When The Summer Wind Blows

Lilikoi from our Molokai Farmers Market
every Saturday in Kaunakakai.
Click on photo to view larger.

I first experienced passion fruit in Bora Bora many years ago. Hotel Bora Bora served purple passion fruit, cut in half, as part of a breakfast buffet. It was very strange because you ate the tart pulp, seeds an all. It was delicious and unforgettable. 

Years later I moved to the Hawaiian island of Moloka'i and again I rediscover passion fruit, but it was yellow and had an Hawaiian name,  'liliko'i'. For years now it has become one of my favorite things to have with breakfast... when in season. The season is in the summer, July, August, and September, when it is hot and humid. 

I have been seeing them for sale at our local farmers market lately and have wondered if travelers to this lonely island know what a treat liliko'i is. Fortunately for me, they happen to grow wild in a vacant lot next to my house. Long vines covered with this wonderful fruit that falls to the ground 'when the summer wind blows'.

I have learned that if you remove the pulp of the liliko'i with a spoon, then gently pulse it in a blender about 5 times, you can loosen the pulp from the seeds and remove the seeds with a strainer. Then you can freeze the pulp in ice trays, put the cubes in freezer bags to use when the fruit is no longer in season. That's how good this flavor is in recipes, especially desserts. Hawaii is famous for lilikoi butter, which is actually a curd made with liliko'i pulp, butter, honey, and eggs. I have written many other recipes using liliko'i, which you will find on this site, here's a new one:

Hawaiian Liliko'i Ice Cream

Liliko'i Flower
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This is a thick, creamy ice cream that is more suited for adults than children because it's not overly sweet, but full of liliko'i flavor. You only need to serve a couple of scoops of this rich tropical dessert, then drizzle it with honey. Serve with a delicate cookie like my 'Ono Hawaiian Lace Cookies'. 

Ingredients:
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 1/2 cups liliko'i pulp (without seeds) or 27 lilikoi
2 cups heavy cream, chilled
1/4 cup white sugar
honey for drizzling

Special Equipment: an ice cream maker

Procedure to make the ice cream:
Cut each liliko'i in half at the equator and scoop the pulp, with seeds, into a blender and gently pulse about 5 times to remove the pulp from the seeds. Strain the mixture, remove and discard the seeds, saving the 1 1/2 cups of pulp for the ice cream.

I have been using this small
ice cream maker for years,
made by Cuisinart.
It's an excellent product!
$47.73 at Amazon.com

Mix together the condensed milk with the seedless liliko'i pulp.

In another bowl, whip the cream with a hand help mixer for 3 minutes until peaks form, Then turn the speed to low and add the condensed milk/liliko'i pulp mixture and sugar. Mix just until combined.

Immediately spoon the mixture into your ice cream maker and proceed according to the manufacturer's instructions. After about a half an hour the cream gets thick. Transfer the ice cream into air-tight containers and freeze solid for at least 4 hours. This is a very rich dessert that is not too sweet. I like to drizzle honey over the top and Serve it with a cookie like my 'Ono Hawaiian Lace Cookies'. You won't believe how good this recipe is!

Makes 1 1/2 quarts of ice cream, enough for about 6 servings.




Note: If you can't get fresh liliko'i where you live, try this product available at Amazon.com and on ebay. It is basically the same thing as liliko'i pulp, without the seeds, and the work. If you read the comments that people have written on Amazon you might want to try it. 

Cost: $9.90 for one 16.9 fluid ounces, or two bottles for $13.47. That's a bargain!

Fish Sauce

Dipping Sauce made with fish sauce,
pickled ginger, and Asian chili oil
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I'm a big fan of Southeast Asian food, especially sauces like Tamari sauce, oyster sauce, seasoned rice vinegar, sesame oil, and fish sauce. Fish sauce is sometimes made from different species of fish, but generally it's made from just anchovies, salt, and water, then fermented in wooden barrels. Fermenting gives this simple sauce a wonderful nutty, rich and savory flavor. In Vietnam, fish sauce can be sour and spicy when lime juice and chili peppers are added. Southeast Asians usually use fish sauce as a cooking sauce, or as a dipping sauce, instead of salt.

Fish sauce was also used in ancient Greece cuisine and in Classical Roman cooking. It is believed to be the precursor to soy sauce. Worcestershire sauce, is a related product because it is fermented and contains anchovies. As a matter of fact, the first ketchup recipe appeared in print in Eliza Smith's 1758 cookbook 'The Complete Housewife'. The recipe called for anchovies, cloves, ginger and pepper. Eventually tomatoes were added to ketchup here in the U.S.

I've been cooking for a long time and have come to love fish sauce as a complex flavor additive to enhance many different recipes, not just Asian recipes, so I always have a bottle in my kitchen. My favorite is a Vietnamese fish sauce called 'Red Boat 40˚ N, which does not contain added water, preservatives or MSG. It has a light amber color, not fishy tasting or too salty. For more information about this amazing sauce, plus great recipes, check out their website. This sauce is also available on Amazon.com.

Here are a few of my favorite recipes:


Filipino Chicken Afritada
This is a Spanish-inspired, everyday stew served in Filipino households using fish sauce. Fish sauce or “Patis” is a commonly used ingredient in Filipino cooking. One of the top Filipino brands of fish sauce is 'Pufina', which can be purchased on Amazon. This dish should take about an hour to cook plus about 10 minutes of prep time.

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons canola oil
2 pounds whole boneless chicken thighs, each cut into 2 pieces each
6 cloves of garlic, minced
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
1 cup pineapple juice
1 cup chicken stock
1 14-ounce can of tomato sauce
2 tablespoons fish sauce
2 bay leaves
1 large carrot, cut into bite size pieces
2 medium potatoes, cut into bite size pieces
1 large red bell pepper, cut into bite size pieces
1 cup frozen green peas
1 teaspoon granulated white sugar, or to taste
salt and black pepper to taste

Procedure:
Add oil to a large pot. Heat on medium high heat. Add chicken pieces and saute until it is nice and golden brown. Add garlic, and onion and cook for 5 minutes or until they are just starting to brown. Now add pineapple juice and the chicken stock. Simmer for 10 minutes, then add the tomato sauce and fish sauce. Now add the bay leaves, carrots, potatoes, green peas, and red bell pepper. Season with sugar, salt and black pepper to taste. Simmer another 5 or 10 minutes until vegetables are just tender. Taste the sauce and adjust the seasoning if necessary. Serve over steamed rice.

Makes 4 to 6 servings depending on how hungry you are.

Note: Although this dish is traditionally cooked with the ingredients listed above, feel free to add other vegetables if you like, such as whole okra, yellow squash, celery, or zucchini.


Thai Beef with Broccoli 
in Oyster Sauce
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 tablespoon garlic, coarsely chopped
1/2 pound boneless beef roast, thinly sliced crosswise into 2-inch strips
1/4 pound broccoli floret, halved lengthwise
2 tablespoons oyster sauce
2 tablespoons fish sauce
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon pepper, freshly ground
1/2 cup water

Procedure:
Heat oil in deep, heavy skillet or wok over medium-high heat; add garlic and cook until a bit of garlic sizzles at once. Toss well. Add beef and toss until it changes color. Add broccoli florets and toss for about 1 min., until they turn shiny and bright green. Add oyster sauce, fish sauce, sugar, pepper, and water and cook 3-4 min., tossing often, until broccoli is tender and beef is cooked. Transfer to small serving platter and serve hot or warm. Makes 4 servings.


Thai Chicken Fried Rice
Ingredients:
4 cups cooked cold jasmine rice (cold rice is essential so the grains will not stick together when stir frying)
3 tablespoons canola oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 cups boneless skinless chicken thighs sliced thin
2 eggs
4 green onions, sliced thin
2 teaspoons palm sugar (table sugar is fine if you can't find palm sugar)
3 tablespoons fish sauce
1 tablespoon oyster sauce
3/4 cup frozen peas
1 cucumber, sliced
2 limes, cut into wedges

Procedure:
Heat peanut oil in a wok or large skillet over medium high heat. While pan is warming, toss the cold rice with your hands, making sure to separate the grains from any clumps. Add the garlic to the heated wok, and toss until fragrant and slightly golden. Add chicken and stir fry for about 1 minute. Push the meat and garlic up the sides making a well in the middle and add eggs. Scramble eggs for 1 minute in middle of pan then, add green onions and peas and incorporate all ingredients together, stir frying for another minute. Add rice, turning over rice with pan ingredients several times to coat and stir frying for 2-3 minutes. You want the rice to begin to have a toasted smell, making sure that all the ingredients are constantly being moved around the pan for even cooking. If your pan seems to have cooled down to the point where the ingredients are no longer sizzling, you may need to turn the heat up slightly. Sprinkle in the sugar and add the fish sauce and oyster sauce. Stir fry all ingredients together for one minute more or until sauces are absorbed and mixture is completely combined. Transfer to serving platter. Garnish plate edge with sliced cucumber, lime wedges, and additional whole green onions if desired. Makes 4 to 6 servings.


Grilled 'Opakapaka with Hawaiian Butter Sauce
'Opakapaka is also known as the Hawaiian pink snapper, a white fish with a delicate flavor. This fish is great grilled, then combined with a delicious butter sauce. Naturally you can use other fish for this recipe, like red snapper.

Ingredients:
4 fresh ‘Opakapaka fillets, about 6 ounces each or use red snapper
Hawaiian Butter Sauce (recipe below)
cilantro for garnish
sliced lime for garnish

Procedure:
First make the Hawaiian Butter Sauce (recipe below). Then marinate ‘Opakapaka in 1/2 cup of the sauce for 10-15 minutes. Remove from marinade and grill very quickly, about 3 to 4 minutes on both sides. Brush fish with marinade as it cooks. Serve on plates garnished with cilantro and lime wedges on the side. Serve with white rice, topped with Shitaki mushrooms, that have been sautéd in Hawaiian butter sauce. Makes 4 servings.

Hawaiian Butter Sauce Ingredients:
1/2 cup canola oil
3/4 cup finely diced Maui onion
2 teaspoon minced garlic
2 tablespoons minced shallot
1 cup butter (2 sticks), room temperature
1 1/2 tablespoons Chinese 'Sriracha' sauce
3 tablespoons fish sauce
2 tablespoons minced parsley

Procedure:
In a medium saucepan, heat the canola oil over low heat. Sauté the onions, garlic and shallots until softened, approximately 20 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool. Using a whisk, whip the softened butter until fluffy, then slowly add the Sriracha and Thai fish sauce. When the fish sauce and Sriracha have been incorporated into the butter, add the cooled onions, shallots, and garlic, and then add the parsley, whisk to blend. Makes about 1 3/4 cups of sauce. Note: This sauce is also delicious used as a dipping sauce for grilled lobster or shrimp.


Filipino Sardines & Tomatoes
Lately I have noticed in one of our local markets, Friendly Market, small, dried sardines. I asked the meat manager, PJ, how locals eat them. He said that the Filipinos fry them, then add tomatoes, onions, and garlic. He also said that they are a little hard on your breath, so I used fresh sardines for this recipe, which don't have that strong odor. 

If sardines aren't your thing, try this recipe using shrimp. If you can't find Southeast Asia calamansi limes, you can substitute lemon juice, however if you live on the Hawaiian island of Moloka'i, you can get them at our Saturday farmers market.

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 large shallots, minced (2 tablespoons)
4 cloves garlic, minced (1 tablespoon)
1/2 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon smoked Spanish paprika, or regular paprika
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 pound cherry tomatoes, halved
1/2 cup white wine
1/4 cup water
1 tablespoon fish sauce

salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 large can of sardines in tomato sauce
Fresh calamansi limes, or fresh lemon wedges, for squeezing over the sardines

Procedure:
Heat the olive oil in a large oven-proof sauté pan over moderately high heat. Add the shallot, garlic, dried red pepper flakes, and paprika and cook until the shallot becomes soft and translucent, 3-5 minutes. Add the tomato paste and stir to combine, continuing to cook until the tomato paste just begins to brown, 1 minute more.

Toss the cherry tomatoes into the pan and sauté until the tomatoes soften and have released some of their juices, 5-7 minutes.

Pour the wine into the pan, stirring to scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Add the water and fish sauce and simmer until the liquid reduces and thickens a bit, about 5 minutes more. Remove from heat and set aside.

Remove the sardines from the can and arrange them in a single layer, on top of the tomato sauce in an oven safe sauté pan. Pour the tomato sauce in the sardine can over the sardines. Place the pan underneath the broiler and broil for 5 or 6 minutes, flipping the fish over once during that time.

Serve with steamed white rice and calamansi limes, or lemon wedges, on the side for squeezing over the sardines. Makes 2-4 servings.


Lemon Butter Dipping Sauce
I particularly like this delicious sauce with boiled artichokes, shrimp, or crab.

Ingredients:
4 tablespoons butter, melted
2 tablespoons Tamari sauce or soy sauce
1 teaspoon fish sauce
1 garlic clove, minced
1 teaspoon minced ginger
1 tablespoon fresh lemon or lime juice

Procedure:
Combine all ingredients and microwave for 30 seconds until warm.
Makes about 1/2 cup, enough for 2 servings.

Dumpling Dipping Sauce
A great dipping sauce for Asian dumplings.

Ingredients:
8 teaspoons finely minced garlic (about 8 medium cloves)
4 tablespoons fish sauce
4 tablespoons fresh juice from about 4 limes
2 tablespoons light brown sugar
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro leaves and fine stems
1/4 teaspoon Asian chili oil, or to taste

Procedure:
Combine garlic, fish sauce, lime juice, brown sugar, cilanto, and chili oil in a small bowl and stir until sugar is dissolved. Makes 3/4 cup.

Thai BBQ Sauce
Ingredients:
4 tablespoons oyster sauce
3 tablespoons ketchup
2 tablespoons molasses
1 tablespoon fish sauce or 1 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon lime juice
1 tablespoon honey
3-4 cloves garlic, minced
1 thumb-size piece ginger, minced
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper or 1-2 teaspoons chili sauce

Procedure:
Combine all ingredients in a bowl, stirring until well blended.

Taste-test your bbq sauce, adding more honey if not sweet enough, or more lime juice if too sweet or too salty for your taste. Also add more chili if desired.

Use the sauce as a marinade for your meats, fish, or seafood, and brush it on while grilling. Great with steak, ribs, burgers, salmon, shrimp, and more!

Note: I like to double this recipe and then drizzle a little more over the entree before serving. This great sauce will keep in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

Good Morning From Hawaii

July pineapples from my garden
Click on photo to view larger

Pineapple season in Hawaii begins around mid-June, and peaks in mid-July, then tapers off in September. The most common pineapple in Hawaii is the 'Smooth Cayenne' variety (shown above). It has a rough skin which turns completely gold with a sweet pineapple smell and tangy afterbite. People don't realize that it takes about 18 months to grow one pineapple, and depending on the variety, they can cost as much as $4.50 a pound.

Pineapples are native to the southern part of Brazil and Paraguay and eventually, it traveled all the way to Hawaii in the sixteenth century. Today, pineapples are second only to bananas as America's favorite fruit because it is so versatile. It can be used easily in both sweet and savory dishes. Below you will find some of my favorite pineapple recipes.


Pineapple Slaw
Ingredients for slaw:
4 cups cabbage (shredded)
4 slices fresh pineapple (diced)
1 cup carrots (shredded)
1/2 cup apple (chopped)
2 tablespoons green bell pepper (chopped)
2 tablespoons red bell pepper (chopped)
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Procedure:
Combine vegetables in a bowl. In smaller bowl, dissolve sugar and salt in the vinegar, then pour over slaw mix. Sprinkle with black pepper. Refrigerate for at least an hour before serving.
Makes 4 servings.


Grilled Mahi-mahi with Roasted Pineapple Sauce
Ingredients for Roasted Pineapple Sauce:
2 cups chopped peeled and cored fresh pineapple
1 red bell pepper, halved lengthwise and seeded
pinch of cayenne pepper to taste
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Ingredients for Fish:

4 mahi-mahi fillets, skinned (about 2 pounds of fish, total)

2 tablespoon sweet paprika

3 tablespoons canola oil

3 tablespoons fresh lime juice

salt and freshly ground black pepper

cilantro leaves for garnish

Procedure:
Prepare a grill for moderately high heat.

In a grill pan, sear and soften the pineapple and red bell pepper, turning occasionally with tongs. Transfer the pineapple and bell pepper to a blender and add the cayenne pepper and lime juice, then puree the mixture. Season the sauce with salt, freshly ground black pepper, and more lime juice if needed, keep at room temperature.

For the fish, combine the sweet paprika, oil and lime juice and brush on both sides of mahi-mahi steaks. Season lightly with salt and pepper.

Oil the grill rack, then grill the fish, covered, turning the fish once, until it is opaque and just cooked through, about 6 minutes total. Transfer the fish to a platter and keep it warm, covered. Serve the fish with a fresh green salad or slaw, roasted sweet potato fries, with the pineapple sauce on the side. Garnish fish with fresh cilantro leaves. Makes 4 servings.

Note: Grilled mahi-mahi is commonly used for fish tacos or fish sandwiches. For a variation on this recipe, prepare an Asian coleslaw, recipe on this site, click here. Break the grilled fish up into chunks and fill fried or steamed corn tortillas, or toasted hamburger buns, with the mahi-mahi. Top the fish with a little roasted pineapple sauce and Asian coleslaw for a delicious tropical fish taco or fish sandwich.


Pineapple Stir-Fried Rice with Shrimp
Ingredients: 
1 ripe pineapple
3 tablespoons chopped shallots
2 tablespoons grated fresh ginger
1 to 2 jalapeno peppers, chopped, veins and seeds removed
2 spring onions, the green tops only, coarsely chopped
1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
2 tablespoons canola oil
2 cups shrimp, shells removed and deveined
3 tablespoons garlic, coarsely chopped
2 tablespoons Thai fish sauce or light soy sauce
1 teaspoon sugar
2 cups cold, steamed Thai jasmine rice
cilantro leaves for garnish

Procedure:
Cut the pineapple in half lengthwise with green top. Scoop out the fruit, saving the two pineapple halves to use as bowls to serve the rice in. Chop the pineapple fruit into bite sized chunks, removing the tough core. Put the fruit in a bowl and add the shallots, jalapeno, ginger, green onion and cilantro. Add a pinch of salt to bring out the juice. mix and set aside. In a wok, over high heat, add oil, and stir fry the shrimp for 2 minutes or until just pink. Remove the shrimp with a slotted spoon and set aside. Stir fry the garlic a minute or so until golden brown, but not burned. Add the cooked jasmine rice, and stir thoroughly until slightly toasted. Add the fish sauce and sugar, and continue stirring. When the rice is heated through, add the pineapple mixture and cooked shrimp, and stir until thoroughly heated through. Pour the mixture into the pineapple shells, garnish with cilantro leaves and serve as a side dish. Makes 6 servings.

A light, fluffy and moist coffee cake 
that's not too sweet.
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Pineapple Perfection Cake

This is one of the best cakes I have ever eaten.

Ingredients:
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup canola oil
2 eggs
1 cup sour cream
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup fresh pineapple, chopped fine, or
1/2 cup of canned and drained crushed pineapple
1/3 cup of roasted, chopped Macadamia nuts (optional)

Topping:
1/2 cup flaked coconut
3 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Procedure:
In a mixing bowl, blend the sugar and oil. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in sour cream. Combine the flour, baking powder and salt; add to the sour cream mixture. Stir in pineapple and nuts.

Transfer to a greased 9 inch square baking dish. Combine the topping ingredients; sprinkle over batter. Bake at 350˚F for 60 - 65 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack.

Note: Cover cake lightly with a sheet of foil during the last 30 minutes of cooking to keep the coconut from getting too brown. Makes 9 servings.


Liliko'i-Pineapple Ice
Ingredients:
2 cups fresh liliko'i juice (about 28 liliko'i)
1/4 cup fresh liliko'i seeds left whole (about 4 liliko'i)
2 cups pineapple pulp
3/4 cups sugar
2 egg whites

Procedure:
To juice the liliko'i remove all pulp from all the fruit. Place in blender and pulse for 5 to 10 seconds. Pour in a fine mesh strainer placed over a bowl and with the back of a spoon push the pulp around until you are left with just the seeds in the strainer. Place all the ingredients in a food processor and process until well blended. Pour the mixture into a metal or plastic bowl and freeze. When frozen, break up the ice and place a small amount at a time into the food processor. When whipped and frothy, return to the bowl and freeze again. This mixture will not freeze hard and solid, so it will be easy to scoop out to serve. Sprinkle a few of the reserved seeds over the top of the ice when it is served or they may be added when the ice is returned to the freezer for the second time.

Makes about 5 cups.

Note: Liliko'i juice can be made in advance and frozen in ice trays then transferred to freezer bags for future use.