By Request Betty Shimabukuro

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Benefit book
offers simple solutions

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Joline Galusha's request looked like an easy one. She wanted a recipe for lumpia. Surely, given all the recipes that have been printed on these pages, there must be one in the archives for basic lumpia.

Not so. We've run recipes for lumpias with shrimp, duck and ahi, even fruit-filled dessert lumpias, but nothing on the basic Filipino ground-meat-and-veggie version of the spring roll.

Fortuitously, a freshly minted copy of "The Taste of Success: Recipes from Hawaii's VIPs," a benefit cookbook for the Rehabilitation Center of the Pacific, has just arrived. Among the first VIPs listed is Lt. Gov. James "Duke" Aiona, who offers a no-nonsense recipe for lumpia.

Also included is an ultra-simple recipe for guava mochi from Faye Kurren of Hawaii Dental Service (formerly of Tesoro Hawaii Corp.), which could be adapted to meet another recent request, from Pauline Matayoshi for lilikoi mochi.

The cookbook also includes recipes from such political and business leaders as U.S. Rep. Neil Abercrombie (Potato Chip Cookies), Central Pacific Bank CEO Clint Arnoldus (Tomato Soup Cake) and Paul Brown, of Paul Brown Salon & Day Spa (Da Kine Sweet Potato Pie).

Orders are being taken at $19.95 (plus $3 postage) or $15 each for a case of 25 ($375 plus $75 postage). Delivery is expected next month. Call 566-3451; write 266 N. Kuakini St., Honolulu 96817; fax 566-3425; or e-mail mau@rehabhospital.org.

Lumpia

1 pound ground beef (may substitute pork or turkey)
1 small onion, chopped
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon garlic salt
1 9-ounce package chop suey mix
1 5-ounce can water chestnuts
1 tablespoon oyster sauce
1 16-ounce package lumpia wrappers
1 egg, slightly beaten
Oil for deep-frying

Brown meat and onions in a skillet. Season with pepper and garlic salt. Drain oil. Stir in chop suey mix, water chestnuts and oyster sauce. Cook 2 minutes.

Spoon 2 tablespoons of the mixture into center of a lumpia wrapper. Fold in sides, then roll up the wrapper. Seal the edge by dabbing with egg.

Heat oil to 350 degrees in a wok or skillet. Fry lumpia until golden; drain on paper towels.

Serve with Thai sweet chili sauce or apple cider vinegar infused with garlic.

Approximate nutritional analysis, per serving: 70 calories, 3 g total fat, 1 g saturated fat, 15 mg cholesterol, 40 mg sodium, 7 g carbohydrate, 4 g protein.

Amy & Laura's Guava Mochi

1-1/2 cups sugar
2 cups mochiko flour
2 cups guava juice

Combine ingredients and mix until well blended. Pour batter into a greased, microwaveable tube pan. Cover with plastic wrap. Microwave on high 6 minutes, then turn pan 1/4-turn and microwave 6 more minutes. Cool; cut with a plastic knife. Makes 24 to 32 pieces.

Variation: Other juices, such as lilikoi, may be substituted for guava. The mochi may also be baked, in a 9-by-9-inch greased pan for 1 hour at 350 degrees. Dust pieces in cornstarch to prevent sticking.

See the Columnists section for some past articles.

Send queries along with name and phone number to:
"By Request," Honolulu Star-Bulletin,
500 Ala Moana, No. 7-210, Honolulu 96813.
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.