IN SEARCH OF LOCAL HAWAIIAN PLATE LUNCHES

This is me being critical of what's good around Maui for Hawaiian style plate lunches. If you ever come to Maui, there's several places that's really good, or at least places that have a specialty, because I have yet to experience a place where everything is A+.

For Korean BBQ, that is convenient, Pearl's Korean BBQ located in the Queen Kaahumanu Shopping Center in the food court is great. The BBQ beef, Kalbi ribs, and their Meat Jun is very tasty. And their sides are delicious too, the cabbage, kim chi, sprouts, cucumbers are all acceptable choices for a vegetarian or vegan. My favorite is the BBQ Kalbi and BBQ chicken combo when I want to eat meat, I'm not one hundred percent vegetarain, but when I want that kind of food that's what I'll get.

Local Fried Chicken plates, if you love fried chicken, Minit Stop makes good ones, but because it sits in the warmer, it can be over-cooked, so if you get there when the cook just cooked the chicken, that's a winner.

Grilled Flank Teriyaki? Honokowai Okazu Ya & Deli located in Honokowai in the 5A rent a space center makes the best. 12 oz. of flank, marinated in teri sauce, and grilled to perfection, and sliced across the grain, the meat is tender and juicy.

Hamburger Steaks, on this rock, I have yet to find a really good hambuger steak, but Sam Sato's comes close, located in Wailuku in the Mill Yard.

Chicken Katsu, that breaded chicken deep fried, try Ramen Ya in Queen Kaahumanu Center, it is huge, also Da Kitchen has some really good Katsu, located in Kahului near the Acura dealership, in Lahaina at the Wharf Cinema Center, and in Kihei at the Rainbow Mall. Ramen Ya has great noodle soups Japanese style.

The can't go wrong plate lunch empire L&L Drive Inn, is probably the most saught after plate lunch restaurant because of its name. L&L is famous with stores on the mainland, you really can't go wrong with an L&L plate lunch, over-all you can't go wrong, for one they're conveniently located all over the creation.

Or you can call me, and I'll make you a better plate in your own home.

I'll do all the local faves:
Lau Lau (stove top style)
Kalua Pork (oven or stove top style)
Hamburger Steaks
Kalbi Ribs
Chow Mein
Chow Fun
Chicken Long Rice
Pork Tofu
Beef Broccoli
Just to name a few.....


Below a Loco Moco, an all beef patty cooked to perfection, with an egg and gravy over rice!

Ron Sambrano
808-385-7667
ronsambrano@live.com

SPINACH

Spinach is a good source for all kinds of good nutrients, vitamins, minerals, and it is a great source for calcium. Calcium from a plant base is good for you, especially if you can't intake milk, and if you're unable to handle lactose.

Take a few buches of organic spinach, and rinse them in cold water, remove the stems, and in a nonstick pan, heat up some canola oil and some minced garlic, and ginger, and some minced lemongrass too if you have some. Over medium heat, cook until wilted, take them out and let cool, and eventually store covered tight with wrap, in the fridge. Serve it cold as a side to a salad. If you are having a Caesar salad, have some of the spinach on the side, dress the spinach with some vinegar, Ume vinegar works nice, with some light soy sauce.

ORGANIC FRESH SPINACH PACKED WITH CALCIUM





Need a healthy meal?
Ron Sambrano
808-385-7667
ronsambrano@live.com

HIGH PROTEIN MEAL

As a personal cook, if someone needed a high protein meal, such as an athlete that's training, and what type of sport he or she is playing, I would make sure that the proteins will be lean, and low or has no saturated fats. Saturated fats or animal fats can slow someone down, but if that person I am cooking for needs animal products, in other words some people just want animal protein, I'd cook for them some lean meats, or poultry. Meats meaning beef, lean cuts of it. Possibly some cuts from the loin section without the fat, and grilled with some herbs, and low in sodium. Or lean chicken breast grilled just the same. To be totally healthy, I would cook tofu, baked or grilled with a light soy and fruit marinade, or fish. Energy is fuel, and you need good clean fuel just like an automobile needs good clean fuel to run exceptionally well. Beans is another good source for protein, so I'll make a dish utilizing lean beef, and some vegetable protein that also contains fibers.

1 lb. lean sirloin of beef, sliced into thin pieces
1 cup crushed pineapples
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup light soy sauce
1 tsp. crushed garlic
1 tsp. crushed ginger
1 tbsp. minced scallions

Mix all ingredients in a bowl, and let the beef slices soak for about 2-3 hours in the refrigerator.
Heat up the grill to high heat.
When ready to grill meat, place each slice side by side, and grill until the first sides are charred, and then turn it and then cook it to your liking.

* Make sure that the marinade, the crushed pineapples are tossed into the garbage, do not keep it and use for a dip, the raw meat that housed it can cause severe illness.

Chef Sam Choy cooks Pork Belly dish from American Airlines new Chicago-B...

Sam Choy does a braised pork belly, this looks simple to make, he uses his signature, garlic, ginger, soy, that's how we do it in the islands. Sam Choy is an icon in the culinary world, with restaurants in the islands, and his worldwide appeal, he is a true local product, and he stays true to his upbringing, like I said, this is the way we do it at home in Hawaii.

Greek Three Layer Moussaka Recipe

Moussaka is a delicious Greek dish, if you love cream, eggplants, and herbs, this is great to learn to make, but if you are a vegetarian, use tofu in place of ground beef.

KITCHEN SAFETY

SAFETY WITH KNIVES: Always keep your knives sharp, using a stone to sharpen it, and a steel to keep it maintained. But dull knives are the culprit of many a sliced off of  skin on hands and fingers in pro kitchens and home as well.

If you aren't proficient with a knife, get a trained cook or chef to teach you how to use a kitchen knife, learn the techniques of different cuts, such as chopping, dicing, slicing etc. Find quality knives that suits your hands perfectly, the average home cook does not need a 12 inch knife, in fact a home cook needs a 7 inch kitchen or chef's knife, a paring knife, a vegetable knife, a bread knife, and maybe a Chinese cleaver for hacking bones. That's all one really needs, even in pro kitchens these days, lots of chefs are ordering meats that are already cut and sliced and ready to be seasoned.





My favorite 7 inch Santoku

WHAT PANS DO I USE?

I get questions all the time, like "Hey Ron what's the best pans to get?" Well, it depends, personally I like to use stainless steel pans, pots and skillets because it works well on inductions stoves, as well as on gas burners and electric coils.

Stainless steel or an aluminum combo because I can also make sauces from the drippings from meats, and place it in an oven for certain dishes, like a thick Pork Chop that needs to be pan seared and finished off in an oven, no need for transfering into another dish.

I'll use nonstick for healthy cooking, or light sauteeing, but it's great to have some of both, conventional and nonstick. Good luck cooking friends.







All Clad Stainless Steel 6 qt. braiser