Hawaii Cooks: An Okinawan Kitchen, Traditional Recipes with an Island Twist

An Okinawan Kitchen: Traditional Recipes with an Island Twist is the third in a series of cookbooks exploring Hawai‘i’s many ethnic cuisines from the viewpoint of those who grew up in the Islands and learned to make the dishes of their heritage, local-style. Their no-nonsense, home-style recipes are meant to be referred to again and again when cooking for your own family, friends, potlucks, and gatherings.

Grant Sato learned how to cook from his grandmother, Jeanette Setsuko Akamine, who is the inspiration for this collection of recipes. He embraced the kitchen arts to become a professional chef and culinary instructor at Kapi‘olani Community College.

What Grant learned from his grandmother, and what he endeavors to share, is that Okinawan cuisine is a vibrant one—with all the heartiness of pork cooked many ways, the brightness of bitter melon and eggplant, the purity of tofu prepared from scratch.

This book is for those with Okinawan roots who seek to finally master classic rafute (braised pork) and goya champuru (bitter melon stir-fry). It is also for the adventurous cook willing to discover new takes on Okinawan flavors, such as char-broiled tuna with a bright sesame dressing. And for those who would just like a steaming bowl of Okinawan soba, or food lovers just curious about this tasty cuisine.

Whatever your motivation, for dessert it’s andagi—an Okinawan doughnut so solid and tasty it anchors any meal. Now you can call it a day, Uchinanchu-style.

Okinawan Basics
Gomae / Ground Sesame Seed Dressing for Vegetables
Contemporary Gomae
Hirayachi / Chive Crêpes
Hirayachi / Contemporary Chive Crêpe
Jushi / Okinawan Rice Gruel
Kanduba Jushi / Grandma Jeanette Akamine’s Okinawan Sweet Potato Leaf Rice Gruel
Hawai‘i Shima Jushi / Hawai‘i Island Rice Gruel
Tofu / Basic Firm Soy Bean Curd
Okara / Stir-Fried Tofu Lees
Shirae  / Crumbled Tofu Dressing
Sushi Gohan / Okinawan Vinegared Rice for Sushi
Shima Rakkyo / Okinawan Pickled Scallions
Shirishiri / Fine Julienne Vegetable Stir Fry with Egg

Goya
Goya Tempura / Beer-Battered Bitter Melon
Goya Nu Agimun or Goya Tempura / Batter Fried Bitter Melon
Goya ni Numun / Bitter Melon Braised in Miso Broth
Goya Champuru / Stir-Fried Bitter Melon with Tofu
Goya Champuru / Contemporary Stir-Fried Bitter Melon with Tofu
Goya Namashi / Pickled Bitter Melon Salad
Goya Gomae / Bitter Melon Salad with Ground Sesame Seed Dressing
Yasei Namashi / Pickled Bitter Melon Salad with Seaweed
Goya Namashi to Tako / Pickled Bitter Melon with Cooked Octopus

Pork
Mimiga / Marinated Pig’s Ear
Kubu Irichi / Simmered Sliced Pork, Tofu, and Seaweed
Anda Insu or Andansu / Rendered Pork Miso Paste
Tofu Tu Nasubi Unbushi / Stir-Fried Tofu, Eggplant and Pork
Rafute / Okinawan Braised Sliced Pork Belly
Muji Nu Shiru / Pork and Taro Stem Miso-Flavor Soup
Ashi Tebichi / Pig’s Feet Soup
Sokibuni No Shimun / Pork Spare Rib Soup
Nakami Nu Shimun / Pork Tripe Soup
Shishi Gobo Maki / Pork-Wrapped Burdock
Kubu Maki / Simmered Kelp-Wrapped Pork and Burdock

Fish
Sakana no Miso Shiru / Fish Soup with Fermented White Soybean Paste
Yaki Sakana To Umi Budoo / Grilled Fish with Sea Grape Salsa
Kasutera Tamago Kamaboko / Fishcake with Egg
Age Kamaboko / Fried Fish Cake
Katsuo No Tataki Gomae / Char Broiled Skipjack Tuna in Sesame Dressing
Sakana Nitsuke / Tuna Simmered in Soy Sauce
Sakana Misozuke / Miso-Marinated Fish

Noodles
Okinawan Soba Noodles
Udun Irichi / Fried Noodles
Yakisoba / Fried Noodles
Soki Udon / Thick Noodles in Pork Broth with Mustard Cabbage and Braised Pork Ribs
Buta Udun Irichi / Fried Thick Noodles with Pork

Vegetables & Salads
Ta-Umu Ringaku / Sweetened Taro
Hechima no Chukafu / Simmered Loofa Gourd
Shirae / Crumbled Tofu Salad
Nankwa Ubushi / Simmered Kabocha Pumpkin
Togan no Nishime / Simmered Winter Melon Stew
Papaya no Itaemono / Sautéed Papaya with Pork
Tori Ni Shimun / Chicken Soup with Vegetables
Nasubi Unbuchi / Braised Eggplant
Karashina / Pickled Mustard Cabbage

Desserts & Sweets
Grandma’s Backyard Guava Jelly
Nantu / Old-Fashioned Glutinous Rice Cake
Nantu / Contemporary Classic Rice-Flour Cakes
Benimo Nantu / Purple Sweet Potato Glutinous Rice-Flour Cake
Andagi or Sata Andagi / Okinawan Fried Doughnuts
Contemporary Okinawan Fried Doughnut
Tumai Kuru Ohagi / Okinawan Sweet Potato Rice Cakes
Tumai Kuru Tempura / Okinawan Sweet Potato Fritters
Shikuasa Sorbet / Okinawan Lemon Sorbet
Shikuasa Curd Tarte
Okinawan Lemon Curd and Okinawan Sweet Potato Parfait
Goyacha Crème Brûlée / Bitter Melon Tea Crème Brûlée

Contemporary Creations
Mini Okinawan Soft Tacos
Makizushi Uchinanchu / Rolled Okinawan Sushi
Chive Crêpe topped with Spinach in Sesame Dressing and Sliced Braised Pork
Inari Uchinanchu / Trio of Stuffed Cone Sushi
Goya Chawan Mushi to Mozuku Ankake / Bitter Melon Egg Custard with Gelatinous Seaweed Sauce
Okinawan Eggs Benedict
Karashina Natto Sarada / Pickled Mustard Cabbage and Fermented Soy Beans
Stuffed Goya Braised in Miso
Okinawan Waffle

Author: Grant Sato