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By Request
The secret is subtlety. And a little extra oil in the marinade. Chef Masa Ishidera came from Japan 30 years ago to run a Chinese restaurant in Waikiki, the Lotus Moon in the Princess Kaiulani Hotel. Subtle seasoning
for crisp porkIt was his father, a chef in a French kitchen, who told him his talents were best suited to Chinese cuisine -- not Japanese or French. "He told me no, Chinese was better for me. He thinks my skill is good for the Chinese food."
It's not a distinction that Ishidera can easily explain, but the advice seems to have suited him well.
Cathie Cruesoe says Ishidera's Sweet-Sour Pork is her family's favorite. "In all our travels we have never found any sweet-and-sour pork dish that can compare to the unique and perfect blending of flavors achieved at the Lotus Moon."
Ishidera says his technique is to flavor lightly, "just enough for the food." Chefs often make the mistake in Chinese cooking to overdo the soy sauce or the chile pepper, he says. He uses no artificial flavor enhancers such as monosodium glutamate -- and never any red food coloring.
He also adds 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil to the pork after it is through marinating, just before frying. That's his secret, he says, to crisp frying.
Ishidera trained with a master chef at a Chinese restaurant in Sapporo, but his career led him to Hawaii, where he opened Lotus Moon in 1970.
The restaurant features Schezuan and Mandarin dishes, the Sweet-Sour Pork being one of the most popular Mandarin specialties. Most of his customers, Ishidera says, lean toward the spicy Schezuan dishes. "I'm surprised they also ask for Sweet-Sour Pork."
Whatever the case, Ishidera retains his fascination for Chinese cooking. With so many regions and methods of cooking to master, he finds it endlessly challenging, more so than strictly disciplined traditional Japanese cooking. "Tempura is tempura, right? Shabu-shabu is shabu-shabu," he says.
"Chinese food is very deep. It's hard cooking. I'm still learning something; it never ends."
Combine marinade ingredients, except oil. Mix in pork and soak 30 minutes to 1 hour. Add the 2 tablespoons vegetable oil.Sweet-Sour Pork
1 pound pork loin, in 1-inch squares
1/2 cup onion, in 1-inch pieces
1/4 cup bell pepper, in 1-inch pieces
1/4 cup sliced carrots
1/4 cup pineapple chunks (if using canned, drain)
Marinade:
1 egg
1 tablespoon rice wine or white wine
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup flour
1/4 cup cornstarch
2 tablespoon water
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/2 cup rice vinegar
1/3 cup sugar
2 tablespoons ketchup
1 teaspoon tomato paste
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons waterDeep fry at 325-350 degrees until golden brown and cooked through. Remove from oil and drain.
Combine all sauce ingredients except cornstarch in a skillet or wok. Bring to a boil, then add cornstarch/water mixture. Add pork, vegetables and pineapple to sauce and stir-fry until vegetables are crisp-tender. Serves 4.
Approximate nutritional information, per serving: 525 calories, 24 g total fat, 4.5 g saturated fat, 130 mg cholesterol, 730 mg sodium, 31 g protein, 44 g carbohydrate.*
Food Stuffs: Morsels
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 bshimabukuro@starbulletin.com
Asterisk (*) after nutritional analyses in the
Body & Soul section indicates calculations by
Joannie Dobbs of Exploring New Concepts,
a nutritional consulting firm.
