by Toby Neal
3. In a small saucepan, bring the soy sauce, mirin and sugar to a boil, then lower heat and add the Spam slices, turning once gently.
4. Cook Spam until the sauce is thickened.
5. Remove Spam from pan and set aside on a plate.
6. Place a sheet of nori on flat surface- lengthwise, shiny side down, rough side up. Think of the nori sheet in thirds, placing the maker/can at either end (⅓ of your sheet).
7. Fill the maker/can ⅓ high with rice and press down hard until rice is tightly packed.
8. Sprinkle rice with furikake (or Li Hing Mui) and sesame seeds.
9. Top with Spam slice and press down lightly.
10. Top with more rice, pressing down to pack rice.
11. Top with more sesame seeds.
12. Carefully remove maker/can, so as not to break the stack, then return maker/can to water.
13. Wrap the stack with the nori.
14. Dampen the end of the nori to seal it, just as you would ravioli or pie dough.
15. Repeat the above steps to make the rest of the musubi.
16. If you aren’t eating them right away, wrap tightly in plastic wrap.
Note:
Musubi can be made with any additional ingredients that you like, such as chicken or hot dogs.
Kalua Pork
This recipe can be made in the slow cooker (8 -10 hours on low) or in the oven (3 hours at 375°F.) Use a deep roasting pan. If you use a smaller roast, check for doneness 1 hour before stated times above.
INGREDIENTS:
4-5 lb. pork shoulder or pork butt, fat on. (If there is a lot of fat, you can trim some, but this is what keeps the meat moist.)
2 tsp.-2 Tbsp. alaea (Hawaiian sea salt) or any other sea salt.
Banana leaves or cabbage leaves, or aluminum foil, enough to wrap your roast
4 Tbsp. liquid smoke
6 c. water
Notes:
You can sometimes find Hawaiian sea salt in the Northeast US at Marshalls, TJ Maxx and gourmet food stores.
You can sometimes find banana leaves at a florist or Asian market.
(If you don’t want to use cabbage or banana leaves, you can wrap the roast VERY tightly in aluminum foil before putting it in the roasting pan.)
STEPS:
1. Place banana or cabbage leaves in the bottom and up the sides of your slow cooker or roasting pan, or wrap the roast tightly in aluminum foil if you do not want to use banana or cabbage leaves.
2. Score (pierce with a fork or knife) the fatty side of the roast.
3. Place the roast in the pan on top of the leaves or wrapped in foil.
4. Add the liquid smoke and pat on the salt.
5. Then cover the roast with more leaves (if applicable) and wrap tightly.
6. In the slow cooker, add ½ to 1 cup of water; in a roasting pan, add enough water to come halfway up the sides of the pan.
7. Serve the meat shredded with sticky (or any rice), sweet potatoes, sauteed cabbage, macaroni salad, chunky applesauce, or any of your favorite sides.
Fresh Hawaiian Fish
SERVINGS:
4 servings
SERVING SUGGESTION:
Fish can be served with rice, used in fish tacos (using shells/tortillas and add-ins), with a nice sweet and sour slaw or traditional coleslaw, or your favorite side.
INGREDIENTS:
1½ lb. fish (Mahi Mahi is the first choice; however, if you can’t find it, use any light white fish.)
Salt and pepper
Any favorite fish rub, seasoning, etc.
Extra liquid from the mango/pineapple salsa mixture if it has been made.
Optional:
Crushed macadamia nuts to cover fish
Lemon (to add to fish while cooking and for squeezing over fish when serving)
STEPS:
1. Rinse the fish and pat dry
2. To add flavor to the fish, add the fish to a zip-top bag or bowl and drizzle with some of the liquid from the salsa or slaw, if available.
3. Set aside for an hour or longer if you have time.
4. When ready to cook, remove fish from the liquid. Season with salt, pepper and any other favorite seasoning. If you would like a nice crust on the fish, roll it in crushed macadamia nuts. The secret to a good crust is to chill the fish for an hour in the refrigerator to firm the crust, then cook it. If you skip this step, you will still get a crust but not as firm.
For oven or grill packets:
5. Cut a piece of heavy duty foil twice as large as the fish. Spray lightly with cooking spray or use a tiny amount of oil to keep the fish from sticking.
6. Lay the fish on the foil (adding a lemon slice if you like) and fold into a packet, crimping the sides well.
For oven cooking:
5. Cook fish in 350°F oven for 30-35 minutes, or until fish flakes easily with a fork.
For grill cooking:
You can use a grill basket instead of a foil packet, but be sure to coat the basket with cooking spray or oil.
5. Preheat the grill to medium-high heat.
6. Place packet (or basket) on grill.
7. Cook fish for 10-15 minutes, depending on thickness, until fish flakes with a fork.
For stovetop cooking:
5. Spray a large skillet with cooking spray or use a small amount of oil to coat pan and preheat on med-high.
6. Add fish to pan and cook 6 minutes on each side, turning only once. (Adjust time based on thickness.)
Sweet Things
Pineapple Banana Bread
SERVINGS:
Makes 1 loaf.
INGREDIENTS:
1½ c. flour
⅓ tsp. salt
½ tsp. baking soda
1 c. sugar
½ tsp. cinnamon
⅛ tsp. nutmeg
⅛ tsp. ground ginger
½ c. chopped macadamia nuts
2 eggs, beaten
1 tsp. vanilla
½ c. crushed pineapple, drained
½ c. oil (vegetable, canola- any healthy non-flavored oil), or ½ c. unsweetened applesauce
¾ c. mashed banana (Suggest bananas that are going brown, as they have better consistency and flavor.)
PREP:
This recipe can be made in one loaf pan, a couple of mini-loaf pans, or as cupcakes. Grease and flour your pan of choice.
Preheat oven to 350°F.
STEPS:
1. In a large bowl, add all the dry ingredients and stir well.
2. Add nuts and stir to coat. (This keeps them from sinking while baking.)
Note:
You can mix the dry and wet ingredients separately in another bowl, then combine them, which makes it easier to get all the wet ingredients incorporated. Either way works.
3. Add eggs and vanilla and stir well.
4. Add pineapple, oil and banana.
5. Stir until all ingredients are well combined and there are no lumps of flour. (This will be a thick batter.)
6. Pour into pan and bake at 350°F for 60 minutes. (If using a loaf pan, check doneness with a toothpick after 45 minutes. If using mini-loaf pans or cupcake tins, check with toothpick after 30 minutes. Bread is done when toothpick comes out clean.)
Optional:
Prior to baking, top the batter with chopped cherries, drained, or shredded coconut.
Mango Bread
SERVINGS:
Makes 1 loaf
PREP:
This recipe can be made in one loaf pan, a couple of mini-loaf pans, or as cupcakes. Grease and flour your pan of choice.
Preheat oven to 350°F.
INGREDIENTS:
2 c. flour
2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1 c. sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
½ c. dried cranberries or raisins
¾ c. vegetable oil (Use any healthy non-flavored oil or 3/4 c. unsweetened applesauce.
3 eggs
2 c. chopped ripe mangos
1 tsp. vanil
la extract
STEPS:
1. In a large bowl, add all of the dry ingredients and stir well.
2. Add cranberries/raisins and stir to coat.
3. Add mango and stir well to coat. (This keeps them from sinking while baking.)
Note:
You can mix the dry and wet ingredients separately and then combine them, which makes it easier to get all of the wet ingredients incorporated. Either way works.
4. Add oil, eggs and vanilla.
5. Stir all ingredients until well combined and there are no lumps of flour. (This will be a very thick batter.)
6. Pour into pan and bake. (If using a loaf pan, bake 60 minutes but check with toothpick after 45 minutes. If using mini-loaf pans or cupcake tins, check with toothpick after 30 minutes. Bread is done when toothpick comes out clean.)
Optional:
Prior to baking, top the batter with chopped strawberries, shredded coconut or chopped nuts.
Hula Pie
Make this a day ahead of serving for best results.
SERVINGS:
Makes 1 pie
INGREDIENTS:
4 oz. chocolate fudge topping at room temperature (homemade or from a jar)
1½ oz. espresso, strong coffee, or milk
½ gal. macadamia nut ice cream (If not available, use vanilla bean ice cream.)
1 c. chopped macadamia nuts
1 chocolate cookie pie crust
STEPS:
1. Let ice cream soften so that it is scoopable and moundable, but still firm enough to hold its shape. (If using vanilla bean ice cream, stir in ¾ of the nuts.)
2. Check to ensure that there are no cracks in your pie shell.
3. Scoop the ice cream into the pie shell. It should be even with the pie shell at the edge and mounded in the center.
4. Thin the topping with the espresso, coffee or milk and pour the topping over the center of the mound, letting it drip down.
5. Sprinkle with the rest of the chopped nuts.
6. Place in freezer until fully solid, overnight if possible.
For a single serving (enough for 2 to share):
1. Crush 2 or 3 chocolate wafers (the Nabisco brand work best) into the bottom of a ramekin or small dish.
2. Top the wafers with 2 scoops of ice cream, mounding in the center.
3. Cover with fudge sauce and nuts and freeze.
Hawaiian Pineapple Cake
Note: This recipe requires use of a candy thermometer.
INGREDIENTS:
Batter:
2 c. flour
1½ c. granulated sugar
3 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
⅓ c. shortening
1 c. milk
½ tsp. lemon flavoring
½ tsp. vanilla extract
2 egg yolks + 1 whole egg
Pineapple Filling:
½ c. granulated sugar
3 Tbsp. cornstarch
½ tsp. salt
¾ c. pineapple juice
1 c. crushed pineapple
1 Tbsp. butter
1 tsp. lemon juice
White Mountain Frosting:
¾ c. granulated sugar
3 Tbsp. water
¼ c. light corn syrup
3 egg whites
1½ tsp. vanilla
STEPS:
Cake:
1. Blend flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
2. Add shortening, ⅔ c. milk, lemon flavoring, and vanilla extract.
3. Beat 2 minutes.
4. Add remaining milk and eggs. Beat 2 minutes more.
5. Butter and flour 2 round cake pans and divide batter evenly between them. You can also cut a piece of parchment paper to fit the bottoms of the pans to help get the cake out more easily.
6. Bake at 350°F for 30-35 minutes, testing for doneness with a toothpick inserted in the center. If the cakes are done, the toothpick should come out clean.
7. When done, remove the cakes from the oven and cool completely.
8. Remove from pans, dusting away any crumbs. If your cake has crowned or domed, use a serrated knife to even up the top of one of the layers. This will help the top and bottom layer to sit better.
Filling:
1. Mix sugar, cornstarch, and salt in saucepan.
2. Gradually stir in juices.
3. Bring to a boil and boil for one minute.
4. Remove from heat.
5. Stir in butter.
6. Stir in pineapple after mixture has cooled.
7. Spread filling between the two cake layers. Try not to go all the way to the edges, as this may cause the filling to leak out while you are trying to frost your cake.
Frosting:
1. Mix sugar, water, and corn syrup in saucepan.
2. Bring to a boil and, using a candy thermometer, heat to 242°F.
3. Remove from heat.
4. Beat egg whites in mixing bowl until stiff.
5. Pour hot syrup from saucepan into beaten egg whites.
6. Beat mixture until frosting holds peaks.
7. Frost top and sides of cake.
8. Let sit for a few minutes to set.
9. Serve, and enjoy!
Acknowledgments
Dear Readers,
I hope you enjoyed this uplifting story that celebrates some of the best of human nature!
The recipes project from foods mentioned in the book was a ton of fun to assemble. I asked readers to submit their favorite Hawaiian recipes in my Friends Who Like Toby Neal Books Facebook group. (Join us there for lots of ongoing shenanigans!)
Erin Finigan, a terrific cook, undertook to kitchen test, vary, and rewrite all of these recipes included so that they don’t violate any copyrights. You can cook these wonderful dishes knowing they’ve been “road-tested” by the best!
I greatly enjoyed returning to explore Aunty Rosario’s world at Aunty’s Hawaiian Food Place, giving new backstory about her and her big heart. I hope to include the kids in this story in some future book, all grown-up and contributing to the fabric of their communities and this great nation.
Thanks so much for being on this journey with Lei and all of her growing ‘ohana!’ Look for exciting new additions to her Paradise Crime Mystery world in the year to come!
Much aloha,
Free Books
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Toby’s Bookshelf
PARADISE CRIME SERIES
Paradise Crime Mysteries
Blood Orchids
Torch Ginger
Black Jasmine
Broken Ferns
Twisted Vine
Shattered Palms
Dark Lava
Fire Beach
Rip Tides
Bone Hook