AT THE BENTO COUNTER
(Pre-packaged rice lunches)
SPAM MUSUBI (moo-soo-bee): Spam, the enduring military war-time culinary legacy to Hawaii and a host of other Pacific islands – tasty, cheap and filling (also salty, unhealthy and oh-so addictive, but never mind . . .); pan-fried slice atop rectangle bed of rice and held together by a strip of nori (seaweed); very portable, great hiking or beach food (bring lots of drinking water); can find anywhere, even 7-11
CHICKEN KARA’AGE (kah-rah-ah-geh): the original chicken nugget via Japan; lemon-marinated chunks of boneless chicken dry coated in mochiko and deep-fried, squeeze fresh lemon juice over and eat while hot
CHAP/JAP CHAE (chop-cheh): Korean style sesame-infused thick glass noodles mixed with seasoned shredded spinach, carrots, mushrooms, and beef
CHICKEN KARA’AGE (kah-rah-ah-geh): the original chicken nugget via Japan; lemon-marinated chunks of boneless chicken dry coated in mochiko and deep-fried, squeeze fresh lemon juice over and eat while hot
CHAP/JAP CHAE (chop-cheh): Korean style sesame-infused thick glass noodles mixed with seasoned shredded spinach, carrots, mushrooms, and beef
CHIRASHI (chee-ra-shee): mixed sushi rice (seasoned with rice vinegar and sugar) topped with eggs, seafood, carrots, beans, pickled ginger
UNAGI (oo-nah-gee): Grilled freshwater eel, topped with a sweet soy-based sauce; usually served on a bed of rice and accompanied by pickles
NAMASU (nah-mah-su): sweet vinegary pickles accompanying Japanese meals, most often made of radish, cucumber, carrot and/or seaweed
CHAR SIU (char-shew): barbecued or baked pork loin with a red sticky sweet aromatic glaze
CHAMPURU (chahn-poo-roo), PLAIN OR GOYA: Okinawan style pan-fried chunks of firm tofu, either seasoned simply with sea salt (plain) or sauteed with bittermelon (goya)
MISO BUTTERFISH: tender, moist rich white meat Hawaiian butterfish marinated in sweet miso-sake mix and grilled; usually served on rice bed with Japanese style vegetable accompaniment.
UNAGI (oo-nah-gee): Grilled freshwater eel, topped with a sweet soy-based sauce; usually served on a bed of rice and accompanied by pickles
NAMASU (nah-mah-su): sweet vinegary pickles accompanying Japanese meals, most often made of radish, cucumber, carrot and/or seaweed
CHAR SIU (char-shew): barbecued or baked pork loin with a red sticky sweet aromatic glaze
CHAMPURU (chahn-poo-roo), PLAIN OR GOYA: Okinawan style pan-fried chunks of firm tofu, either seasoned simply with sea salt (plain) or sauteed with bittermelon (goya)
MISO BUTTERFISH: tender, moist rich white meat Hawaiian butterfish marinated in sweet miso-sake mix and grilled; usually served on rice bed with Japanese style vegetable accompaniment.
