Hawaiian Regional Cuisine

Hawaiian Regional Cuisine
hawaii
Hawaiian
Regional Cuisine
Asia meets the Pacific
By NATHAN FONG
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Hawaiian Regional Cuisine
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Hawaii
Where on Earth
H
onolulu, with its supreme white sand
Waikiki Beach, has been a popular travel destination from the first
days of steamship travel in the early 20th century to the current
jet age. The exotic locale and Hawaiian people were immortalized
by glamorous posters and retro postcards of the ocean liners en route
from the Orient to the American west coast, in the first real signature
advertisements of the former Sandwich Islands. Sun-kissed, grass-skirted,
long-haired Polynesian beauties and bronzed, muscled surfers lazed in their
tropical paradise with the impressive extinct volcano, Diamond Head, in the
background, a sure contrast to the conservatism back home on the mainland.
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Cook
Carrot Risotto
Serves 4
it
James McDonald’s Pacific O Restaurant,
located in Lahaina on Maui, serves stunning
cuisine and emphasizes the freshness of the
produce grown on the restaurant’s own farm.
This wonderfully simple dish showcases the
fresh ingredients grown in the islands.
Olive Oil
6 Tbs
Butter
6 Tbs, softened
Shallots
finely chopped,
2 Tbs
Arborio Rice
2 cups
Carrot Juice
4 cups, warmed
Heirloom Carrots
thinly sliced, 1 cup
Asiago Cheese
shredded, ½ cup
Salt & Pepper
1 Heat oil and 2 Tbs butter
in a saucepan and set over
medium heat.
2 Add shallots and rice and stir
for about 1 minute until rice is
well coated.
3 Slowly add the carrot juice a
little at a time until absorbed
by the rice over a period of
approximately 10 minutes.
4 Stir in carrots and continue
stirring until they are slightly
softened but still retain a
slight crunch.
5 Add cheese and the
remaining butter and season
to taste. Serve immediately.
to taste
4
It wasn’t until the tragedy of Pearl Harbour, however, and the
release of Elvis Presley’s popular Blue Hawaii, that Honolulu
became a fixture on the commercial tourism map.
Hawaii was an especially hot vacation spot in the 1970s and
quickly became known as the exotic locale for the likes of TV’s
Hawaii Five-O. And who could forget the time when The Brady
Bunch took a family vacation in the tropical island paradise? TV
and film buffs also saw stunning Hawaiian locales as the
backdrop for Magnum PI, Lost, Baywatch, Jurassic Park, and
most recently, the newly updated Hawaii Five-O.
Throughout all these glamorous vista shots, there was rarely
any reference to the regional foods of the islands, besides the
ubiquitous pineapples and coconuts. There was the occasional
mention of traditional native staples such as the somewhat
unpalatable poi, the fermented paste of mashed taro root (akin
in texture to wallpaper paste), and to kalua pig, a whole pig,
covered in banana leaves and cooked in an imu, the Hawaiian
underground oven. The meat is basically steamed in the hot,
covered oven until tender, then shredded, somewhat like Latino
carnitas, but infused with heady smokiness.
My first visit to the Hawaiian Islands was with my family in the
mid 70s, when the local cuisine consisted mainly of dishes made
from ingredients and produce shipped from the mainland...frozen
vegetables, under-ripened fruit and frozen meat. Food was
basically badly prepared, either fried or overcooked.
It was during this trip that I became acquainted with such
“Hawaiian” culinary delights as saimin (the island’s version of
Japanese ramen), Spam masubi (a local sushi variant that has
since become very popular with the visiting Japanese), the
aforementioned kalua pork and its accompanying poi. Local
dishes such as the plantation-origin, plate lunches of loco moco
(two scoops of rice, topped with two hamburger patties, onion
gravy and fried eggs, usually accompanied with scoops of
macaroni salad), were popular. These plate-meals, which
originated in the plantations, were large enough to set me
thinking about a full cardiac check-up, even if all I did was read
about them on a menu!
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But significant changes have taken place in island cuisine
over the last couple of decades. Some 20 years ago a group of
dedicated chefs formed a collective group called the Hawaiian
Regional Chefs. They were focused on using local, regional and
seasonal island ingredients in their restaurants and proving that
they were self-sufficient and didn’t need to rely solely on
products grown and harvested across the ocean.
In August 1991, twelve of Hawaii’s most talented chefs from
throughout the Islands gathered on Maui and pioneered a new
culinary concept: “Hawaiian Regional Cuisine.” The premise was
to elevate the culinary experience in Hawaii by featuring the
local foods of land and sea in dishes that expressed each chef’s
own distinctive style of cooking. The results were exciting,
creative presentations and delectable dining experiences.
Hawaiian Regional Cuisine has come to incorporate many
interpretations and definitions but remains fundamentally a
contemporary style of cooking that showcases local ingredients
Hawaiian regional Chefs have put
Hawaii on the international culinary map
and have inspired and mentored
a new generation of talented chefs…
and borrows from all of the ethnic influences you’ll find in
Hawaii, from the local indigenous Hawaiians to the plantationera immigrants of Chinese, Filipino and Japanese descent and
more recent Korean and Vietnamese arrivals. Both
collaboratively and individually, the Hawaiian Regional Chefs
have put Hawaii on the international culinary map and have
inspired and mentored a new generation of talented chefs who
share their philosophy and have followed their lead.
Serves 4
Kona Kampachi Carpaccio
with Miso Aioli
The luxurious Halekulani Hotel, with its tranquil
gardens and stunning backdrop of Diamond Head, is
a Waikiki landmark. The hotel’s executive chef, Vikram
Garg, has an exuberance for working with Hawaiian
regional ingredients. This simple recipe showcases the
local Big Island Kampachi (skipjack), but snapper or
halibut make good substitutes. Use yellow or white
saikyo miso for the aioli for a milder flavour.
Kampachi Fillet
12 oz, sliced into 8 equal parts
Pickled Daikon
2 oz, diced
Ogo Seaweed
or sea asparagus, ½ oz
Red Radish
1 oz, shaved or thinly sliced
Chives, 4 per fillet
Lemon Juice
½ a lemon
Sea Salt & Freshly Ground
Black Pepper
to taste
Miso paste, 2 Tbs
Japanese mayonnaise, 4 Tbs
1 Place the kampachi slices
between two plastic
bags and smash with the
bottom of a pan to form a
thin sheet.
2 Mix the miso and
Japanese mayonnaise in
a small bowl to create the
miso aioli.
3 To serve, smear miso aioli
on a plate and place the
kampachi on top. Top
with ogo, pickled daikon,
radish, chives and sprinkle
with sea salt and pepper.
4 Squeeze a few drops of
lemon juice over before
serving.
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Hawaiian Regional Cuisine
Serves 4 as an appetizer
Kataifi & Macadamia Nut-Crusted
Fresh Kauai PrawnS
hawaii
with Big Island Baby Greens & Pineapple Vinaigrette
This is one of Chef Chai Chawasoree’s
signature recipes from his award-winning
restaurant, Chai’s Island Bistro at The
Aloha Tower in Honolulu. It has won
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a number of awards, including Best
Seafood Dish and the People’s Choice
Award at the annual Taste of Honolulu
event. Local island prawns are wrapped
in shredded Greek phyllo and macadamia
nuts, deep-fried until golden and served
with a tart-sweet pineapple dressing.
it
Black Tiger Prawns
8, jumbo-sized, fresh,
de-veined, peeled and
rinsed
Lemon Juice
just a dash
Salt & Pepper
to taste
Bamboo Sticks
8
Flour
3 Tbs, all-purpose
Cornstarch
1 Tbs
Macadamia Nuts
finely chopped, 1Tbs
Egg
1, medium-sized
Cold Water
½ cup
Kataifi
(shredded phyllo) or
any thin noodle, 1 box
Vegetable Oil
4 cups for deep frying
Fresh Pineapple
4 pieces, about ¾“
thick, for garnish
Baby Greens
2 cups, for garnish
1 Marinate the prawns
with lemon juice, salt
and pepper. The acid
from the lemon juice
will the make shrimp
meat crunchy.
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2 Skewer the prawns
with bamboo sticks,
leaving an extra inch
at the end; set aside.
3 In a bowl, combine
flour, cornstarch,
macadamia nuts, egg
and cold water. Dip
the skewered prawns
in the batter and then
wrap with the kataifi.
4 In a wok or deep
fryer, preheat the oil
to about 375°F, then
fry the prawns for 3
minutes or until they
are light brown.
5 Serve with pineapple
vinaigrette. Garnish
with pineapple and
mixed salad.
makes ??
Pineapple Vinaigrette
Pineapple
Juice
¼ cup
Sugar
1 In a saucepan, combine all
ingredients and bring to a boil.
Simmer for 2–3 minutes. Serve
at room temperature.
2 Tbs
White Vinegar
2 Tbs
Ketchup
2 Tbs
Pinch of Salt
a pinch
Tabasco
a dash
Cook
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Serves 4–6
Ahi Poke Dip
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Mayonnaise, 1 cup
Soy sauce, 1 Tbs
Garlic
1 clove, finely chopped
Lemon Juice
½ a lemon
Pickled Ginger
2 Tbs, finely chopped
Sesame Seeds
1 tsp, roasted
Cilantro
1 tsp, coarsely chopped
Green Onions
1 cup, finely chopped
Ahi Tuna
4 oz sushi grade, ¼
-inch diced
Whipping Cream
½ cup, lightly whipped
For the past two decades, such Hawaiian culinary luminaries
as Alan Wong, Roy Yamaguchi, Sam Choy, Mark Ellman and
French ex-pat George Mavrothalassitis have spread their gospel
about the glory of regional Hawaiian cuisine. Thanks to their
dedicated and focused efforts, individuals and communities are
working together to build more locally-based, self-reliant food
economies based on domestic agriculture. These include new
“boutique” produce farms and aqua-culture (seaweed, salt water
shrimp, lobster, abalone and fish) farms.
The new wave of Hawaiian cuisine continues to evolve in the
hands of the second generation of talented chefs, many
homegrown in the various islands. Honolulu Chef Glenn Chu’s
popular, award-winning restaurant Indigo is situated on the
border of Chinatown. Situated in several restored buildings that
once housed Chinese tailor shops, the restaurant has multiple
rooms, including a wonderful lanai overlooking a park and
fountain. The atmospheric lighting at night makes the restaurant
mysterious, leaving diners wondering if they’ll catch a glimpse of
the fictitious Charlie Chan around the next corner. Chu is fifthgeneration Hawaiian-Chinese and has grown up wandering the
historic wet-markets of Chinatown, witnessing the changes that a
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Cook
it
This wonderful spread is
served with the bread selection
at Hoku’s, the award-winning
signature restaurant at the
beautiful Kahala Hotel and
Resort. Situated along the
Gold Coast on the east side of
Diamond Head, beyond the
vibrancy of Waikiki Beach,
the Kahala has been serving
luminaries, celebrities, royalty,
and guests seeking a quiet
island experience for over
45 years. The restaurant
is renowned for serving
contemporary Island cuisine.
1 Place all ingredients except for the
whipped cream in a bowl and mix well.
2 Fold in whipped cream and keep in
the refrigerator tightly covered. This
will last up to two days.
multitude of Asian influences have encouraged over the years. His
food, strongly influenced by his Chinese ancestry, reflects a fusion
style well adapted to the local palate. Chinese Gin Doi, a fried
dumpling usually found at dim sum restaurants, is filled with duck
and dried apricots. Won tons are stuffed with goat’s cheese,
sundried tomatoes and sweet peppers. Garden spring rolls are
stuffed with vegetables and couscous pilaf, accompanied with
tangerine sauce.
Thai-born Chai Chawasoree, of Chai’s Island Bistro located at
The Aloha Tower, wraps local Kauai prawns in shredded filo
pastry (kataifi) and macadamia nuts, deep fries them until golden
and serves them with a pineapple vinaigrette. Russell Sui, with his
popular restaurant, 3660 On The Rise, and Wayne Hirabayashi at
the helm of the award-winning Hoku’s in the stunning Kahala
Hotel and Resort, both on Oahu, are two other notable chefs who
continue to promote Hawaii’s great cuisine. Since 2000, Chefowner James McDonald of Pacific O, located in the former
whaling town of Lahaina on Maui, has served stunning regional
cuisine with biodynamic and organic produce grown in nutrientrich volcanic soil on his farm, just minutes away. An array of
produce, including fennel, cabbage, turnips, lemongrass, heirloom
Hawaiian Regional Cuisine
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Cook
Serves 6, as appetizers
Hamachi Tuna
it
with Grapefruit Brûlée
This simple, yet elegant, appetizer is also served
at Hoku’s, at the Kahala Hotel and Resort.
Hamachi Tuna
3 oz sashimi grade,
sliced into 6 portions
Chiso Leaf
6 pieces
Pink Grapefruit
6 large segments
Avocado
6 generous slices
Tempura Batter
½ cup
Hawaiian Sea Salt
to taste
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Lime Juice
to taste
Maui Sugar
in the Raw
(Turbinado Sugar)
6 tsp
1 Pat-dry grapefruit segments
as much as possible so
that they will brown nicely.
Sprinkle with sugar.
2 Using a torch, burn sugar to
caramelize; set aside.
3 Take avocado slices, one at
a time, and dip into tempura
batter, deep frying the
pieces at 365˚F until crispy
and golden. Remove and
set on a paper towel-lined
baking sheet.
4 To plate, place a piece of
avocado tempura as the
first layer. Then cover with
a piece of caramelized
grapefruit and top with the
sliced hamachi. Season
lightly with Hawaiian sea salt
and lime juice.
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Cook
it
Serves 4
Crispy Fried
Garlic and Scallion Shrimp
with Honey Chili Aioli
Shrimp
20 (size 20/26),
peeled and deveined
with tail on
Rice Flour
½ cup
Garlic
finely chopped, 4 Tbs
Green Onion
finely chopped, 4 Tbs
Gin
2 Tbs
Oil
1 Tbs
Mayonnaise
½ cup
Honey
1 Tbs
Sriracha Chili
Sauce
½ tsp
Sweet Chili Sauce
1 Tbs
Salt & Pepper
Chef/Owner Russell Sui,
although not one of the original
group of Hawaii Regional
Chefs, is highly regarded as a
talented island-born chef who
showcases regional cuisine. His
highly acclaimed neighbourhood
restaurant has been popular
with locals and tourists since its
opening in 1992.
carrots asparagus and tomatoes, is grown some 3000 feet
above sea level on the slopes of an extinct volcano. McDonald
earnestly tries to grow and use as much as he can for his
kitchens and about 75% of his menu is organic. The Hawaiian
Regional chefs’ restaurant menus average at least 50% organic
ingredients and most are trying to increase that percentage.
I have visited Hawai’s almost every year since 1998 and have
been impressed with the focus on the evolving Hawaiian cuisine.
Long gone are the large plantations of sugarcane (remember
the catchy C & H Sugar tune?) and pineapples (except for local
consumption and tourism at the Dole plantation on Oahu) that
once dominated the volcanic landscape. Instead, small farms are
being developed and produce is being grown in response to
demand from local chefs and islanders. Wonderful farmers’
markets such as Saturday’s KCC Farmer’s Market (located at the
foot of Diamond Head at the Kapiolani Community College),
and the more recent Thursday Waikiki farmer’s market further
up the coast at Ewa Beach are just two examples among many
that have sprouted up through the islands.
These markets, unlike most of the mainland farmers’ markets,
are made up of various stalls reflecting the multi-ethnic diversity
of the islands and their Asian influence. Here you’ll find makeshift kitchens deep-frying fresh Filipino lumpia, Korean style
fried rice with kimchee and salmon, local taro infused with
Japanese mochi, Vietnamese bakeries with their baguettes and
almond croissants, Chinese rice noodles and fresh tofu. A
wonderful cornucopia from an Asian melting pot!
Here are some island favourites from some of the top
regional chefs, bringing some Hawaiian sun warmth to your
tables…Aloha!
1 To make the aioli, mix mayonnaise,
honey, Sriracha and sweet chili sauce
in a bowl until smooth. For spicier
aioli, add more Sriracha.
2 Season shrimp with salt and pepper
and coat with rice flour, shaking off
any excess. Deep fry in oil at 350˚F
for about one minute and let drain.
3 In a sauté pan over medium high
heat, add oil and garlic and sauté
until garlic turns a golden brown.
Add gin and reduce to 1 ½ tsp.
Remove from heat, add scallions and
coat the shrimp with the mixture.
Serve over honey chili aioli.
to taste
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Hawaiian Regional Cuisine
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Serves 4
with Cocoa Bean Curry Sauce
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Seared Moi
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This recipe from Glenn Chu showcases a myriad of
South-East Asian ingredients, from lemongrass and
Thai chili to the unripened chocolate pods (cacao)
grown on the Big Island. Moi is a delicate, moist fish
that was once only raised and served for the Ali’i,
or Hawaiian royalty. In the past, special ponds were
built around where Waikiki Beach now lies; but
today, the fish is now farmed commercially. If moi is
unavailable in your local fish market, substitute with
arctic char or snapper.
Olive Oil
1 Tbs
Shallots
minced, 1 Tbs
Lemon Grass
minced (bottom 2-3
inches only), 1 tsp
Galangal or Fresh
Ginger
minced, 1 tsp
Garlic
minced, 1 tsp
Turmeric Powder
2 tsp
Cocoa Nibs
ground, 1 tsp
or substitute
unsweetened
chocolate
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Thai Chili
minced, ¼ tsp
Kosher Salt
Cocoa Bean Curry Sauce
1 In a hot sauté pan, add the olive
oil and sauté the shallots, lemon
grass, galangal, garlic, turmeric,
salt, and cocoa nibs until the
shallots are translucent.
2 Add Thai chili, lime leaf, Sriracha
chili sauce, coconut milk and
water. Then cook on medium for 5
to 10 minutes, or until thickened.
Cocoa Bean Curry Sauce can be
stored, covered and refrigerated,
up to 3 days.
Moi Preparation
Moi
2 filets, boned
(or arctic char
or snapper
fillets, 6 oz
each)
½ tsp
Olive Oil
Sriracha Chili
Sauce
Green Onion
1 Tbs
Water
2 Tbs
Coconut Milk
1 cup
Sugar
1 Tbs
Wild Lime Leaves
2
1 Tbs
sliced, green
part only, 4 Tbs
1 Season both sides
of fish with olive oil,
salt and pepper.
2 Pan fry until tender
and cooked.
3 Ladle sauce
over fish. Serve
immediately with
steamed rice.
Shiitake
Mushrooms
sliced, 1 cup
Kosher Salt
& Freshly
Ground
Black
Pepper
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Hawaiian Regional Cuisine
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Makes 8–10 small cakes
Black PeppercorN
Chocolate CakeS
This is one of those addictive, sinfully-rich, flourless
chocolate cakes, made with only three main ingredients.
It is one of Glenn Chu’s signature desserts and he says
“the secret to success is to gently blend the beaten eggs
with the melted chocolate and not to over bake.” The
cake will still be soft and pudding-like when removed
from the oven, but it will firm up when cooled. It keeps
almost indefinitely frozen but give the cake time to
warm up, as chocolate always tastes better warm or at
room temperature.
Unsalted Butter
1 cup, cut into chunks
Dark Semisweet
Chocolate Chips
20 oz
Black Peppercorns
coarsely ground, 2 tsp
Eggs
5, large, room
temperature, whipped
until light and frothy
Cocoa Powder
4 Tbs, for dusting
Strawberries &
Whipped Cream
for garnish
1 Butter and lightly flour 8–10 4 oz
teacups, ramekins or molds and place
on a baking sheet.
2 In the top of a double boiler or in a
large, heatproof bowl fitted snugly over
a saucepan with 2 inches simmering
water, melt butter and chocolate and
stir until smooth. When melted, add
black pepper and the essential oils will
start to perfume the air.
3 Remove from heat and gently stir in
eggs and spoon into prepared teacup
molds. At this point the mixture can be
refrigerated for several hours.
4 Preheat oven to 325˚F, remove cups
from the refrigerator and bring back
to room temperature. Bake the molds
on the tray for about 15 minutes or
until cakes puff up. The outsides of the
cakes should be set, but the centres will
still be quite soft.
5 Remove from oven and invert each
mold on a plate and let set for 10
minutes. Unfold by carefully lifting one
side of the mold.
6 Dust with cocoa powder and garnish
with whipped cream and berries.
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…the Secret to Success is
to gently blend…and not
to over bake…
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Chai’s Island Bistro
1 Aloha Tower Drive
Honolulu, HI 96813-4815
www.chaisislandbistro.com
3660 On The Rise
3660 Waialae Avenue
Honolulu, Hawaii 96816
www.3660.com
Pacific O Restaurant
505 Front St # 114
Lahaina, HI 96761-1188
www.pacificomaui.com
Hoku’s
The Kahala Hotel &
Resort
5000 Kahala Avenue
Honolulu, HI 96816-5498
www.kahalaresort.com/
dining/hoku.cfm
Halekulani Hotel
2199 Kalia Road
Honolulu, HI 96815
www.halekulani.com
Sheraton Waikiki
2255 Kalakaua Ave
Honolulu, HI 96815
www.sheraton-waikiki.com
Hali’imaile General
Store
Vancouver born NATHAN FONG Fong
segued from cooking and catering to a
brilliant career as a food and props stylist
for culinary print and film advertising, with
a distinguished international client list. In
addition to leading tours of the Vancouver
markets and teaching cooking classes,
Nathan writes a regular column for the
Vancouver Sun newspaper and a
popular blog called Fong on Food.
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www.fongonfood.com
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900 Haliimaile Road
Makawao, HI 96768-9711
www.bevgannonrestaurants.
com/haliimaile
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One of the original
group of Hawaiian
Regional Chefs,
Beverly Gannon
opened the acclaimed
Hali’imaile General
Store restaurant in rural
Makawao on Maui, in
1988. Her eponymous
cookbook, written with
Bonnie Friedman (Ten
Speed Press, 2000)
is as fresh today as
when it was released
over a decade ago. The
durability of Gannon’s
recipes are proof that the
new wave of Hawaiian
cuisine she and likeminded chefs initiated
in the late 80s was not
just a fad but the birth of
the locavore movement
that has since swept
across mainland USA and
much of the developed
world. Gannon’s second
cookbook Family-Style
Meals at the Hali’imaile
General Store, written
with Joan Namkoong
(Ten Speed Press,
2009) is another great
collection of recipes
destined to become new
Hawaiian classics.