The United States of America: Hawaii: Sesame Seared Mahi Mahi with Spicy Lilikoi Sauce, Seaweed Slaw, Potato Mac Salad & Coconut lemongrass rice





The United States of America (USA), is located in North America between Canada to the north and Mexico to the south. The third largest country in the world, the USA is divided into fifty states, and one federal district. The states of Hawaii and Alaska are the only two states not sharing a border with the mainland country of USA. The food of the USA is a diverse fusion cuisine. It is characterised by rich, regional food styles and practices that are influenced by location-specific climate, ingredients, traditional food practices, and patterns of migration. 

The fusion of US cuisine began with colonisation, when the traditional food practises and ingredients of Native American people were merged with the cooking styles of European Colonists (predominantly English and French). Later, 19th and 20th Century immigrants from all over the World introducing new and diverse food traditions to the USA. I love the delicious, and surprisingly diverse food of the USA. As I can only cook one version of this Fusion food here I am choosing to cook the cuisine of Hawaii. Why? Because I have experienced this food tradition first hand and love Hawaii.

Hawaiian Food History
Traditional Polynesian food of the Hawaiian Islands was focused around earth oven cooking and key ingredient such as fish, pork, coconuts, sweet potatoes and yams. European and American cuisine was introduced after colonisation of the Islands   in 1778.  Whale hunters introduced salted fish (that has evolved into today’s Lomilomi salmon), and Christian missionaries brought New England cuisine cooking methods and ingredients (such as parsley and sage). The Missionaries  also established sugar cane and pineapple plantations.   

The plantations then led to a migration of workers between 1850 and 1930 from China, Korea, Japan, the Philippines & Portugal  who all brought their own food traditions, which over time blended & combined with the existing Indigenous, European, and American foods  in the plantation working environments and in the local communities.  This blend of cuisines formed a "local food" style unique to Hawaii. Since the 1990’s Hawaiian Chefs have been developing a fresh fusion cuisine drawing on the Hawaiian Islands’ diverse history & food influences. 

                                         

those beautiful little dots out in the middle of the Pacific Ocean are the Hawaiian Islands


Our Hawaiian Menu included

Sesame Seared Mahi Mahi 
with
Spicy Lilikoi Sauce
Seaweed Slaw
Potato Mac Salad 
&
Coconut lemongrass rice

with side dishes of
jalapeno chilli, sweet chilli sauce  
&
Salty Wahine black lava Hawaiian Sea Salt

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Sesame Seared Mahi Mahi with Spicy Lilikoi Sauce

Ingredients:
·      6 x filets of Mahi Mahi, sliced evenly to 1cm thick pieces
·      1 cup White Sesame Seeds
·      1 cup Black Sesame Seeds
·      2 tbs flour
·      salt & pepper
·      4 tbs olive oil

For the Lilikoi Sauce:
·      2 cups vegetable stock
·      pulp of 5 large Lilikoi (Passionfruit)
·      3 tbs brown sugar
·      3 tbs Sweet Chili Sauce
·      2 teaspoon fresh ginger, sliced to thin sticks
·      1 Shallot diced
·      ½  tbs Fish Sauce
·      1 tbs Cornstarch flour
·      2 tbs Butter

Method:
1.    first make the Lilikoi Sauce:  Place stock, lilikoi pulp, sugar, sweet chili sauce, ginger, shallot and fish sauce in a pot and bring to a simmer.
2.    Simmer for 10 minutes.
3.    Mix the cornstarch flour with 2 tbs water to form a smooth paste.
4.    Remove the sauce from the heat & whisk in cornstarch paste
5.    Now gently bring the sauce up to a simmer stirring constantly to stop it from going lumpy: simmering sauce until it thickens to a light glaze.
6.    To finish the sauce remove the sauce pot from the heat & whisk the butter into the sauce. Do not return it to the heat.
7.     To finish the sauce strain it & keep it warm in a metal dish sitting in another dish of warm water to keep the sauce warm until ready to serve
8.    Now cook the fish
9.    Place the sesame seeds, flour, salt & pepper into a bag or airtight container & shake to mix well.
10. Now add the fish & shake container until the fish is coated with the sesame mix
11. Heat a flat BBQ hot plate to medium hot, add a sprinkle of Hawaiian sea salt then enough oil to coat the plate
12.  When the plate is hot add the Mahi Mahi to the BBQ.The fish will instantly begin to  sear  so turn the heat down to low to prevent the fish or / & sesame seeds from burning before they are cooked.
13. After a minute pour the remaining olive oil over the fish
14. Cook the fish for about 10 mins until golden brown then turn over to cook the other side for a further 5 -10 minutes until ready

a q-zine recipe adapted from  an original found at:

Note: the Lilikoi sauce appeared quite tangy until it was tasted alongside the fragrant coconut lemongrass rice, which allowed the subtle passionfruit flavours in the sauce to emerge.


Seaweed Slaw

Ingredients:
    2 cups wakame  seaweed / Ocean Salad
    ¼ small red cabbage, shredded
    1 carrot, shredded
    1 yellow bell pepper (capsicum), thinly sliced
    ½  cup daikon, thinly sliced
    ½ cup mushrooms, thinly sliced
    3 green onions (shallots), thinly sliced
    ½ bunch cilantro, chopped
    2 tsp black sesame seeds; toasted
    1 tsp ginger, peeled and grated
    1 tsp fish sauce
    2 red chili peppers, sliced (optional)
    2 tbs sesame oil
    2 tsp brown raw sugar
    1 tsp vinegar
    salt to taste

note: if you can buy authentic seasoned Wakame Seaweed Ocean Salad (also known as Chuka Wakame), already marinated in chilli, sesame oil, sugar, vinegar & salt it is not necessary to add those flavour ingredients to the salad. Just add the seasoned wakame to the salad & only add extra spices according to your taste.

Method:
Mix all the ingredients together in a large serving bowl

a q-zine original recipe adapted from an original found at:



Potato Mac Salad

Ingredients:
• 4 large red and/or yellow potatoes
• 1 cup elbow macaroni - dry
• 1 red onion, thinly sliced and chopped
• 2 pickles, chopped
• 2 green onions (shallots), chopped
• 3 hard boiled eggs (whites chopped, set aside yolks for dressing)
• 1 cup frozen peas (thawed)
• 2 celery stalks chopped

Dressing Ingredients:
• 1 cup mayonnaise
• ¼ cup Italian dressing
• 1 tbs mustard sauce
• 3 yolks from the boiled eggs, chopped
• 2 tbs pickle juice
 1 tbs parsley, chopped
• Ground pepper & salt to taste
(I used Salty Wahine black lava Hawaiian Sea Salt)

Method:
1.    mix the dressing ingredients in a small bowl and set aside in the fridge to become firm
2.    Boil potatoes in the skin in salted water until tender then drain & set aside to allow to cool
3.    When fully cooled peel the skin off & cut potatoes in cubes
4.    Cook the macaroni in salted water (with a little dash of olive oil in the water to stop pasta from sticking), until tender but firm (according to packet)
5.    Then rinse macaroni under cold water until fully cool & drain well until dry
6.    Once the cooked macaroni and potatoes are cool, gently mix them together, then add the remaining ingredients & fold together lightly.
7.    Now fold the dressing gently through the salad to avoid breaking the potato.

qzine original recipe adapted from one found at:



Coconut lemongrass rice

INGREDIENTS:
·      2 cups of long grain rice
·      4 cups of Coconut water
·      2 teaspoons of Salty Wahine black lava Hawaiian Sea Salt
·      1 large piece fresh lemongrass (about 3 inches/6cm long)
note: use a wooden, coconut wood or bamboo spoon to prepare this dish
as it will add a nicer flavour to the rice than a metal spoon.

METHOD:
1.    First prepare the lemongrass by cutting off the green grassy tops (you can save them for making lemongrass tea), cutting off the roots & peeling off any tough outer layers till you just have a tube of fresh fleshy lemongrass. Or maybe you bought it already prepared.
2.    Now split the lemongrass tube down the middle with a sharp knife.
3.    To release the maximum Lemongrass flavour (but without breaking the lemongrass into pieces), place the lemongrass (cut side down), on a chopping board & use the end of a strong bamboo spoon or something similar to hit down vertically onto the lemongrass.
4.    Take a medium size pot with a tight fitting lid.
5.    Add the rice, lemongrass, sea salt &  coconut water to the pot and stir well with a wooden / coconut wood / bamboo spoon.
6.    Bring the pot of rice to the boil stirring often to stop the pot from sticking.
7.    When the mix comes to the boil stir well making sure nothing is sticking to the bottom of the pot
8.    Cover the pot with a lid & reduce heat to lowest point then cook covered for 10 mins
9.    After ten minutes turn off the heat. Do not remove lid.
10. Let the pot sit on the heat element as it cools for a further ten minutes.
11. Do not remove the lid until you are ready to serve the rice
12. When you are ready to serve the rice, remove the lid, fluff the rice with the wooden spoon & turn it out into a bowl.

This is a q-zine original recipe

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