Oyako Donburi

One more week of work until fall break.  Five days.  I just need to hold on.  I have a ton of things which need to be done before the week is over.

The weather here has been record-setting hot and extremely humid.  I have been drinking at least one can of Diet Coke every day.  And it's not just because I like Diet Coke; it's because the contents of my Yeti are gone by the afternoon.

Given the weather, perhaps this is not the best thing for dinner, but I've been so lucky to receive fresh eggs from TheKeeper.  TheKeeper has several chicken varieties, and I have learned to distinguish each breed's eggs.  I'm quite proud of this feat, considering the fact that I have not had much experience with chickens. My favorite eggs are from the Whiting True Blue.  The eggs are a beautiful blue color.

I am not sure if I will get to make oyako donburi this week.  Although I have good quality eggs on hand, the days are just too hot to appreciate a hot rice dish.  On the flip side, D1 is getting swamped and stormed upon (thanks, Rosa) so she might be able to enjoy this in the air-conditioned comfort of her building.  And D1, if you're reading this, it won't taste the same if you don't cut the carrots into flower shapes!

click on recipe title for printable recipe

Oyako Donburi

     1 tbsp oil
     1/2-3/4 lb chicken (about 1 1/2 c), cut in slivers
     1 c chicken broth
     4 tbsp shoyu
     2 tbsp sugar
     5 eggs, beaten
     1/2 tsp salt
     2 dried shiitake mushroom, soaked and sliced thin
     1/4 medium sweet onion, julienned
     green onion, chopped
     1 carrot, julienned or cut into flower shapes
     nori (dried seaweed sheet), slivered

Heat oil.  Saute chicken and sweet onion.  Drain.  Add chicken broth and simmer.  Add carrots and shiitake mushrooms.  Simmer.  Add shoyu, sugar, and salt.  Pour eggs over chicken and cook over low heat until eggs are coddled.  Do not stir.  Serve over hot rice.  Sprinkle nori on top just before serving.

Almost Noodle Club: Korean Fried Chicken Wings

For various reasons, I have been spending lots of time on the road.  In the past two months, I must've made at least a half-dozen trips to the other side of the island. 

• The Help developed an interest in Japanese whiskey, so of course we had to stop at the liquor store in Waimea and check out the selection at Costco.  
• On another weekend, my vacuum broke, and Costco just happened to have a good deal on a Shark (I killed 2 Dyson's in a span short of a decade so I was ready to try something else).  
• I just "happened" to be at Costco when they started selling Christmas trees, so that trip turned out into a full-weekend activity...decorating the tree.

And there were a handful of trips between all of those, including a trip just to Waimea to check out the local wool for sale at the Waimea farmer's market (Parker School).

In spite of the good restaurants in Kona and Waikoloa, The Help and I have been regulars at Noodle Club, making the detour to Waimea instead of heading straight home on the Saddle.  Noodle Club is owned by the same gentleman who owns Village Burger (must try the Ahi Nicoise salad there), and like Village Burger, Noodle Club is an awesome eatery.

It might come as a surprise that one of my fave things to eat there is NOT a noodle dish, but a chicken dish.  I said "one" of...I have many favorites there.   I find the KFC...Korean Fried Chicken...difficult to resist.  The sticky, sweet, spicy sauce surrounding crispy chicken lollipops is not the Korean chicken many of us grew up with (like Kay's Lunch Center or the kine one of the aunties makes).  It has a unique flavor, as well as a unique look.  Noodle club wings look like the meat has been pushed upwards on the bone, giving a lollipop appearance.

I will be the first to admit that my version is not exactly like the KFC you get at the Noodle Club, but it's equally delicious.   I also refuse to spend the time to make the chicken look like a lollipop.  If you want the experience the chicken lollipop, then make the drive out to Waimea.  If you want a delicious meal without too much hassle, then this recipe might be just what you need.

 click on recipe title for printable recipe

Almost Noodle Club:  Korean Fried Chicken Wings

     3 lbs chicken wings

     salt

     pepper

     1/4 c flour

     2 tbsp cornstarch

     oil for frying

     1/4 c brown sugar

     1 tbsp honey

     3 tbsp rice vinegar

     2 tbsp shoyu

     6 tbsp gochujang (spicy Korean bean paste)

     1/4 tsp sesame oil

Cut chicken wings apart at the joints; discard tip portion.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Toss with flour and cornstarch.  Set aside.  Heat 1/2-3/4" oil in a skillet.  While oil is heating, prepare sauce by combining all remaining ingredients in a medium bowl.  Fry chicken pieces until golden; this may take up to 25 minutes (15 minutes on the first side; 10 minutes on the second side).  Remove from oil and drain.  Fry all chicken pieces.  When all chicken has been fried, return each chicken piece to oil, frying for an additional 5-10 minutes.  Remove 3 pieces at a time.  Drain on paper towels then place in sauce, turning to coat.  Continue until all chicken has been coated.  Return all chicken pieces to sauce and coat again before removing to a serving platter.

Sapporo, Japan

October 10, 2017:  Day 2

Since our hotel was across the Hokkaido university campus, The Keeper suggested we walk the ground of the campus before embarking on another day of gluttony.

The campus could have been a university on the east coast or midwest...it looked "collegiate".  The architecture was very western.  Walking the grounds brought back memories of my own college days.






















The leaves were turning color. . .reminded me of my trip to Connecticut in the fall.

The fun part of this trip was the opportunity to wear Doc Martens and things I made.   I went full Nelkin on this day:  Caragh, Transitus and Las Cruces.

Don't get me wrong...I often DO wear things I make AND I always get strange looks from The Help, often with a comment like, "this isn't Puget Sound" or "we are not in Canada now".

We met up with the rest of the gang and headed to Nijo Market for breakfast.  Nijo Market was similar to Jougai Ichiba (from the day before).  Of course, I was gonna get seafood for breakfast!

Nijo Market

While walking around Nijo Market, I found shine muscats!  $15 USD was a small price to pay for mouthfuls of joy.  I had to take a pic because I don't think anyone at home would believe I actually bought "grapes".


















A few of us ended up having breakfast at Ohiso.  After watching DHS eat crab at breakfast the day before, there was no way I was gonna miss out on crab.  I decided to try the hairy crab and salmon don.  The mini was about $11 USD, which I figured would hold me over until the next meal.  I also got a small bowl of ikura, a bargain at $3.40 USD.
















I was actually not impressed with the hairy crab.  The meat wasn't as tasty as Dungeness nor was it as sweet as king crab.  But at least I can say I tried it.















On the other hand, the ikura was superb.  Perfect flavor.

I couldn't find the picture of the awabi (abalone) sashimi from this place.  I even had a pic of the innards, which The Keeper made DHS try.  She said it was nasty.

We had some time on our own after breakfast, so I decided to go on a treasure hunt which took be back to Sapporo station.  I was looking for a special store.  I was just about to give up, but then I arrived at the promised land!

OMG.  Kanariya was awesome.  I just wish I could speak and read Japanese.  I bought a bunch of pattern books (which I will probably never use) and some omiyage for a few special Ravelry friends and some friends who sew.

I could have stayed at Kanariya much longer, but I had to meet up with the pandas for lunner (lunch + dinner).

We caught a bus to Sapporo Beer Garden.  I tried out the panorama feature on my camera, but I just couldn't make it work properly.  The beer garden building is red brick (many old buildings in Sapporo are red brick).  I guess we were hungry so we went straight to the dining hall and got started.

I was worried about liking lamb, but after stuffing my face with jingusukan (Genghis Khan, to the rest of us), I decided I like lamb.  I love the helmet-shaped grill!












This is a cook-your-own place.  You can have as much as you want, be it meat, veggies or drink.  Nakaz and I couldn't get enough of the melon soda (since we can't drink beer).
























And no visit to the Sapporo Beer Garden is complete without a picture of the iconic brew kettle.  It was huge!




















Before heading back to the hotel, The Keeper and I bought some goodies from the station:  (clockwise from upper right) Little Mermaid steam cake, Little Mermaid melon pan, parfait, and Kinotoya cheese tart.  The steam cake was similar to other steam cakes I've eaten.  It was mild flavored and very light.  And yes, the bottom right pic IS melon pan, or at least what the Little Mermaid Bakery calls melon pan.  It was delicious, but it did not taste anything like the St. Germain version of melon pan.  I'm glad The Keeper bought it for me to try.  The parfait was very good (apparently parfait in Japan is a "thing") and easy to eat.  There was a small slice of cake and a few cornflakes (yes, like cornflake cereal) atop the parfait.  I found that interesting.

The Kinotoya cheese tart gets it's own paragraph.  It is definitely a no-miss treat when visiting Sapporo.  The aroma of the cheese tarts baking is incredible.  It must be so difficult for people in the waiting area to resist buying a some.  Although it looks like it might be "egg-y", it is not.  I think the color automatically makes you think its custard.  But it's definitely more cheese than custard.  I wish I had eaten another one or two before leaving Sapporo. 

It was another day of eating.  Thankfully, it was less eating than the previous day, and I knew that the next day was going to be another adventure.

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.

Korean Chicken

Why is it that short weeks seem to drag by? Why is it that the shit always seems to hit the fan during short weeks?

That's exactly what happened this week.

That's exactly why I'm taking no prisoners today!

Last week was prom packet pick-up.  I cannot understand why students wait until the last minute to clear obligations.  I also cannot understand why students wait until the last minute to pick up packets.  Some dude didn't even attempt to pick up a packet and then expected me to give him one.  I told him he was too late, and he began cussing me out.  Ummm, they had four days to pick up, and they knew even before winter break that packet pick up would be happening in mid-January.

Someone else tried to get a packet without clearing financial obligations.  She got angry at me because I told her she had financial obligations to clear.

But the winner was another student who went to see my cuz for a packet.  My cuz refused on several grounds...outstanding obligations and packet pick-up time was over.  The student asked to speak to the "person in charge".  My cuz, no pushover herself, warned the student that the outcome would not be different.  I guess that's when the student showed up at my room, insisting a packet be given.  I had spoken to this student during lunch and mentioned the clearing of all obligations.  But this student wouldn't budge.  SHE stood in front of me and said she wants to go to the prom.  I told her there was nothing I could do to help her now because packet pick up is over.  She continued to stand in front of me.  I had to tell her to leave my room because I had work to do.  Amazing!

dipping cooked chicken pieces into the sauce

My weekend trip to Honolulu couldn't have come at a better time.  Of course it was for medical reasons, but I enjoyed being there. . . shopping, eating, more shopping, more eating.  The Help tagged along.  Well, The Help actually had an agenda for the trip.  He managed to get himself a spanking new toy.  He also drove me around without complaining and even read things to me when I couldn't see.  

The trip rejuvenated me for what I'm bracing for today...the kids who failed to get prom packets are probably going to seek me out.  Some will try and get sympathy while others will try and intimidate me.  I may even have parents calling me.  Whatevers.  We are moving forward.

On our way home from the airport, we stopped at the market to buy food for tonight's dinner.  I bought a pack of chicken wings because I've been ono for Korean chicken. . .the kine I grew up with. 

chicken glazed just right

About a year ago, I blogged about a copycat version of a popular take out dish from Kay's Lunch Center.  Kay's called it "Korean chicken", and they would shred it up and use it in another popular dish, Korean chicken salad.  As best as I can recall, that recipe is what Kay's chicken was like.

But the Korean chicken made lovingly by aunties for family parties (come on. . .if you grew up in Hawaii, you probably had an auntie who made the best Korean chicken), was not the same as what Kay's Lunch Center called Korean chicken.

Today's blog recipe IS the Korean chicken I grew up with.  Unlike the previously posted version, this chicken is seasoned AFTER frying, therefore, not much forethought is required in making this for a quick weeknight dinner (or an impromptu potluck).  Strangely enough, my favorite way to eat this is cold...refrigerator cold.

click on recipe title for printable recipe

Korean Chicken

     2-3 lbs chicken wings
     2 cloves garlic, crushed
     1/2 c shoyu
     6 tbsp sugar
     2 tbsp sesame oil
     2 chili peppers, seeds removed, crushed
     green onions, chopped fine
     1/3 c potato starch (may substitute cornstarch or flour)
     1/3 c flour
     oil for frying

Disjoint chicken wings, discarding tips.  Set aside.  In a small bowl, combine garlic, shoyu, sugar, sesame oil, chili peppers and green onions.  Stir to dissolve sugar then set aside.  In a small ziploc bag, combine potato starch and flour.  Heat oil (about 1/2" deep) in a skillet.  Coat chicken pieces in potato starch/flour.  Fry in heated oil until golden brown.  As chicken browns, remove from skillet and plunge into sauce.  Turn chicken pieces to coat well.  Place in a serving dish. 

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.

Chicken Satay

We finally caught a break in the weather.  This was the first week in a long time which felt even close to a normal September day.  I think I even wore something other than a sleeveless/short sleeve blouse this week...for the first time since school began.

The students were rather amusing this week.  Some students asked for extra credit work because they decided to act upon the "F" they currently have.  I find this amusing because they couldn't even do the regular work at a decent level and they want MORE work (yes, folks, extra credit = more work).

A separate group of students declared they'd like a local photographer to take pictures of them (as opposed to their teammates) at sporting events.  When I asked if the photographer knew them, they said,"no".  I find this amusing because they want someone to do something for them, yet they make no effort to communicate their request to the photographer.

My colleagues were rather amusing too.  Some are grumbling about the large class size; they have every right to grumble because their classes are ballooning.  I find this amusing because they were warned about this occurring if they didn't opt to do something about this 4 months ago.  I'm neither the one who warned them, nor am I part of the growing class group, but I saw this all play out before my eyes.  SHE was right; they should've heeded HER.

Along the lines of amusement, I received several pictures of food this week from D1.  There was a pic of an acai bowl, which I'm guessing was her breakfast.  The logo on the bowl was from the Original ChopShop.  I find this amusing because I never knew D1 ate acai bowls.  When I questioned her, she said Sweet Cane Cafe in Hilo makes the best.  I've never had acai bowl in my life so I guess I'd better add it to my to do list.

The other picture I received was of a meal at a Korean restaurant.  There was chap chae, kalbi, and spicy ika along with all the banchan.  Food looked delicious.  I shared the pic with Mr. Dependable.  His reaction, "this doesn't look like dorm food."  I find this amusing because Mr. Dependable didn't miss a beat (not dorm food =$$$).  Good think I didn't share the ChopShop pic with him.

On balance, D1's pics this week were better than the one I received from her last Saturday.  I don't think many people get to see the first aid room of Sun Devil Stadium!  I'll take the food pics anyday.  She claims that the ambient heat coupled with all body heat of the students in the Inferno made her feel faint.  I'm glad she didn't faint at Friday's white out game too, although she said it was a lot cooler than the home opener last week.

To close out the days of heat (I'm sure both Hilo and Tempe will get cooler soon), I'm posting a recipe to try during the last few weeks of the grilling season.  I know this is something you can get year-round at any Thai restaurant, but it's nice to make it at home too, especially since you can use all white meat chicken.  This is also a nice change from the more common shoyu-sugar based sauces.

click on recipe title for printable recipe

Chicken Satay

     1-2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts

     1 1/2 tsp curry powder

     2 tbsp sugar

     1 tbsp fish sauce

     2 tbsp coconut milk

     1 stalk lemon grass, lower portion, chopped

     1 clove garlic, chopped

     1 tbsp vegetable oil

     1 1/2 tbsp Thai Kitchen red curry paste

     1 c coconut milk

     2 tbsp peanut butter

     1 1/2 tsp fish sauce

     1 1/2 tsp sugar

     15-25 skewers

Slice chicken breast halves across the grain into 1/4" thick strips.  Combine curry powder, 2 tbsp sugar, 1 tbsp fish sauce, 2 tbsp coconut milk, lemon grass, garlic and vegetable oil in a food processor.  Blend until smooth.  Marinate chicken strips in mixture overnight.  Soak skewers in water for 45 minutes.  Thread marinated chicken onto skewers.  Grill until done.  For satay sauce, place red curry paste in a small saucepan.  Gradually add 1 c coconut milk, stirring constantly to evenly incorporate curry paste.  Heat for 8 minutes or until mixture thickens.  Add peanut butter, 1 1/2 tsp fish sauce, and 1 1/2 tsp sugar.  Cook for another 2 minutes.  Serve satay sauce in a small bowl alongside chicken skewers.

Party Food: Crispy Chicken Wings

I'm not sure what it is about my kids, but they are so picky when it comes to chicken.  In fact, D1 keeps telling me she doesn't like chicken.

Over the years I have posted some awesome, kick ass chicken wing recipes:

• fried ginger chicken (Hoki's copykat)
• parmesan chicken wings
• fried garlic chicken
• sticky chicken
• fried sesame chicken

But these are the wings my kids, especially D1, will actually request.  I don't get it because I think the fried ginger chicken is the best thing on this list.  But this is what they pick.  I don't mind making this because there is no oil to clean up.  I made this for D1's 16th birthday party, and her friends devoured these wings.  D2 once remarked that cooking this makes the house smell like a Chinese restaurant.

Last week, an email came out at work.  The email contained a truly offensive reminder that the start of the next school year is but a mere 8 weeks away.  Really???  Cripes!  They HAD to go there?  Final grades weren't even due and they go reminding us about the next school year.  The "slap in the face" part for me meant that in less than 10 weeks, D1 will off to college.

I guess my mission for the next 10 weeks will be to cook things she likes.  I'm going to start with this chicken, although D1 is primarily a red meat eater.  If she had her way, we'd have either rib eye steak or pulehu ribs every night.  I'm wondering what she will eat when she goes away.

click on recipe title for printable recipe

Crispy Chicken Wings

     2 1/2 lbs chicken wings
     1 tbsp oil
     1 tsp salt
     1/8 tsp pepper
     2 tbsp brown sugar, packed
     2 tbsp maple syrup
     1/4 c water
     1/2" piece ginger
     1 star anise
     1/4 tsp sesame oil

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Line a baking pan with heavy duty foil.  Place rack in prepared pan.  Spray rack with non-stick cooking spray.  Remove wing tips (discard) and cut remaining wing into 2 pieces (drummette and flat).  Toss chicken pieces with oil, salt, and pepper.  Place in a single layer on rack.  Bake 50 minutes.  While chicken is baking, bring brown sugar, maple syrup, water, ginger, and star anise to a boil.  Cook for 15 minutes or until reduced to half.  Remove garlic, ginger, and star anise.  Place cooked chicken in a bowl.  Add sesame oil to sauce and pour over chicken.  Toss to coat evenly.  Place chicken back on rack and bake another 10 minutes.

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

Hong Kong Chicken

Spring Break is finally here!  Actually, it seems so early this year.  The weather has been freaking me out...it's colder than it was in December!  I have worn boots more times since this month began than I did in all of 2014!  Serious.

D1 flew to Los Angeles last week for a convention.  She reported that the interisland flight was unbelievably rough.  I figured.  The weather report said more snow was expected atop Mauna Kea.  They even mentioned something called "freezing fog".  I never heard of it, but it sounds nasty.

I was hoping it would be warm and sunny so D2 could invite friends over for a splash, but with sub-80 degree weather, only Sammy is willing to go for a dip.  You won't even catch me lounging.  It's too damn cold.

In light of the cold weather, I've been holding off on preparing salads.  I want to eat Canlis Salad, but I just can't bring myself to have a cold meal, especially for dinner.  I'm not even able to have ice cream for dessert.  Not yet.  Maybe in a month. 

Being on vacation is great, but I really earned it.  Last week, work was brutal.  I had a student attempt to steal from me.  I caught him in the act, which went from "stealing" to "just using".  What's the matter with some of these fucking kids?  They are seniors but still haven't learned about personal space/property.  And the idiot adults who defend the inappropriate behavior of these kids.  Amazing.  It's actually frightening that some adults who work with students cannot themselves distinguish right from wrong or, equally vile, choose to make excuses for the students.  "Oh, but the family is so poor" Since when does being poor give one a right to steal.  "Oh, but he really is a good boy".  Good boy, my ass.  This "good boy" just talked smack about you behind your back, and you are defending his character...yes, that's after you gave him part of your lunch.  "Oh, they are Hawaiian and that's local style"  Stealing is NOT local/Hawaiian style; it is a crime, and it doesn't matter what your ethnicity is.  And yup, this is someone who works with students! 

So yeah, last week I was a little pissy.  It was rather entertaining to hear an adult plead with me not to levy consequences on a student for stealing.  Of course, the easiest thing to do would be to turn away and let this go, but then I would be a fucked up as the adults who make excuses for the kids.

In previous years, I've looked forward to spring break.  Not only does it present a time to relax/regroup, but it was also a good time to try different recipes.  This year, however, things are different.  The Help, with his new eating regimen, is not so enthused about a plate of sugar (I still am) and carbs.  Since early February, he has lost over 10 pounds!  I'm trying to realign my cooking to support him. So instead of dessert, I'm going to focus on an entree that all of us can enjoy.

Upon college graduation, I took a trip to Vancouver, BC, with my grandfather, uGeo, CAE and UL, to visit some Canadian cousins.  We went to dinner at a Chinese restaurant, and that's where I had Hong Kong Chicken for the first time.  I don't think it was called "Hong Kong Chicken" on the menu, but it was a Chinese-style roasted chicken, chopped into pieces, and served with a small dish of spiced salt.  It was heaven.

Years later, I remember Mr. Dependable's mom bringing home roasted birds (duck, chicken) from Honolulu and producing a small, foil packet of damp, spiced salt.  Not sure what kind of warped thinking goes into keeping salt with hot food, but I realize we're not dealing with the brightest light.  This reminded me about the dish I had in Vancouver, and I wanted to make it myself (salt not damp, no duck, skin crispy).

Getting back to present day, Hong Kong Chicken is something we can all enjoy.  The Help can eat it as a topping for a salad.  D1 (when she gets back) can load the leftovers with a ton of spicy salt.  D2 can shred the breast meat and stick it between bread to make a Costco-chicken-like sandwich.  Me?  I always go for the wings.  The carcass can then be used to make a soup...perfect for those nights with freezing fog (whatever that is).

click on recipe title for printable recipe
Hong Kong Chicken

     3-5 lb chicken, neck and innards discarded
     1/4 c oyster sauce
     1 tbsp sugar
     1 tbsp shoyu
     1 tsp salt
     1 tsp 5-spice
     1 tsp sesame oil
     2 cloves garlic, grated
     1/2" piece ginger, grated

Basting Sauce:  1 tbsp oyster sauce
                          1 tbsp shoyu
                          1 tbsp mirin

Spiced Salt:  1 tsp salt
                     1 tsp 5-spice
                     1/4 tsp white pepper
                     1/8 tsp sugar

Wash and dry chicken.  Combine chicken with other ingredients (except basting sauce & spiced salt).  Marinate overnight.  Roast breast-side up (tuck wing tips under body) at 350 degrees (20 minutes per pound) until done.  Combine basting sauce ingredients.  Baste twice while chicken is roasting.  Chop chicken as desired.  Combine spiced salt ingredients.  Serve in a small dish alongside chopped chicken.

It's boys volleyball season!  I'd be hard-pressed to decide which sport I prefer watching...football or volleyball.

I was fortunate enough to be at the first home game of the season (not the first game of the season).  I was planning to attend as a spectator, but the opportunity to help out a friend presented itself so I found myself working at the game.  In spite of it being "work", I had a great time, and I got to watch both the jv and varsity games from a great seat.

The Viking victory (varsity) made the experience even sweeter.  Let's hope the jv can find their groove and win their next game.

This was my first athletic event in the new gym.  The new gym is first-rate.  You can even look onto the court from the AD's office. 

The best thing about Saturday's game?  The concession!  Having been watching my cholesterol for the past few weeks, I broke down and bought a smoked meat & onion bowl.  The $5 price was a bargain for the thrill it brought me.  Even my cousin, who has lost over 20 lbs just from eating healthier, broke down and had a bowl.  The meat was tender, and there was a good proportion of meat/onions to rice...not just rice in the bowl.  I was told the volleyball parents did the concession.  I hope they will take care of more concessions...I would have a hard time not buying the smoked meat bowl every time.

Matsu, Brenda & Lance...next visit to Hilo, stop by and check out the gym!  They are still accepting donations for the gym, so if you're interested, here's a link to the donation form. 

I must apologize...this was not the first home game of the season.  The first home game was on Wednesday, March 11, against Christian Liberty (varsity only).  I heard it was a very quick game.

Almost Kay's Lunch Center: Fried Sesame Chicken

Perhaps it was blog reader BrendaC who is responsible for my wave of nostalgia.  Perhaps it could have been triggered by Kikukat Dad who said he had dinner at Restaurant Kenichi.  Perhaps I equate the Super Bowl with partying.  I don't know.  But whatever it was, I've been bitten by the nostalgia bug.

If you spent some time in Hilo during the 1990s and the first decade of the 21st century, you likely had a meal at Kay's Lunch Center (today the location is occupied by Restaurant Kenichi).  Kay's Lunch Center served local, Japanese, and Korean foods.  They were best known for two things:  fried chicken and blueberry cream cheese pie.

The blueberry cream cheese pie was alright.  I'm really not a fan of that kind of thing.  I am usually put off by the icky gooey goop of canned pie filling.  And the cream cheese layer in a round pie just seemed too thick for the amount of topping.  You can have all the blueberry cream cheese pie you want.  I will pass.

It was the fried chicken that brought me back to Kay's Lunch Center time and time again.  Sometimes I would eat-in, but many times, I did the take-out...chicken in the cardboard box with the pointy lid.  I loved the mild shoyu-sugar flavor and the random sesame seeds strewn on the coating. 

Kay's Lunch Center closed up a few years ago.  As I was watching the Super Bowl yesterday, I couldn't help but think about all the parties missing the cardboard box with Kay's Lunch Center chicken.  I know I was missing it, especially since the Seahawks lost (No, I am not much of a Seahawks fan, but having lived in Seattle, I feel a little guilty if I don't cheer for them if they are not playing a team I like more).  So if you are like me and have a hankering for Kay's Lunch Center fried chicken, you can go ahead and make your own. 

Now I realize there are two divergent methods one might try for making the chicken.  I've seen recipes which call for flouring and frying the chicken and then dipping it into a sauce.  I call that "Korean Chicken", and I will share the recipe in a separate post.  But I never noticed any green onion bits on the Kay's version; I only noticed sesame seeds.  My method for making the Kay's Lunch Center chicken calls for marinating the chicken overnight and then frying it.  It seems to be less messy and more straightforward than the alternate method.

And if you happen to have leftover fried chicken, you can do what Kay's Lunch Center did. . .pull all the meat off the bones and use it to top a salad.   Mmmmmm.  

click on recipe title for printable recipe

Fried Sesame Chicken

     5 lbs chicken wings

     1 c cornstarch

     1/2 c flour

     1/2 c sugar

     1 tsp salt

     6 tbsp shoyu

     2 tsp oyster sauce

     4 eggs

     4 stalks green onion, thinly sliced (optional)

     2 garlic cloves, minced

     4 tbsp sesame seeds

Cut each chicken wing into 3 pieces (tip, flat, drummette).  Discard tips or save for stock.  Combine remaining ingredients and place in a ziploc bag.  Add chicken pieces.  Turn bag to coat evenly.  Allow to marinate overnight.  Deep fry wings until golden brown.

Fried Garlic Chicken

Years ago, I would try and get a reservation at Ninniku-ya whenever I was in Honolulu.  "Ninniku" is the Japanese word for garlic'; "ya" is the Japanese suffix for "business".  The garlic steak was out of this world.  I'm not sure when it happened, but Ninniku-ya in Honolulu closed.  But every now and then, I find myself jonesing for the garlic steak.

The garlic steak (a fat, bone-in ribeye) came on a large sizzling platter, along with a handful of well-browned garlic cloves and a thick pat of melting garlic-herb butter.  Some bearded Asian dude wearing chunky rings, would bring it to the table and cut the steak into large chunks.  He never cut the steak into truly bite-size pieces, and he didn't have much of a personality, but I loved the way he said "garlic steak".  His accent made "garlic" sound like "gaah-lick".

Because of the garlic steak, I never had opportunity to order too many other dishes.  Other than caprese salad, some kind of garlic pasta, and garlic fried chicken, I don't remember much else on the menu.  And unless I fly to Japan, it's unlikely that I'll ever have food at Ninniku-ya again.

When we have steak at home, I usually leave it up to the cook to decide on the preparation.  Mr. Dependable was a hibachi steak person...steaks, cooked on the grill only.  The Help usually does a 2-step preparation...sear on the range in a cast iron pan with grates, then finish in the oven.  I think he learned that method from Anthony Bourdain's Les Halles cookbook.  The Help will sometimes make a red wine pan sauce to go with the steaks.  Neither Mr. Dependable nor The Help has ever done a garlic steak like Ninniku-ya.  Disclaimer:  The Help makes an excellent steak, but I'm certain he would readily admit that he does not make a steak like Ninniku-ya either, nor does he hack up the steak while wearing chunky rings.

I need to come clean on something.  I have never cooked a steak.  Honest!  With all the cooking I've done, I have never cooked a steak (other than a sliced up flank steak or a chuck steak cut into cubes for beef barley soup).  I am not kidding.  I find the hibachi daunting, whether it's a gas grill or a charcoal grill.  I might try the range/oven method, but I would not know where to begin. 

Now that I have convinced myself I want to eat a Ninniku-ya garlic steak, I will need to accept disappointment.  You will need to accept disappointment too.  For the past five paragraphs, I have extolled the goodness of the Ninniku-ya garlic steak, however I am unable to make a copycat of the steak.  I apologize if I misled you into thinking there would be a garlic steak recipe waiting at the end of the rainbow.  There is no such recipe in my arsenal at the moment.

The only "garlic" dish I can make is garlic fried chicken.  Thanks to a recipe shared by a former coworker when I worked in Honolulu, I make a mean ass garlic fried chicken. The awesome garlic flavor comes from garlic powder in the coating as well as sliced garlic cloves infusing the frying oil. The out of this world garlic flavor is smooth (unlike the jarring garlic calamari I had at some restaurant on Queen Anne Hill (I cannot remember the name of the restaurant, but it was in a cluster with several restaurants, including Jake O'Shaughnessy's in the old Hansen Baking Company) in Seattle.  If you have an affinity for garlic, this recipe will surely please your taste buds.  And if you are an attention seeker, try bringing this to a party.  You will be hounded for the recipe all night long.

click on recipe title for printable recipe
Fried Garlic Chicken

     2-2 1/2 lbs chicken wings, disjointed, tips discarded

     2 eggs, beaten

     1 c milk

     1 c flour

     1 tbsp garlic powder

     1 tbsp garlic salt

     3/4 tsp black pepper, divided

     2 tsp fresh thyme, finely chopped

     vegetable oil

     8 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

     1/4 c butter, melted

     1 tbsp finely chopped flat-leaf parsley

     1/4 tsp salt

     

Combine eggs and milk.  Pour into a square pan.  Add chicken pieces, turning to coat.  Set aside.  In a gallon-size ziploc bag, combine flour, garlic powder, garlic salt, 1/2 tsp black pepper and thyme.  Drain chicken and coat with flour mixture.  Heat 1" of oil in a skillet (360 degrees).  Fry garlic until golden brown and crisp.  Remove and drain.  Fry chicken pieces until golden brown.  Drain on paper towels.  Place chicken pieces in an oven-proof dish in a single layer.  Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes.  While chicken is baking, prepare sauce by combining butter, parsley, salt, 1/4 tsp pepper, and fried garlic slices.  Pour over chicken and serve.