Rice dish brings back school days

The Spanish rice that we know and love in Hawaii is really a take on Mexican rice — a side dish of rice simmered with tomatoes, onions and spices — except that our version is a main dish, an economical one-pot meal bulked up with ground beef.

Many of us grew familiar with it in school cafeterias.

"I went to Kailua High School back in the early ’60s and recall my favorite lunch meal there, Spanish rice," Adrian Kozuki wrote. "It was not too spicy and plain delicious. I have tried a lot of different recipes, but not one comes close. Do you think you can get the recipe?"

Kozuki offered as clues the names of two cafeteria ladies, Mrs. Yamamoto and Sadie.

Didn’t find them, but I did find Gaylynn Kalama. Or, rather, she found me after Kozuki’s request was printed here.

Kalama also attended Kailua High in the 1960s. Her mother, Sue Kalama, developed a copycat recipe for the Spanish rice. "I have served this recipe to the cafeteria ladies at Aikahi Elementary, and they swear by it. I think it is dead on, except the olives weren’t in the Spanish rice we had at Kailua High in the ’60s."

She adds that the Kailua cafeteria always served green beans or spinach with this rice, "so I always have that for a side dish."

I tested this on my family, and it was consumed with gusto. A friend pronounced it "ono — like my grandma used to make."

Note that if, for authenticity’s sake, you choose to forgo the olives, you’ll need to add more water and probably more salt to compensate for the briney liquid in the can.

SPANISH RICE

2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 small diced onion, about 1 cup
1 pound lean ground beef
1 chopped green bell pepper, about 1 cup
2 tablespoons chili powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1-1/2 cup uncooked medium-grain white rice (see note)
1 (14-1/2 ounce) can stewed tomatoes
1 (6 ounce) can large, whole pitted black olives, with liquid
Chili pepper sauce, to taste (optional)

In large skillet or Dutch oven, heat oil and sauté garlic and onion until fragrant. Add beef, bell pepper, chili powder, salt, pepper and oregano. Cook until beef is almost done.

Add rice and stir few minutes to lightly brown rice. Add tomatoes, breaking them up. Mix in olives and their liquid. Add just enough water to cover rice (about 1/2 cup). Cover and simmer until rice is tender, 30 to 40 minutes, stirring occasionally (scrape bottom of pan and turn rice to prevent scorching). If rice is still far from done and most of the liquid has already been absorbed, add more water.

Stir in chili pepper sauce if desired. Serves 8.

Approximate nutritional analysis, per serving: 350 calories, 15 g fat, 3.5 g saturated fat, 35 mg cholesterol, 750 mg sodium, 40 g carbohydrate, 4 g fiber, 4 g sugar, 15 g protein

Note: Brown rice may also be used, but will take another 10 minutes or so to cook and will require more water, as much as a cup, added during cooking.

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Nutritional analysis by Joannie Dobbs, Ph.D., C.N.S. Write “By Request,” Honolulu Star-Advertiser, 7 Waterfront Plaza, Suite 210, Honolulu 96813. Reach her at bshimabukuro@staradvertiser.com.