Okinawan group shares recipes ahead of festival

This weekend’s Okinawan Festival promises to be full of delicious food, cultural displays, live entertainment and a special performance by singer Rimi Natsukawa.

Hours are 9 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Saturday and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday at Kapiolani Park. A bon dance starts at 5:30 p.m. Saturday. Shuttle service is available from Kapiolani Community College for $3.

Follow the festival on social media using the hashtag #okifest2017. Visit okinawan­festival.com or call 676-5400.

This week’s recipes are compliments of Hawaii United Okinawa Association members and their families.

UNCLE TOMMY TAMASHIRO’S CURRY SOUP

• 2 (13.5-ounce) cans coconut milk (leave 1 can unshaken, so cream and milk stay separated)
• 1 heaping tablespoon curry paste
• 1 bunch Chinese parsley, rinsed well, leaves separated from stems
• 2 cups vegetable broth
• 1 medium carrot, shredded
• 4 or 5 Kaffir lime leaves
• 2 stalks lemon grass, halved lengthwise, woody leaves removed
• Zest and juice of 2 limes
• 1-inch piece ginger, frozen
• 1 handful bean sprouts
• 1 (8-ounce) package dry somen noodles
• 2 to 3 stalks green onions, thinly sliced
• Salt, to taste

Take 1 scoop of thick coconut cream from the top of the unshaken can of coconut milk and place into a large stockpot on medium-high heat. Melt cream, add curry paste and stir 1-2 minutes, until it begins to sizzle. Add Chinese parsley stems and saute until cooked through.

Add the remaining coconut milk from the first can and all of the second can, along with vegetable broth, carrot, lime leaves, lemon grass, and lime zest and juice. Grate frozen ginger into broth. Simmer 20 minutes.

Stir in bean sprouts. Add somen, gently pushing it beneath surface of broth. Turn off heat and let stand until noodles soften, about 5 minutes. (Tip: Somen noodles simply need to rehydrate in hot liquid. They don’t need to be cooked like pasta.)

Remove lemon grass stalks. Stir in most of the Chinese parsley leaves. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed. Ladle into large bowls and garnish with green onions and remaining Chinese parsley. Serves 6.

Approximate nutritional information, per serving (not including salt to taste): 410 calories, 28 g total fat, 24 g saturated fat, no cholesterol, greater than 1,300 mg sodium, 36 g carbohydrate, 3 g fiber, 2 g sugar, 8 g protein.

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GRANDMA JEANETTE AKAMINE’S KANDUBA JUSHI

(OKINAWAN SWEET POTATO LEAF RICE GRUEL)

• 8 cups dashi (Japanese broth)
• 2 cups uncooked rice
• 2 slices ginger
• 2 tablespoons shoyu
• 2 cups kanduba (sweet potato leaves, available at some farmers markets; may substitute with spinach leaves), stems removed
• 1/4 cup chopped takuan (pickled daikon)

In a medium pot, heat dashi; add rice and ginger. Stir well until rice is cooked and soft, about 30 minutes.

Season with shoyu and add kanduba leaves. Stir another 3-5 minutes until leaves are wilted. Serve garnished with takuan. Serves 8.

Approximate nutritional information, per serving: 180 calories, no fat or cholesterol, 500 mg sodium, 40 g carbohydrate, 1 g fiber, 1 g sugar, 4 g protein.

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KUBA FAMILY VEGETARIAN GOYA CHAMPURU

• 3 cups sliced goya (bitter melon; see note)
• Sea salt, to taste
• 3 to 4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 1 (20-ounce) block firm tofu, drained and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1 tablespoon organic shoyu
• 1 tablespoon kombudashi (granulated seawood stock, found in the Asian section of supermarkets)

In a large bowl, place goya and sprinkle with salt. Let sit 10 minutes or more to let salt draw out moisture and bitterness from the goya, then wash in a strainer under running water. Squeeze goya dry.

Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a wok or large frying pan on high. Saute tofu until it browns; set aside.

Add remaining oil to same pan and saute goya until well cooked or crisp (to your taste), add beaten eggs and stir-fry a few minutes.

When eggs are nearly set, add tofu, shoyu and kombudashi. Mix well, but be careful not to break up the tofu. Serve warm with hot rice. Serves 6.

Note: To prepare goya, wash and cut in half lengthwise and remove seeds with a spoon. Cut into thin slices resembling small crescent moons.

Approximate nutritional information, per serving (not including salt to taste): 200 calories, 15 g total fat, 2.5 g saturated fat, 60 mg cholesterol, 500 mg sodium, 6 g carbohydrate, 2 g fiber, 2 g sugar, 11 g protein.

More Hawaiian Electric Co. recipes are available at hawaiianelectric.com.