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Sardine Kelaguen

Posted on December 23, 2014 by AnniesChamorroKitchen 2 comments

Yes…kelaguen…with sardines. Don’t knock it ’till you try it. 🙂

This is one of my favorite foods. If you know what kelaguen is and you’ve never tried sardine kelaguen, you’ve got to try it now. If kelaguen is new to you, the basic recipe for this island favorite is quite simple. Chop up your favorite meat or seafood, then season ti with lemon or lime juice, salt, onions, and hot chili peppers. Optional ingredients are freshly grated (or store-bought unsweetened) coconut. All ingredients (except for the meat and/or seafood) is added to taste, meaning if you like your kelaguen more on the tangy side, add more lemon or lime juice. Like it salty? Add more salt. Like it mouth-on-fire-hot? Add lots of hot chili peppers. See, it’s simple.

Click here to view my recipes for different types of kelaguen.

As for sardine kelaguen, you use canned sardines. The photo below show “fish steaks” — this is fine too; the “steaks” are small, bite-sized herring that works just fine in this recipe. While you most certainly can use sardines packed in water, I really prefer sardines packed in soybean oil, and it’s what I recommend for this recipe.

I have a family of four, but only three of us like this (my extremely picky daughter won’t get near this with a 10-foot pole). That’s okay, though — that just leaves more for the rest of us. 😉

Remove the sardines from the can, pouring off the excess oil. Split the sardines in half, lengthwise, then remove and discard the bones (I also remove the stomach but leave it in if you like that kind of stuff). Place the cleaned sardines into a bowl.

I like lots of onions — sliced green onions or diced white or yellow onions — it doesn’t matter; add your favorite kind. I added both. 🙂

Add lemon juice, salt, and hot pepper, to taste.

Mix well, serve and enjoy!

I love this with hot, steamed white rice, or served as a dip with tortilla chips. You can also make tortilla wraps (I recommend soft corn tortillas) or one of my favorites, stuffed in taco shells with lettuce leaves or mix salad greens.

Give my recipe a try. I think you’ll like it. 🙂

Sardine Kelaguen

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Sardines with lemon juice, salt, onions, and hot chili peppers. Serve as an appetizer with tortilla chips. These make incredible fish tacos!

Author: Annie @ Annie's Chamorro Kitchen

Cuisine: Chamorro

Ingredients

6 cans sardines packed in oil
The juice of 2 lemons (more or less, to taste)
Salt, to taste
1 small onion, finely diced
*You can also use sliced green onions; add as much as you like

Optional:

Crushed or sliced hot chili peppers, to taste
Grated coconut, as much as you like

Instructions

Remove the sardines from the cans; remove and discard the bones. Place in a bowl.
Add the remaining ingredients; stir to combine.

Serve and ENJOY!

Posted in APPETIZERS, CHAMORRO DISHES, Kelaguen, SEAFOOD

Spam Kelaguen

Posted on May 29, 2014 by AnniesChamorroKitchen 7 comments

Spam is a staple on Guam. In fact, Spam has been called the “poor man’s steak” by many, although a can of Spam is not cheap! I have a friend who lives in an area where Spam sells for about $5.00 per can! At that price, I’d rather buy real steak! 😀

Chamorros can be quite innovative when it comes to creating Spam dishes. An easy and classic dish is Spam Kelaguen. This is my sister’s version.

Give it a try; I think you’ll like it. 🙂

Spam Kelaguen

Ingredients:

1 can Spam, cut into thin strips
4-6 stalks green onions, thinly sliced
1 cup freshly grated coconut
Lemon juice, to taste
Salt, to taste
Hot pepper, to taste

Directions:

1. Lightly pan-fry the spam (for only 1-2 minutes) then place in a bowl.

2. Add green onions, coconut, lemon juice, salt, and hot pepper. Mix, taste, and adjust seasonings and lemon juice, to taste.

3. Serve with titiyas or hot steamed white rice.

ENJOY!

Posted in Carolyn's Recipes, CHAMORRO DISHES, FAMILY RECIPES, Kelaguen, MEAT, SPAM tagged with Coconut

The Best Sashimi Ever

Posted on January 14, 2014 by AnniesChamorroKitchen 11 comments

I love sashimi!

If you don’t care to eat raw fish, then I’m sorry, but this recipe is not for you. BUT, you can share it with someone who does! 🙂

In the words of my daughter, “I love, love, love this! It’s almost as good as your tuna poki!” That’s my picky-eater daughter, mind you. She even eats the shredded RAW RADISH in this dish! YES!

Radish, you ask? In sashimi? Don’t knock it ’till you try it.

My inspiration is from this fantastic sushi restaurant in Vegas (sorry, folks, I can’t name the restaurant here), but if you’ve lived in Vegas before, you’ve probably been to or heard of this place — look at the photo below, recognize it yet? 😉

This recipe is all about the sauce, I think. It’s my version of ponzu sauce.

Give my recipe a try. I think you’ll like it.

The Best Sashimi Ever!

Ingredients:

Good quality ahi tuna, thinly sliced

1 bunch green onions

1 long white radish (the one below is called an Icicle Radish)

Sashimi Sauce:

The juice of 3 lemons and 2 limes

1/4 cup rice vinegar

1 cup soy sauce

1/4 cup mirin

1 small piece of dried kelp, about a 4-inch piece will do. You can find this and the other ingredients for this recipe at most Asian markets.

2 packets dried bonito flakes (0.17 oz. per packet). The kind I buy comes in a package that contains 5 of these packets.

1-inch piece ginger, grated

Cayenne pepper, about 1/4 teaspoon, more or less to taste. I like using Cayenne — it dissolves easily, and it’s not too spicy. Even my “little” one eats it. Well, she’s not so little anymore, but she’s sooooo picky!

Kewpie mayonnaise. Don’t substitute with regular mayo. The main difference between Kewpie and regular mayo is that kewpie is made with the egg yolks only, whereas some regular mayos are made with either only egg whites or whole eggs. Kewpie is also creamier and just a tad bit sweeter that regular mayo. Anyhow…look for and use kewpie mayo for this dish (no subs).

Directions:

Rinse, peel, and grate the radish. I used a box grater, grating the radish on the side with the second smallest holes. Set aside.

Place the lemon and lime juices into a mixing bowl. I picked out the seeds before squeezing the juice out of them (I like leaving the pulp in the sauce). You can use squeeze the juice into a small strainer if you want to strain out the pulp. You need about 1 cup of juice. If you have smaller fruits and get less than a cup of juice, squeeze more juice out of either a lemon or lime (your preference) to get about a cup of juice.

Pour in the rice vinegar.

Add the soy sauce.

Add the mirin.

Add the dried kelp. Leave the pieces big — you’re going to remove this later.

Add the bonito flakes.

Add the grated ginger. Use fresh ginger — the powdered stuff just won’t taste the same.

Sprinkle in as much cayenne pepper as you like. You can also add in chopped hot chili peppers.

Mix to combine. Set the mixture aside. Let it sit for at least an hour to allow the flavors to meld. Use a fork to pick out the pieces of kelp; discard the kelp. If you want a smooth sauce, pour it into another bowl with a strainer over the top.

After an hour, place about 2 tablespoons of kewpie mayo into a shallow dish. Pour in 1 cup of the sauce mixture. (Refrigerate any unused sauce.)

Use a whisk or a fork to mix the kewpie mayo into the sauce mixture. I know, it doesn’t look very appetizing right now, but trust me…it’s delicious…so delicious you might just want to drink the sauce! 🙂

Place the shredded radish into the center of the dish.

Place thin slices of ahi tuna on top of the shredded radish.

Squeeze more kewpie mayo on top of the fish. Sprinkle sliced green onions on top. Drizzle more sauce over the fish. Optional: sprinkle smelt roe on top of it all.

Serve immediately (it’s delicious with steamed white rice) and ENJOY!

Posted in Japanese, Kelaguen, SEAFOOD

Ahi Tuna Poke

Posted on October 15, 2013 by AnniesChamorroKitchen 10 comments

Poke is a Hawaiian dish traditionally served as an appetizer, but it can also be a main dish when served with rice or corn titiyas.

Modern versions of poke can vary depending on the ingredients you have on hand. Poke is typically made with cubed ahi tuna marinated with soy sauce (some use sea salt), ground kukui nut (the meat in the inside, though, not the entire nut), sesame oil, ogo seaweed, and hot chili peppers. You can also use fresh salmon or octopus instead of ahi.

Living in Colorado, I don’t have access to a lot of the traditional ingredients like ogo seaweed and kukui nuts, so I created a different version of poke that my family — especially my 11 year old daughter — loves.

It’s a simple recipe that you can take to entirely new levels by adding the other optional ingredients I listed below.

Give my recipe a try. I think you’ll like it. 🙂

Poke

Ingredients:

1 pound ahi tuna
2 tablespoons sesame oil
2 tablespoons kimchee base
1/2 cup soy sauce
6 stalks green onions, thinly sliced

Optional Ingredients:

1 small cucumber, diced
1 cup cherry tomatoes, diced
1 small sweet onion (Maui onions are good), diced
2 tablespoons furikake seasoning
2 tablespoons ground macadamia nuts (if you can’t find or don’t have access to kukui nuts)
1 teaspoon minced garlic
Hot chili peppers or Sambal Oelek chili sauce, to taste
You can also substitute the tuna with salmon or octopus

Directions:

1. Cut the ahi into small cubes. I find it’s easier to slice the ahi when it’s partially frozen.

2. Add the sesame oil.

3. Add the kimchee base (you can use a chili sauce like Sambal Oelek if you can’t find kimchee base).

4. Add the soy sauce.

5. Add the green onions.

6. Stir to combine. Let the poke sit for at least 30 minutes (refrigerated) to allow the flavors to meld.

7. Serve with hot white rice or freshly made corn titiyas (tortillas). The photo below shows the ahi tuna poke (on the bottom right of the plate) and ahi tuna sashimi (that’s another recipe, to be posted soon) on the bottom left.

ENJOY!!

Posted in APPETIZERS, Dinner, Hawaiian, Kelaguen, Lunch, MEALS, SEAFOOD tagged with Tuna

Fresh Salmon Kelaguen

Posted on October 2, 2013 by AnniesChamorroKitchen 11 comments

Kelaguen in Chamorro describes a dish that’s prepared by mixing the main ingredient (usually chicken, beef, deer, or seafood) with lemon or lime juice, onions, salt, and hot pepper. Chicken kelaguen is usually prepared with cooked (grilled, broiled or boiled) chicken. The other types of kelaguen–beef, deer, shrimp, and various types of fish–are most often prepared raw, with the meat or seafood getting cooked with the addition of an acid, usually lemon or lime juice.

Kelaguen is a staple dish at Chamorro parties. Sometimes, especially on Guam, an entire table is devoted to several types of kelaguen.

Salmon kelaguen is a favorite in our house. I know, I know…I’ve said a lot of the dishes I make are favorites. But really…this one is a REAL favorite (after shrimp kelaguen, that is). 😉

I prefer fresh salmon with this recipe. If you’re in a pinch, canned salmon kelaguen is also tasty, but I still prefer fresh salmon any day.

Give my recipe a try. If you like sushi, ceviche, or any type of kelaguen, then I know you’ll like this. 😀

Fresh Salmon Kelaguen

Ingredients:

2 pounds fresh salmon (red salmon, preferably)
4 stalks green onions, sliced
The juice of 5-6 limes, more or less, to taste (or you can use lemon powder, mixed with a little bit of water)
Salt, to taste
1 cup cherry or grape tomatoes, diced
Hot pepper, optional

Directions:

1. Rinse the salmon filet. Pull out any salmon bones. Remove the skin, or leave it on if you prefer. I like the skin removed for kelaguen.

2. Cut the salmon into small pieces.

3. Thinly slice the green onions.

4. Mix the salmon and green onions together in a small bowl.

5. Squeeze about 1 cup of lime juice over the salmon and onions. Sprinkle salt over the mixture; start with about 1 teaspoon. Stir gently to combine all the ingredients and to dissolve the salt into the lime juice. Add more or less lime juice and/or salt, to taste.

6. Stir in the diced tomatoes. Optional: Add hot pepper, as much as you like. Serve with hot rice or titiyas. ENJOY!

Posted in CHAMORRO DISHES, Kelaguen, Roland's Recipes, SEAFOOD

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