A Spring Surprise

Inspired to do a little Spring cleaning, we recently decided to spruce up the “catch all” drawer and came across a small envelope that had been tucked away with a note that read: “Cooking Lessons for Two.” To our surprise, this simple cooking lesson turned out to be one of the best uniquely Maui style activities we’ve experienced…a Spring surprise.

As chef Yasko Langeron neatly set up each cooking station and began to walk us through the meticulous process of creating the recipes she prepared, we found ourselves not just intrigued by what the end result would be, but how each ingredient fit into our island culture. Whether it was added for flavor, texture or even historical preference, each item played a very specific role. Like the dark Chinese soy sauce that was preferred for its sweetness or the Chinpi (dried tangerine skin) that was readily available from a neighbor’s tree in Kula.

Standing there in the kitchen, the realization came that it wasn’t just the act of taking a cooking class that made this special, but the fact that each of us, coming from three very different backgrounds, could appreciate our shared experiences. Which is exactly why this struck us as a quintessential Maui style activity. Maui is a melting pot of culture, and that connects the community. People don’t just come for the beautiful beaches and Mai Tai’s, they come for the experiences that touch their hearts and the memories that will last a lifetime. They come for the Aloha that is available for all.

Aloha, Greg & Leah

Here is the recipe for the dish we made in our cooking class:

Lilikoi Pork Ribs

Instructions

Lilikoi Sauce: Mix the lilikoi juice and sugar in a small saucepan, bring to boil for a few minutes. Allow to cool, sauce can be kept in refrigerator for up to a week.

Marinate the pork ribs in the sake, soy sauce, ground ginger, chinpi and star anise in a container that can be steamed.

Bring steamer water to a boil and place marinated pork in its container. Steam on high heat for 30 minutes then flip pork over. Steam for another 30 minutes. If necessary, add hot water to the steamer.

Let pork cool in the container, when cool enough drain the marinade with the cooking juice and set the liquid aside.

In a wok, place oil and sugar, cook on high heat to make a caramel sauce. Keep stirring while the oil bubbles until the color turns brown.

Rapidly add the lilikoi syrup and juice then place the steamed pork ribs. Mix well. Reduce the heat to medium, cook for a few more minutes until sauce has reduced.

Sprinkle with sesame seeds, garnish with cilantro leaves and serve.

ENJOY!