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joanietoo

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the pictures are at Neener's.

I have to say that the banana leaves and trunks made the most amazing difference to the meat. (Compared to slow roasting in the oven with out the leaves.)

This will be perfected as it is a keeper, an unusual way of doing meat for this region of the world.

 
Yes!! Gorgeous pork, Joanie- what fun to see your photos

Where are YOU in the photos though?? There should be one of the chef munching on a taste of the kalua pork.

Are you able to get small bags of wood chips- like hickory or mesquite? If so, get mesquite if you can- it is the same thing as the Hawaiian Kiawe wood. Just a few sprinkles of wood chips would give even a better flavor- it is fantastic with the banana "infusion".

Do you wrap other foods in banana or Ti leaves and cook this way? Local folks here make small packets called Lau-Lau and this is totally delicious. Make from pork, fish, chicken, whatever- cut small pieces and some salt pork in for flavor (my tweak is adding garlic and just a tiny drizzle of soy sauce), wrap in taro leaves (can use spinach) then in Ti leaves (can use banana) and in foil. Cook. Unwrap, eat.

What fun to see your outdoor kitchen! Thank you for sharing it.

 
CathyZ......

I will grow taro...just planted some dasheen but the taro did not take.....
I think the Ti leaves look like a plant here but I am uncertain and don't want to use anything that may cause poisioning, of course...I have not tried the pandanus yet either because of that same concern.
I sometimes steam fish in banana leaves in the bamboo steamer but always found it to be a bit blah! so now I will try your suggestions...sounds so good adding the salt pork.

I want to smoke some lamb with Moroccan spices sometime, what do you think of that idea. Haven't seen any recipes but I'm getting all enthused with the smoker now.

 
Smoked lamb with Moraccan spices? I'm jumping on a plane.....

It sounds wonderful.

Ti plants MUST grow there- I can't imagine that you don't have them- you probably just call them something else. Wide, green, flexible leaves- used in so many floral arrangements with tropical flowers. They come in many colors- reds, dark reds, striped with white- but the plain green ones are used for cooking.

I just don't believe in cooking with Pandanus myself....others have said you can do it and I found evidence myself that one variety can be used but my local friends don't cook with it...they do everything else with it- weave baskets, hats, mats, etc- but not food preparation. It may be because there are so many other leaves to cook with that they just don't need to consider Pandanus.

If you try fish in Lau-Lau, adding the salt pork really enhances the flavor but if you want to make steamed fish more interesting, use ginger, garlic, a little sesame oil, a drizzle of low sodium soy sauce and a little hot pepper then wrap in spinach leaves or taro, then in banana leaves and cook.

http://hiloweb.com/webman/jpg/tirg2.jpg

 
I'm going to ask the nurseryman.....

for the ti leaves and see.
He still hasn't got me a bay leaf tree....

In thinking about fish.....
I actually think that the blah bit with the fish will be improved using an inner wrap of spinach leaves as you suggest, as well as the saucing.
Also the type of fish...we don't usually buy the local fish these days as we are worried about siguatura and so I have used frozen fish, bass, cod, grouper, red roman etc...we are/were BIG fishermen.... fresh fish caught in cold waters is so different to warm water fish or frozen..

 
How awful that you must depend on frozen fish from elsewhere....

when you live on the ocean! Siguatura is only a small threat here- only certain types of fish and they are the ones hardly anyone eats anyway.

The kinds of fish you mentioned are generally pretty bland even when fresh, worse when frozen so I imagine you have to do a lot to them to make them taste at all.

How I wish I could send you a Bay tree!

 
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