Checking out Chinatown
• Heat up those greens in soup and a stir-fry
By Zenaida Serrano Espanol
Advertiser Staff Writer
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| Instructor Walter Rhee shows his "Cooks Tour of Chinatown Markets" students some of the produce, usual and unusual, at Galilee Seafood Mart, Maunakea and Hotel streets.
Bruce Asato • The Honolulu Advertiser |
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| Menpachi (squirrel fish) entice buyers.
Advertiser library photo Cook's Tour of Chinatown Markets • 10 a.m. to noon Chinatown shopping tips Walter Rhee, instructor of Lyon Arboretum's "Cook's Tour of Chinatown Markets," offers these tidbits about shopping in Chinatown: Fresh produce and seafoods not found in most supermarkets are offered in Chinatown at reasonable prices. Don't go too late. Most stores open at 6 a.m. and close by 2 p.m. Shopkeepers usually begin to close up at about 1:30 p.m. Each store offers unique items. Visit the stores in the nooks and crannies. Wear comfortable, covered shoes such as sneakers or loafers. Window-shop before buying anything. Items, freshness and prices may vary daily. Chinatown offers a variety ofÊpoultry, meat, fish and shellfish with "ethnic cuts" to suit Asian cooking needs. Carry a cooler with ice if you decide to hang around and eat after you do your shopping. |
By 10 o'clock on a recent Saturday morning, the streets of the historic downtown Honolulu district were bustling with market-goers, including a group of students from Lyon Arboretum's "Cook's Tour of Chinatown Markets" class.
"It sold out fast," said Jill Laughlin, education specialist at the arboretum. (The tour) "really highlights the range and scope of things available at some of the markets."
A group of five men and women — several others who registered didn't show up — met instructor Walter Rhee outside the seafood mart.
"Basically (we'll) go to the markets, (I'll) tell what the ingredients are, what they're used for and how to select it," said Rhee, a food-science graduate student at the University of Hawai'i.
Among the students was Robert Blew of Niu Valley.
"I come every two weeks and I buy produce here: cauliflower, broccoli and lemons," Blew said. But the 66-year-old retiree said he chose to take the class to expand his knowledge of the area's ethnic offerings.
Rhee provided the students more than a where-to, throwing in Chinatown factoids, culinary tips and even scientific explanations for various cooking techniques.
Like the one about stir-frying.
"You're making it so the cells would burst partially," Rhee said, using his food-science background to explain what happens to fresh foods when they're exposed to sudden, hot temperatures. "That's when the flavors come out. When you let it stick too long, you're destroying all the portions of the cells.
"So when things start sticking, stir it, take it out," he said.
Rhee introduced himself as a newcomer who moved to Honolulu from Urbana-Champaign, Ill., a year ago, but he quickly assured the students of his qualifications as tour guide. He spends about 10 hours each week roaming the markets because of his "insatiable curiosity," and he has lead similar tours before.
Rhee's credentials don't end there.
"My father was a diplomat, so ever since I was 7 years old, I traveled all over Southeast Asia and I got to know the native foods," Rhee said. "Also, I got my bachelor's (degree) from Cornell (University) in marine biology and I did graduate work in fisheries, so I know quite a bit about seafood."
Marketplace ambiance
The group began the one-hour tour at Maunakea and Hotel streets, heading mauka to Maunakea Marketplace's old-fashioned market.
The market, like others on the tour, presented a sensory overload: a visual and aromatic cornucopia of meats, vegetables, fruits and seafood sold by vendors carrying on loud conversations with customers in Chinese, Vietnamese, Korean and Filipino languages.
Inside, students had to squeeze by customers, many with mini handcarts, on narrow aisles flanked by boxes and trays heaped with all sorts of foods.
In addition to the typical supermarket finds, Chinatown is the place to go for less-common foods, such as chicken feet, frog legs, snails and lotus root.
"What are those pink eggs?," Rhee asked a vendor, pointing at a carton of hot-pink-colored ovals.
"Duck," the woman said.
"Chinese style?"
"Filipino."
Rhee often stopped and pointed out things such as pea sprouts, custard apple or togan melons, cherimoya, tiger shrimp, blue crabs and tilapia. The students leaned closer to hear Rhee over all the background noise.
After walking through the market, the group crossed Hotel Street to Kekaulike Mall.
Rhee explained to students that the rolls of plastic bags hanging above the outdoor produce stands differed for a reason.
"It's a different texture ... and that's because they're different owners," he said. "See the transparent one on the left side and the translucent one on the right side? That's how they can tell between the different stores."
As the students browsed through the fruits and vegetables at the mall, Rhee shared more cooking secrets. When cutting roots and stems of vegetables, Rhee suggested, chop these tougher parts finely to bring out their flavors. He suggested using Asian knives.
"Western knives are 23 degrees (angled) at the sharpest and eastern knives are about 17 degrees, so you can slice thinner with an Asian knife and (get) more flavor," he said.
From Kekaulike Mall, the group crossed North King Street to check out Troy Enterprise Fresh Fish Market and O'ahu Market, which offered more selections of seafood, meats and produce.
The last leg of the tour led the group east on North King Street, mauka on Maunakea Street, and into Bo Wah Trading Co. and Hing Mau market.
Time to take a bao
The class ended at the Chinatown Cultural Plaza shopping center, where Rhee made good on an earlier promise to a student.
"This is where you'll find the best buns; the best char-siu bao, or pork manapua," Rhee said outside of Royal Kitchen.
Robert Blew, one of the students and a member of Lyon Arboretum for 15 years, reflected on the class at the end of the tour.
"Probably for the past 10 years, (the arboretum) offered this tour of Chinatown," Blew said. "One day when I got the most recent brochure I said, 'I'm really going to do this,' after 10 years of meaning to do it."
Blew said he enjoyed every minute of it.
"I love it," he said. "I just love being in Chinatown."
Reach Zenaida Serrano Espanol at 535-8174 or zespanol@honoluluadvertiser.com.
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Heat up those greens in soup and a stir-fry
Here, from Georgeanne Brennan's "Great Greens" cookbook, are a couple of recipes for using the produce and Asian ingredients you buy in Chinatown, or at farmers' or ethnic markets.
First, here is a peppery version of a Chinese favorite. The light soy sauce referred to here is not low-salt, but lighter in flavor. Local-style Aloha Shoyu or Japanese-style shiro or light shoyu are better choices, for example, than Kikkoman for this purpose.
Hot and Sour Soup with Greens
- 6 cups homemade chicken broth
- 6 ounces white mushrooms, thinly sliced (or reconstituted dried shiitake)
- 1 bunch spinach or watercress or equivalent amount of baby bok choy or other leafy greens
- 3 tablespoons light soy sauce
- 3 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
- 3/4 tablespoon freshly ground pepper
- 2 teaspoons sesame oil
- 1/2 teaspoon hot chili oil
- 5 ounces firm tofu, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
- 5 tablespoons water mixed with
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 egg, beaten
- 1/4 cup chopped Chinese parsley (cilantro)
- 2 green onions, white and half the green part, minced
In a large saucepan or soup pot over high heat, bring the chicken broth to a boil. Reduce heat to medium, add mushrooms and spinach and simmer for 5 minutes. Add the shoyu, vinegar, pepper, sesame oil, chili oil and tofu. Stir gently. Whisk in water-and-cornstarch mixture and beaten egg. Cook 1 minute.
Ladle soup into warm bowls and garnish with cilantro and green onions.
The following side dish is nice with pork dishes or shrimp kebabs and rice or noodles. Prepare this at the last minute, when everything is ready and being held on warm.
Stir-fried Napa Cabbage, Bok Choy and Hot Chilies
- 1/4 cup corn or other light vegetable oil
- 1 to 4 small dried red chilies, seeded, or 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 large bok choy or 4 smaller, green-stemmed bok choy, coarsely chopped
- 1 tablespoon fermented black beans
- 1 teaspoon light soy sauce
- Toasted sesame seeds for garnish
In a wok or deep skillet over high heat, heat the oil. Add the chilies and garlic and stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the bok choy and sauté, stirring, until the stalks are soft and tender but still hold their shape, about 4 minutes. Add the cabbage and sauté, stirring, until cabbage is limp and just turning a bit golden, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in black beans and soy sauce and cook 1 minute. Serve immediately.
