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Ever had a proper Loco Moco in Hawaii? If so, I'm glad you survived and are reading this. If not, let's figure out what it is before I tell you about this week's "LOCO MOCO" MEATBALLS. An authentic loco moco works like this, from the bottom up: steamed white rice, topped with a greasy hamburger patty, then a bunch of soy-tomato brown gravy, then a fried egg. It's like an unholy alliance of a Japanese hambagu and an American school-lunch salisbury steak. It's awesome. It's also a bit, uh... heavy. That's by design of course, and my version will stay true to the spirit of the dish while making some important changes to lighten (and liven) things up. I'll be doing this with little beef meatballs rather than the greasy hamburger to start. These will be slow-braised in a more soy-forward sauce with a touch of acid to brighten things up a little, but it'll still qualify as a brown gravy, since changing that would change the whole concept of the dish. Let's add sauteed onions and mushrooms too, they're accepted as authentic and give us some flavor variety. Then instead of the fried egg, we'll finish things off with a tender soft-boiled onsen egg, like the ones you would get in a bowl of ramen. I'd be happy if we stopped here, but I'd be THRILLED if we add one more component that's absolutely not traditional: homemade mild chili crisp. It's like a chunky Chinese "hot sauce" of sorts, and it takes this dish from great to greater. If you've had the real deal in Hawaii, you'll love my version. If you haven't, take this opportunity to have this slightly non-traditional take on one of Hawaii's most iconic foods.

I looked it up, and macaroni salad is not the State Food of Hawaii, even though it absolutely should be. Why? Because it's served with everything at the local spots, at least as an option. It's absolutely required for a plate lunch or a mixed plate, which is like 80% of the menu at local lunch spots. If you've been there, you know exactly what I'm talking about. But AUTHENTIC MAC SALAD isn't the same as that pasta salad that shows up at cookouts, though it's still in the same family. While nobody really knows how something like this became such an important part of Hawaiian cuisine, it's likely that it was brought over by missionaries from New England or adapted from the foods that were being prepared for the European plantation owners. Either way, it's unique and delicious. Elbow macaroni is cooked until soft, then mixed with grated carrots and onions, then dressed with a slightly sweet mayonnaise dressing. The devil is in the details of course, and I've tweaked my recipe to mirror the best versions that we had in Hawaii. If you've visited Hawaii and are feeling nostalgic, this will bring back memories.

Guys. Authentic Hawaiian cuisine kind of gives vegetable-centric dishes a dismissive hand wave. It's not that there are no veggies, it's more like things like potatoes or taro or yams are considered "vegetables." While I'm all for keeping things accurate, I'm not going to do that to you, and this menu is definitely asking for something fresh and light to be added to the mix. Enter CHILLED HAWAIIAN VEGETABLE SALAD. I'm basically going to take a bunch of veggies that you DO see in Hawaiian cuisine and put them together in a composed dish that makes sense and tastes delicious. Shelled edamame, fresh chopped tomatoes, sliced cucumber, shredded red cabbage, radishes, and a simple sesame furikake dressing (furikake is basically shredded nori... you like sushi and poke bowls, right?) While I can't say that I had this exact dish in Hawaii... I wish that I had, and it makes perfect sense with the rest of the menu.

This week's HAWAIIAN BAKERY BUTTER MOCHI can sound kind of "plain", and it kind of is. But it's certainly not BORING, and it's unique enough that I'm proud to serve it. Let's get one thing out of the way first: this is "cake" in the technical sense, but it's nothing like an American or European cake. It's made with sweet rice flour and no wheat flour, which means it has a unique, satisfying chew to it. Think of a dense, rich blondie with a beautiful golden crust, but with a slightly springy texture. Flavor-wise, butter and coconut milk do the heavy lifting, so I'll be making this with very nice versions of both of those things. While many examples of butter mochi are served as-is, I think a little cinnamon butter glaze on top really takes it to the next level, with a sprinkle of salt to balance things out. This is THE dessert in Hawaii for non-tourists, and I don't know of a place that you can buy it around here, so if you know this dessert or are feeling adventurous, take this opportunity to try it out.