Korean Tofu Salad

The weather seemed to be  getting warmer (I know I saw blue skies a few times last week), but if the local news weather bunny is correct, we have some bad weather coming our way.  I just hope the rain won't last too long.  If I recall correctly, it rained most of the time last spring break.  I am soooo tired of cold and rain.  I don't want to purchase blueprints for building an ark!

The last run of cold and damp weather took its toll on me.  I had a sinus infection, pink eye, a cold and some stomach virus (may have been food poisoning from a bad bento) within the past month.  I spent more days on drugs than off.  I managed to kick the Nyquil, but now I have an inhaler for the hypersensitivity in my bronchial tubes.  I'm also low on po chai.

GP was sick too.  He missed three days of work!  Thats unheard of for him.  He said he had a bad sinus infection which kept him in bed for five days, save for a quick trip to the doc.  He also told me he drank two bottles of Nyquil during that time.  Two bottles!  Thats insane.  I'm amazed he is still alive.  Perhaps he thinks the dosing info on the box is just a friendly suggestion.  GP does not understand the meaning of the word "moderation".  I've known GP to consume three cans of diet soda within half a work day!

Last week I anticipated the hammer falling at my visit with Dr. KO, but it looks like I'm going to live a little longer (at least until June, when I go for my next blood letting and visit).  I did not celebrate with a bacon and fried egg sandwich, but I did indulge in some food from Hilo Lunch Shop.  While they had warabi salad (usually something I like), I was sad to discover they were out of their pipinola shoots salad.  Bummers because I can make warabi salad, but I don't know how to prepare pipinola shoots, although I'm quite certain they need to be cooked in some fashion.

By the time I left Hilo Lunch Shop, I was jonesing for a good sesame-tasting salad so I decided to make Korean tofu salad.  Having learned lessons from previous encounters with Korean tofu salad, I didn't use most of the watercress stems.  The stems tend to have major bite, and I didn't feel like having a mouthful of bang.  My favorite taegu (other than the one Mom makes, although she hasn't made for a long time) is the ManNani brand, which is sold at most supermarkets here.  The one sold in the big tub at Costco is also good.  Taegu is seasoned Korean codfish strips. . .should've mentioned this earlier.

I can never eat the entire Korean tofu salad in a single sitting by myself so I split it among several containers when I make it.  To make it easier for serving, I also toss the dressing with the salad instead of serving it layered (come on. . .we all know dressing hogs!).  I was looking forward to taking leftover salad for lunch, but having to eat the same thing for 3 lunches in a row was NOT my idea of pleasure.

click on recipe title for printable recipe

Korean Tofu Salad

     1 bunch watercress

     1 pkg bean sprouts

     1/2 red onion, sliced thin

     1 block firm tofu, cubed

     2 tomatoes, diced

     6 oz takuwan, slivered

     8 oz taegu

     1/4 c green onions, chopped

Dressing:  1/2 c vegetable oil

                 1/2 c shoyu

                 2 cloves garlic, minced

Combine dressing ingredients and bring to a boil.  Cool thoroughly.  Wash watercress and cut leafy portion into 1 1/2" lengths.  Discard stems or save for another use.  Layer all ingredients in the order given.  A 9 x 13" pan or a large round platter works well.  Pour dressing over salad 10 minutes before serving.  If you are not planning on consuming this salad in a single sitting, pour dressing over individual servings.

In the middle of last week, D2 asked me if I could help her read directions from a Christmas gift.  Puzzled, I took the package from her and soon realized there was NO WAY I could read the directions. . .they were in hieroglyphics (likely Japanese).  Someone had given her a Japanese food craft kit...Happy Kitchen Donuts.  It was a candy-making kit where the candy gets shaped in donuts (that part I got).  She ended up going to you tube to learn how to do it.  Here are the products of her hard work, and no, we did not eat them. 

Who thinks of these things anyway?  I'm squeezing ass here because she still has another kit to play with. . .extremely ominous-sounding "Decoration Cake".  Doesn't the sound of that send shivers through your spine?

Stinky Food: Ulu and Bacalau Salad

I'm dedicating this post to two of the nicest Oregonians I know, Dawn and Mardale.  Dawn and Mardale make up the fantastic School Synergy team.  They have been on the Big Island for several months, assisting schools in KKP with a school audit.  Dawn and Mardale are not just "two haoles who fell off a turnip truck in Puna".  They are honorary kama`aina who have developed quite a penchant for local foods.  In fact, they even brought a bag of seasoned edamame to an audit.

One of the birdwalking conversations at a recent school audit was about breadfruit.  Dawn and Mardale had been very intrigued with breadfruit and were eager to try some.  I'm not sure what they did, but they said it was horrible.  Then Anne gave them an idea of making breadfruit salmon hash.  Dawn said it was out-of-this-world fantastic.  Well, Dawn, I've got something else you can do with breadfruit.  But be warned. . .if the smell of the fried squid made you weak, this breadfruit dish might be something you just enjoy in 2-dimensional form!

There are a few things that I cook which cause the Ds to clear out of the house.  D2 cannot stand the smell of vinegar on the stove.  When I made the sauce for kama (about a month ago), she kept her nose pinched.  But both kids will run out of the house when I cook bacalau.  I think even Desi & Kenni take cover.

I love bacalau.  Growing up, Dad used to soak it in water, cut it into cubes, and deep fry it.  It was great with rice.  Carol & David brought bacalau hash patties to a tennis potluck once, and I thought it was better than corned beef hash patties (except for Aunty Betty's version).  I use bacalau in a potato salad:  bacalau, potato, shoyu & oil.  But when I'm lucky enough to be given ulu (breadfruit), I make spicy, tangy salad with the ulu and bacalau.

click on recipe title for printable recipe

Ulu and Bacalau Salad

     1 piece bacalau   

     1 firm ulu, peeled, cored & cut into chunks

     2 cloves garlic, smashed

     1 1/2 tbsp rock salt

     1/4 c olive oil

     1/4 c apple cider vinegar

     1 tsp sugar

     1 chili pepper, seeded

     1/4 onion, thinly sliced

Cut bacalau into pieces that will fit into a medium saucepan.  Add water to cover.  Bring to a boil.  Discard water.  Repeat boiling and discarding water 5 more times.  Bacalau should still taste salty.  Pick off bones and shred meat.  Set aside. In a large pot, place ulu, garlic and rock salt.  Add water to cover.  Bring to a boil and cook 15 minutes or until ulu is tender.  Drain water and discard garlic.  Set aside.  Combine olive oil, cider vinegar, sugar, and chili pepper.  Stir until sugar is dissolved.  Smash chili pepper against side ofbowl.  Let sit.  Cut cooked ulu chunks into 3/4" pieces.  Combine with with sliced onions and shredded bacalau.  Remove chili pepper from oil mixture and pour oil mixture over ulu.  Toss gently.  Chill until ready to serve.