By Request

By Catherine Kekoa Enomoto

Wednesday, April 2, 1997

ByGeorge F. Lee, Star-Bulletin
Entertainer Iva Kinimaka -- proud of his plate-lunch.

Lots of beef to stew about

CHEF/entertainer Iva Kinimaka has three secrets for old-fashioned Hawaiian stew. Use two kinds of beef -- stew meat and short ribs, whose bone marrow flavors the stock. Add turnips instead of carrots and celery. And, use two kinds of potatoes -- salad and russets, which break down to thicken the gravy.

The former Waikiki headliner still entertains, but Kinimaka's main act is now owning and operating Iva's Komplete Katering and the Kalihi Diner's drive-in near the intersection of North King and Waiakamilo streets.

"There's so much to cooking stews," Kinimaka says. "I've cooked stews all kinds of ways in the past and people say, 'Oh, your stew is so ono, Iva.'

"I cook by eye. I haven't used a measuring cup in a long time."

He says the old-fashioned formula calls for neither tomato sauce nor sugar. He substitutes lamb for the beef to make Irish stew. And, another critical characteristic of old-fashioned Hawaiian stew is "get leftover for the next day."

Here's the recipe for reader Yukio Mukai of Liliha.

ByGeorge F. Lee, Star-Bulletin
Entertainer Iva Kinimaka wears a chef's hat in the
Diner's Kalihi kitchen as he cooks up a batch of meaty,
old-fashioned Hawaiian beef stew.

Iva Kinimaka's
Old Fashioned Beef Stew

4 tablespoons canola or other vegetable oil
6 to 8 cloves fresh garlic, smashed
1/4 pound fresh ginger, smashed
4 pounds boneless stew beef ("clod" or "knuckles")
2 pounds lean beef short ribs, cut in 1-1/2 by 1-1/2 inch pieces
1 tablespoon Hawaiian sea salt or to taste
8 cups water or to taste
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg or allspice
Chili powder to taste, optional
4 medium-size salad potatoes, peeled and cut in sixths
2 medium-size russet potatoes, peeled and cut in eighths
3 medium-size turnips, peeled and cut in sixths
2 medium-size round onions, peeled and sliced
Carrots and celery to taste, peeled and cut in chunks, optional

In a large pot, heat oil and brown meat with garlic, ginger and Hawaiian salt. Add water to cover and bring to a boil. Add spices, lower heat and simmer until tender, about 1 hour.

Add vegetables. Bring to a boil, lower heat and stew (simmer) until vegetables are cooked, about 20 to 30 minutes.

Makes 16 (6-ounce) servings.

ByGeorge F. Lee, Star-Bulletin
Kinimaka tastes to see if he needs to adjust the seasoning.

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Approximate nutritional analysis per serving, based on adding 4 carrots and 8 celery stalks: 400 calories, 21 grams total fat, 7 grams saturated fat, 85 milligrams cholesterol, 600 milligrams sodium.*

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