Kaaawa resident Jody Domingo hails from a family who appreciates good food. Her father, Yun Yung Pang, often cooked seven-course Chinese meals for family and friends. Her late brother, chef Tylun Pang, worked at the Fairmont Kea Lani and mentored many Maui chefs. Her sister, Tami Orozco, created the popular Tango Café in Kakaako and Jody’s son, Kealoha Domingo, is a rising chef in Hawaii. She shares her father’s recipe for a of a tasty Cantonese surf and turf stew. He would cook octopus he caught in the ocean (surf) and combine it with pork (turf). Foo jook (dried tofu), with its distinctive texture and flavor, would be added to the tasty stew. It is richly flavored with oyster sauce and shiitake mushrooms with bright spots of ginger and garlic. Dried wood ear and snap or snow peas add texture and color. The ingredients are simmered until all the flavors are melded to create a memorable dish.

Foo Jook with Pork and Octopus
Ingredients:
• 1 6-ounce package foo jook (dried bean curd sticks)
• 1 pound fresh or frozen octopus
• 2 ounces dried black fungus (wood ear, pepeiau, chin ngee)
• 8 dried shiitake mushrooms, soaked in water
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 thumb ginger, peeled and smashed
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 pound pork, thinly sliced into bite-sized pieces
• 1/4 cup oyster sauce
• 14-ounces chicken broth
• 3 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1/4 pound snow peas or snap peas, strings removed

Directions:
Soak foo jook in cold water until softened for at least 3 hours. Blanch in hot water until tender, but not mushy, for about 2 minutes. Cool in ice water and drain. Cook octopus in water until tender about 40 minutes. Cut into bite-sized pieces. Soak fungus and mushrooms separately in water at least one hour until tender, remove stems and cut into bite-sized pieces. Reserve mushroom water. Clean fungus and remove any woody or hard parts. In a wok, heat oil on high heat. Add ginger, garlic and pork. Cover and cook about 5 minutes. Add octopus, oyster sauce and chicken broth and cook for 5 minutes. Add drained foo jook, fungus and mushrooms. Add mushroom water, if needed. Bring to a boil. Add cornstarch mixed with 3 tablespoons water to thicken the sauce and add in peas. Stir until sauce is thickened, about 2 minutes. Serve immediately. 

Makes 4-6 servings as a main course.