Swap Meet 03-28-2021

These are clips from our swap meet outing this past Sunday.  It was nice and cool with a lot of sellers. 

I got lazy and didn't add any subtitles this time.

Dd's Indian Chicken and Basmati Rice

 

INDIAN CHICKEN

 

Chicken:

8 pc.chicken thighs, boneless & skinless*

1 c. plain yogurt

1 c. olive oil

1 TB curry powder

1 TB chili powder

½ TB cumin

½ TB ginger powder

1 tsp. garlic powder

1 tsp. onion powder

1 tsp. salt

Basmati Rice:

1 c. basmati rice

1 ½ c. chicken stock

2 TB onion, thinly sliced

1 TB massaman curry paste

 

In a mixing bowl combine marinade ingredients. Marinate chicken at least 30 minutes. Remove chicken from refrigerator; allow to sit 15 minutes.

Broil 8 minutes; turn, continue broiling 8-10 minutes until slightly charred. * If using bone in thighs, broil 25 minutes; turn and continue broiling additional 20 minutes. Serve with seasoned basmati rice. Serves 3-4. 

Basmati Rice: Combine all ingredients in rice cooker; cook as directed. Fluff with fork for service. Serves 4.

Shiseido at Ross

I couldn't resist, even though I just found somewhat similar products at the swap meet. The bargain was too great.   This was $34.99 compared to the regular price of $82.00.

It was at the Hawaii Kai branch of Ross. 

And this was at the Kahala branch.

It was $29.99 compared to $63.00.

Not sure if there are any more left by now, but you should go check!!

I Love Maliya Kabs

 

Candied Sweet Potato

We had leftover sliced sweet potato that didn't get tempura'd the other night so I looked up ways to make use of um.  This looked interesting so I tried it.  I like how it came out.

First, I boiled the slices until they were tender . . . around 15 minutes.  I drained them and set aside.

Then I made a syrup following a recipe from the Just One Cookbook site.

Bring to boil on medium heat:

5 tablespoons sugar

1 1/2 tablespoons water

1 tablespoon mirin

Add:

1 teaspoon rice vinegar

1 teaspoon shoyu

When the syrup seemed thick enough I threw in the potatoes to coat and then garnished with sesame seeds.

Korean Tempura Batter Mix

Wendell bought this at Palama Market.  He said that the $1.99 sale sign caught his eye. 

We were so surprised at how light and crispy it turned out.  We loved it!!

Morning Light

I've always loved taking photos in the morning light.  Not sure what it is about it that appeals to me. 

Maybe this short video will explain.  

Buttersoft Buns

I made these the other day to eat with leftover baked spaghetti.  They came out soft and fluffy.  Well . . . the ones on the outside were soft and fluffy.  The ones on the inside were undercooked.  Probably coulda used another few more minutes in the oven.  🤪

I followed the recipe from this YouTube video.

Bloom for 10 minutes:

1 tablespoon sugar

2 teaspoons yeast

1 cup warm milk

Add:

1/2 cup melted butter

1 egg

Mix and add:

3 1/2 cups flour

1/4 cup sugar

1 teaspoon salt

Rest uncovered for 20 minutes.  Knead for 10 minutes. Place in oiled bowl, cover with cling wrap and let rest for 1 hour.

Punch down.  Cut into 16 pieces.  Make balls and place in an 8 x 8 inch pan.  Rest for 30 minutes.

Brush on egg/milk wash.

Bake at 350 degrees for 18 to 20 minutes or MAYBE LONGER.

Drawing Practice

Honolulu Aunty passed on a bunch of instructional art books to me the other day.  Thanks Aunty!!  

I had a practice drawing session using a few of the books and recorded it for you to watch.  The video is almost 12 minutes long.  The actual real time was more than 2 hours. 

The hard part was the varying light.  Drives me crazy.  And hands.  Drawing hands drives me crazy too.  😂

Origami Samurai Warrior

 So amazing!  Thanks for sharing, Chet!

Wendell's Hawaiian Shrimp Scampi

Wendell made this the other night and it was so ono.  He got the recipe from the Rasa Malaysia site.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 lb. (0.4 kg) shrimp, headless, shell-on, tail-on, deveined
• 1/2 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 2 oz. (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
• 1 1/2 tablespoon olive oil
• 5 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
• 2 tablespoons white wine
• salt to taste
• 1/4 teaspoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon fish sauce, optional
• 1 squirt lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Clean and rinse the shrimp and deveined. Pat dry with paper towels. 
2. Mix the flour and the cayenne pepper together in a big bowl. Add the shrimp to the bowl, toss a few times to coat lightly with the flour mixture. 
3. Heat up a saute pan and add the butter. When the butter melts, add the olive oil. Stir in the garlic, lightly saute until aromatic before adding the shrimp into the pan. Saute the shrimp and then add the white wine, salt, sugar, and fish sauce (if using). Continue to stir until the shrimp is cooked through. Add a squirt or two of the lemon juice and the black pepper. Stir to combine well and serve immediately.

Winsor and Newton Gouache

I got a Winsor & Newton gouache set from Landon for Christmas, but hadn't even tried it out yet.  Making this video was the incentive to finally bust it out.  

Dd's Chipotle Tri Tip Roast

 CHIPOTLE SPICED TRI TIP ROAST

 

2 lb tri tip roast

2 TB olive oil

1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce, mashed

1 tsp paprika

1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

1/2 tsp chipotle chili powder

kosher salt

 

Start a day ahead of time. Trim any silver skin from roast as needed. In a small mixing bowl combine oil, chipotle pepper, paprika, black pepper, and chipotle chili powder.  Spread over roast.  Season generously with salt. Place in a ziplock bag; allow to sit overnight.  

Thirty minutes before you plan to roast the meat, remove from refrigerator. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Place roast in a foil lined baking dish. Roast 35-50 minutes, or until the internal temperature is 125 degrees F. 

Remove meat to a cutting board; allow to rest 20 minutes before slicing. Cut into thin slices. Optional to serve with warmed tortillas/taco shells. Serves 3-4.

Chef Zone

Here are just a few random shots that I took while I was at Chef Zone with Wendell the other day.

Sketchbook Flipthrough

I started this sketchbook on January 1, 2020 and I completed it yesterday.  

Daikon Ko-Ko

I used Cleta's Nasubi Ko-Ko recipe to make this.  It came out pretty good considering I was the one who made it.

Clicking on "Daikon Ko-Ko" in the lower left corner will take you to Flickr to view the video in a larger format if you prefer.

3/4 cup shoyu

1 cup white sugar

1/4 cup Japanese vinegar

1/4 tsp. dry mustard

According to taste, use more or less sugar and mustard.  Refrigerate and let soak for a couple of days before eating.

Macro Photographs

My extension tube arrived on schedule, and although it took a bit of getting used to and several moments of frustration, I finally got the hang of it and decided that she go.

Here are my photos using the tube.  Learning how to use it reminded me of the challenges of getting good pictures and why I love being a wannabe photographer. 

Wendell's Broiled Salmon

It was pretty amazing how fast Wendell whipped this up.  And it was so ono.  He found the recipe at the Dinner at the Zoo site.  

Ingredients

• 4 salmon fillets 4-6 ounces each
• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 1/2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
• 2 teaspoons lemon juice
• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh parsley plus more for garnish
• 1 1/2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• lemon wedges for serving
• cooking spray

Instructions

• Preheat the broiler. Coat a sheet pan with cooking spray.
• Place the olive oil, brown sugar, soy sauce, lemon zest, lemon juice, parsley, thyme, salt, pepper and garlic in a bowl. Whisk to combine.
• Add the salmon, toss to coat evenly.
• Place the salmon fillets on the prepared sheet pan.
• Broil for 10-15 minutes or until salmon is browned and opaque.
• Garnish with chopped parsley and lemon wedges, then serve.

After the Rain

Here's another short video of my backyard which you guys are pretty familiar with already.  I shot it in 4K with my Fuji XT2.  I love the images that the Fuji produces, but ho it gets hot fast when shooting in 4K, and then it shuts down to prevent it from overheating.  

I ordered an extension tube for it so that I can take macro shots.  I don't think it'll be as good as my Canon macro lens, but I'm crossing my fingers.  The mailman is supposed to bring it today.  I can't wait. 

BTW, sad news . . . Poki II and his brother died.  I suspect the mom laid the eggs on the wrong plant.  I blame her.  There's a vine that you'll see in today's video.  I think I should've been feeding them leaves from that plant instead.  That's the type of plant that the original Pokipine came from anyway. 

Cy's Pasta

My brother Cy made this.  He got the recipe from the Times Supermarket site and is actually  from actress and comedian Kimee Balmilero.  She calls it "Moot's Mom's Fresh Spaghetti".   Cy said that it's "super easy" to make.

I copied and pasted the recipe exactly as it is from here so if it's a bit hard to understand . . . not my fault.

Ingredients

1

yellow onion (small diced)

1⁄2

unsalted butter (Stick)

1 lb

ground beef (90% Lean)

1

McCormick’s Zesty Spaghetti Sauce (Dried)

1 cn

Sliced Mushrooms

2 cn

Italian Style Stewed Tomatoes

1

Marinara Sauce

1

Spaghetti Noodles (Cooked)

1 pn

salt (To Taste)

1

Parmesan Cheese (Optional - Grated)

Instructions

1. Turn stove to medium heat
2. Melt butter in a medium sized saucepan or pot
3. Saute onions until they start to turn translucent
4. Add and brown beef
5. Add sliced mushrooms
6. Add sauce packet
7. Add and smash in stewed tomatoes
8. Add marinara sauce
9. Let simmer on low heat for at least 15 minutes
10. Add to cooked pasta
11. Add cheese if you like:)

Circles

I sped this video up a lot to compress 1 1/2 hours into 5 minutes.  If you prefer, you can slow it down by going to the wheel icon to adjust the speed, but then that'll spoil the awesome music. 😉

I was able to turn my new tripod completely upside down to get the overhead view for the video.  The legs kinda got in my way sometimes, and I would bump into them every now and then, but it worked out way better than my phone-on-a-mug method.

And here's what I ended up doing with my Circles.

Wendell's Pickled Shrimp

Wendell made this a couple of weeks ago.  The recipe is from the Crave section of the Honolulu Advertiser and is called George Holapa's Pickle 'Opae.  Landon said that it's probably the best he's ever eaten.  

I thought it was very generous of George to share his recipe especially since he makes his living selling his Pickle 'Opae.  Make sure you check out his Instagram (@georgeous_opaeguy) to keep up to date on where you can get your own George-made jar.

• George Holapa's Pickle 'Opae
• 
  
• 2 white or sweet onions (do not use yellow onions) 
• 2 whole large tomatoes 
• 1/2 cup fresh, raw limu (ogo or seaweed) 
• 1/4 cup dried whole opae (shrimp) 
• 1/4 cup dried cuttlefish strips 
• 
  
• >> Sauce:
• 2 cups Chinese red vinegar (substitute any vinegar) 
• 1 cup soy sauce (Silver Swan brand preferred) 
• 1/4 cup dark brown sugar 
• Dried red chile pepper flakes or 3 Hawaiian chile peppers, minced or mashed in a mortar (optional) 
• 
  

>> To make sauce: In sauce pan, mix vinegar, soy sauce, brown sugar and chile, if using. Heat over medium until sugar dissolves completely, about 5 minutes. Cool to room temperature, about 30 minutes off the stove or a shorter time in the refrigerator.

Peel onions and cut from stem to root, then in 3/8-inch slices in the shape of half moons. Place in mixing bowl. Cut tomatoes the same shape and add to bowl.

Wash limu and break into chunks. Add to mixing bowl with dried shrimp and cuttlefish. When sauce is cool, pour into bowl. Let stand at room temperature at least 30 minutes.

Pour mixture and liquid into sterilized glass jars. Cover with lids and refrigerate for up to 1 month. Makes about 48 ounces.

Rescued Poki II

Guess what!  After several days of searching I found Poki II.  He was kinda in the area that I had released him.  I brought him back "home" to be away from the wind and rain. 

I took my heavy-duty Canon 5D II out of retirement to try and get macro shots of him.  It wasn't easy because he's still so tiny, maybe not even 1/4 inch long.  But I did get one good shot.  His brother is even tinier.

Dd's Hot and Sour Tofu Soup

 

HOT AND SOUR TOFU SOUP

Adapted from Dd’s Table Talk II

 

1/2 c. pork belly, fat trimmed; thinly sliced

1 tsp. each soy sauce, cornstarch, dry sherry

½ tsp. white pepper

3 TB black fungus, dried

Water as needed

2 tsp. vegetable oil

5 1/2 c. chicken broth

2 TB soy sauce

1/2 c. bamboo shoots, thinly sliced

1/2 c. soft tofu, drained; thinly sliced

2 TB each rice wine vinegar, Chinese black vinegar

2 tsp. chili garlic paste

1 tsp. sesame seed oil

1/2 tsp. sugar

2 TB cornstarch mixed with 2 TB water

2 large eggs, beaten

Garnish: chopped green onion

 

In a small mixing bowl, combine pork, soy sauce, cornstarch, sherry and pepper. 

In a small mixing bowl soak fungus in water as needed; allow to sit until completely hydrated. Drain, thinly slice.  Set aside. 

In a large saucepan, saute pork in oil until cooked through. Remove; set aside. 

Into saucepan bring broth to a boil. Add bamboo shoots, tofu, fungus and pork. Reduce heat; simmer 10 minutes. Add chili garlic paste, sesame oil and sugar. Stirring, add cornstarch mixture and eggs. Continue stirring until eggs are cooked through. Garnish with green onions. 

Serves 2 as entrée, 4 starter course.

Butterfly Drawing

Ho, this one was hard to edit because of the changes in lighting.  I'm gonna try and pay better attention next time. 

I used a photo that I took for reference.  When I took the photo that's when I noticed Pokipine II's and his brother's eggs!  

Cleta's Nasubi Ko-Ko

Cleta gave me this bottle of nasubi (eggplant) ko-ko on Sunday.  What she didn't know was that I had just tried to make something similar but had failed.  Mine was an eggplant misozuke which turned out just "meh". 

Cleta's on the other hand is so so so so ono.  I told her that I'm gonna rinse mine and add it to her shiru later.  Thanks for sharing the recipe, Cleta!!

Long nasubi, cut into chunks or thin 1/4-inch slices.

Sprinkle with table salt and press down for about 3/4 day.

Squeeze out excess water then add:

3/4 cup shoyu

1 cup white sugar

1/4 cup Japanese vinegar

1/4 tsp. dry mustard

According to taste, use more or less sugar and mustard.  Refrigerate and let soak for a couple of days before eating.

Sliced, salted daikon is really good in this too.

Thank You Cards

My sister's church needs thank you cards for an Easter project, so I fast-kine made a bunch.  

Here's a short 4-minute video for you to watch.  I actually had to toss out most of the footage that I took because I didn't realize that I was zoomed in way too much.  Oh well, still learning . . . 

Stromboli

I made this on Saturday, kinda spur of the moment, when Landon invited a few of his friends over to hang out in the yard after golfing.  Only thing . . . I took so long, they left before it was done. Hahahaha!!!  Never mind.  It made for good blog material.

The recipe for the dough is below and came from Sally's Baking Addiction site.  I cut the dough in fourths and made four mini strombolis.

I made two of these with mayo (I shoulda put more), cheddar cheese, ham and sautéed onions.

And two of these . . . pizza sauce, pepperoni and mozzarella cheese. 

Roll them up, brush on an egg wash and cut some pukas on top.

Bake at 400 degrees for 25 minutes.  Cool for 5 minutes before slicing.

Pizza dough:

Mix:

1 1/3 cup warm water
2 1/4 teaspoon yeast (1 pack)

1 tablespoon sugar

Cover and rest for 5 minutes.

Add:

2 tablespoons olive oil (I used melted butter)

3/4 teaspoon salt

3 1/2 cups flour

Mix and knead for 5 minutes.  Grease and place in bowl, cover and rest for 60 to 90 minutes.

Punch down and divide in fourths.  Flatten out and add fillings.

Swap Meet - 02/28/2021

It was rainy and windy so there were not as many sellers as the last time that we went.  At least it was nice and cool.   

Despite trying to hold the camera steady, I still got a lot of rocky footage.  Bah!!  I need one of those gimbal stabilizers, but that would be waaaaay to shame for me to use.  

It's okay, at least I got enough material to put together this video for you.

Pokipine II

Remember Pokipine from 5 years ago?  If not, you can go to January 2016 on my sidebar and look for the entries.  We watched him turn from a pokey-looking caterpillar into a butterfly. 

Last week I plucked this leaf off one of the neighbor's plants that's sticking through the fence.  I was curious about the eggs.

I put them in a plastic container with a cover.  Over the next few days, I saw the eggs slowly turn brownish in color.

Yesterday (around 4 days later) I saw this crawling up the side of the container!  I took the cover off.

It's another Pokipine!  So so so so cute yah!

I took him back to the same plant that I got him from.  I hope he'll be okay.  He's about the same size as the ants on the plant and its super windy.

Pokipine II's brother just hatched a little while ago, but he's still only yawning.  I'll probably release him later on today, but now I find myself worrying for his safety.  Ack.

On da Desk

This is a watercolor painting I did of some mushrooms that I saw on TV a long time ago.  

I loved how the mushrooms were lit, so I quickly grabbed the remote and clicked the pause button so that I could take this photo.  Then I forgot about it.  For months.  

I'm glad I didn't accidentally delete the photo.