Acting Japanese: Fast Cucumber Pickles

Chie Ike and Ayaka Kojima

For me, summer is officially over.  By the time this post hits cyberspace, I will be knee deep in student files.  Teachers in Hawaii officially begin the 2013-2014 school year tomorrow, but my department requested a stipend so teachers could go in early to divvy up students.  Most everyone else in my department will have an unfair advantage, as they know the students. 

I am likely half-dead too.  I spent the weekend hosting two nice girls from Japan. . .Chie Ike and Ayaka Kojima.  They visited Hilo as part of a Kiwanis Club of East Hawaii's involvement in Hilo's sister city exchange with the city of Sumoto (Awaji Island).

Chie and Ayaka had never been to Hawaii, so this was a very exciting trip for them.  They were here with 10 classmates from Sumoto High School and a handful of adults representing various Sumoto entities (municipal representatives and Sumoto International Association members).  During their 4-day stay in East Hawaii, they visited Punalu'u Black Sand Beach, Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, and the Hilo Farmer's Market.  The Help and I drove them out to the Hilton Waikoloa Village for Sunday brunch, as the last group of girls from Japan seemed to fall in love with that place.  Chie and Ayaka were no exception.  They loved it!

As always, the Farewell Dinner was hard on everyone.  Saying goodbye is always hard, no matter how old you are.  Emotions were running high at the Farewell Dinner.  Some of the Sumoto girls broke down as they were giving their speeches.  Ayaka actually missed dinner because she was so nervous about her speech.  If I were them, I'd have been more nervous about getting the heck outta Hilo.  We were on pins and needles on Sunday evening, waiting for more information about Tropical Storm Flossie.  I hate flying in shitty weather.

When we got home from the Farewell Dinner, Ayaka said she was very hungry.  I heated up some Beautiful Edamame Rice which I had saved in the freezer.  Kikukat Dad had given me some cut-up pineapple, so I put that on the table as well.  D1 wanted vienna sausage, so she opened a few cans and heated them.  I had some leftover Spicy Soybeans so I put that in a bowl as well.  I hesitated before serving them these Fast Cucumber Pickles because they are from Japan, the land of pickles.  I was embarrassed because I didn't think they'd want to eat them when they could get much better pickles at home.  But they did, and they loved the pickles!

Reflecting on what I did this summer, aside from the 100+ pages of pacing guides, I really busted my ass.  I was busy all summer.  If I wasn't doing my pacing guides, I was cooking.   Here is a list of things I made:

• buttermilk biscuits
• hot crab artichoke dip
• almond float
• namul
• snickerdoodles
• beautiful edamame rice
• fried garlic chicken
• mini Dutch apple tarts
• cole slaw
• macaroni and cheese
• bbq brisket
• Portuguese sweet bread
• ginger lavosh
• chicken and squash
• frozen cantaloupe pops
• oatmeal butterscotch cookies
• sweet rolls
• brownies
• gravlax
• mini cupcakes with buttercream frosting
• vinha d'alhos
• spam musubi
• li hing cucumbers
• cherry coffee cake
• creamy fudgesicles
• fresh strawberry pie
• creamy Italian dressing
• Canlis salad
• sandwich rolls
• fuji apple cream cheese jello
• beef tomato/tomato beef
• ohelo berry jam
• ohelo berry cream cheese pie
• kamaboko dip
• almost hilo yacht club salad dressing
• Jill's caesar salad dressing
• fried calamari
• Mt. Dew cupcakes
• fast cucumber pickles
• Vietnamese chicken salad
• mini devil's food cupcakes
• lemon bars
• spicy soybeans

I figured my non-exhaustive list of cooking would be more interesting that Beowulf or Hamlet, but if you want my pacing guide, message me and include yours as an attachment.  I'll show you mine if you'll show me yours!

click on recipe title for printable recipe

Fast Cucumber Pickles

     2 Japanese cucumbers (seedless)
     1 chili pepper, seeds removed
     1/2 c raw sugar
     1/2 c water
     1 tbsp salt
     2 tbsp rice vinegar

Slice cucumbers into 1/2" rounds or 1 1/2" spears.  Pack into a glass jar.  Midway through, add chili pepper.  Combine sugar, water, salt, and rice vinegar in a small saucepan.  Heat until sugar dissolves.   Pour over cucumbers.  Chill overnight before serving.

Easy Koko

After weeks of cholesterol (fat-laden baked beans, smoked brisket & multiple trips to Leungs), I needed some time to regroup.  I love fatty foods, but even I need a break from the lipids.

This is a good time to take a trip down memory lane to Mt. View Gramma's house.  She was always cooking...always making something in the kitchen.  One thing I remember was her enameled tub in the corner of her immaculate kitchen.  Her tub was usually filled with some kind of vegetable, topped with a flat wooden board and weighted down with a large rock.  My "duty" was to clean my feet and step on the rock.  It was only when I was much older (and I was told not to step on the rock...I guess it wasn't cute anymore) did I realize what was the end result of this archaic contraption.

I think the formal/polite words to use to describe this might be tsukemono or oshinko or (fill-in-the-blank)zuke, but most people in Hawaii use koko to describe any type of humble pickles.

The modern way of making koko is to use a pickle pot.  The pickle pot is a self-contained vat where the pressure to smash the vegetables is provided by a screw-down plate aided by a spring.  This constantly applies pressure to the vegetables.  I got my pickle pot from Marukai.  If you don't have a pickle pot, there is nothing wrong with using Mt. View Gramma's method...place veggies and other ingredients in a tub or bowl, put a plate over it and put something heavy on the plate.

There seems to be no law on how to cut the veggies to pickle, and while The Help told me they should be cut small, I've also seen people use large chunks of cabbage and cucumbers.  As far as the variety of vegetables...almost anything goes, but a cabbage or won bok is standard.  If you have ever dined at Miyo's, this recipe will produce a product very similar to the little plate accompanying the miso soup there (add grated ginger for the Miyo's version).  Sometimes, Miyo's will add bean sprouts to the vegetable mix and sprinkle a few sesame seeds over the top.

click on recipe title for printable recipe
Easy Koko

     cabbage or won bok, cut small
     carrots (shredded, optional)
     daikon (cut into thin half moons, optional)
     cucumber (cut into thin half moons, optional)
     eggplant (cut into thin half moons, optional)

     1/4 c rock salt

     1/2 c sugar

     1/4 c vinegar

     2 c water
     grated ginger (optional)

Place cabbage in a pickle pot.  Mix remaining ingredients and pour over cabbage.  Screw pickle pot down and leave for 2 days.  Drain well.

If using vegetable scraps (about 1/8 cabbage):

1 tbsp rock salt
2 tsp sugar
1 tbsp rice vinegar
1 tbsp water
grated ginger(optional)

This past Friday was the Ho`olaule`a at D2's school.  I passed on a work trip to Honolulu to attend, and I have no regrets.  D2 did an awesome job, and I am so proud of her.  D1 was in the audience too, and even she said she was proud of her sister.  Sniff, sniff.

We are down to the final days of school.  For some lucky people, Friday is the last day of the work for this school year.  For those less fortunate, there are eight days left.  Yippeeeeee!!!