Craving Crunch

What is it that makes crunchy food so appealing and sought after? It’s a multisensory experience that brings joy and satisfaction on so many levels.  I was ‘ono (craving) something crunchy recently, so I went shopping through my freezer, fridge and pantry and I came up with this fun recipe that will please and satisfy you. It’s become one of my favorite quick appetizers to have on hand for whenever a special occasion comes up.  I love surprising neighbors with little tastes of my latest creations.I wanted to understand what the craze about crunch is all about, so I went to  Chat GPT. It  states  “The sound and texture of crunchy foods trigger a pleasurable sensory experience.” Your brain connotes crunch with freshness and increased flavor.  How amazing is that?

As always when I create in the kitchen, I am blessed with Life Lessons that come through the food and recipes I work with.  The first lesson from this recipe was a reminder that you don’t have to pay through the nose for good taste. With the price of crab ranging from $35-$45 per pound these days, using imitation crab is a great way to get high flavor at a low price. My Puna (Grandma) taught me to be thrifty. I love her for that. “Waste not want not” is forever engrained in my head and habits. It promotes creativity. Living within your means teaches you to waste nothing, and to appreciate everything you have. Gratitude always brings abundance.  

The second lesson that came through was the fact that not  wasting is a spiritual principle. In God’s Universe, nothing is wasted.  (The human race would do well to follow that example.) Being thankful and being mindful of using only what you need are spiritual principles that help you live a blessed and balanced  life. These principles are  rooted deeply in many cultures, as it is in traditional Hawaiian culture.  It mirrors  respect for nature, community, and God. Catch  or harvest only what you need. This  ensures sustainability for yourself and future generations.  If you have an abundance of something,  you share it with your neighbors, friends, and family.  Imagine a world where nothing was wasted and abundance was shared! It starts with you, it starts with me.

As you munch on these crusty bites, may you consider the spiritual food offered with it, and use it to make this world a better place. It won’t disappoint!

*Story behind the recipe. I often go grocery shopping in my fridge, freezer and pantry and often come up with some new and fun recipes. It’s one of my favorite things to do.  As  mentioned, I wanted something crunchy and fun.  I had kanikama (imitation crab legs) in my freezer, so I whipped up some dip with that.  It’s a slightly different version of my crabbie tomato recipe.
I didn’t really want to put the dip on potato chips. Then I remembered I had some sembei (rice crackers) I was going to send to my daughter.  While I was plating my new concoction, I had butter lettuce decoratively around the crackers with crab.  Then the idea hit me that the cracker would stay crispy longer if I put the lettuce on it, then the crab mixture - viola! A new idea was born.  What’s fun is that I was able to use some lettuce from our own teeny garden.  It made it so gratifying and tasted even better because of it.

Crunchy Crab & Crackers.pdf