Whenever I go to Miyo's, I cannot help but order the fried oysters.  Having attempted, with very pathetic results, frying them at home myself, I can appreciate Miyo's.  I wanted to try the grilled oysters on sticks which were being sold on Miyajima, but I never got around to it.  Until I go back, missing out on the experience will always haunt me.

Unfortunately, the people I live with don't share my enthusiasm for oysters.  They just don't get it.  Losers.

But they will eat oyster rolls.  Go figure.  I think its because the oysters are chopped and there are other ingredients in the mix.  I suppose you could say it's rather underhanded of me to "hide" the oysters.  Oh well, it works.  And in spite of being allergic to some shellfish, D1 can eat oysters, which is a big plus for her since much of the food she associates with home contains oyster sauce.

click on recipe title for printable recipe

Oyster Rolls

     2 cans (8 oz each) whole oysters, drained and chopped
     1 can water chestnuts, drained and chopped
     2 can (4 oz each) mushroom stems & pieces, drained and chopped
     2 tbsp cornstarch
     2 eggs
     1 lb fishcake paste
     2 tbsp sugar
     1 tbsp shoyu
     1/4 tsp 5-spice
     1/4 c chopped green onions
     panko
     oil for frying

Combine cornstarch and eggs with a whisk.  Mix in fishcake paste, sugar, shoyu, and 5-spice.  Stir in oysters, water chestnuts, mushrooms and green onions.  Heat oil in a skillet.  Place panko in a small bowl.  Drop heaping tablespoons (#40 disher) of mixture into panko.  Coat completely with panko then shape into 2-inch long flat oval.  Fry in heated oil, turning once.  Drain on paper towels.  Serve with shoyu-oyster sauce mix.

I barely survived the stress from the Summer Ends music festival from a few weeks ago, when D1 dropped another bomb on me.  She told me her school has a fall break too and she was going to visit friends in California and she was going to take the Greyhound bus to get there.  I was okay up until the "take the Greyhound bus" part.  I was hoping Mr. Dependable would put the brakes on this, but he didn't.

So D1 went on an 8-hour bus ride to downtown LA with her friend A, who was actually going home for the break.  She had contacted the SoCal Uncles earlier in the week, and fortunately, UDus was in town and able to get her from the station, which, I discovered, isn't too far from Skid Row.  Frick!  UDus got her safely to Orange County where she met up with Hawaii friends.

D1 sent me a bunch of pics from her trip.  I guess she had a lot of fun.  She mentioned going to Knotts.  Gee, it's been over 20 years since I've been to Knotts.  I'm sure the attractions have changed a lot.  I wonder if they still offer the chicken dinner.

Of course, all the vicarious happiness garnered from D1's fall break trip was tempered by the anxiety of her getting safely back to AZ.  OMG!  I was on pins and needles hoping she'd make it back to the Greyhound station on time.  It didn't help that she was going back on the overnight bus.  Then came the worry of how she'd get to campus.  I'm glad all went smoothly, and later that day, I received a pic of yukgaejang and banchan from HoDoRi, which seems to be the mainland doppelganger of Restaurant Osaka (she said they also make good katsu).


While D1 was stretching her wings and doing all kinds of shit, D2 was also keeping busy.  Mr. Dependable arranged golf lessons for her.  So far, things seem to be working out.  She hasn't grumbled about going.  We'll see how long this will last. . .

On behalf of all of us here, I'd like to extend a huge high-five to the man who re-energized my career.  Thank you for bringing be back and giving me the opportunity to spend valuable time with my children.  Thank you for helping me remember why I do what I do.  Thank you for having faith in me.  Best wishes in your new endeavor.  I hope our paths will meet again one day.

Missing D1: Soft Wontons with Spicy Sauce

It's been nearly two weeks since D1 has been gone.  I could say I'm so excited about her beginning her college career, and I wouldn't be lying.  But that's only half true.  The other part of the story is that I'm missing her dearly.  It's not the same as the two times she went to Japan or the time she went to California.  This is different.

This makes me think back a thousand years or so to when I left for college.  I can even remember what I had on when I boarded the plane out of Hilo!  Now that I'm the parent, I relive that time through my mom's eyes.  Who gives a shit about what I was wearing...my mother must've been so sad when I left, but she kept her game face on and told me to do my best.

Since I'm missing D1 so much, I'm posting a recipe for a dish I know she'd want to eat.  Don't let the benign looks of this dish fool you.  The sauce is packed with flavor and the soft wontons don't disappoint either.  This reminds me of a dish I had at Din Tai Fung in Bellevue, WA.  I finally found a similar recipe on Diana Kuan's Appetite for China blog.  I didn't have Sichuan pepper, and I wanted my sauce to have a little kick of ginger so I made a few changes to her recipe.  It's been too long since my trip to Din Tai Fung to know how close the sauce is to theirs, but if it's not similar, it's certainly equally tasty.  Unfortunately, I haven't gotten around to mastering their xiao long bao yet.

click on recipe title for printable recipe

Soft Wontons

     1 lb ground pork

     1 can water chestnuts, chopped

     1/4 c green onion, minced

     2 eggs

     2 tbsp shoyu

     1 tsp salt

     2 tsp sugar

     1 tsp sesame oil

     won ton wrappers (3 trays of Chun Wah Kam or 2 pkgs of Twin Dragon brand)

Combine all ingredients except for wrappers.  Wrap 2 tsp of filling in each wrapper by encasing filling in a rectangle shape (wet edges of wrapper) then overlap lower left and right corners, forming a diamond shape.  Bring a large pot of water to a boil.  Add 6 wonton and cook for 4 minutes.  Wonton will float when cooked.  Remove with a slotted spoon (shake off excess water) and place in large serving dish.

Spicy Sauce

     

     1 tbsp minced garlic

     1 tsp minced ginger

     2 tbsp shoyu

     1/2 tbsp sugar

     1 tbsp chili oil

     2 tsp black vinegar (original recipe said may substitute with balsamic)

     green onion, minced

Combine all ingredients except for green onion.  Pour evenly over cooked wonton.  Sprinkle green onion before serving.

I am relieved D1 seems to be enjoying her new digs and adapting well to life in the desert.  Perhaps it's her reptilian brain kicking in.

FEAR THE FORK!

    

Cold Tofu and Somen with Sesame Oyster Sauce

I cannot believe I worked the entire summer with hardly a break.  Actually, I feel very fortunate.  My boss for the summer is a nice guy and treated me well.  Can't complain.  Wait a minute!  My boss during the normal school year is a nice guy too. 

Actually, I'm a little excited about the upcoming school year.  I get to do inclusion, something I've really never done, and I will be assigned to a great class.  Lots to look forward to!

But I am exhausted.  I spent the last 2 days of last week in a boring workshop.  It was actually painful to be there.  Between the sidebar conversations of my tablemates and having to deal with the uber-stupid content, I almost walked out.  It was nice to see a bunch of people I knew, but the presenter was not engaging at all. 

Last week Friday also signaled the end of D2s summer program.  She grumbled about going, but she had the opportunity to do things out of her comfort zone.  She discovered she enjoyed paddling.  And I never would have imagined she would have the guts to jump out of the canoe and swim in Hilo bay.  That's definitely something I have never done (and will never willingly do).  Actually, D2 surprised me on several occasions this summer.  I think I was totally blown away when she told me she tried hummus.  I would've guessed she'd do the Hilo Bay swim before I'd even think she'd try hummus.


D1 has only a few weeks left in the 808 before she heads to the 480.  I haven't  forced her to do much.  Looking back on my summer between high school and college, I didn't realize that it would be the last time I really "lived" at home.  It's definitely bittersweet, and since many of her friends will also be heading away from Hawaii, this might be the last time they are all together.  I guess that's my excuse for letting her play.

As I mentioned earlier, I've been trying to make an effort to prepare foods she enjoys.  During the summer, D1 enjoys salads. . .fairly substantial salads (not just lettuce).  This is one of the most refreshing things you can serve for a summer meal. 

My cousin Jenn asked me how to julienne the egg.  Here's what I told her:  Fry a thin omelet.  Use low heat so the egg won't brown while both sides get cooked.  If your omelet is thin enough, there will be no need to flip the omelet either.  When the omelet is cool, roll up like a jelly roll and make thin slices.   Like when you make basil chiffonade, its easier to get thin slices when the leaves are rolled together.

click on recipe title for printable recipe
Cold Tofu and Somen with Sesame Oyster Sauce

     1/4 c sesame oil

     1/4 c shoyu

     1/4 c oyster sauce

     1 tsp sugar

     1/8 tsp shichimi togarashi

     16 oz somen noodles

     5 lettuce leaves, shredded

     1 egg, beaten, fried and sliced thin

     1 block kamaboko, julienned

     1/2 c thinly sliced ham or spam or shredded smoked salmon

     1/2 block firm tofu, drained and cubed small

     1 tbsp furikake

     1 tbsp sesame seeds

     green onion, sliced thin

In a small jar, combine sesame oil, shoyu, oyster sauce, sugar, and shichimi togarashi.  Set aside.  Boil somen noodles according to package directions.  Rinse and drain.  Make small balls with somen and lay in a single layer on serving platter.  Cover or surround noodles with lettuce.  Arrange egg, kamaboko, ham, and tofu over noodles and lettuce.  Sprinkle furikake, sesame seeds, and green onions.  Shake sauce well before pouring into a small dish.  Spoon small amounts of sauce over individual servings of noodles and garnishes.

Congratulations, D1! Celebrating with Almond Float

D1 is officially a high school graduate!

Whew!

Four years went by quickly!

A few days before graduation, D1 sent me the scorpion pic (on left. . .scorpion is a reference to the pose) with the caption "school isn't over but I sure am".  Zazuzzhhh.

D1 is generally a good student, but towards the end, she was driving me bananas.  I would cringe in the early evening because I didn't want to receive a "robocall" from the school attendance office saying she was absent from class.  She appeared unfazed by my kicking and screaming about being conscientious to the end.

But she made it. . .or at least I'm pretty sure she did.  Diploma distribution is early next month, and I'm thinking they could call at any time to say they made a mistake!

In any case, it was nice that the family came out to support her at commencement.  I had my teary moment when D1 hugged me in the reception line, but I had over 200 other students to congratulate so I managed to hold it together.  It was only later that evening, as I was looking through preliminary pics with The Help, that I noticed D1s shoes.  She was wearing my Michael Kors white patent wedges!  Darn kid!!!


I played nicely with Mr. Dependable and his family.  I didn't cuss him out, and I was pleasantly surprised that he was dressed nicely, unlike KikukatDad.  While we were queued to enter the stadium, I noticed he was wearing a polo shirt (not even an aloha shirt) with a bunch of flaming guitar motifs all over! Luckily, he kept his jacket on all night since he was on the breezy side of the venue.

We now enter the short party season before kids embark on the next chapter.  Unfortunately, it doesn't look like D1 will have a massive party rocking the walls at Sangha Hall.  That's not how she rolls.  She did ask me if she could have a handful of friends over for a pool day/night.  I'm also thinking of having family over when it gets closer to her departure date.

For those of you who know me, you can bet the menu wheels are already turning in my head.  One item of the dessert menu will definitely be almond float.  Almond float is a popular Chinese dessert which consists of tofu-looking cubes with assorted fruit.  Traditionally, agar agar is used as the coagulating agent for the cubes, but a quicker, easier coagulant is unflavored gelatin (doesn't require all the soaking/shredding).  Chinese restaurants (if they're worth anything) still use agar, but most home versions use gelatin.

D1 and D2 both love almond float.  It's easy to make for a party because it can be thrown together ahead of time, and guests can serve themselves in small, colored plastic cups.  Almond float is also a great way to use a variety of fruit.  For the Ds, canned mandarin oranges are non-negotiable.  I also add fresh oranges (and the juice...helps to keep any apple chunks from browning), mangoes, and pieces of longan.  Canned or fresh lychee can be added.  Many people add canned fruit cocktail, but I think that's just gross. . .the grapes and pears give me the willies!

click on recipe title for printable recipe

Almond Float (Home Style)

     3 envelopes unflavored gelatin

     3 1/4 c water, divided

     1 c sugar

     1 1/2 c evaporated milk

     1 tbsp almond extract

     assorted fruits (fresh or canned), chilled

Soften gelatin in 1/2 c of the water.  Bring remaining water (2 3/4 c) to a boil and add softened gelatin and sugar.  Stir until dissolved.  Remove from heat.  Add milk and almond extract.  Stir.  Pour into 9 x 13" pan and refrigerate overnight.  Cut into cubes and mix with fruits, including liquid.

     

If you aren't squeamish and want to see pics from graduation and a few events leading up to the big day, please enjoy the slideshow.  There's some background music so be sure your speakers are turned on.

Another free photo slideshow by Smilebox

Bang Bang Chicken

I cannot tell you why, but last week was absolutely exhausting.  Perhaps it was because so many things were happening.

Early in the week, I got observed by my administrator.  I had about a week to prepare for the observation.  I was so nervous about the whole thing.  He was a few minutes late in arriving, and that didn't help my nerves.  He is really nice and non-threatening, but still...any observation puts me on edge.

I was worried one kid would be a problem.  I spoke to him quietly beforehand and reminded him of two referrals for theft I had sitting in my desk drawer.  He said he only took a pen.  Funny because when I spoke to him at the time of the pen incident, he denied taking anything.  I reminded him about the noodles he attempted to take earlier in the school year.  He tried to argue by saying I gave it to him.  I told him I gave him noodles the day before, and that did not, in any way, mean he was entitled to go into my things and help himself.  What's wrong with him?  I cannot believe he was raised that way because his family is NOT like that.  When I called home, his family asked that I allow him to apologize for his actions.  My guess is other adults, well-intentioned but misguided, have allowed him to think he can get away with small things.  If I had a dollar for each time this one lady says, "oh, he is a good boy", I could take a trip to Sapporo!  He was visibly salty after our conversation, but that was something he had to deal with.  I plan on reminding him about those referrals, and if I do need to submit them, that will guarantee his banishment from commencement exercises. 

Nevertheless, I did manage to survive the observation.  My students were great.  My admin was impressed with the knowledge demonstrated by my students.  The post-conference went quite well.  I think I need to get some treats for my students for making me look so good. 

The Help and I attended our last regular season volleyball game.  I was amazed at the amount of people who showed up.  Unfortunately, the concession did not have smoke meat bowl.  I guess I will need to wait until next volleyball season to have it again.

In the middle of the week, D2 asked me to attend an informational meeting about an east coast trip in 2016.  Two social studies teachers are taking a group of interested students to Washington, DC.  They are hooking onto a trip with some nice teachers from a cross-town middle school who are veteran travelers with Worldstrides.  Nice to see collaboration amongst schools.  The meeting participants filled a classroom, and the teachers spoke of the perks in going.  One of the other parents asked me if I would send D2 alone or go too.  Seriously? 

Anyway, D2, who really hardly asks for anything, asked me to attend because she is interested in going.  I suppose seeing your sister traveling multiple times a year out of state has some influence on what you'd like to do.  And D2 must have some influence on us because her deposit has been paid.  Perhaps this might be a good opportunity to visit D1.  The last time I brought up visiting D1, D2 agreed to come along but said she would wait in the car.  Ahem. . .one does not travel so far to wait in the car!

My work week culminated with an all-day workshop.  Ugh.  It was painful.  The content was good, but it was still painful.  On the plus side, I did get to see someone I hadn't seen in over 30 years, one of my high school teachers.  Nice to see him still kicking.

Prom season came to an end this weekend.   D1 was fortunate enough to borrow a gorgeous dress from a friend.  I still can't get over how much some people spend on gowns.  I think I lucked out overall. . .short gown and stylish BCBG dress last year and only one long gown (purchased with Macy's discount coupon) this year.  The only thing D1 asked to have professionally done was her nails.  A quick trip to Aunty Tiffany took care of that.  Whew!  Either I am totally done or I have a few years to rest between D1 and D2.  Only time will tell.

And after all the craziness of the week, I was relieved to sit down to a refreshing meal this weekend.  I prepped the chicken early in the day so it would be nice and cold by dinner.  If I was smarter, I would've made this LAST weekend to serve during the week.

click on recipe title for printable recipe

Bang Bang Chicken*

     1-1 1/2 lbs chicken breasts
     1 tbsp vegetable oil
     2 Japanese cucumbers, sliced thin on bias
     1/2 c chicken broth
     1" piece ginger, grated
     1 clove garlic, grated
     3 1/2 tsp sugar, divided
     2 tbsp shoyu
     1 tsp chili oil
     2 tsp salt
     2 tbsp rice vinegar
     1 tbsp mirin

Place chicken in a pot with water to cover.  Remove chicken and bring water to a boil.  When water is at a rolling boil, add chicken and immerse for 1 minute.  Remove chicken and rinse under cold water.  Bring water to a boil again.  Place chicken back in pot.  When water returns to a boil, cover pot and turn off heat.  Let stand 30 minutes.  Bring pot to a boil again.  Turn off heat, cover and let stand 1 hour.  Remove chicken.  Place in a ziploc bag with vegetable oil.  Rub chicken to coat with oil.  Store in refrigerator.  This can be done ahead of time.  In a small pot, combine chicken broth, ginger, garlic, 1/2 tsp sugar, and shoyu.  Bring sauce to a boil and simmer until reduced by half.  Remove from heat and add chili oil.  Set aside sauce to cool.  Sprinkle cucumbers with salt, let sit for 5 minutes, rinse, drain, and pat dry.  Combine rice, vinegar, mirin, and 3 tsp sugar.  Pour over cucumbers.  Set aside.  Slice cold chicken into bite-sized pieces.  Arrange chicken in center of platter.  Garnish with seasoned cucumbers.  Pour cooled sauce over chicken.

*this dish has multiple names:  ban ban ji, pang pang chicken, bon bon chicken

Rice Noodles with Crispy Tofu and Vegetables, in loving memory of AuntieKH

Gung Hee Fat Choy!

The lunar new year will be upon us soon.  In a few days we will welcome the year of the goat.  How will you celebrate?

For me, it will be a work day, so there will not be much celebrating.  I'm sure the Ds will eventually coax a belated Chinese dinner out of Mr. Dependable.  I will probably end up cooking, which really isn't so bad.  Unless you are The Help.

The Help has decided to follow a strict eating regimen to bring down his blood sugar levels.  Since his last doctor visit, he has been steering clear of ice cream cookies, Napples, and other yummy goodies.  He has also been limiting his consumption of starch, replacing the mound of rice with a green salad.  I know how hard it is to stay away from foods which are unhealthy but taste so good.  I've been fighting the cholesterol war for years, trying desperately to stay off meds.  I applaud The Help's valiant effort. But that's sort of where it ends.

Unfortunately, the rest of us here, myself included, have not demonstrated compassion with our actions.  Last night I saw D2 polish off 5 ice cream cookies with her glass of milk.  D1 was busy unwrapping and popping Dove chocolates in between nibbles of li hing lichee.  Of course, I've been hitting the tin of Yoku Moku I received as a gift from Dee.  Yeah, I know it probably wasn't nice of me to stuff my face with those things, especially those rolled wafers (those are my favorite), but I really wanted to get rid of the temptation, for The Help's sake.  You know what I mean.

Anyway, for dinner on Thursday, I'll be making something we can all (even The Help) enjoy.  There is something for everyone in Rice Noodles with Crispy Tofu and Vegetables.  D2 will eat this because she loves baby corn and won bok.  D1 will eat this because she enjoys bell peppers and rice noodles.  The Help can eat this without restraint because it is light and low in fat.  Don't be fooled by the healthy sound of the recipe title.  This dish is extremely tasty, even to high school students.  Last year, D1 brought a pan of this to a junior council potluck.  She was a bit apprehensive about how it would be received, but she reported that they totally cleaned it up.  I guess I will do my part and have a serving of this too.  But I also plan on making gao and gai dan tat so I will have something to look forward to after dinner. . .sorry, but low-fat is really not my bag!

click on recipe title for printable recipe

Rice Noodles with Crispy Tofu and Vegetables

     1 block tofu, sliced into 6 pieces and drained on paper towels overnight
     vegetable oil
     16 oz dried rice noodles (1/2" wide)
     1 1/4 c water
     1 tbsp dried salted black beans
     6 large dried shrimp
     1 medium onion, cut into 1" pieces
     2 large won bok leaves, sliced into 3/8" pieces
     1/2 zucchini, sliced then cut into fourths
     1 bell pepper, cut in 1" pieces
     1 can baby corn, drained
     handful garlic (flat) chives, cut into 1" pieces
     6 T oyster sauce
     6 T shoyu
     1 1/2 tbsp mirin
     1 1/2 tbsp shao xing
   

Heat 1/4" of vegetable oil in a non-stick skillet.  Cut each tofu slice into 6 pieces (3 x 2).  Fry tofu pieces until golden brown and crisp.  Drain on paper towels.  Soak rice noodles in warm water to cover for 30 minutes.  Soak dried shrimp and salted black beans in 1 1/4 c water for 5 minutes.  remove shrimp and black beans and chop fine.  Reserve soaking water.  Heat 2 tbsp oil in a wok.  Saute chopped dried shrimp, black beans, and onions for 1 minutes.  Add won bok and zucchini and saute for a minute.  Add fried tofu cubes.  Add bell pepper, baby corn and chives.  Saute for another minute.  Remove everything from the wok and place on a platter.  Add reserved water to wok.  Drain noodles and cut into thirds.  Add to water in wok.  Cook until water evaporates.  Return tofu and vegetables to wok.  Combine oyster sauce, shoyu, mirin and shao xing. Add to wok, and toss to coat everything in wok.  Remove from heat and serve.



With a heavy heart, I would like to dedicate this post (and original recipe) to my beloved auntieKH.  auntieKH left our physical world  last Tuesday.  While I am devastated by her passing, I am comforted by the fact that she left peacefully, surrounded by those who meant the most to her.  We will all miss auntieKH, but as LA said, auntieKH lives on in our wonderful memories.  

And auntieKH, if you're reading this, I don't think I thanked you enough when you were with us. . .thank you for marrying UM.  Without your love and support, he would've been just another family weirdo!

Rest in peace, Auntie

January 30, 1947-February 10, 2015

Black Bean Crab

I am in Honolulu today!  I haven't been back here since March!  I will be back here next week for LA's wedding, but today's trip came as a small surprise.  Last week I was asked by several school administrators to replace a fellow teacher on a school team.  They said she (my comrade) had suggested me as a replacement for her, as she currently has her hands full with personal issues.  Once I agreed, I was told to plan to be in Honolulu this week.  Yikes!!!

And leave it to the state to be so inept.  They "designated" a hotel to stay at, trying to ply educators with discounted room rates.  What a crock of shit!  First of all, the hotel is in a seedy area, which is ridiculous if you are a woman staying alone.  Related to the seedy area is the "entertainment" choices surrounding the hotel.  NO!  There are hardly any food establishments (not watering holes) within safe walking distance.  The hotel reeks of the days when smoking in hotel rooms was prevalent.  DISGUSTING.  And the worst part...you can get a hotel room for the same $ or even less in a better part of town.  The discounted rate isn't really much of a discount at all.  And let's be clear...whether you stay at this dive or at a better place, the per diem offered as compensation is still the same...it's not like it will cost them more if you chose to stay at the Hyatt.

I plan to devote my attention during the workday to whatever the workshop is about.  When I agreed to be on the school team, I realized that it came with a certain expectation.  It is only fair.  But when the workshop is done for the day, I'm going to have some fun and enjoy myself.  I can't wait to jump on the opportunity to enjoy 2 dinners in Honolulu.  Hmmmmm...where to go and what to eat?  The options are endless.  Hope I get to see some old friends too.

There are so many great restaurants in Honolulu.  I think that's what I miss most.  It's the one thing that, even after moving to Hilo and living here for the past 20 years, I haven't quite managed to overcome.  Let's face it.  The dining out choices in Hilo are nothing compared to what you can find in Honolulu.

When I lived in Honolulu, me and my bff EDZ would dine out all the time.  We usually lunched together at Orson's on Sundays, although at any time during the week, we might hook up for a dinner.  Because EDZ was working with the inside-out aloha shirt crowd, he'd lunch during the week at all these places and we'd get to re-visit some of these places at night...Han Yang, Mama's, Kabuki...just to name a few.

Of course, if it was up to me, I'd invariably pick Chinese (this lapse in better judgment would eventually come around to haunt me in the future, and that itself would be enough fodder to begin a new blog).  Back then, THE dish I wanted to eat was black bean crab.  I must've ordered it at nearly every restaurant I visited.  Some places would just have some starchy black bean sauce poured over the cracked crab and vegetables.  At other places, the black bean sauce would be studded with ground pork.  It was a treat to eat the dregs (after all the crab pieces were gone) over a bowl of rice.

Now that I'm older and wiser, I've become rather adept at making this favorite dish at home.  I make it  the way I like it...crab and a hearty ground pork sauce...no vegetables.  The Ds (well actually just D2 since D1 is now allergic) would prefer an unadulterated crab...just heated and served with a pot of melted butter.  But The Help and I love it this way.  I've trained The Help to disjoint, clean and crack the crab.  Perhaps he might be able to find employment at a Chinese restaurant, should his helping gig not work out.

click on recipe title for printable recipe

Black Bean Crab

     1 dungeness crab, cooked

     3 tbsp salted black beans, rinsed & chopped/mashed

     2 eggs

     1 tbsp sugar

     2 tbsp oyster sauce

     2 tbsp shoyu

     3 tbsp cornstarch

     1/3 c water

     2 tbsp oil

     2 cloves garlic, minced

     1" piece ginger, minced

     1/2 lb ground pork

     green onion, chopped

Clean and chop crab into serving pieces.  Combine black beans, eggs, sugar, oyster sauce, shoyu, and cornstarch.  Set aside.  Combine cornstarch and water, set aside.  Heat oil in a wok.  Saute garlic, ginger, and ground pork until pork is cooked.  Add crab pieces.  Stir until heated.  Add egg mixture.  Stir until cooked.  Push crab pieces to the side and add cornstarch.  Cook until thick, gradually stirring pork mixture into cornstarch mixture.  Remove to a serving platter and garnish with green onions.

What an up-and-down weekend!  My beloved Huskies lost a heartbreaker to Stanford.  They came so close to the upset but self-destructed in the 4th quarter.  I don't get it.  We were at home too.  Did we really hire the right guy for the job?  One must wonder.  I know I'm wondering.  Coach P, show us what you got.  Prove to me you deserve the job.  I'm still thinking MarquesT would've had my vote.  Not only did he get the bowl victory, but he is a hometown boy and a Husky. 

A bright spot of the weekend came late Saturday afternoon.  Leave it to high school football to rescue me from the dumps.  We scored a definitive victory over the Cougars to spoil their homecoming.  Actually, it was bittersweet.  Winning is always the goal, however when it's so lopsided, you can't help but feel for the other team.  Hopefully we can win our homecoming game next week.

Saturday evening turned out to be unexpectedly edgy.  What began as a calm night turned into turmoil just after midnight.  I felt something crawling on my tummy.  I flicked it off and was startled by the sound it made when it landed on some paper on the floor.  It was a blue centipede!  It took about 10 minutes of throwing things about to find it again.  It had crawled under some other papers and under the highboy before it crawled back out again.  The Help was able to snatch it up with a pair of tongs and douse it under the 190-degree tap.  Ughhhhh.  We haven't seen one of those in a while, but I suppose the hunt for water drove it indoors.

And just after the centipede incident, when I was already sinus-y from all the dust kicking up during the centipede safari, Mother Nature decided to have herself heard.  Flashes of lightning and loud bangs of thunder put the dogs on edge.  Between the thunder and the barking, I could not get back to sleep.