Wrap tofu in paper towels and place on a strainer for 30 minutes to drain.

Peel avocado, remove the seed and scrape the flesh into a medium-size mixing bowl. Add a little lemon juice and mash. Cut or break the tofu into bite-size pieces and add to avocado. Blend in cottage cheese and mix well with a balloon whisk. Finally, add granulated stock and mayonnaise, taste, and add salt and pepper and additional lemon, if needed.

In Hawai'i if a dish involves seafood, it's popular. This simple version of miso soup makes use of clams and shrimp. The soup is flavored with shrimp heads; buy fresh shrimp. Chop off the body and add it to the soup with the clams, if you like, or use the shrimp in another way. Kinome, the leaves of the sansho plant, may be used as a garnish that adds flavor; this is sometimes available at Marukai. Calamansi, the Philippines lime, is available in Chinatown or at Filipino markets.

SEAFOOD MISO SOUP

Clean the clams and leave them in salt water overnight. Rinse clams and soak for a while in unsalted water. Meanwhile, immerse wakame in water for a few minutes, drain, squeeze and cut into bite-size pieces. Chop bok choy into 1-inch pieces. Peel ginger (if using) and cut into paper-thin slices.

Place the water in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Add bouillon cube and allow it to dissolve. Add clams and shrimp heads. When the clams open (this takes only minutes), add miso, wakame and bok choy. Bring it all back to a boil very briefly. Turn off heat and serve in four bowls, making sure each bowl gets an equal number of clams and a shrimp head. Sprinkle with chopped kinome, ginger slivers or a squeeze of yuzu, lime or calamansi. Serves 4.

Japanese love their karaage — fried foods — including chicken, which is often marinated before it's breaded and fried. Here, nuggets of skin-on fried chicken are eaten with the fingers in the manner of Southeast Asia, wrapped in lettuce leaves and herbs. The marinade here uses shokoshu, a dark-colored Chinese wine perfumed with herbs. If you can't find it, use sherry.

LEAF-WRAPPED FRIED CHICKEN

For the chicken:

In a flat baking dish or casserole, mix together shoyu, shokoshu, garlic and salt. Pierce chicken skin in several places before cutting each thigh into 6 or 7 smaller pieces. Place in marinade for 30 minutes, turning several times.

Drain chicken on paper towels. In a bowl, lightly mix the potato starch or cornstarch and flour together and roll the chicken pieces in the mixture so that they're generously dusted.

In a heavy, deep frying pan, heat oil to 340 degrees. Deep-fry chicken pieces, without crowding, for 4-5 minutes, until crisp, golden and cooked through. Work in batches. Drain cooked chicken on paper towels and keep warm. Serve immediately with a selection of washed herbs, lettuce leaves and sweet chili sauce.

Serves 2.

This salad is a perennial favorite among Harumi K fans and is served as either a starter or a light main course. Use good-quality tuna, such as imported Italian brands canned in olive oil. And use fresh, tender carrots.

CARROT AND TUNA SALAD

For the dressing:

Slice carrots thinly lengthwise, then crosswise to form 2-inch long julienne cuts. Place them in a medium-size, microwave-safe bowl and add the onion, garlic and oil. Cover and microwave at 50 percent power for 1-1 1/2 minutes. Once the carrots are lightly cooked, add the drained tuna and then the dressing and mix well. Serve hot, at room temperature or cold. (Recipe may be doubled, but cook the carrots in two batches.) Serves 4.

Reach Wanda A. Adams at wadams@honoluluadvertiser.com.