Mynah Bird’s Warabi Recipe

Mel the “Mynah Bird” Medeiros

• 2# George Yoshida’s warabi
• 2 12oz pkg mild portuguese sausage
• 4 qts water
• 2 6oz sticks kamaboko
• 2 T rice vinegar
• 2 T sesame oil
• 1 large carrot
• 1 large onion
• 1 cup dried seaweed
• 1 T Hawaiian salt
• 2 oz shoyu

Place water in large pot with portuguese sausage. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium and cover. Soak loosely packed dried seaweed in water and let stand. Cut carrot into sticks about the thickness and length of the cut warabi (approx. 2″). Cut onion in half and then slice into 1/8″ pieces. Cut warabi into 2″ size, wash, rinse and drain. Sprinkle a handful of Hawaiian salt over warabi, cover and set aside, shaking often. Dice kamaboko into 1/2″ blocks and set aside.

After boiling for about 1/2 hour, the casing of the sausage will start to split. Remove sausage from water and set aside. DO NOT DISCARD WATER. Bring to a full boil again, adding carrots and onions. Drain and discard liquid from the warabi that was drawn out by the salt. Add warabi to the boiling water. Turn off the stove and let ingredients sit 3-5 minutes depending on the firmness you want in the warabi. Drain. DO NOT RINSE. Place ingredients in container. Add rice vinegar and sesame oil. Dice sausage and add to ingredients. Add kamaboko, soaked seaweed and shoyu. Mix all ingredients. Add more salt or Sesame to taste. Place in freezer for 45 minutes, remove and refrigerate until ready to eat and enjoy.