Pidgin “guerilla” Lee A. Tonouchi debuted a play last year, “UchinaAloha,” about a collision of Okinawan and American cultures. The play included some fictional dishes: AndaJello (andagi and Jello), When Pigs Fry (spicy pig’s feet) and Yankee Goya (bitter melon with ketchup).
In a further exploration of Uchinanchu (Okinawan) fusion, he’s been working on some special recipes that he calls “UchinaAmerican.”
We present them here in Tonouchi’s own words.
Okinawan Shoyu Bacon
In Okinawa, shoyu pork is da No. 1 famous dish. Most popular pork dish in America is da bacon. Together we combine for make … Okinawan shoyu bacon.
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup shoyu
- 1/2 cup mirin
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 teaspoon mince garlic
- 2-inch piece of peeled ginger (for taste)
- 4-6 pieces of supa-thick bacon, cut into slices 2-inches long
- Optional garnish: 1/2 cup chop green onion
Inside one pot go combine da wet and dry ingre-da-ments and mix ’em before adding da thick-cut bacon. Bring ’em to one boil, den lower da heat to meejum. Stir every once in awhiles and cook ’em for around 30 minutes or so, till da bacon comes one nice brown color.
When pau cook den you put da bacon on top one plate and garnish with some chop green onion for make pretty. Den you serve and eat. Make sure you no serve da piece ginger. That wuz only for add taste li’dat.
Okinawan Chicken Nuggets
My grandma used to make ono fish tempura using Okinawan-kine batter. Essentially this UchinaAmerican recipe is more like Okinawan chicken tempura, but it’s all about da salesmanship when making food for da keiki. So if I call ’em Okinawan chicken nuggets den all of a sudden my girls like eat ’em. Any food called nuggets is gold to dem, brah.
- 6 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- 2 cups flour
- Wesson Best Blend oil, to deep-fry
- >> Batter:
- 3 eggs
- 1/2 cup water
- 3 teaspoons sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 tablespoon garlic salt
First go boil da chicken thighs until cook. Den you cut ’em into chicken- nugget-size pieces.
For da batter you mix all da ingre-da-ments. Stir ’em good.
Sprinkle little bit flour on top all da chicken thigh pieces. Den coat ’em in da batter and fry in oil on meejum heat. Turn ’em around couple times. When look ready you take ’em out and repeat. When pau, no need serve. Tell da small people eh, stand up, go get.
Nutritional information unavailable.
