Shiro An

Happy 2016!  Happy new year!  I got a little distracted with updating this post, hence the late posting.  It's been a hell of a break!

I am still recovering from the holiday party season.  Having two holidays a week apart is brutal.  My family doesn't do much for Christmas, but it is still a monumental task to get the decorations put away.

The best part of the holiday season usually comes after Christmas when my cousins come to town.  This year, three of them made it to Hilo.  I had them over for a cozy NYE dinner.  I made prime rib, roasted garlic crab, garlic noodles, and caprese tomatoes.  I've included links to the Rasa Malaysia recipes (crab and noodles), but the noodle recipe is actually different from the one I use.  If you follow the Rasa Malaysia thread, the garlic noodle recipe was originally posted years ago.  Since then, the recipe has been re-tooled.  I use the original recipe from years ago.  I have not tried the new recipe (with the Maggi seasoning), so I don't know how it compares.  I didn't have time to check on a link to the original recipe.  And really. . .the original recipe was kick-ass, so I'm not sure why it needed to be changed.

For NYE dessert, I served amaretto custard bread pudding.  My cousin brought a Hawaiian Pie Company strawberry guava pie.  Both were delicious.

The Help was thrilled with the bottles of RedBreast and Laphroaig brought over from Oahu.  I am definitely not a fan of whiskey, but I cannot help thinking they'd taste awfully good in some kind of dessert.  Maybe when he is not looking. . .

Although the food and drink were fabulous, the best part was being able to just sit and hang with the cousins, something you cannot do at a restaurant.  My cousins are all so awesome, and we don't always have the luxury of being in one place all together.  They had a rough start to 2015, so I'm hoping 2016 will be a better year for them, despite the fact that Kikukat Dad is hounding them to go to Japan with him again.  I know, I know. . .I will owe them big time for the travel-sitting.

The second half of the school year begins tomorrow (for teachers...begins on Wednesday for many students).  Glad I got my grades and pacing guide done before I left for vacation.  I'm the lazy type who doesn't like to work, but there are a bunch of people I work with whom I adore, and it will be nice to see them again.

What I am NOT looking forward to is D1's departure in a few days.  Gotta brace myself for that.  Even though she drove me crazy at times (and cost me over $200 to replace a car key she "misplaced". . .wtf, can make dean's list but cannot keep track of a car key), it was really nice having her home.  Even Shaka is now saying her name!

Since I'm trying to stretch out the holiday season (since it means D1 is still here), I'm going to continue last week's recipe, which was microwave daifuku mochi.  While a variety of fillings can be used, including the ever-convenient pre-made koshian and tsubushian (comes in cans of plastic bags), my filling of choice is shiro-an, shiro meaning "white" in Japanese.

click on recipe title for printable recipe

Shiro An (Lima Bean Filling)

     1 lb lima beans (dried)
     2 c sugar
     dash of salt

Soak beans overnight in water to cover.  Slip skins off before cooking.  Place beans in pot with water to cover and cook until soft.  Add sugar and salt and cook until mixture is almost dry and forms a ball, about 30 minutes, stirring constantly.  When cooking, add as little water as possible - if there is too much water, it takes much longer to cook to the stiff stage.  Yield:  50 "an" balls (using a #60 disher).

Namul: Korean Bean Sprout Salad

This is probably not a good time to be posting a cold vegetable picture and recipe.  But I MUST.  After all the feasting over the weekend (feasting actually began on Friday), I realize I need to scale back a bit.

But I HAD to celebrate on Friday.  No, not because it was my birthday, but something else happened...something I've been waiting a whole year to happen.  I hadn't expected it to turn out so deliciously well, but it did.  Thank you, 3M for making IT happen and for allowing me to be there to witness it all.

Sometimes assholes really DO get what they deserve!

I had a great lunch on Friday, and it was followed by an onolicious dinner at Miyo's.  I got to eat fried oysters.  Even better, the Ds were with me.  I didn't hafta share them this year.

On Saturday, The Help suggested we make it a double buffet day.  On one of his 10k-step walks, he noticed a breakfast buffet being served at the Hilo Hawaiian Hotel.  It wasn't crowded, and the bacon was crispy.  It was definitely NOT the Hawaii Prince breakfast buffet, but for Hilo, it was pretty good.  The bread pudding was delicious, and there weren't too many raisins to pick out.  Have I ever made it clear how much I hate raisins?  It is right up there on the list, a few notches away from the devil's condiment.

The second buffet was something I've been wanting to try but always found the near-$100/person pricetag daunting.  Leave it to The Help to surprise me with a drive out to the Mauna Kea Beach Hotel for the Clambake.  Wow!  Among other things, I consumed a dozen oysters and 2 lobster tails and a set of lobster claws.  I love lobster!  The Help likely ate only a fraction of what I did, eating mostly shrimp cocktail and sashimi, and he even managed to sneak in some salad selections. There was a guy on the next table who definitely beat me.  He ate 3 whole lobsters.  I know because I watched him (couldn't help it...he was in my line of sight).  He also had a slab of prime rib in between all that.  I don't expect to get back to the Clambake any time soon, after all, I can't be going there with D1!  But now, I'm excited to try the Let's Go Crabbing buffet at the Hapuna Beach Prince Hotel.  Its a fraction of the price (under $70 for adults) and features all kinds of crab.  Maybe when D1 goes on her spring break trip. . .

So after all that feasting and pigging out, it's time to lay low on the food, especially the cholesterol.  I soaked some chicken in a kal bi-type marinade, and I made some namul.   There is nothing better to eat with hibachi food than namul.  "Namul" is what I call Korean bean sprout salad, but I know namul actually refers to various vegetable dishes served as banchan, those small dishes with tasty morsels served at Korean restaurants before the meal comes.  All I know is they never give enough namul, and the bean sprouts is what I always hope to hoard!

click on recipe title for printable recipe

Korean Bean Sprout Salad

     1/2 - 1 lb mung bean sprouts
     1 1/2 tbsp green onion, chopped
     1/2 tsp sugar
     1 tbsp sesame oil
     1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
     3 tbsp shoyu

Clean bean sprouts and wash in cold water.  Boil water in a medium saucepan.  Add bean sprouts to boiling water and leave in for 1 minute (Can also steam over water for 5 minutes in the microwave...high power).  Drain, rinse well in cold water, and drain well.  Add remaining ingredients and chill thoroughly before serving.

While all this was going on, it was a rather disappointing sports weekend.  All the teams/individuals I was cheering for did not prevail:  high school football, college football, professional football, Formula One.  On the other hand, I did manage to attempt knitting again. . .I had lots of time to sit and give it another go.

And after spending the better part of an hour taking stuff apart, I'm asking myself why I choose to take part in such torture.

Long Rice Salad

Happy Labor Day!

Today is a much-deserved holiday.  Looking forward to the 4-day work week.  I've been awake since 4:45 am.  Yes, I know it's a holiday, but I had to take D1 to the airport for some kind of 1-day Key Club convention on Oahu.  I hope she brings back some yummy snack for me.  Not sure why, but I've been ono for Beard Papa (cream puffs).

A whole bunch of my friends went to Honolulu this weekend.  There was an HSTA meeting as well as a food and wine festival.  I wish I could've gone to the food and wine festival.  My new favorite Hilo restaurant, Full Moon Cafe, was there.  I missed my smoky sashimi fix this weekend.  For all you Hilo expats living away, the next time you come home, Full Moon Cafe is a must-try.  Their menu is small and changes daily, ensuring that food is only made with fresh ingredients.  I cannot get enough of the smoky sashimi.  Actually, it's a smoky shoyu with chili pepper oil.  It is kick-ass!

As I was saying, this is a much-deserved holiday for me.  I feel like I've been working like a dog.  Things at work have been hectic, and last week, one of my new coworkers announced his departure.  That leaves a big hole because we really could've used his expertise this year.  Alas, Rhode Island pays better than Hawaii, and a former Hawaii administrator has been recruiting heavily on the East side of the Big Island...she already got another administrator to move.  I wonder who else will follow the pied piper.

I also wonder what else will be placed upon my plate (as well as the other teachers) due to our coworkers departure.  Come to think of it, I wonder what his advisorship was.  And on a very personal level, I wonder who will buy his car.  He has a cute Mini Cooper.  If it had Union Jack mirrors, it would already be in my garage!

As if things weren't hectic enough, last week Wednesday my new elliptical arrived.  I was expecting it sometime this week so I was surprised to come home from work to find The Help assembling it.  The box was huge.  I'm not even sure how he managed to get it into the house without my help.  I have been trying to adjust from the treadmill (now in my neighbors living room) to the elliptical, and it hasn't been easy.  I usually walked over 2 miles each morning on the treadmill, but I've come to realize there is no such thing as "walking" on an elliptical".  It is fricking hell.  I cannot last more than 5 minutes on the dang thing, and my thighs burn at minute 3.  At minute 4, I think I went into cardiac arrest from the dang elliptical.  After 5 minutes, I gave up.  It was no better on Friday, Saturday, or Sunday either...thigh burn, cardiac arrest, give up...every single time.

And sometime between the last post and this one, Kikukat Blog surpassed one million page views.  Wow.  I really didn't expect that!  I began this blog in May 2010, just as I was closing the second darkest year (hope it won't be third darkest!) in my career.  I was looking for a way to keep in touch with faraway family and friends...people who were near and dear to me and helped keep me sane.  So for those of you who read my blog, thank you for giving me this venue to bitch, celebrate, and hang with you.  I hope to see you at the 2-million mark!

click on recipe title for printable recipe

Long Rice Salad

     1 large pkg. long rice*
     1 Japanese cucumber
     1 kamaboko
     1 pkg bean sprouts
     1/2  c sugar
     1/2 c rice vinegar
     2 tbsp shoyu
     2 tsp sesame oil
     1 tsp ginger juice

Cook long rice for 5 minutes in boiling water.  If using Nice brand long rice, cook 10 minutes.  Rinse in cold water, drain and cool.  Spread in an even layer on a serving platter.  Cook bean sprouts in boiling water for 3 minutes.  Rinse, drain and cool.  Spread over long rice.  Sprinkle cucumber over bean sprouts, followed by kamaboko.  Cover and chill until ready to serve.  Combine remaining ingredients in a jar.  Shake well.  Chill until ready to serve.  Shake dressing prior to serving.

*Hawaii might be the only place where we refer to bean thread noodles as "long rice".  In other parts of the world, I think it goes by "cellophane noodles" and "glass noodles".  There are several brands to choose from, and the brand I try to buy is Nice.  The Nice noodles come in a flat pack, rather than bunched in a compact bundle like other brands.  You will need 3-4 ounces (dry weight) for this recipe.

Mike and Matsu, you guys missed a great football Saturday!

The JV played Pahoa's 8-man squad and the varsity played HPA.  The JV game was interesting, as I had never seen an 8-man game before.  Pahoa had some big boys, but the scrappy Viks managed to dominate.  Mercy rule kicked into play.  I got to see my favorite JV running back do some damage to the Dagger defense.

#11 rocks

By the time the varsity game began, it was already dark.  The Help told me my assignment was to shoot "emotion".  I think I did well.  The picture above shows elation.  It's apparent the players and coaches are happy.  I was able to capture the player getting air!

The picture to the right shows reverence and respect.  The boys listen politely as one of the coaches speaks with wisdom. 

The varsity game saw a repeat of the mercy rule, and I was most glad to see that no player was seriously injured.  As a parent, being down on the field is a little disturbing.  I do not like the sound helmets make when they slam against each other, nor do I enjoy hearing the wind knocked out of a player.  It really is spooky when someone takes a little longer to get to their feet.

But what I hate even more than the raw side of football brutality is asshole poser photographers who use flash on the field!  Apparently, the dickhead wearing the red HPA t-shirt had no regard for safety, judging from his flash bursts blinding the players (HPA player included).  Show some respect for the players, asshole! 

it doesn't take a brain surgeon to figure out why the Kamakani receiver missed this pass

Oh, and I almost forgot...emotion in the last picture is despair. 

Salsa

Happy Cinqo de Mayo!

How are YOU celebrating?

My family is definitely not big on Mexican food, so there will be no trip to the taqueria.  Tequila and I don't really get along either, thanks to a bad experience in Salem, OR, of all places.  One weekend, I took the Amtrak and went to Salem to visit my then-bf.  My then-bf and his friends decided to drink before going to the movies.  I wasn't planning to drink, but it was cold, and I thought that a tequila sunrise would surely make me feel warmer.  It did that and more!  It sent me to the Devil's abode and I ended up praying to the porcelain god for the rest of the evening.  I never made it to the movies, and I'm sure my gut was on fire all weekend.  Euwwww.

Shortly after the tequila sunrise disaster, I moved off-campus to a new apartment complex on Ninth Avenue NE.  As luck would have it, my apartment was located across the street from a Mexican restaurant, Aurora's.  While I frequented the restaurant for snacks and meals (the chilaquiles were the best), I steered clear of any margarita or Jose Cuervo shot special.  Living across the street from a Mexican restaurant made for easy Cinqo de Mayo celebrations.  Most people spent a long time jousting for parking, but all I had to do was walk across the street (and it was a one-way street too!).  And like all other Mexican restaurants, Aurora's provided tortilla chips and salsa for munching while waiting for your food order. 

I think the "starving college student" image lends itself well to the typical dorm room snack, tortilla chips and salsa.  A jar of salsa and a bag of chips are easy to bring to parties, although I really wasn't a huge fan of salsa while in college.  Aurora's indulgences notwithstanding, I seldom ate chips and salsa when left to fend for myself.  Salsa just didn't taste right.

I converted years later when I attended a work meeting in Honolulu.  A coworker brought a tub of salsa to the meeting, and nobody could get enough.  It was so good.  It was nothing like the stuff in the jar!  She was more than willing to share the recipe, and with that good will, I've been sharing it ever since.  Every time I've brought the salsa to an event, someone has requested the recipe. . .it never fails.  I have seen variations of the recipe in cookbooks, but I always stick to the original recipe.

click on recipe title for printable recipa

Salsa

     2 cans (14-15 oz each) stewed tomatoes*
     1 can chopped olives
     8 oz fat-free Italian dressing
     1 onion, chopped
     1 bell pepper, chopped
     1/2 bunch cilantro, minced
     few sprigs of green onion, chopped
     dash of sugar
     dash of oregano, crumbled
     dash of garlic salt

Drain stewed tomatoes.  Chop and place in a medium non-reactive bowl.  Add remaining ingredients and mix well.  Chill at least 2 hours before serving.

*One of the cans can be Italian style, but do not use Italian style stewed tomatoes for both cans. 

If you have any salsa leftover (all you need is a cup), consider making this soup.  Fellow blogger Karen Loase's recipe for Black Bean Soup is a winner! Go to the second helpings blog and make the soup.

On Friday, our school made the local news.  Unfortunately it was due to a large "affray" which occurred just after school ended.   I did not witness any part of it, although D1 and my cousin both shared bits and pieces of what they had witnessed.  When I went to the office, an hour after the melee, there were police, students, and school personnel congregating in the area of the administration office.  I never saw anything like this in all my years as a teacher, so this was a first!  According to the anecdotes shared with me, police, school security, administrators and custodians all had to work to restore order and control the fighters.  Some adults were thrown to the ground.  This entire episode saddens me, as our school has always had a reputation of being accepting and tolerant of differences. 

It was a year ago when I was given the wonderful opportunity to return, to do a better job than I did the first time around.  I still feel this school is the best place to work and to learn, no matter what any stinking state audit says.  Even in the wake of Friday's fracas, I have no regrets in coming back.  I am  grateful to those who made it happen, and I know we will bounce back.

It may not look like much, but it IS home.  Hooray for second chances!

Remembering Vovo: Portuguese Bean Soup

It's too early to be thinking about salads, that's for sure!  With the fickle weather we've been having, it's hard to tell if I should pack up the electric blanket or buy more UGGs.  Most of last week was so cold that I wore boots to work multiple times.  Then on Friday, by afternoon, it seemed like summer was about to begin.  My short-sleeve Manuheali`i blouse was perfect WITHOUT a jacket!  I had to re-think the weather on Saturday. . .once again we were treated to a major light show.  The kats and mastiffs were not happy with the accompanying thunder.  And yesterday was another quasi-summery day. . .t-shirt & crop pants weather.

It will be interesting to see what kind of weather we will have this week.  There will be a visiting group of asses coming from Honolulu to assess our school (nyuk nyuk) and tell us why we suddenly suck.  This is what I don't get.  A few months ago, our school was a "continuous improvement" school.  Then someone in a monkey suit (I'm sure this is a person who wears Reyn Spooner inside-out print shirts) realized he made a "calculation" error, and suddenly our school became a "focus" school.  We are still the same school that was praised for being in continuous improvement. . .nothing changed, but now, because we have a different label, the rules of the game have changed.  And I bet that idiot who made the calculation error did not even attend our school!  So since a large team is coming, they will need to find something wrong in order to justify their trip. 

And leave it to the state to go looking for trouble.  I live in a state where kindergarten is not mandatory.  Now the state is creating preschools at select schools.  We can't even get the compulsory kindergarten right yet they wanna dive into preschool.  State DOE preschools w/o mandatory kindergarten is definitely gonna be a clusterfuck.  I can't believe the state (upper-level, not the teachers) is so stupid.

Oh well. . .I'm just glad I survived last week.  It's always hard to go back to work after a vacation, and last week was no exception.  I have a challenging student, and while I'm itching to tell him where he can go stick it, I took the higher road and gave him suggestions on how to curry favor with the parents of his flavor-of-the-month. . .hoping some if it will rub off in the classroom.  I also reminded myself that in a little over 4 months, he will no longer be my problem (and he better not even think about dating D1!). 

For the most part though, it was nice to be back at work.  I can't remember the last time when I didn't totally dread going back to work after a vacation.  And after seeing facebook posts from people I used to work with, I'm even more grateful to be where I am today.  I'm amazed at what I've observed over the past few years.  Five years ago, I would have believed that people in poverty-stricken areas would be grateful for whatever they receive.  Now I know different.  Many are not grateful.  Many shamelessly ask what else they will get.  This is not what the books say.  I am just glad to be where I am.  Most students and parents are awesome.  Most of my colleagues and all the bosses are competent.  This is way more that I can say about that OTHER place.

Perhaps this is why I didn't mind the boss asking us to be in our rooms this week when the visiting team does their sleuthing.  It's not difficult to want to please the guy. . .to want to make him look good.  He is a really nice man, and I would be pissed if any member of the visiting team disrespects him.  I will tow the line. . .no going to pick up lunch this week.  I will be bringing leftovers. . .leftover Portuguese Bean Soup (PBS).

I used to make PBS from a recipe I found in a cookbook.  But ever since The Help arrived, he has taken over the PBS-making duties.  This recipe is a modified version of the original recipe, which came from his vovo (Portuguese for grandmother).  Here is what puzzles me. . .in many cookbooks I've read, instructions always say to cook beans fully before adding acidic ingredients.  But The Help dumps everything in the pot at the same time, and the soup turns out great every time.  I just don't get it. 

click on recipe title for printable recipe

The Help's Portuguese Bean Soup

     1 lb kidney beans, soaked overnight and drained

     3 ham hocks

     1 ring Portuguese sausage, chopped

     2 round onions, chopped

     2 cloves garlic, chopped

     1 small bunch parsley, chopped

     1 can (8 oz) tomato sauce

     2 1/2 quarts warm water

     salt & pepper to taste

Bring all ingredients to a boil and simmer for 3 hours.

This is one of those dishes which only gets better over days.  I don't like to find bones in my soup, so The Help removes the ham hock bones as the hocks begin to disintegrate.  He also removes the rubbery skin.