Let’s Talk Food: ‘A Chinese Kitchen’ cookbook

“A Chinese Kitchen” is the fourth in a series of a collaboration between my publisher, Mutual Publishing and the Honolulu Star-Advertiser. Author and fifth-generation Chinese Lynette Claire Lian Fu Lo Tom has eaten Chinese food almost daily for 60 years and took two years to gather recipes from family, friends and the community. Lynette is a former TV reporter and now a public relations and marketing executive with Bright Light Marketing.

Lynette’s original intent was to put together a cookbook of her mother Lorna Lee Lo’s wonderful Chinese cooking, but the cookbook grew to include other members of her family and friends.

I found the cookbook a delight to read, with the gorgeous and ono-looking dishes, and cannot wait to have an occasion to try some of the recipes I am sharing with you. My go-to Chinese cookbook always has been Gail Wong’s “Authentic Chinese Cooking Hawaii,” first printed in 1953. It is missing the front cover and looks worn, so now I have an updated Chinese cookbook.

When star fruit is in season in Hilo, this is a great recipe. Lynette says this is “one addicting form of crack seed, a Hilo favorite. The chewy texture and mild five-spice powder flavor will have you eating a bag at a time. Star fruit is known as carambola.”

Dried Five-Spice Star Fruit Mui

Makes: About 20 ounces, dried

About 24 medium-sized firm star fruits

5 tablespoons rock salt

2 pounds light brown sugar

1/4 cup water

2 teaspoons Chinese five-spice powder

3 tablespoons red food coloring (optional)

Wash and slice fruits into 1/4-inch slices from end to end so they are shaped like stars. Sprinkle with salt and let stand overnight. Drain. Combine sugar, water, five-spice powder and food coloring (if you are using) and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Add drained fruit and cook over medium heat for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Cool. Drain excess syrup. Dry the fruits.

Drying methods:

• Oven method: Place fruit on flat cookie sheet lined with layers of paper towels. Bake at 170 to 200 degrees until dry.

• Sun dry: For one day.

• Use a dehydrator: Follow manufacturers directions.

Seal with a food sealer or zip-top plastic bags and enjoy.

I remember going to Hong Kung Restaurant in Kaimuki (thank you Mom Dora for remembering the name of the restaurant) and my favorite dish was a raw fish salad.

Raw Fish Salad

Makes: 8 to 10 servings as a first course

2 ounces rice sticks (pai mai fun)

Vegetable oil to fry rice sticks

1 head iceberg lettuce, washed, drained and shredded

1 cup turnip, peeled, julienne cut and squeezed dry

1 cup carrots peeled, julienne cut and squeezed dry

1 1/2 pounds firm raw white fish (sashimi-grade), such as papio (trebally or jack cravelly), nairagi (striped marlin) or kajiki (blue marlin), mahimahi (dorado or dolphin fihs), sliced thinly

2 tablespoons soy sauce

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1/2 teaspoon sesame oil, divided

1 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper

1 cup green onions, sliced thinly, divided

1/2 cup julienned sweet pickled cucumber (cha wa)

1/2 cup julienned pickled white ginger

1/4 cup julienned pickled red ginger

1 tablespoon brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon dry hot mustard

1/4 teaspoon Chinese five-spice powder

Zest of 3 lemons

1 cup Chinese parsley, chopped

1 cup peanuts roasted and chopped

2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds

Garnishes: parsley, sesame seeds, julienned pickled ginger, fried rice sticks, etc. (optional)

Fry dried rice sticks in hot oil until fluffy, white and crunchy. Break into pieces and set aside. Prepare lettuce, turnip and carrots and set aside in refrigerator. Mix fish with soy sauce, vegetable oil, 1/4 teaspoon sesame seed oil, 1 teaspoon lemon juice and pepper. Set aside. Mix 1/2 cup green onions, cha wa and gingers together. Put over marinated fish. Mix together brown sugar, hot mustard, five spice, remaining sesame oil and most of the fired rice sticks. Toss all mixtures with lettuce, turnip and carrots. Garnish with remaining fried sticks, parsley and sesame seeds. Serve immediately.

Foodie bites

Mealani’s Taste of the Hawaiian Range is this Friday. It is worth the drive to attend this event. Kuhio Grille has been a supporter of this event for many years, and here are a couple of their simple family recipes. Check out www.tastofthehawaiianrange.com for details, or see this week’s Island Beat, which can be found inside Thursday’s Tribune-Herald.

Miso Pork Pot Roast

1/4 cup vegetable oil

5 pounds pork butt, thawed and drained, use local pork

1/2 cup sugar

3/4 cup soy sauce

1 cup white miso

2 large cloves garlic, crushed

3 slices ginger, crushed

Heat oil, garlic and ginger in a large Dutch oven, add pork to brown. Mix sugar, soy sauce and miso together, add mixture to pork, lower heat and simmer for three hours, or until tender. Slice and serve with leftover gravy in the pot, thicken as desired. Can also be made in a crock pot on low setting after browning.

Stuffed Aburage

1 dozen aburage (fried tofu)

2 pounds local pork hash or local grass fed ground beef, or combination

1 tub surimi (ground fish)

2 small package shitake mushrooms, soaked and sliced

2 can water chestnuts, chopped

3 stalks green onions, chopped

2 cans chicken broth

Salt, pepper to taste

3/4 cup oyster sauce

Soak aburage in water. Mix together pork/beef, surimi, chestnuts, mushrooms and green onions; add salt and pepper to taste. Stuff aburage with mixture. Heat chicken broth with ginger to boiling, add oyster sauce. Reduce heat to medium, place stuffed aburage into broth. Cook for 45 minutes to one hour.

Email me at audreywilson808@gmail.com if you have questions.