Homecoming Meals Part 2

In the days leading up to our trip home, I was rarely in the kitchen. JP and I relied on Postmates, Uber Eats and Seamless to survive. I don't know if it was the end of the year, or the stress of a new job (and new city), but there was absolutely zero part of me that wanted to cook. I don't even think we stepped foot in a grocery store for the last three months of the year, and we definitely didn't have the urge to try out new recipes — something that normally excites us. 

When I got to Hawaii, I still didn't have the urge to cook, but upon my nephews' requests, I put on my chef's cap once or twice during the trip. A home-cooked meal is always better, especially when your mom is cooking — and she definitely spoiled me this Christmas!

Here are some of the homemade meals I had in Hawaii:

1. Aunty LB's Mac n Cheese

I've realized that my twin nephews (now 11 years old) love anything with bacon and cheese. I've made a variation of dishes with both of these ingredients, and have since been crowned: "The Best Chef Ever." And I wear that crown proudly!

So, as not to disappoint, I whipped up some easy mac n cheese — with bacon, of course. I used an old-faithful recipe from Benji Travis of @benjimantv. It has a handful of ingredients, with surprising additions, such as hot mustard powder and evaporated milk. 

*A Tip: The bacon should be fried separately, as to maintain its crispiness, and I even use a tiny bit of the bacon fat in place of some butter to add even more flavor. But that's just me.

Also, I am happy to report that the dish was a hit! Even among my other, more seasoned family members. SCORE!

2. Fresh Ikura

Randomly, my mom's high school classmate got in touch with her recently (thank goodness for social media), and explained that he just returned from an Alaskan fishing trip. He offered her some ultra-fresh ikura, and by some miracle, we had a Tupperware's worth of golden salmon roe in our refrigerator this Christmas. 

The crisp ikura had been marinated in a soy-based dashi, which only enhanced the flavor. After one bite, I was hooked. We enjoyed this over scoops of hot rice during our Christmas Dinner — alongside my "famed" bacon mac n cheese. 

3. Pan Mee (Hayashi-style)

My family has been making "Chinese Noodles" since forever. My grandmother doctored this recipe from a traditional Chinese dish, which basically includes ripped flour noodles (almost a dumpling-like consistency) in a pork and seafood broth. The secret ingredient? harmha, or fermented shrimp paste. 

Now, I won't lie, this stuff is potent! I once left a jar of the muddy-purple stuff slightly ajar in our fridge, and the fishy smell lingered for weeks! Still, I love it. My whole family loves it. And it is completely necessary for Chinese Noodles, or, as others call it, Stinky Noodles. 

In our family, there's almost a sacred experience that comes with making Chinese Noodles. Everyone helps and is somehow involved in the process. When I was little, I learned how to "tear" the dough into perfectly imperfect sections and drop them straight into the broth, all while my mom stood beside me and did the same. Only recently, I've learned how to actually make the dough, and I must confess that I'm still not great at this part. 

This time, I asked mom to add extra harmha, which to my delight, she did. It's hard to explain the dish to people that have never had it, which is a lot of people, but the general experience is a mouthful of al dente goodness, with a beautifully thickened broth to accompany each bite.

It's definitely an acquired taste, but it's one I hope to pass down to my kids when I make it for them, and I can't wait to teach them how to "properly" tear the dough, like my mom taught me. 

4. Roasted Tomatoes

This is a dish that I make often, not only because it's highly requested, but because it's really easy to make! 

I cut up a basket of tomatoes (I prefer Roma) into thick slices, weave them on top of each other in one layer in a nonstick pan, then pour a generous helping of olive oil over the batch with a ton of chopped garlic. For seasoning, I add whatever I can find, but mostly salt, pepper, herbs de Provence and/or Italian seasoning. I bake at 400 degrees for about 20-30 minutes — when the tomatoes are slightly withered, but not too soupy. Top with a handful of fresh basil and serve with toasted bread and fresh mozzarella. Ta-da! 

5. Ozoni

For New Year's, Mom made ozoni (or zoni), which is a traditional Japanese soup with mochi, eaten in preparation for the New Year. Usually, this dish uses freshly pounded mochi, or rice cakes, which happens to be another Japanese tradition surrounding the New Year. 

My mom makes her broth with hints of seafood, including dried scallops, shrimps and abalone. There are seaweed knots, mizuna (or Japanese mustard greens), radish and, of course, mochi. We didn't have freshly pounded mochi, so we used store-bought dried mochi — which wasn't half bad! Eat with a bowl of rice (yes, rice cake soup with a side of more rice), and ENJOY. Plus, eating this soup is supposed to give you good luck throughout the entire year — or something like that. (I ate my portion, so I'm good.)

I'm realizing I consumed a lot during my trip home, so there might be a Homecoming Meals Part 3 — I hope that's a good thing!