Kalua Pork

Hawaiian Style Smoked Pork

Despite the calendar saying that Spring is here, the not so spring like weather dampens the (sprit of the) barbeque grill. My husband braved the rain to go out and light the first of many barbeques to come .

No hole in the ground nor banana leaves required for Cook's Country’s Kalua Pork recipe, took about 5 hours to complete (excluding the 24 hour dry rub marinating time). Salty meat is great companion for hot cooked rice, OK let’s have Luau night…I wish that Jake Shimabukuro was entertaining us with his Jimmy Hendrix like ukulele awesomeness (He got a gig in Portland, Oregon on 3/16 which we couldn’t get tickets to)!

Ingredients and Instruction for approximately 4 servings  (Print Recipe Here)

Equipment: charcoal grill or gas grill, disposable aluminum pan, heavy–duty foil

• 3 Tablespoons green tea leaves Note: I used decaffeinated tea
• 2 - 3 teaspoons Kosher salt
• 1 Tablespoon baked brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon pepper
• 2 - 3 pounds boneless pork butt roast
• 6 cups mesquite wood chips, soaked in water for 15 minutes.

1. Combine tea, salt, sugar and pepper in bowl. Dry pork with paper towel and rub with tea mixture.Wrap meat tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 6 to 24 hours
   
2. Prepare wood chips – wrap 2 cups soaked chips into heavy duty foil. repeat process to make 2 more wood chip packets for a total of 3 packets. Cut several vent holes in each packet. Set aside.
3. Place pork in a disposable aluminum pan then cover the pan loosely with foil. Poke lots of 1/4 inch vent holes (20 or so) in foil.
4. Ready for charcoal grill – Open bottom vent halfway. Light large chimney starter three-quarters full with charcoal briquettes. When top coals are partially covered with ash, pour into steeply banked pile against side of grill. Place wood chip packets on coals. Set cooking grate in place, cover and open lid vent halfway. Heat grill  until hot and wood chips are smoking about 5 minutes. Go to step # 6
5. Ready for a gas grill  - Place wood chip packets over primary burner. Turn all burners to high, cover and heat grill until hot and wood chips are smoking about 15 minutes. Turn primary burner to medium–high and turn off other burners. Adjust burners as needed to maintain grill temperature at 300 degrees
   . 
6. Place pan on cool part of grill. Cover and cook for 2 hours. See that wood chips are charred black.
    
7. Position the oven rack to lower-medium. Heat oven to 325F Remove pan from grill. Cover pan tightly with new sheet of foil, put in the preheated oven and bake until tender about 2 hours. Let pork rest, covered for 30 minutes. Unwrap and when meat is cool enough to handle, shred into bite-size pieces.
   
8. Strain the juice through fine mesh and pour juice the over meat. Serve with rice. (pork can be refrigerated for up to 3 days).

I was excited when I received 1st place prize of Chocolate Lover’s Recipe Contest from Marcela. The macaron making kit was really neat!Ta-da! Looks professional, ya? Thank you fabulous blogger friend!

I saw this on Youtube, ‘Frozen fried egg’.  I challenged it too and posted it on instagram. #todaystapas – this is tempura egg.
Amazing right? Loaded with calories for sure.

Also on #todaystapas - Inspired by amazing blogger Angie’s Recipes…I didn't have the right ingredients like black quinoa though my compromised version was not bad. The coral color tulip I nipped from backyard.

Our backyard weeping cherry tree…blooms last only a week., this is where I get melancholy…everything moves so fast..wait! Why don’t you stop and smell the roses or somethin…

Enjoy the Spring!

Malasaだ！

Hawaiian Fried donuts – Malasadas

My husband and I went overboard on this sweet other day. Are you kidding? We’re sooo NOT needing this million calories. We are definitely missing our grandchildren in Hawaii. What can I say, they live so far away, they transformed into something else every time we see them …mostly a delightful surprise but some sadness is also associated with knowing that time has passed in flash.

Leonard’s is well known for malasadas in Hawaii. Now they ventured out in Yokohama, Japan. I don’t have their recipe but I hope mine has some relativity. We baked some in the oven, in a desperate attempt to cut calories but my husband and I both agree that fried ones are bloody addicting.

Ingredients and how to on 10 malasadas

Equipment: Bread maker, although you could make it without by using your muscle.

Make Egg Milk first

• Evaporated milk 100cc
  
• 1 Whole large egg
• Yolk of 1 large egg
• Water to be determined

1. Pour the evaporated milk into a 1 cup glass measurement cup.
2. Add eggs and mix well.
3. Add enough water to fill it to the 1 cup line, then combine well. Set aside.

What goes in the bread maker

• Weak power flour or cake flour 1cup
• Bread flour is recommended but all purpose flour is acceptable. 1 and 1/4 cup plus more for dusting surface later.
• Yeast 1-1/2 teaspoon
• Potato starch or corn starch 2 Tablespoons
• Sugar 3 Tablespoons
• Salt 1 teaspoon
• Unsalted butter 1 Tablespoon
• Egg milk (see above) 1 cup

1. Put flours in the bread maker pan. Make depression on middle of flours and bury the yeast and cover up with more flour so that yeast will not touch the liquid or salt right away.
   
2. Put rest of ingredients in avoiding yeast as much as possible.
3. Select ‘dough’ course (rise once) and start the cycle.

And the rest

• Parchment paper cut in 10-5x5 squares
• Vegetable oil for frying
• Granulated sugar, powder sugar, cinnamon or filling of your choice 

1. When the dough is done, take it out and put in a bowl. Punch down the dough and cover with plastic wrap and let it rest for at least 10 minutes
   .
2. Divide the dough into 10 pieces. Dust your hands with flour and make balls with dough, folding the dough to the inside of the ball to make a smooth surface.
   
3. Put each ball onto prepared parchment paper. Cover with plastic wrap to let rise in a warm place for 2nd time, about 40 minutes.
    
4. Heat oil in heavy pan (oil should be 2inches deep) at medium high – an ideal temperature is 340F. Grab the edge of parchment paper and gently lower the ball with paper still intact. When the paper separates from bun then remove from oil and discard. Fry for about 2 minutes on both sides or till it has a nice golden color. Lower the heat if the malasada gets dark too quickly. Receive onto a paper towel to absorb excess oil.
5. Roll the buns in the tray with granulated sugar or cinnamon or combination of both while it’s hot.
   

Variation – Custard cream filling

Take a look at this video to see how easy it is to make custard cream in the microwave. I can’t say this is the best custard cream, it’s still quite good.

Easy Microwave Custard

Tips: #1, Adjust the amount of sugar to your taste. #2, Keep in mind that custard will thicken as it cools. However, if the custard is not thick enough for your liking then microwave and check in 30 second increments at 50% power. #3, If you desire a smoother custard, strain it through a sieve.

A) Use the rolling pin to stretch the ball of dough to make flat rounds about 5 inches in diameter.

B)  Spoon the custard onto center of round then gather the edges, be careful not let the edge touch the cream (that will make it hard to seal off). Pinch the dough tight to close. Put on the parchment paper seam side down. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise for 2nd time. Continue to instruction 4 above.

Baking Instruction- line cooking sheet with parchment paper.

Follow instruction 1 through 3. Brush all over buns with melted butter before putting in the oven. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes at 355F.Custard cream filled malasadas must be kept in refrigerator and consumed within a few days. What pressure!

Around home  I planted green shiso in a pot for easy access. Now the plant is overgrown in beautiful way!

A dozen Linden trees were covered with netting last week after more than 50,000 bumble bees died off caused by pesticide sprayed in our city’s Target parking lot. This unfortunate incident will most likely affect the future of the bee colony…very upsetting news.

Grateful for city’s Thursday Market. Painting class and all the errands I do on Thursdays, it is nice to not worry about evening meals.

Our friends who came from Czechoslovakia was one of venders there. And their sweets were very nice as they are. He was one of the volunteer translators in the 2002 Salt Lake Winter Olympics.I noticed many people brought their doggie companion to the market. Not at all camera shy, a photogenic puppy is one of them.

On last Friday, My girlfriend and I went to Chef Naoko for lunch (currently open only at lunch time).Their potions are generous, have creative menus and friendly staff. Liked it!

We decided to try Japanese owned Behind the Museum Café for dessert afterward. It was hard to assess the store…I expected to see more Japanese sweets but it was so limited. This chick-like Japanese pastry had great flavor but was way too teensy and cost $2.75. Really? Also available, bite-sized American style muffins and seven spice flavored popcorn. I dunno…disappointed? ..a little. I liked the décor though, bright, open and dishes are artistic. 

A view from my husband’s office in down town Portland. This is again miniature setting. Isn’t that neat?

I hope you have a wonderful 4th of July!