Enthusiasm for local recipes never wanes, and Mutual Publishing continues to feed home cooks’ interest with two new releases.

The first, a joint project with the Honolulu Star-Advertiser, is “Cooking Hawaiian Style Two: ‘Ohana Recipes From Lanai & Friends” ($17.95), by Lanai Tabura and Frank Abraham, host/producer and executive producer/owner, respectively, of a cooking show of the same name that airs internationally. “Cooking Hawaiian Style” began as a website Abraham launched several years ago to circulate local recipes among Hawaii ex-pats.

This new collection of 100 recipes features more of the site’s ever-growing recipe archive, much of which is supplied by a who’s who of Hawaii celebrities and food companies. Comedian Frank De Lima’s malasadas, Sun Noodles’ homemade saimin soup and musician Henry Kapono’s Moon Over Opaka opakapaka dish are among the offerings.

The book is organized into categories of simple dishes, plate lunch recipes, soups, healthful recipes, dishes with a twist, desserts and chef offerings.

Abraham said Season 5 of the show, which will begin airing Nov. 2 on OC16, was filmed on Lanai, childhood home of Tabura and a picturesque setting that he hopes will draw more interest in the show. It now airs nationwide on the Lifestyle Network and in Australia, New Zealand, the United Arab Emirates and parts of Europe.

Among the guests are musicians Kelly Boy and Leolani De Lima, MW Restaurant chefs Michelle and Wade Ueoka, watercress farmer David Sumida and world surfing champ Makua Rothman.

“Cooking in Pono: Delicious Family Recipes to Indulge, Endure and Inspire” ($21.95) is Mutual’s other recent release, a heartfelt collection put together by LiAnn Lilinoe Uyeda.

Uyeda, a massage therapist, candidly shares personal experiences to illustrate the philosophy of living in pono, or excellence. These serve as introductions to the 48 recipes in chapters titled “Let’s Eat Dessert First!”; “Pupu”; “Soups, Salads and Sauces”; and “Main Dishes.”

Many of Uyeda’s reflections include memories of her late mother, who was a cook in various local cafeterias.

Mini Kimbap Spam Musubi

Frank Abraham, “Cooking Hawaiian Style Two”

» 3 tablespoons sesame oil, divided
» 5 slices Spam, diced
» 1/2 carrot, finely diced
» 1/2 cup diced daikon
» 4 cups cooked rice
» Salt, to taste
» 3 packages Korean seasoned seaweed
» 2 tablespoons sesame seeds
» Finishing salt or seasoned salt

In pan, heat 1 tablespoon sesame oil and fry diced Spam until golden brown. Remove from pan and set aside.

Using same pan, over medium heat, cook carrots 2 to 3 minutes. Pat daikon with paper towel to remove excess liquid and add to pan; cook 1 minute.

In bowl, combine rice, Spam, carrots and daikon. Mix gently, adding remaining sesame oil and salt to taste. Rip seaweed sheets into tiny pieces and mix into rice, finishing with sesame seeds.

Form into balls 1 to 2 inches in size. Arrange on platter and finish with salt. Makes about 24 rice balls.

Pork, Squash and Eggplant

“Cooking in Pono”

» 4 cups eggplant, sliced into 1/2-inch pieces
» 1 tablespoon oil
» 1/2 cup diced round onion
» 1/2 teaspoon diced garlic
» 1 pound pork, sliced into stir-fry strips
» 2 cups chicken broth or water
» 1/2 cup miso
» 1/4 cup soy sauce
» 1/2 cup sugar
» 4 cups Chinese squash, seeds removed, peeled and sliced into 1/2-inch pieces

Lightly salt eggplant and let sit 5 minutes. Dab with paper towel. Set aside.

In pot on medium-high, heat oil and add onion, saute 1 minute, then add garlic. Add pork and brown.

Combine chicken broth, miso, soy sauce and sugar. Add to pot. Stir.

Add eggplant and squash, and stir in. Simmer until everything is cooked. Serves 4 to 5.

Nutritional information unavailable.