THE ELECTRIC KITCHEN
Old-time favorite meals are perfect for busy nights
Hawaiian Electric Co.
DURING busy weekdays, it's comforting to know that dinner is sitting in the refrigerator, and all that stands between you and a homemade meal is 45 minutes.
Both these soy chicken and adobo dishes can be thrown together the night before and refrigerated overnight. It's best to use nonreactive cookware, such as stainless steel, when preparing these dishes, because cooking vinegar in a reactive metal such as aluminum can give an off-taste to the dish.
The next day, all you have to do is bring the pot to a boil and let it simmer for 45 minutes or so. While that's cooking, you can prepare the rice and a fresh green salad and you'll have a wholesome and satisfying meal in less time than it would have taken for take-out pizza!
Soy Sauce Chicken
5 pounds chicken pieces
1/4 cup cornstarch dissolved in 1/4 cup water
» Marinade:
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup cider vinegar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 cup water
1 tablespoon minced ginger
1-1/2 teaspoons minced garlic
Combine marinade ingredients. Marinate chicken in mixture at least 2 hours or overnight in a large, non-reactive pot.
Bring to boil and simmer about 40 minutes, or until chicken is tender. Stir in cornstarch mixture and cook until thickened. Serves 10.
Approximate nutritional analysis, per serving: 350 calories, 19 g total fat, 5 g saturated fat, 130 mg cholesterol, 850 mg sodium, 9 g carbohydrate, no fiber, 6 g sugar, 33 g protein
Chicken or Pork Adobo
3 pounds pork butt or skinless chicken thighs
1/2 cup cider vinegar
1/4 cup soy sauce
3 cloves garlic; crushed
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon peppercorns, crushed
1 bay leaf
If using pork, cut into 1-1/2 inch pieces. In a large non-reactive saucepot, combine all ingredients. Cover and let stand 1 to 3 hours.
Bring to a boil; lower heat and simmer 30 minutes (45 minutes for pork.) Uncover and simmer 15 more minutes or until liquid evaporates and meat is lightly browned. Serves 6.
Approximate nutritional analysis, per serving: (using pork): 550 calories, 41 g total fat, 12 g saturated fat, 200 mg cholesterol, 850 mg sodium, 2 g carbohydrate, no fiber, 1 g sugar, 40 g protein
Approximate nutritional analysis, per serving: (using skinless, boneless chicken thigh): 280 calories, 9 g total fat, 2.5 g saturated fat, 200 mg cholesterol, 900 mg sodium, 2 g carbohydrate, no fiber, 1 g sugar, 46 g protein
Hawaiian Electric Co. presents this weekly collection of recipes as a public service. Many are drawn from HECO's database of recipes, accessible online at
www.heco.com.