HECO Blueberries fill this mochi.

[ THE ELECTRIC KITCHEN ]

Cure own pork
for tiny laulau

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"The Electric Kitchen" airing in the first half of April features Sachie Fukuda with "Island-Style Recipes."

"Electric Kitchen" airs at 9:30 a.m. Sunday, 8:30 p.m. Monday, 5 p.m. Tuesday and 6 p.m. Thursday on Oceanic Cable Channel 16. It also airs on Maui at 8:30 p.m. Thursday on Calabash Channel 44 (52 in Lahaina) and on the Big Island at 5 p.m. Monday and 5:30 p.m. Wednesday on Na Leo o Hawaii Channel 55 in Hilo and Kona.

Here are two recipes from the show. All the recipes, as well as an archive of recipes dating to 1995, are available at the Hawaiian Electric Co. Web site, www.heco.com.

Mini Laulau

2 pounds luau (taro leaves)
4 large ti leaves
2 pounds oven-ready cured pork (see note), in 1-inch cubes
30-inch length of heavy-duty foil

Wash luau and ti leaves; remove stems and fibrous parts of the veins. Place 2 ti leaves side by side in center of foil. Place remaining 2 ti leaves crosswise over others. Place a piece of pork in the center of each luau leaf; wrap tightly. Place bundles close to each other on ti leaves. Fold ti leaves over bundles; seal foil tightly.

Steam over boiling water 3 to 4 hours, adding more water as needed. Or bake, placing foil package in a baking pan with 3 cups water; bake at 350 degrees for 3 hours. Makes 45 to 50 mini laulau.

Note: To cure pork, dissolve 1/4 cup salt and 1/4 cup brown sugar in 3 cups water. Cut pork butt into 1-inch cubes. Add pork to brine and soak overnight in refrigerator. Drain.

Blueberry Mochi

1 cup butter, melted
2 cups sugar
1 can (12 ounces) evaporated milk
4 eggs, beaten
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 pound mochiko (glutinous rice flour)
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 can (21 ounces) blueberry pie filling

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly oil a 13-by-9-by-2-inch baking pan.

Combine melted butter and sugar in a bowl. Add milk, eggs and vanilla; mix well. Add mochiko and baking powder; mix until smooth. Gently fold pie filling into mixture. Pour into prepared baking pan. Bake 1 hour. Cool and cut into pieces. Serves 24.

Nutritional information unavailable.

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