Fried Mahimahi

I guess summer is here.  The rain has tapered off, the termites come around, and I haven't had to turn on my electric blankie for over a week.

When the weather turns warm, I try to serve food that won't add much to the heat...more veggies...less rice...no "gravy" foods.  The warm weather is also perfect for outdoor eating and "build your own" foods like fish tacos.

For several years, I've been making breaded mahi (short for mahimahi).  Breaded mahi/fried mahi, is an okazuya staple.  Pieces of golden brown fillets line trays, waiting to be packed in a box lunch.  "Breaded" usually refers to the use of panko breadcrumbs.  The Ds and The Help enjoy mahi because it's easy to eat; no bones to pick out.  I like making fried mahi at home (maybe because The Help makes the absolute best tartar sauce).  I would post his recipe for tartar sauce, but I am certain he doesn't use a recipe.  Magically, it turns out delicious every time.

In spite of willingly consuming breaded mahi, The Help isn't normally much of a fish, rice, and Japanese pickles eater.  So it wasn't a huge surprise when he broke from the norm and used my breaded mahi in fish tacos.  I suppose the stars were all in the right place. . .we happened to have won bok, carrots, purple cabbage, tortillas, AND salsa, on hand.

Whether you have breaded mahi in a bento, with rice or in a taco, making it at home isn't too difficult.  The results are delicious and well worth the effort.

click on recipe title for printable recipe

Fried Mahimahi

     1 lb mahimahi, thinly sliced

     1 tbsp sugar

     2 tbsp cornstarch

     1 tsp salt

     1 tbsp sake

     1/2 tsp curry powder

     1 tbsp shoyu

     1 egg, beaten

     1 1/2 c panko

     oil for frying

Combine sugar, cornstarch, salt, sake, curry powder and shoyu.  Add mahimahi and marinate for 1 hour.  Heat oil in a skillet.   Dip fish into beaten egg then roll in panko.  Fry until golden brown.

    

It seems like it's been a while since I went anywhere.  But a few weeks ago, I went to Honolulu to "fix" my shoulder.  A trip to Honolulu would not have been complete without visiting the newest (for now) member of my family, Cody.  Big congratulations go out to his parents, LA and Stason, and his beaming grandpa Miles.  Cody will have many rich years of listening to Grandpa Miles' stories about his youth, the dangers of going into Waikiki, and how he didn't enjoy napping while he was younger.

And we will forgive Stason for his ugly shirt.






Although I was in town for only an evening, I managed to get my dim sum fix.  We tried a new place called Yum Cha.  I was excited to see xiao long bao on the menu.  It was actually just okay, although this was the first place in Hawaii where I've actually had xiao long bao.  My previous experience has been limited to Din Tai Fung, so perhaps it's not a fair comparison.  The shrimp look funn was delicious.  Yum Cha is one of those places on Oahu where you can get the cute animal buns (I think the other place is Panda Dim Sum, a place I have yet to try).

The animal buns are dessert buns.  The piggies are filled with custard, and the doggies (sorry, no pic) have a black bean filling.  If you know me, then you know why there is no doggie bun pic.  I'm not a big fan of black bean.

The Help had to have his steamed char siu bao, and we also had an order of lo bok gao.  I managed to eat just one of the piggie buns because I could not leave without having my favorite, mango pudding.

For our only dinner,  it was a no-brainer.  We ended up at Tonkatsu Tamafuji.  I was smarter this time and ordered the white rice.  But next time, I think I will try the oyster and shrimp combo.  I don't think I need to eat the pork loin katsu again...not because it wasn't good, but it was just too heavy.

Since returning home, I've been putting a lot of time into my recovery.  In addition to physical therapy, I've been trying to stretch and do more at home.  While I am not back to normal yet, I can tell that I have made progress.  I can actually put on my own deodorant and wash my own hair.

While all this was happening, Kilauea volcano continued producing lava.  It is rather difficult to grasp the magnitude of changes which have occurred in the lower Puna area in the past 5 weeks.  I know of several people who had to evacuate, as well as others who have actually lost their homes.  D1 called me last week Thursday to tell me her long-time friend no longer has a home in Kapoho.  This is not a stranger.  This is someone who has spent time with our family over the years.  It's difficult to find words.

The Help allowed a friend to try out his Fuji, and he captured this amazing picture from his bedroom.   The foreground is bayfront (downtown Hilo).  The lava fountain (fissure 8) is about 20 miles away.

photo credit:  Nakaz42

And yesterday, I received an awesome gift from the valley of the sun. . .D1 returned! 😻

Mochi Balls

Spring break is just about over.  It's been quite cold and damp, but something tells me it is like this most every year.  This year just seems a lot colder than previous years.  I spent most of my break wearing socks in the house.

This break was not without some fun.  I went out with two friends.  One of them lives here, but our schedules are usually out of sync, so breaks are the only time we can have lunch.  And I was honored he chose to spend his only free lunch in Hilo with me. 

My other friend outing was a nice breakfast with Dee.  Dee lives on another island, but she came home to spend some time with her mother.  Dee usually makes a quick stop to see me when she is back, but it was really nice to sit down with her and catch up.  I guess she has forgiven me for nearly hosting her demise, although I maintain my innocence since things were beyond my control (While taking a shower at my apartment, she slipped and fell.  That same evening, she got a reaction from gulf rock shrimp which we had for dinner.).  And in case anyone is wondering, I ate the same shrimp and did not have any reaction.  Shit, maybe I shouldn't have brought it up again.

The other fun event of my break was getting together with a few friends.  One of my friends brought back a bottle of sake from her recent trip to Japan and wanted to share it.  Since she was sharing sake, I decided to make a few things to nibble on (I cannot drink without having snacks).  Everyone must have been thinking the same thing because we ended up with tons of food. 

The Keeper brought a tray of baked salmon, which I hope to replicate when D1 comes home.  We also had Indian food, Vietnamese food, and a lovely local goat cheese with herbs.  I made a cheesecake in the Instant Pot because one of my friends was intrigued by the idea.  I wanted her to taste it for herself . 

Since sake was one of the reasons for us getting together, I thought a Japanese-ish dessert would be a good match.  My first thought was to make andagi since I was already planning to deep fry won ton.  Nakaz had been experimenting with andagi the previous week, so andagi was fresh in my mind.  And then I remembered fried mochi balls.

Fried mochi balls look like andagi, but because they are made with mochiko (glutinous rice flour), they are dense and chewy instead of cake-like.  The stiff dough contains a moderate amount of sugar, so there is no need to roll the fried balls in additional sugar.  These mochi balls are similar to cascaron (Filipino fried mochi, often served in multiples on skewers), but they are crispy on the outside.  Unlike other deep fried foods, these mochi balls stay crispy for a long time.  It turned out to be a good choice.  At the end of the evening, the mochi balls were still crispy.

 click on recipe title for printable recipe

Mochi Balls

     2 c mochiko

     3/4 c sugar

     1 1/2 tsp baking powder

     1/2 tsp salt

     3/4 c water

     oil for deep frying

Mix together.  Using a #70 disher (about 2 tsp), drop dough into hot oil.  Fry until golden brown.  Drain on paper towels.

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.

Okazuya Food: Eggplant and Spam Tempura

Once again, the short week did me in.  I just cannot seem to get my act together.  And being pulled out for one of those four days didn't help.  I need to pull up my big girl panties because I will be out two days this week. 

I spent a few hours on Saturday at a band festival.  I am so NOT a band person.  The hook to getting people there was all-you-can-eat hot dogs.  Red hot dogs.  Hilo kine.  Anyone from Hilo knows exactly what I mean.  Always a step behind, I ended up buying all ten tickets D2 had to sell.  Fortunately, I had a few hungry friends (ollieMama and her crew and The Keeper) who were willing to give up a few hours on Saturday to eat hot dogs and listen to adolescent band kids perform.  KikukatMom and KikukatDad were also in the house.  I thing the band made $ off of us.  Nobody ate more than two hot dogs.  Oh wait.  I think The Help ate three five.

The band festival was in the gym at the high school down the road.  KikukatDad almost died there when a lady with horrific body odor sat by him.  He HAD to move.  How could the lady not realize she stinks?  How could the people with her allow her to get so stink?  This wasn't an old person. . .40-something.  No excuse.  And people sitting rows above could smell her too.

After the band festival, D2 had a few friends over.  They spent the afternoon and part of the evening hanging out.  I thought they might play in the pool, but the afternoon was overcast so nobody went in the water.

Believe it or not, I had a goal for the weekend.  The goal was to eat some poke.  Several times this week, I passed a sign outside of WikiWiki Mart advertising fresh poke.  It was a reminder that I haven't had my favorite poke in a while. . ."mixed plate" poke from Suisan.  I meant to get a half-pound of it this weekend, but by the time I was able to get to Suisan, there was hardly anything left.  I ended up with a half-pound of wasabi salmon poke (this is probably the only time I eat a lick of wasabi, and it's only because I can't taste any wasabi in the salmon poke), which I planned to have for dinner.

But on the way home, I didn't feel much like cooking, so The Help suggested we go out for dinner.  I'm not sure why he suggested it, but thirty minutes later, we found ourselves headed to Noodle Club in Waimea.  Yummm.  The bao buns are a no-miss.  The KFC (Korean Fried Chicken, which is not the Korean chicken I posted the other week) was a winner too.  In fact, I'm going to be attempting a copycat version of it with some homemade kochujang. . .when I'm done with all of my other projects.

After all that feasting, I turned to something simpler for Sunday, eggplant and Spam tempura.  This is something KikukatMom cooked occasionally.  Aunty Mo, my friend Colleen's mom also made it.  I see it occasionally at Hilo Lunch Shop, but I stopped buying it after I had a few bitter eggplant ones.  I even saw it at some small okazuya in Honolulu (located on a side street near one of the Kim Chee restaurants between Makiki and McKinley High School).  I have no idea where The Help has been all these years, but he thought I invented this dish.  He was skeptical of my "creativity", but he ended up eating mound of these.

I tried cutting the Spam two different ways:  as coins (Hilo Lunch Shop and KikukatMom style) and as logs (Aunty Mo style).  I think I prefer it cut as coins, but the coins only work if the eggplant has a certain diameter (1-1/2 inches or more).  Skinny eggplants should be cut as logs.  As with all fried foods, leftovers should be reheated in a toaster oven.

 click on recipe title for printable recipe

Eggplant and Spam Tempura

     4 long eggplant
     1/2-1 can Spam
     1 c flour
     2 tsp baking powder
     1/4 tsp salt
     1 c cold water
     oil for frying

Slice long eggplant into 1 1/2" slices (same as width of a piece of Spam).  Eggplant can also be sliced into coins, 3/4-1" thick.  Cut through middle of eggplant, but do not cut all the way through.  Slice Spam into 1/4" thick slices.  Cut Spam to fit into slits made in eggplant.  Set aside.  Heat 1 - 1 1/2" of oil to 375 degrees.  Sift flour, baking powder, and salt.  Add cold water and mix gently.  Dip Spam/eggplant pieces into batter and fry until golden brown.  Drain on paper towels.

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.

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.

Back in the Emerald City: Bones, Bones, Bones

Its been over 20 years.  My, how you've changed!



There were no college buddies on my long flight across the Pacific.



There was no UGeo to greet me at the airport, to help me with my baggage, to take me to get something to eat.






And yet, in many ways, you've stayed the same.



The autumn air is still cool and brisk.



The air still has that odd smell. . .somewhere between the smell of industry and paper pulp.  Its hard to describe, but anyone who has lived in the Pacific Northwest knows what I'm talking about.



Starbuck's Coffee still rules.



And Pike Place Market is still THE place for fresh seafood.




Going down to the market to watch the salmon being thrown to the back at Pike Place Fish was, and still is, a sight to see. Anytime someone visited me in Seattle, it was de rigueur to go down there and watch the salmon "fly". 

As I've spoken of previously, to me, Seattle IS salmon.  There are very few things more delicious than hot, fresh, alder-smoked salmon.  Whether its made by UGeo or Ivar's, the aroma itself will transport you to a different world.  I don't think I could even attempt to recreate it at home.

Ahhhh. . .home. . .Hilo.  We buy fresh salmon from the supermarket (or receive Alaskan salmon from Kento), and we buy it by the piece, never whole.  Living in Seattle, UGeo would often buy the whole salmon.  He would do the filleting himself.  If I knew then what I know now, I would've asked him to give me the center bone.

The center bone, after the salmon has been filleted, is one of my most favorite parts (after the collars/kama, of course).  Some people cook the center bone in a shoyu/sugar sauce, but I love it fried.  It goes great with a cold brewski. . .rice optional!

click on recipe title for printable recipe

Fried Salmon Bones

     1 lb salmon bones
     3/4 c flour
     1 1/2 tsp salt
     1 1/2 tbsp garlic salt
     1 1/2 tbsp lemon pepper

In a small ziploc bag, combine all ingredients except bones.  Rinse bone pieces and pat dry.  Using a cleaver and kitchen shears, cut bone pieces apart into 1 1/2" segments.  Shake each piece in flour mixture and pan fry in shallow oil til crispy.

And while I miss UGeo and think about him everyday, not all Seattle change is bad. . Seattle now has superb outlet shopping! I'm sure UGeo is proud of that.