CRUNCH into hot, chewy poi mochi. New twists
on old favoritesStrawberry haupia and poi mochi
bring variety to traditional fareThe faintly violet-hued confections are "the latest local food craze," says Waianae mochi maven Charmaine Naauao-Ocasek.
She and her family serve up Uncle Lani's Hawaiian Poi Mochi at this weekend's three-day "Taste of Honolulu," starting 5 p.m. Friday at the Honolulu Civic Center Grounds. Admission is $2 to the 7th annual foodie event, with myriad samplings available for scrip; proceeds benefit the Easter Seal Society of Hawaii.
"I'm desperately looking for a good, deep-fried poi-mochi recipe," reader Lois had e-mailed. "The color is like poi, a 'little purple.' The outside is crispy brown and the inside texture is like mochi -- not cakelike." Carolyn Vierra of Kailua also wanted the popular recipe.
Naauao-Ocasek offers a recipe similar to her family's secret formula. She says her 5-year-old company opens its first storefront next month at Waianae Mall. Call 696-TARO.Meanwhile, Uncle Lani's sells three crunchy morsels on a stick, 15 in a box, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily at a booth adjacent to the new store site; or Fridays to Sundays in front of Wal-Mart.
Naauao-Ocasek added that her brother Sean Naauao won a recent Na Hoku Hanohano award for his recording of "Fish and Poi," which salutes poi mochi.
Also at "Taste of Honolulu," the Canoe's at the Ilikai restaurant features chocolate or strawberry-haupia sundaes, whose recipe another reader seeks.
Poi mochi
Courtesy of Charmaine Naauao-Ocasek,
president, Uncle Lani's Hawaiian Poi MochiVegetable oilHeat 1-inch of cooking oil in skillet at 300 degrees. Mix mochiko, sugar, poi and water; blend well. Drop batter by teaspoonful in hot oil. Fry until golden brown. Drain on paper towels. Makes 3 to 4 dozen.
1 10-ounce package mochiko (Asian sweet-rice flour)
3 cups sugar
1 12-ounce bag poi
5 cups water
Approximate nutritional analysis per mochi ball, based on 48 total (typical size): 90 calories, 1.5 g total fat, no saturated fat, no cholesterol, no sodium. Per mochi ball, based on 36 total: 120 calories, 2 g total fat.*
REVISED RECIPE POSTED
By Request, Wednesday, July 1, 1998
has a revised poi mochi recipe, and another
poi mochi recipe.Strawberry haupia sundae
By Roberta Ikegami, pastry chef,
Ilikai Hotel Nikko WaikikiVanilla ice creamCombine cornstarch and 3/4 cup water. In a double boiler, melt coconut milk. Stir in sugar, 2-1/2 cups water and 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons milk; heat on stove until it boils. Remove from heat and add cornstarch/water mixture. Return double boiler to stove and cook until mixture thickens. Remove from stove and stir in some strawberry puree. Pour in a 9-by-13-inch pan. Chill overnight. Makes 12 servings.
Frozen strawberries, pureed
1 cup cornstarch
3/4 cup water
2 12 ounce cans frozen coconut milk
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
2-1/2 cups water
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons milk
Crumbled chocolate-chip cookies
Fresh strawberries
Whipped creamPlace a scoop of ice cream atop haupia. Drizzle strawberry sauce over. Garnish with cookies and other toppings of choice.
For chocolate variation: Microwave melt 1/3 cup semisweet chocolate pieces, and use instead of strawberries in the haupia. Top with chocolate sauce
Per serving haupia only: 240 calories, 12 g total fat, 11 g saturated fat, 2 mg cholesterol, 15 mg sodium.
Per chocolate sundae: 840 calories, 42 g total fat, 28 g saturated fat, 40 mg cholesterol, 200 mg sodium.*
Send queries along with name and phone number to:
By Request, Honolulu Star-Bulletin Food Section,
P.O. Box 3080, Honolulu 96802.
Or send e-mail to features@starbulletin.com
Asterisk (*) after nutritional analyses in the
Body & Soul section indicates calculations by
Joannie Dobbs of Exploring New Concepts,
a nutritional consulting firm.
