Let’s Talk Food — Chef Chai visits Hilo

By AUDREY WILSON

Fifty first- and second-year culinary arts students at Hawaii Community College were fortunate to have Chef Chai Chaowasaree from Singha Thai Cuisine in Waikiki and Chai’s Island Bistro at the Aloha Tower Marketplace as their special guest chef last Monday morning. The Hawaii Culinary Education Foundation, “dedicated to the development and support of culinary training programs throughout the state of Hawaii to promote our unique traditions,” was responsible for bringing Chef Chai to Hilo.

Calm and so passionate about what he does, he certainly touched many students, talking about growing up poor in Bangkok, Thailand, with six siblings. His mother, who he idolizes, had a restaurant and worked many hours a day. When he and his sisters start to feel sorry for themselves, they think about their mother, who worked so much more than they ever could, and stop complaining. He learned how to select the right produce, the freshest fruits and fish and feels she is his inspiration to the success today. At 13 years old, his mother sent him off to the open market to purchase ingredients needed for the restaurant. He knew if he brought back to the restaurant the wrong eggplant, his mother would not be happy.

Chef Chai prepared two dishes, Grilled New York Steak Salad with Big Island Baby Greens and Lemongrass-Garlic Dressing and Thai Red Chicken Curry with Bamboo Shoots and Fresh Basil. Both recipes are in his cookbook, “The Island Bistro Cookbook,” which won the Ka Palapala Po’okela Award of Excellence by the Hawaii Book Publishers Association. That is when I first met Chef Chai, at Bishop Museum with a bunch of us cookbook authors who were nominated for this prestigious award.

Grilled New York Steak Salad with Big Island Baby Greens and Lemongrass-Garlic Dressing

Serves 2

Grill steak to medium-rare, then slice to 1/4-inch diagonal slices:

8 ounces tender New York Steak

Have ready in large bowl:

1 tablespoon onion, sliced

1 tablespoon Chinese parsley, chopped

1 tablespoon carrot, sliced or julienned

1 ounce mango, diced

1 tablespoons green mango, shredded

1 ounce tomato, diced

1 ounce cucumber, diced

1/2 pound baby romaine lettuce

Mix dressing ingredients in small bowl, stir for one minute till well combined:

1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

1 1/2 tablespoons fish sauce (nam pla) or soy sauce

1 garlic clove, finely chopped (Chef said do not puree as tastes changes)

1/2 tablespoon lemongrass, chopped (only the white part)

1/2 tablespoon sugar (Chef said taste and add more if the fish sauce is salty)

1/2 tablespoon chili pepper, or to taste (remember, you cannot take away heat once you add it, so add more if you want if hotter)

Toss steak with the dressing, then add the vegetables and toss so the dressing and steak slices are well coated(Chef did not season the steak with salt or pepper because the dressing will flavor the steak)

Serve on a bed of fresh lettuce and top with:

2 tablespoons fresh roasted peanuts, unsalted

Thai Red Chicken Curry with Bamboo Shoots and Fresh Basil

Serves 2

In a sauté pan on medium heat, add:

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1/2 tablespoon Thai red curry paste

Cook the paste till fragrant. Add the top thick coconut milk from:

1 (13.5 ounce) can coconut milk

In a small pan, add rest of coconut milk and keep warm. When coconut milk and Thai red paste are thickened, add:

1 pound chicken breast, cut into bite-size slices

Add the warmed coconut milk. Cook until chicken turns white, add:

2 cups chicken stock

1 1/2 tablespoons fish sauce (nam pla) or soy sauce

1/2 tablespoon sugar

At this point, add:

1 teaspoon sweet paprika (for color only — add more if you want a redder hue to your dish)

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon onion powder

Bring to boil and simmer for 5 minutes.

Add:

1/2 pound bamboo shoots, sliced

Cook for one minute.

Add:

2 ounces red and green bell peppers, diced

4 kaffir lime leaves

10 fresh basil leaves

Cook one minute, just to heat through and serve with steamed rice.

Small Bites

Hawaii Culinary Education Foundation is a wonderful organization that has the total support from chefs around the state. If you want to donate to this non-profit, you can mail a check to Hawaii Culinary Education Foundation, P.O. Box 3108 Honolulu, HI 96802-3108. A $50 check provides Master Class tuition for one culinary student; $100 donation provide Center of the Plate workshop tuition for two culinary students; $500 donation provides tuition for any combination of Master Class or Center of the Plate workshop session for 10 students.

The Bamboo Hale at Hawaii Community College is featuring Spain this week. If you forgot to make reservations for your sweetheart tonight, maybe there is still time to take her out to lunch at the Bamboo Hale. Call 934-2562 for reservations. Otherwise, go to the market and prepare the two dishes from Chef Chai. Both are perfect to two. Just add candles and a rose, and you are saved from being in the doghouse tonight!

Please feel free to e-mail me at wilson.audrey@hawaiiantel.net if you have a question. Bon appetit until next week.