Sam Choy's Island Flavors

Charismatic restaurateur Sam Choy, famous throughout America for his innovative take on Hawaiian home cooking, brings the flavors of the islands right into your kitchen. Chef Choy's unique cuisine is based on fresh, healthy ingredients, unexpected combinations of spicy and sweet, and low-key preparation, often involving grilling with friends. This gorgeously designed cookbook celebrates Choy's diverse culinary heritage with over 200 recipes ranging from imaginative appetizers, to seafood and meat entrees, to delicious desserts and tropical drinks. With dishes like Baked Teriyaki Mahimahi, Roasted Chicken with Macadamia Nut Stuffing, Big Island Beef Short Ribs, and Mango Guava Sorbet, Choy proves that you can have great flavor with minimal fuss and maximum flexibility. Perfect for entertaining, intimate dining, or dinner with the kids, Choy's cooking is as vibrant and easygoing as Hawaii itself. Aloha!

Hawaiian chef Sam Choy is sassy and sweet. So are the flavors of his food. Choy's cooking is hapu, a hybrid of Polynesian, Japanese, Chinese, Korean, and European influences, combined in what he calls local-style cooking. In Wok-Seared Shrimp with Pepper-Papaya-Pineapple Chutney, a typical example, Choy marinates the main ingredient, then stir-fries it, and serves it with a colorful accompaniment.

Fish or seafood stars in many dishes. Choy's marinades are generally a blend of garlic, ginger, soy sauce, and sugar, with varying accents of scallion, sesame oil, and hot peppers. Both the preparation of ingredients and the cooking method are quick for most dishes. The accompaniment, often a salsa or chutney, is usually a toss-together of chopped fresh fruits and vegetables that can be made ahead of time.

Choy takes pride in his Hawaiian heritage. He talks about his family and local goings-on. His Catfish in Sweet and Sour Sauce supports local farming of this freshwater fish. Enticing, succulent Hibachi Pineapple Spears were invented one day at the beach to please the kids.

A fish-lovers delight, this book also offers appealing chicken recipes: Quick and Easy Shoyu Chicken, made with teriyaki sauce, will please just about everyone. Sixteen color pages help you present dishes as nicely as Choy does at his restaurants. If you can chop, stir-fry, and grill, Sam Choy's Island Cooking provides a fast, fun taste trip to the tropics. Don't miss the desserts and exotic drinks, like Lava Flow and Kona MacFreeze. --Dana Jacobi