A Sesame-laced Marinade For Sprouts

Sometimes it takes the viewpoint of someone not living in Hawaii to bring home to us how lucky we are!

Jerry Pursley writes that when he needs a recipe idea, he looks to MidWeek online and Hearty Chef.

He says: “I absolutely love Hawaii; I always have since the first day I left Medina, Ohio, in 1967 and landed in Honolulu to be based at Hick-am AFB. The Islands grabbed me and have never let go – from Hawaii’s mountains, her sea, her waterfalls, her valleys, her beautiful views that change constantly to even more unimaginable beauty, her people and friends I have made that all helped create such wonderful memories in my mind that will never leave me as long as I am breathing.”

Jerry worked at Hawaiian Airlines after he was discharged and for Qantas Airlines on the ground, moving to Australia in 1973 to become a flight attendant on its international runs. Now retired and living in Cairns, Australia, he shares his home with his beautiful Great Dane Murray.

Thanks to airline benefits, Jerry comes back to Hawaii as often as he can to visit friends and ohana here.

His sister and her family live on Kauai, and Dennis Peru, his best friend of 44 years, was born and raised in the Islands. Dennis is a tour escort for a locally based company in Hawaii, and this past September, Jerry and a group of local folks from the Islands went to Romania and the Ukraine.

This recipe is dedicated to Jerry and his many close friends in Hawaii.

To avoid GMOs, choose organically grown soybeans.

Soybeans contain iron, protein, potassium, manganese, omega 3 fats, fiber, vitamin K, phosphorus, vitamin B2 and magnesium. Sesame oil has a high concentration of omega-6 fatty acids and is said to help relieve skin conditions and alleviate aches and pains.

BEAN SPROUT SALAD

* 4 cups boiling water
* 1/2 pound soybean sprouts
* 1 tablespoon vinegar
* 1 tablespoon cane sugar
* 1 teaspoon sesame oil
* 1 teaspoon soy sauce (may use low-sodium)
* 1/2 teaspoon salt (or to taste)

Boil water. Add bean sprouts. Cook until pliable but crisp, about one minute. Drain and rinse under cold water.In a small bowl, mix vinegar, sugar, sesame oil, soy sauce and salt until all ingredients are combined.

Pour mixture over the bean sprouts. Gently mix. Marinate one hour in refrigerator before serving.

Makes four servings.

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