Foods from Hawaii to the Middle East

After returning from the greater Seattle area while visiting with my son and his new lady, who is half Hawai'ian, I got a bit of a taste for things Hawai'ian. We only ate one Hawai'ian meal, but I also got to hear a whole lot of really beautiful Hawai'ian music as well. When I returned home, I quickly looked up some of the great songs I had heard and got those into my Amazon Music lickety-split. Next, I made an approximation of an "Island Style Pho," which I called "Coconut Chicken Soup." I think I made a very good likeness of that soup.

Pineapple Macadamia Rice

Since part of that soup was Huli Huli Chicken, I first had to make that, and I love how the recipe came out also. Since in that first occasion I was cutting up the chicken into the soup, my husband and I both really wanted to try the chicken on its own. The flavors are just sublime. This past Monday (after marinating the chicken over the weekend), I grilled the second batch of Huli Huli Chicken. All I can say is it must be tried to believe how amazing it is. 

Next I needed to have some kind of side dish to accompany the chicken, so while I have actually made a rice dish with some of the same ingredients just a couple of months back, and which I called "Tropical Rice," I wanted to take it a little farther this time. It is quite similar in most respects, with the same additions of brown rice, scallions, bell pepper, lime juice, grilled pineapple and macadamia nuts, I think, if my memory serves, that this version was a little bit better.

Pineapple Macadamia Rice

Pineapple Macadamia Rice

Serves 6 to 8

1 cup brown rice
2 cups water
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon coconut oil
______________
⅓ cup unsweetened shredded coconut
2 teaspoons coconut oil
1 medium onion, cut into wedges
½ lime, juice only
2 - 3 cloves fresh garlic, minced
1 tablespoon fresh minced ginger
½ bell pepper, sliced thinly
1 - 2 teaspoons dark sesame oil
4 scallions, sliced thinly on the bias 
1 cup grilled pineapple, in small cubes
2 - 2½ ounces macadamia nuts

Earlier in the day, or the day prior, cook together the first 4 ingredients according to package directions. Once cooked, fluff the rice and allow it to cool completely. Set aside or refrigerate until needed.

In a large, dry skillet, toast the shredded coconut until it is golden. Pour onto a plate to cool and set aside. Grill the pineapple in a large chunk or two, until it is tender and has some nice grill marks. Cut it into small cubes.

In the same skillet as previously, over medium heat, add the 2 teaspoons coconut oil, then saute the onion until very tender and beginning to brown at the edges. Add in the lime juice (at least a tablespoon: if your limes are dry, squeeze more, to make at least a tablespoon of juice) and stir, cooking until all the juice has evaporated. Add in the garlic, ginger and bell pepper and stir-fry until very fragrant. Add in all the rice and stir-fry until some of the grains begin to brown slightly. Add in the remaining ingredients, leaving aside a tablespoon each of the scallions and macadamia nuts for garnish. Stir well, then serve immediately, garnished with the remaining scallions and macadamias.

And now, to the Middle East . . .

Also, recently I have taken more of an interest in eggplants. Anyone who knows me, or who has read my blog, may know that as a child, eggplant was almost the worst thing I could imagine having to eat. It has taken me all this time to even begin to warm up to the whole idea. I have eaten a few things with eggplant and liked then, such as my sister's Eggplant Parmesan. With enough sauce and cheese, most things can be disguised enough to be edible. And so I come to Baba Ghanoush. I have read of Baba Ghanoush (or Baba Ganoush, Baba Ganouzh, etc) for a long time, but having eggplant play the major role in that dish has so far deterred me from trying it. 
 

Baba Ghanoush

Still, this summer, as I saw eggplants start to make an appearance at the Farmers' Market, I have felt the need to buy one, here and there. And so I bought an eggplant last week, and it sat there staring at me on the counter, while I tried to think what to do with it. Baba Ghanoush popped into my mind. I tried to quell the thought, but I finally gave in and looked up what constituted Baba Ghanoush. I was somewhat surprised to find that it is basically the same ingredients that make hummus, which I love. Just substitute grilled, peeled eggplant for the chickpeas and hey, Presto! A beautiful dip.

Baba Ghanoush

Okay, I baked the eggplant, because it's starting to get chilly up here. It was difficult enough trying to grill the Huli Huli Chicken on Monday, because aside from being chilly out, it was also so windy as to make it a challenge to keep the grill lit. I ended up backing the car out of the garage and having the grill just inside the garage, out of direct wind. So, baked eggplant it was. And then I put in the ingredients I felt should make this dip taste good, and I was actually shocked to find that I really LOVE Baba Ghanoush! Wow!

I made one smallish eggplant to try this recipe, and the recipe came out to be approximately ¾ cup of dip. To make more, just double or triple the recipe as needed. I left my Baba Ghanoush totally unadorned for my photos. Many things are suggested, for serving, from simply drizzling with more olive oil, to serving with olives, pine nuts, parsley, etc. Some photos I saw online had so many things over top that there was absolutely no view of the main event. I think it was pretty enough on its own, so I unashamedly photographed it gloriously nude.

I chose to add an ingredient that I never saw in any of the recipes: Sumac. Sumac is a Mediterranean / Middle Eastern spice that is used as a souring agent, similarly to lemon/lime juice or tamarind in other areas of the world. Click on the link at the beginning of this paragraph to read more about sumac. This ingredient is in no way needed to make Baba Ghanoush, but I felt it would add something.

Baba Ghanoush

Baba Ghanoush

Makes about ¾ cup

1 medium/small eggplant (11 to 12 ounces)
2 cloves garlic, minced
(2 tablespoons vinegar, optional)
¼ cup parsley leaves
2 tablespoons tahini
2 tablespoons olive oil
½ teaspoons ground Sumac, optional
¼ teaspoon salt
1½ to 2 tablespoons lemon or lime juice, to taste

Heat the oven to 400 degrees, or more authentically, light a grill. Bake (or grill - not sure of timing for the grill) the eggplant for about 45 to 55 minutes, until completely soft. Set aside to cool. Peel the skin and place the eggplant into a food processor. 

The garlic can certainly be roasted garlic, if preferred. If using raw garlic, and if raw garlic is hard on the stomach, as for me, place the minced garlic in a small bowl and cover with the optional vinegar. Allow to set for 10 minutes, then drain off the vinegar and add the garlic to the food processor, along with all the remaining ingredients. Process until well blended. Serve accompanied with olives, pine nuts and a drizzle of olive oil. Set out crackers, pita crackers, or crudités. 



My passion is teaching people how to create a harmony of flavors with their cooking, and passing along my love and joy of food, both simple or exotic, plain or fancy. I continue my journey in ethnic and domestic cuisines, continuing my journey to explore diverse culinary experiences and hopefully to start you on a journey of your own. Join me also at A Harmony of Flavors on Facebook, and Pinterest.

Replicating an Amazing Soup Recipe

Okay, at the risk of becoming a travel bore, this blog is dedicated to one of the foods I ate in the greater Seattle area on the last day of my trip out there. My son's new lady is half Hawai'ian by birth and she took us to a Hawai'ian restaurant on that last evening for dinner. The restaurant was located in Everett, WA.
 
Looking through the menu, I was interested in quite a few things, but finally settled on something that was called "Island Style 'Pho' - Huli Huli Chicken, Basil Leaves, Fresh Cilantro & Lemongrass Coconut Broth." As I read this description and pronounced "Pho" as it looks, with a long "O" sound, I was corrected. It is pronounced "Fa." However it is pronounced, it was amazingly good. And I wanted to have it again. Having never been terribly interested in Thai, or Vietnamese foods, I was unfamiliar with "Pho," and when I came home and looked up Pho, it turns out that everywhere I looked, it was a clear broth soup, with bits of meat, and or noodles and some herbs. Nothing at all like the creamy soup I was served, shown here below.

Island Style Pho at Kama'aina Grindz

These photos above are of the soup as it was served, and then after stirring it around and eating some of it. There were a lot of noodles in it, and they looked very like spaghetti. I have no idea if the noodles were made with wheat or rice, though the texture could easily have been wheat. The broth was slightly creamy in viscosity. Not thick, but certainly thicker than broth alone. The chicken was absolutely delicious. I have never eaten anything Hawai'ian before, so all of this was new, to me. And when I prefaced my online search with "coconut milk" I came up with things like Tom Kha Gai, or Thai Coconut Chicken Soup.

Replicating the Soup

Coconut Chicken Soup with Huli Huli Chicken

The first step I took was looking at what was stated on the menu (I took a photo of the menu, so I could remember). Obviously, the soup part consisted of chicken broth, coconut milk, lemongrass. I assumed that onion, garlic and ginger might also be a part of this. There was an elusive flavor that stuck in my memory, but I could not put a finger on it.

The next step I took was looking up recipes for Pho. Needless to say, all the recipes I found, whether I prefaced the search with "Hawai'ian" or not, was a Thai style clear broth soup, sometimes with noodles and/or meat and some kind of herbs. But always a clear soup. Still, reading through the recipes, I found that many, if not all of these recipes called for fish sauce. I happen to have some fish sauce, since some while back I tried to recreate Pad Thai, which also called for fish sauce. 

In trying to think of how to make the broth into the consistency of the one I ate at Kama'aina Grindz, I felt that maybe I would cook the chicken broth with the onion, garlic, ginger and lemongrass (cheating with "Gourmet Gardens Lemongrass in a tube, since no lemongrass is available up in these parts). After the onion and other bits were cooked through and very soft, I chose to put the whole batch into the blender and puree smooth. While one onion didn't make the soup thick, at least it had a little bit more "body." Then I would add in the remaining ingredients to make the flavors right.

But First, Huli Huli Chicken

I had no idea what Huli Huli Chicken was, either. In this matter, I relied on recipes I found online to select what I would use and how much. Most of the recipes are extremely similar, with only the amounts having slight variances. This is what I did, and oh my, is this chicken ever fantastic. Whether it gets sliced into a soup or eaten as a main meal, it is exceptionally flavored. Give the chicken 1 to 2 days of marinating time, turning every so often for even flavoring.

Huli Huli Chicken

Huli Huli Chicken

Makes 1 whole chicken

1 whole chicken 
6 ounces unsweetened pineapple juice
½ cup soy sauce
½ cup brown sugar
2 to 4 tablespoons Mirin, or rice vinegar
⅓ cup ketchup
3 tablespoons fresh ginger, finely minced
4 cloves fresh garlic, finely minced

Cut up the chicken into leg/thigh pieces, and cut each breast into two pieces, along with the two wings. Leave the back and any other bits to make the chicken broth needed for the soup. Place the chicken pieces into a large zip-top bag. Combine the remaining ingredients together, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Measure out and refrigerate about ½ to ¾ cup of the marinade for basting, later. Pour the remainder of the marinade over the chicken pieces, seal the bag and move the chicken around to evenly coat. Set the bag into a container and refrigerate for 1 to 2 days, turning every 6 or so hours to redistribute the chicken in the marinade.

When ready to cook the chicken, either light a grill or oven. I chose to grill the meat. I started it, skin side down, with the legs over the hotter part of the grill and the breast and wing pieces in less hot areas. Cook this way for about 15 minutes, rearrange the pieces, cook for another 15 minutes, lowering heat if needed to prevent burning. Turn the chicken over and grill for another 15 minutes. Baste with some of the reserved marinade over the last 15 minutes of grilling time. At this point, check for internal temperature, which should be 165 degrees. If not, continue to grill for up to another 15 minutes, until internal temperature is reached. 

If baking in the oven, it is preferable to use a broiler pan, so the chicken does not cook in its juices. Preheat broiler and set a rack so that the chicken, skin side up on the broiler rack, is about 6 inches from the heat source. Broil the chicken for 30 to 45 minutes, with the oven door ajar, checking for internal temperature of 165 degrees after 30 minutes. If more time is needed, watch closely over the next 15 minutes. Baste with some of the reserved marinade, over the last few minutes of cooking time.

Coconut Chicken Broth

On to the Soup

When cutting the chicken into pieces, reserve aside the back and any other bits and parts (neck, gizzards, etc). Place these into a pot and cover with about 5 cups of water. Add in a whole onion, skin on, a carrot, scrubbed, not peeled, and 1 to 2 celery stalks. Bring to boil, lower heat, cover and let simmer as low as possible for 4 to 6 hours. Do not add any salt to the stock at this time. As the stock cooks, if it reduces, it would become too salty. As soy sauce will be used in the soup, salt may not be needed at all. 

Once all the goodness has been extracted from the bones, strain the stock, discarding all solids. Refrigerate the stock until needed, or, freeze, if it will not be used within three days.

Coconut Chicken Soup with Huli Huli Chicken

Makes about 4 servings

Coconut Chicken Soup with Huli Huli Chicken

4 cups unsalted chicken broth
1 large onion, chopped
2 tablespoons lemongrass paste (Gourmet Gardens)
3 to 4 fresh cloves garlic, minced
1 to 2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger root
1 tablespoon soy sauce
2 teaspoons fish sauce
1 tablespoon sugar
1½ tablespoons lime juice
1 (14 ounce) can coconut milk, or preferable, coconut cream (unsweetened)

FOR SERVING:
6 to 8 ounces brown rice spaghetti pasta
Huli Huli chicken, skin and bones discarded, sliced
3 to 4 sprigs fresh cilantro, per bowl
4 to 6 fresh basil leaves, per bowl

In a pot, cook together the first 7 ingredients until the onion is very tender, about an hour. Puree the soup, so all the onion and other bits are completely smooth. Add in the lime juice and coconut milk or cream and heat through.

In a separate pot, cook the rice pasta according to package directions, drain and portion into bowls. Set a portion of the sliced Huli Huli Chicken into each of the bowls. Ladle the Coconut Chicken Broth over top. Garnish with fresh cilantro and basil leaves and serve.


My passion is teaching people how to create a harmony of flavors with their cooking, and passing along my love and joy of food, both simple or exotic, plain or fancy. I continue my journey in ethnic and domestic cuisines, continuing my journey to explore diverse culinary experiences and hopefully to start you on a journey of your own. Join me also at A Harmony of Flavors on Facebook, and Pinterest.

Fee Fi Pho Fum - a Food Travelog

I have been gone from blogging for a few weeks. It seems like forever. As it happens, I took a trip to the Pacific northwest to visit my son and his significant other. I love mountains; have always loved mountains. Living in eastern South Dakota, the high-plains prairie, I definitely do not get to see mountains, or even all that many trees. Seeing all the trees in Seattle and the surrounding areas was wonderful, exhilarating. Seeing mountains again was positively breathtaking. 

Seattle Skyline from the Ferry

My son and his new love treated me like royalty, and ensured that I had the very best time possible. Food was as big a part of this trip as was the amazing and varied scenery, and just as rewarding. I feel that I absolutely must detail some of the foods I ate, because anyone reading this, who may have an opportunity to visit Seattle and the surrounding areas, might choose to search out these places and try some of the amazing foods on offer.  

Day One

The first morning there I was taken to a little place called Bistro 76 in Edmonds. We were ultimately headed to the Ferry at Edmonds, over to Sequim and Port Angeles. I ordered the Cuban Pork Hash. This is the description on the menu:

"Shock Top Braised Pork, Smoked Breakfast Potatoes, Tri-Colored Sweet Peppers, Roasted Corn, Black Beans, Pickled Red Onion, Cilantro Mustard Cream, 2 Poached Eggs & Choice of Toast"

Poblano Relleno & Black Beans etc at Tweets

Good heaven on a plate! This was one amazing breakfast. For the life of me, I cannot recall what my son and his lady ordered. All I do know is that all of it, every - single - bit, was wonderful. I highly urge anyone in that area to seek out this little place.  We wandered through the day and finally ended up at Lake Crescent Lodge in Port Angeles by supper time, and ate there. While the food was nothing specifically jaw-dropping, it was still very good. I had fish and chips. 

Day Two

Veggie Latke Benedict at Tweets

The second morning, we were headed towards Whidbey Island, via Fidalgo Island and Deception Pass, but first we drove up to Edison and had breakfast at Tweets Cafe. Tweets is a tiny little hole-in-the-wall, or so it seems. But the food they serve is absolutely out of this world. After eating my breakfast I told the owner that this had been the best breakfast I had ever eaten in all of my 67 years, hands down. I wrote a note to them on Facebook also, to that effect. Their menu changes all the time, though some things apparently stay the same for a while, according to my son. The menu that day still had many of the foods he and his lady had eaten there before. There were at least 5 breakfast things on that menu that were high on the list of contenders, in my book, but I finally narrowed it down to one, with extreme difficulty. 

Brisket Hash on Potato Bread with Egg at Tweets

Their website leaves much to be desired, but let me tell you, their menu and food make up for any lack on the website. I had a dish that was called 

"Poblano Relleno & Black Beans, Red Cabbage Slaw, Creme Fraiche & Heirloom Tomatoes"

My son had "Veggie Latke Benedict, Potato, Asparagus, Tomato, Bechamel, Fried Eggs and Micro Greens." His lady had the "Brisket Hash on Potato Bread, Sweet Pickled Onion, Horseradish Dressing & Fried Egg." OMG, these have to be tasted to be believed.

Day Three

The third day I spent in the greater Seattle area happened to be my son's 44th birthday. The plan was that I treat them to dinner, for the occasion. During the day, I was on a mission to find an idli stand. I have been wanting to try my hand at making south Indian idli, little bread-like rice and lentil dumpling puffs, made into a fermented mixture, then steamed into little "pillow shapes". It so happened that a very nice young Indian man named Pradeep sat next to me on the plane out to Seattle. I told him of my desire to try making (and eating) idli, and he laughed. He said it was a very common breakfast item where he was from (Tamil Nadu), and it was eaten with things like any of the dal recipes I have been making lately, or sambar (I had yet to make sambar, but here is a recipe I've made since, and also a recipe for idli), or any chutney or pickle. Pradeep said he currently lived in Redmond, WA, and that there were lots of Indians in that area and lots of Indian stores, groceries and restaurants.

So, off to Redmond we went that morning, and went from grocery to grocery, looking for an idli steamer stand. Not to be. However, by lunch time, with all the Indian restaurants (there were 4 in just the little strip mall we ended up in!) available, we stopped into one of them for a light lunch. Light? Ha! 

Dosa in front - Chicken Tikka & Tandoori Chicken

I found that they had dosa on the menu. Dosa, as it happens, are large crepe-like affairs that are made from leftover idli batter! I figured once I made the idli, I would also make dosa. I ordered the dosa, which came with 4 little bitty bowls of sambar, tomato chutney and coconut chutney. There was also served a plate of little bits of fried veggies. I do not have a clue what all kinds of veggies there were in that pile, but they were battered and served alongside a little bowl of a sweet hot chutney. They were awesome! My son ordered Tandoori Chicken and his lady

Overlook with Space Needle

ordered Chicken Tikka and a side of garlic Naan bread. When the food arrived, my dosa was the biggest thing imaginable! I could not believe the size of the thing. It arrived rolled up into a huge log, with its length at least 16-inches. Totally amazing. Not huge flavors on its own, but with all the little bowls of chutneys and sambar, it was incredible, as was the Chicken Tikka and Tandoori Chicken. It ended up being way more than we could or even wanted to eat, so fully half was taken home. 

Ken's Raw Oyster Dinner at Palisade

For dinner, we went to a place called Palisade Restaurant, "with a waterfront view of Elliot Bay." Prior to going to the restaurant, my son drove us to a lookout point with a view of greater Seattle, from where I could see the Space Needle. As it turned out, from the table we were seated at in Palisade, I had the exact same view of the Space Needle, but just from a lower vantage point. It was a beautiful view over dinner. I took photos of my son's dinner of raw oysters, but completely and totally just dug into my own plate of food with no thought of photos. I had ordered the "Chilean Sea Bass with Ginger Scallion Jasmine Rice, Watermelon Jicama Salad and Broccolini". It was so delightful that it was totally gone before I realized I never thought to photograph! His lady had ordered "Parmesan Crusted Halibut Cheeks with Cauliflower and Spinach Puree, Vegetables and Beurre Blanc." The prices seemed completely outrageous, coming to Seattle from Aberdeen, SD, but my, oh my was it ever delicious.

Mt. Rainier displaying Fall Color

Day Four

Stellar's Jay

Great Cotes du Rhone at Red Cork Bistro

Food-wise, day 4 was a bit of a wash. We went to Mt. Rainier National Park, where the views were colorfully spectacular. It was not a cloudless day, but it was clear enough to make photos really pop. I did get some really great shots of Stellar's Jays along the way. I find them so striking! We were out of cell range and incommunicado for most of the day. The only food available for lunch was cafeteria stuff. But once home and getting into evening, I got hungry, so my son and I went to a local place called Red Cork Bistro, in Mukilteo for a quick dinner. We both had the same thing, a Poblano Fettucine Alfredo and a glass of a house wine that was absolutely spectacular. The wine was a Cotes du Rhone (2014 Le Clos du Caillou, Vieilles Vignes), so really just a "table wine," but its flavors hit you with cherries and pepper and made such a great pairing with the food, despite the food being "white."

Day Five

Smoked Salmon Skillet at Salish Lodge

Next day we were up and out of the house early, on our way to Snoquolmie Falls, where we had breakfast at the Salish Lodge there, in the room called "The Attic." This was another breakfast to die for, though I still contend Tweets has first place in the breakfast department. I had the 

"Smoked Washington Salmon Skillet: Two Soft Poached Farm Fresh Eggs, Smoked Lox Goat Cheese, Arugula Salad, Hashed Breakfast Potatoes."

Crab Eggs Benedict & Brioche French Toast

Gelato at D'Ambrosio's

I cannot even recall what my son ordered. Again, I was so smitten with the flavors of my own dish, I wasn't viewing anything far afield. But this time I did get photos. My son's lady ordered Eggs Benedict with Dungeness Crab, and let me just say, there was so much crab on that plate I could scarcely believe it! I wish so much that I was not allergic to shellfish, because that plate, by looks, was to die for. They also ordered a plate of "Brioche French Toast: Candied Hazelnut, Orange Marmalade and Whipped Cream," just to pick at and then take home. We spent the rest of that day first going to see Pete Nelson's Treehouses, to please my husband, who is a "Treehouse Masters" afficionado. After that, Pike's Market. and finally, to top off the day, we stopped at D'Ambrosio Gelato in historic Ballard for a little treat on that sunny, warm afternoon. The gelato was absolutely delightful, and I had three flavors in a cup: Pistachio, Honey Lavender and Salted Caramel, but there were lots and lots of flavors to choose from.

Day Six

Friday Harbor by Ferry

On this last day of my vacation, I was taken to San Juan Island, leaving Anacortes on the Ferry and arriving at Friday Harbor. An absolutely beautiful island, we were driven around to sight-see by taxi. On the way back to the mainland, Mt. Baker was suddenly clear in the distance, and it was a beautiful sight to behold, the whole trip back.

After the sightseeing part of the island trip, we stopped at Cask & Schooner for lunch, where I ate a really good lamb burger. We took the ferry back to Anacortes in the afternoon, and my son's lady, who is half Hawai'ian, suggested going to a Hawai'ian restaurant called Kama'aina Grindz, in Everett, WA. Here I chose to try something called 

Mt. Baker seen from the Ferry

"Island Style 'Pho': Huli Huli Chicken, Basil Leaves, Fresh Cilantro, Lemongrass Coconut Broth." 

Island Style Pho with Huli Huli Chicken at Kama'aina Grindz

Mahi Mahi Hoagie at Kama'aina Grindz

My son chose a "Blackened Mahi Mahi Hoagie with spiced Guacamole and Sweet Potato Fries." His lady chose the "KG Bento Box: Kalbi Ribs, Kalua Pork, Ahi Poke, Mochiko Chicken, Sausage & Pineapple Salad." This was my first and only introduction to "Pho," pronounced "Fa." However it was made, it was just fantastically good. Sadly, that restaurant is now closed, but I came home intent on recreating this dish, and I believe I made a creditable facsimile. That recipe will be coming in another blog. 

I had the most fantastic time out there and am so very grateful for all the wonderful sights I got to see, some great Hawai'ian music I was introduced to, so many places and such great foods, and the great company, throughout. Thank you profoundly, to my son and his lady.




My passion is teaching people how to create a harmony of flavors with their cooking, and passing along my love and joy of food, both simple or exotic, plain or fancy. I continue my journey in ethnic and domestic cuisines, continuing my journey to explore diverse culinary experiences and hopefully to start you on a journey of your own. Join me also at A Harmony of Flavors on Facebook, and Pinterest.