The Hawaii United Okinawa Association anticipates more than 50,000 attendees at its 32nd annual Okinawan Festival at Kapiolani Park this weekend. Visitors will be able to enjoy local favorites, such as andagi (Okinawan doughnut), andadog (Okinawan version of corndog), Oki dog (Okinawan version of chili burrito) and a lot more. Proceeds will benefit the group’s cultural programs.
The festival runs 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. On Saturday, the festivities continue with a bon dance 5:30 to 9:30 p.m. and many food booths closing at 6 p.m. Parking is free at Kapiolani Community College; shuttle buses, running throughout the day, costs $2 per person. Visit
okinawanfestival.com.
This week’s recipes were generously donated by the Okinawan women’s group Hui O Laulima.
Rafute (Hawaiian Style Okinawan Pork)1/2 cup soy sauce
2 cups water
1 tablespoon miso (soybean paste)
3/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoon minced ginger
1 tablespoon minced garlic
6 pounds boneless pork butt (trim fat and cut into thirds)
In large pot, bring soy sauce, water, miso and sugar to a boil until sugar and miso dissolve. Add ginger and garlic; cook for 5 minutes. Add pork and cook on high heat until sauce boils.
Lower heat to medium, cover and simmer 30 minutes. Remove pork chunks and cut into 1/2-inch slices.
Put pork slices back into pot, cover and simmer another 30 to 45 minutes, until tender. Remove from sauce and serve. Serves 12.
Approximate nutritional information, per serving (without remaining sauce): 450 calories, 28 g fat, 10 g saturated fat, 155 mg cholesterol, 500 mg sodium, 7 g carbohydrate, no fiber, 6 g sugar, 40 g protein
Ukara Irichi (Tofu Dish)
1/2 pound pork belly, shoulder or pork butt
3 tablespoons oil
2 medium dried shiitake mushrooms, soaked until soft in warm water with pinch of salt, then julienned and stems discarded, reserve liquid
1/2 kamaboko (steamed fish cake), julienned
2 cups okara (soy pulp, available at Times, Don Quijote and Marukai markets, plus direct from tofu factories)
3/4 cup pork stock
Salt, to taste
2 tablespoons green peas, parboiled
Preboil pork: Cover pork with water, bring to rolling boil, drain and rinse. Add just enough water to barely cover pork, cover and gently boil 20 minutes. Reserve liquid for stock. Cool, cut pork into julienne strips.
Heat oil in nonstick skillet. On medium, stir-fry pork until well done. Add shiitake, kamaboko and continue to stir-fry. Add okara and mix thoroughly, stirring often to prevent scorching. Keep okara moist by adding pork stock and a little mushroom liquid as needed.
Add seasoning and green peas. Serves 6.
Note: Add diced cooked carrots and string beans if desired.
Approximate nutritional information, per serving (not including salt to taste): 320 calories, 28 g fat, 9 g saturated fat, 35 mg cholesterol, 150 mg sodium, 9 g carbohydrate, no fiber, 2 g sugar, 7 g protein
Tumai Kuru Muchi (Sweet Potato Dumplings)
1 cup water
1-3/4 cups sugar, divided
1-1/2 cups (about 1-1/2 pounds) Okinawan sweet potato, cooked and mashed
1 pound mochiko (rice flour)?
1/4 cup kinako (soybean flour)
Dissolve 1-1/2 cups sugar in water. Add potato and mix well. Add mochiko and mix well.
Form into 1-inch balls. Drop into boiling water and cook 6 to 8 minutes, until ball rises.
Remove to screen rack and cool thoroughly.
Mix remaining sugar and kinako, dust each ball. Makes 5 dozen.
Approximate nutritional information, per dumpling: 60 calories, 13 g carbohydrate, 6 g sugar, 1 g protein, no fat, cholesterol, sodium or fiber
More Hawaiian Electric Co. recipes are available at www.hawaiianelectric.com.