Just got back from a vacation in Las Vegas. Hours spent in casinos: zero. Hours spent in the kitchen: lots.
Vegas is the home of my mother-in-law, so we make an annual visit. This last one became a full-on family reunion with all five of my mother-in-law’s kids, many of their kids and many of their kids massed.
Gambling was not a big draw; eating was. Still, food prep was not the chore that it can be at home. With so many hands, team cooking was the norm, and the kitchen became the center of the action. Grandkids were coaxed away from their various mobile devices to chop, stir and form assembly lines to make such favorites as titiyas, sweet, chewy Guamanian tortillas.
Although few in the clan still live on Guam — and most of the grandkids have never even visited — this extended family has roots in that Pacific territory, and we all know the local Chamorro cuisine. A dish or two crept onto every menu, but one night was Guam night, devoted to a few classics. This is when my son turned to my daughter and said, "Why don’t we eat more Chamorro food?"
My cue.
The foods of Guam lean heavily on flavors of lemon, vinegar, soy sauce, coconut and chili pepper. Some dishes have parallels in Spanish or Filipino cooking, but others are entirely unique.
In that second category is tinaktak. Besides having a name that’s fun to say, tinaktak is an easy, economical dish of ground beef and coconut milk. Aside from Thai ground beef curry, which it resembles only slightly, I’ve never come across anything like it.
Recipes are similar in the basics, although I found some that use sliced beef instead of ground, and one that calls for chicken. The dish can be customized with other vegetables. Eggplant is common, while some recipes call for corn, bell peppers, pumpkin vine tips or cabbage. Our family always uses green beans and cherry tomatoes. The coconut flavor is not strong, but if you prefer, milk or sour cream can be substituted. Some cooks even use mayonnaise.
TINAKTAK
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 medium onion, chopped (about 1 cup)
2 pounds lean ground beef (or ground turkey)
1/2 teaspoon pepper, or more to taste
2 cups green beans, in 1-inch pieces
1 basket cherry tomatoes, halved (about 2 cups)
2 tablespoons lemon juice, or more to taste
1 cup coconut milk (or substitute same amount of sour cream, evaporated milk or whole milk)
Heat oil in large pot. Add garlic and onion; saute until onions soften. Add beef and brown. Sprinkle with pepper. Add beans and tomatoes, then lemon juice and coconut milk. Stir to combine. Reduce heat; simmer uncovered until beans are crisp-tender.
Taste and add more lemon juice or pepper, as needed. Serves 6.
Approximate nutritional analysis per serving: 360 calories, 20 g fat, 11 g saturated fat, 95 mg cholesterol, 160 mg sodium, 9 g carbohydrate, 2 g fiber, 4 g sugar, 34 g protein
Nutritional analysis by Joannie Dobbs, Ph.D., C.N.S. Write "By Request," Honolulu Star-Advertiser, 7 Waterfront Plaza, Suite 210, Honolulu 96813. Email requests to bshimabukuro@staradvertiser.com.