Plant Photo: Goya or Bitter Melon

It's Actually a Fruit

This monster is hanging just outside my kitchen door, along with half a dozen others.

They look something like bumpy cucumbers but, these babies got some powerful kick.

This happens to be my first year, attempting to grow my own. Well, the wife's growing them.

I'm just the guy responsible for constructing the net, they hang from.

The Goya is plentiful on Okinawa and, I probably eat them 5 times a week.

Also known as Bitter Melon, Bitter Squash and Bitter Gourd, in Okinawa it's just Goya.

The scientific community, would call it, Momordica charantia. That's a sweet name.

Folks in China and Okinawa cook this in stir fry dishes and, it's healthy food.

Tofu, pork and even good old USA Spam or bacon are some of the ingredients in the recipe.

Not really a cook, I am a big fan of the meal called Goya Champuru.

The wife, knows the recipe and, all the secret ingredients added to the dish.

Lately, I've been getting Facebook messages, asking for the recipe. My wife's is the best.

For now, try some of Just Hungry's recipes and, see if you like the meal.

Someday if, you email me, I might show you another secret ingredient the woman adds.

Redneck Thanksgiving Dinner

Ryukyu Mike's Special Recipe

Over the years, I've spent lots of times, out of my home country.

And, sorta fallen out of the habit of celebrating American holidays.

People on Facebook, usually remind me, when some traditional holiday is coming up.

It's Turkey Day, to most folks in the USA because, that's the main course of the meal.

I'm always working but, thought, something involving turkey, should be done today.

People, who don't get the day off, from work, could prepare this dinner in a hurry.

Those, who can't read could just look at the pictures instead, of writing it down.

1.  Get some slices of bread. Any kind will do.

2. Turkey Cotto Salami and mustard or, real turkey if, you can find some.

Those who can't read: You don't have to write with the mustard. I was just playing.

3. Top it off with potato chips. I used Barbecue flavor chips, to add some country kick.

That way, no fire was started during preparation plus, I got some vegetables, in my diet.

4. Carefully, flip the lids on to the sandwiches and, crunch them, gently.

If, you're not careful, crumbs and bits of the chips, will get all over the place.

Then, you have to clean up the table and, sweep the floors or, ants will come in.

Save yourself some trouble if, you have a compost pile, go eat out there.

Preparation Time and Modifications

What you're looking at here, took me about 10 minutes to assemble.

However, I was taking photographs and, writing with the mustard.

A regular,  experienced homemaker could probably, do it in half that time, I bet.

Additional ingredients like, cheese, bacon, lettuce, mayonnaise or, whatever could be added.

Any kind of bread would work even, tortilla wraps, might be worth a try.

Vegetarians, skip the meat and use tofu, bean sprouts peanut butter or, whatever. 

Save the Recipe

Things like this come in handy for any holiday especially if, you're single.

The meal goes good with beer, wine, whiskey and, everything goes better with Coke, they say.

Permission is granted, to share this gem with friends and family or, enter it in a contest.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING !

Typhoon Chaba Approaching and Passing Okinawa

All Is Well on the Island of Okinawa

Sunday night, I went home early, after unplugging everything electric in my office.

The weather dudes, predicted this storm would rip right through the Ryukyu islands.

Looking out the back door of the house, I shot this sunset scene with the cellphone camera.

It was 6:29PM and, I forgot, there was a real camera, setting on the kitchen table.

Then, it occurred to me, I should be drinking beer. So that's what I did.

Around 9PM trucks were driving around, telling people to stay away from the ocean.

They even told old folks, you can evacuate to the community center if, you get scared.

That's nice and, I bet some people did, just that but, I wasn't worried.

See, I live on a hill, way above sea level and, only go to the ocean on nice days.

That Typhoon Fooled Everybody

The crazy thing got stronger but, passed way to the south and west of this island.

It disappointed some folks but, I feel sorry for mainland Japan.

They have been getting attacked by almost every severe storm this year.

Fields, roads, mountains, rivers and homes get destroyed along with crops, too.

Some vegetable prices have already skyrocketed because of flooding in the mainland.

Most of our potatoes come from Hokkaido.  They don't grow very well, down here.

Well, the wife complains about how expensive potatoes have gotten. She won't but anymore.

I went shopping with her the other night and, decided to buy powdered potatoes.

That way, I could satisfy my craving for potatoes and beer, during the storm.

Before drinking anything, I had to do something with the Pentax.

At 6:26PM it  seemed like a good time to duplicate the scene from the night before.

There wasn't any orange color in the sky so, I decided to show you the effects of the wind.

The sky appears bluer, only because, I bumped the camera up to ISO 400.

It was getting dark outside but, the wind wasn't very strong. Drink beer !

As the Storm Blows Farther and Farther Away

After a few (too many) beers, I forgot about making mashed potatoes and, went to bed.

It rained on and off, throughout the night and, I suppose it got fairly windy, out there.

Up in the morning, before the sun, I let the dog out and looked around.

No damage could be seen, anywhere, in my neck of the woods. That's good.

Life is back to normal on this island. Then, the wife wakes up.

She's forever, asking me, "What do you want to eat?"  I ain't hungry yet.

My mashed potatoes are still stuffed in a bag with some pizza potato chips, I forgot about.

The wife, made tons of rice so, we'd be ready if the rower failed. But, it didn't.

We gotta eat rice. Lots of it. So, I say, "OK. Let's try something different."

New Version of Fried Rice

Maybe it's been tried before and, maybe it hasn't. Ever seen anything like this?

It happens to be fried rice with chicken and mozzarella cheese.

Still in the experimental stages, I wasn't sure if, I should add some pizza sauce.

The lady of the house cooked it so, I don't know what all the ingredients might be.

It was fairly tasty. Maybe, could use a little more pepper and garlic.

Another big batch is waiting at the house for me and, I've been thinking.

Perhaps a side order of mashed potatoes and gravy, would be great with that dish!

Do you suppose, all the negative ions accompanying a typhoon, could drive folks a bit crazy?

Food Photo and Recipe: Okinawan Chahan

Also Known As Fried Rice

 

 

Tropical Cyclone #16 or, Typhoon Goni, seems to have left Okinawa.

Tonight, I took a stroll over to the office and, didn't notice much damage along the way.

Not, having gotten out with the cameras, I had to dig up something from the past.

Fried rice is something, I consider, a lightweight meal.

After woofing down a large sized bowl of it, I'm full, for about an hour.

Then, the urge to sink my teeth into a cow starts kicking in.

One one of those days where, I'm not really hungry, this is an excellent quick fix.

A friend of mine, Benjamin Martin puts sake in his recipe.

So, I thought if  anyone wants to try cooking their own, I'd give a link to him.

Find his recipe at More Things Japanese.

It's time for me to inspect the bars over in Kin Town for typhoon damages !

Discovery in Okinawa: The Perfect Cheesecake

A Few Qualifications

• A cheesecake has some weight to it.  Lift it, and it weighs as much as a light bowling ball.
• It isn't like a pound-cake.  It is thick and, will break a plastic fork.
• It is stored in a refrigerator because, if it's left out on a shelf, it will spoil.
• Siberian Huskies love cheesecake as much as I do. So, this one won't go home with me.
• Good cheesecakes are hard to find (almost impossible) in Japan. But, they do exist.

The Awesome-yummiest Cheesecake

 

 

It's been, just down the street from my office, all along !

Instead of focusing on bugs, in front of my office or, the moon, I should have looked.

  


The building, across the street with the striped awning has it.

 

  

There's even a sign, in English, that says, Cheese Cake !

So, I went in and ordered one.

This baby had some texture and was as heavy as a bowling ball.

There isn't any fancy silverware around my office.

So, I had to get my camping saw off my backpack, to slice it.

Plastic forks would break so, I used a spoon, instead.

Licking plastic spoons isn't bad for your health but, licking camping saw blades hurts.

After, eating about half the cake, I put it in the fridge.

And, went back to ask if I could take some photos of the place.

As soon as I hit the publish button on this blog, I'll see how much more I can eat.

It's the best cheesecake, I've tasted in over 30 years.

So, there's no sense sharing it and letting things go to waste.  Right?

People living in Okinawa might want to know where to find Taimo Kobo Kinta.

For anyone, interested in making their own, here's a recipe.


But, I doubt, it comes anywhere near the discovery, I made today.

Back to attack the rest of my cheesecake and, take a little nap.


New Year's Eve, is always a long day and night, around this part of the country.


To all my friends and followers, have a safe and Happy New Year.


Let's hope 2014 has lots of Ups.


And, may any Downs you have, be gentle ones!



Where is it on Google Maps?

Flower Photo: Plumeria with Way More Information than Normal

How-to Stuff Always Comes in Handy

 

That's why many hours are devoted to researching plants and flowers around here.

Once an ID is made, on some flower that's new to me, I like to get all the information I can.

If someone wants to grow the plants or, eat them, they should be able to click a link and go.

Today, it's raining so, I dug-up lots of how-to stuff for you in my endless search for truth.

 The day I shot this Plumeria photo, I was loaded for bear.

Two Pentax cameras, two tripods, three lenses, three flower identification books, tripods and, the wife.

We were on a mission: Shoot as many exotic flowers as we could find.

That gives me plenty of blog material.

And, she can't complain about me never taking her anywhere.  Hah !

We did good.  A new flower could appear here once a week, if it keeps raining.

About the Plumeria

 

 

 

It's really a tropical plant but, people around the globe are growing them these days.

If you know what you're doing, you could plant them in pots.

Then, when it gets too cold in the garden, drag them into the house, until it warms-up again outside.

Watch your kids and animals, though; the sap is poison. 

The pretty flowers are used to make those necklaces called Hawaiian Leis.

Checkout: How to Grow Beautiful and Exotic Plumeria Flowers

The Plumeria flowers come in many colors and you can see non-copyrighted photos of them at:

About.Com Hawaii Travel

That's where I learned, in Hawaii, they call the plant Pua Melia.

And, in Australia, they are named Dead Man's Fingers !

There's a Plumeria Society video on YouTube if you want to see how to care for them.

The Way More Than You Need Information

Once I found about these flowers being used to make leis in Hawaii, I had a flashback.

Just a young kid, stepping off the boat in Hawaii, I was totally shocked, back in the 1960's.

Some Hula-looking girl threw these flowers around my neck and gave me a hug.

I must have been a real redneck and blushed.  WTF ?

Some older folks told me, "You just got leid." So, I learned something that day.

Anyway, I typed "Get leid" in a search just to see what I could find for you.

You must watch this Grandma's video and give her a thumbs up.

She says, "I got laid nine times in the first hour."  And, winks at you !

Tell me that gal doesn't crack you up !

Well, I have to get going.  I watched the video 10 times and keep forgetting to write the recipe down.

A Favorite: Okinawa's Goya Chanpuru and A Recipe for You

Goya Day in Okinawa May 8th !

Not to worry.  I didn't forget about Goya Day.  I just forgot to tell everybody else.

For those who don't know, a goya is called a bitter melon in English.

They look like bumpy cucumbers. But, don't taste anything like a cucumber, at all.

Bitter, is the word that best describes them.

People either love or, hate goya.  There's no in-between. 

Sort of like beer; it's an acquired taste.  I love the stuff.  Beer, too.

Why Celebrate Vegetables ?

 

 

 

 

In Okinawa we like to party so, we celebrate anything we can.

See, in Japanese, the word "Five" is "Go" and May happens to be the fifth month.

The eight day of the month gets a little tricky, to explain. Let's try, anyway.

Eight, in Japanese would be "Hachi" but, we'll just use the "Ha" part of it.  OK ?

Now, "Ha" rhymes with "Ya" sort of.  Doesn't it ?

Well, you put the "go" and "ya" together and that gives you goya.

It sounds like a good enough excuse to celebrate, to me.

So, that's what I did, until the wee hours of the morning.  The Missus was with me, most of the time.

The photo above was my Goya Chanpuru, just before I consumed the whole thing.


Time 12:51AM.

 

 Nobody cooks Goya Chanpuru better than Mrs. RyukyuMike.  That's the truth.

If you want to try making your own, I'll hook you up with this video I found.

Some crazy gal cooks the stuff with her dog on the kitchen counter !

 

Just in Time for Valentine's Day: A Chocolate Tree (Photos)

A Chocolate Tree Growing in Okinawa

 

With Valentine's Day, just around the corner, what an unexpected find this was.

First, I saw these flowers, planted in the shape of a heart, going into the Orchid Show.

And, that's what reminded me, Valentine's Day must be coming soon.

Guys tend to forget stuff like that, you know.

So, I snapped a picture, to remind myself, it's like, any day, now.

Lucky, for me, guys don't have to do anything special on Valentine's Day.

Girls have to give the guys chocolate and stuff like that, for Valentine's, in Japan.  Hah !

 After shooting a few thousand orchids, I wandered into a greenhouse.

And, found this sign.  It tells me there's a chocolate tree, somewhere in there.

This is great.  I got the Latin name and found the tree, too.

Who would ever have dreamed, chocolate comes from these things, hanging on a tree ?

Now, all I have to do is tell the wife.  "Don't go buying me chocolate, anymore."

Let's just get one of those trees and plant it by the house.

See, I even shot the recipe for her so, we can make our own chocolates.

All you have to do is watch the fruits rot and, you get chocolate beans.

Sounds pretty simple, to me !

Related Posts:

Valentine's Day in Japan

These Birds on Valentine's Day Cracked Me Up

Here's My Secret Recipe For A Cold and Miserable, Cloudy Day (Photo)

The secret is this:  Look for the bright spot in a photo.

What were you expecting, me to give away some secret recipe of mine ?

HAH !

The thought had crossed my mind.  And, I know there are lots of folks who go online looking for recipes.  I do it myself, sometimes and find some mouthwatering-looking stuff.

Guaranteed, if you type the words "Secret" and "Recipe" into a search engine, you'd find something like almost a frazillion recipes you never heard of before.

So, I was thinking about doing a series of my secret recipes, someday.

There's a few problems with that, though.

I never measure stuff.

I don't write anything down when I do it.

If I wanted to put tomatoes in the mix but, didn't have any

I substitute with anything red like, red peppers, a bottle of ketchup or anything else red I can find.

There's a habit I developed over the years of eating the food

and forgetting to take pictures of it.

The biggest problem of all would be, say if I posted my 1001 secret-ways-of-cooking-beans recipes

THEY WOULDN'T BE SECRETS, ANYMORE !

So, all I'm giving away for now is my secret recipe for a cold and miserable, cloudy day.

Then, I'm heading home to make my secret remedy-for-a-cold recipe.

It involves some chicken soup, a whole can of chicken (to make up for what they forgot to put in the soup), some garlic, onions, corn, celery, pepper, eggs, whole wheat bread and a pinch of alcohol.  Maybe, some potato chips, too.

Just in case you haven't already guessed, my first, wicked cold of the year has arrived.

Culinary Institute people snooping around here, GIT !

Goina make my chicken soup and go back to bed.

The bright spot in that photo will be here for me tomorrow.

PHOTO OF THE DAY: LADY LIBERTY

Guinness World Record Taco Rice Recipe: Photo Essay

Making World Record Taco Rice is a community effort. You could do what I'm showing in photos on a much smaller scale. Cover your coffee table with plastic wrap and have some friends pitch-in for a Super Bowl Party, maybe. You won't break any Guinness Records but, you won't go hungry either!

The exact measurements you won't get here for a couple of reasons.
1. Somebody will try and break Kin Village's Guinness World Record, for sure. Even if ya waterboard me, I ain't talkin'. I live here.

2. My ears hear things about as well as a rock so, when the speakers blared out "Kilos" I thought they were talking about "Helos" like Mr. Guinness, or somebody was gonna land in a helicopter.

This isn't exactly a Betty Crocker (She still around?) recipe; just estimate how many friends you have coming over and throw in as many kilos as you think it takes and maybe add a few more. Just look at my visual recipe and add the ingredients to suit your taste.

Steamed rice is the first layer. You probably could get by using a putty knife instead of a paddle.

Cover the rice with your favorite blend of meat and  taco sauce. Trowel it over nice and smooth.

Load the next layer up with shredded cheese. Kinda like lasanga but cheddar works best, I think.

Pile on the shredded lettuce and spread it around to cover all the cheese. You could get away without wearing a mask if everyone promises not to sneeze. Hats and cameras are optional.

Fresh tomato slices top the whole thing off. It's ready to eat. You could have the whole thing done before the Super Bowl Pre-Game finishes and enough left after the Super Bowl Party to feed the cleanup crew.

If you really want to try breaking the Guinness World Record for Taco Rice keep checking HERE and find out what it takes to be a winner. They'll even give you an application. Have fun !

NOTE: THIS POST WAS AN ENTRY FOR SHOW ME JAPAN A BLOG ALL JAPAN LOVERS SHOULD FOLLOW !