Uploaded June 2020 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago
Our fifth Flavorful Friday features Chef Dan from Uala Leaf Cafe at Windward Community College and a delicious dinner menu for two showcasing curried vegetables, roasted chicken and a simple rice custard for dessert!
Chef Dan Swift is the Culinary & Workforce Program coordinator at WCC and operates the foodservice training program called Hiilaniwai Foodservice Innovations Training (HiFIT). HiFIT is a program that will teach students the basic skills that are needed in the foodservice industry. It will take students from very foundational knife skills all the way through to a graduation project which includes a comprehensive final where students will prepare a chicken dinner in a specified amount of time.
For more information on HiFIT
email Daniel Swift at danswift@hawaii.edu
windwardcce.org/foodservice.htm
Curried Vegetables - Yields 4 servings
Garlic Cloves Crushed 7-10 each
Onion 1 each medium
Carrot 1 each
Broccoli 1 head
Cauliflower ½ head
Zucchini 1 each
Diced Red or Green Peppers 1 each
Water 1 cup
Oil of your choice or melted butter ¼ cup
Curry Powder or Favorite Spice ½ cup
Sriracha or your favorite hot sauce To Taste
Salt and Pepper To Taste
The beauty of this recipe is that you get to discover a new technique, sometimes called charring. It is similar to grilling in that it is very high heat and you crisp and lightly burn the edges of your vegetables for a delicious
flavor in the finished dish. If you find that you don’t like that style, you can do this recipe at a lower temperature and it will be fine. Just bake it a little bit longer.
1. Preheat Oven to 475 degrees.
2. Cut all vegetables into small bite sized pieces.
3. In a large mixing bowl mix the crushed garlic and all vegetables, (Remember, you can use any vegetable
you like for this recipe, be creative or just use what you have in the fridge).
4. Add the water, oil, curry powder (or your favorite herbs and spices) and Sirach and gently stir or toss. The
trick is to be sure that the vegetables get a coating of the sauce and that the broccoli absorbs some of the
water you toss it with.
5. Place vegetables on a non-stick or parchment lined baking sheet and roast in the oven for 10 to 20
minutes. Note: it can go into the oven with the chicken below.
Roasted Chicken - Yields 4 servings
Chicken Thigh (Boneless & Skin On) 8 each
Oil of your choice or melted butter 2 Tablespoons
Garlic Salt/Lemon Pepper or Similar Seasoning 1 Tablespoon
Black Pepper (optional) 1 tsp.
The challenge most people have with chicken is that it gets over cooked and becomes dry. If you use chicken thigh you will almost completely eliminate the chances of over cooking as it is very forgiving. Breast, which can also be used is far trickier and should never go over 165 degrees as it becomes very dry. Always roast chicken with the skin side up to protect the meat. It is especially important when roasting at high temperatures such as
in this recipe.
1. Preheat Oven to 475 degrees. This can be baked with the Curried vegetables.
2. In a bowl mix the chicken, oil and spices. Be sure to get seasoning all over.
3. Place the chicken skin side up on a non-stick or parchment lined baking sheet and roast in the oven for 15
to 20 minutes, with your vegetables. Try to make sure that the chicken is flat and the skin covers as much
of the meat as possible. This will protect the meat from drying out and also crisp up the skin. Do not put on
top of your vegetables as it will not allow the vegies to get the charred flavor that we are looking for.
4. Remove the chicken and serve with vegetables and steamed rice or cous-cous.
Simple Rice Custard
Yields 4 servings
Cooked Rice 4 cups
Coconut Milk 1 can
Canned Fruit Nectar 1/2 cup
Fresh Fruit cut as desired 4 cups
Sugar 1/2 cup
Salt Pinch
This recipe is super simple and it is a great way to make a simple desert out of cooked rice. The rice can be any type, white, brown, sticky, black, or whatever. Just remember that each rice has its own flavor and that will impact the taste of the final dish. This dish can be served room temperature or warm, it is up to you. For me, I like to serve the rice at room temperature and the fruit chilled for a nice contrast in temperature. If you also want some “crunch” texture, you can top with toasted coconut or serve a neutral flavored cookie with the dessert.
1. Place the cooked rice into a bowl and stir in the coconut milk and canned nectar. If you have ripe fruit
around the house you can also blend it with the coconut milk to create your own fruit nectar.
2. Add the sugar and salt, stir and adjust sweetness if desired.
3. If you wish to serve the dish warm, you can cover it and heat it slowly in the microwave oven.
4. Serve it with the cold diced fruit and a garnish if desired.
Our fifth Flavorful Friday features Chef Dan from Uala Leaf Cafe at Windward Community College and a delicious dinner menu for two showcasing curried vegetables, roasted chicken and a simple rice custard for dessert!
Chef Dan Swift is the Culinary & Workforce Program coordinator at WCC and operates the foodservice training program called Hiilaniwai Foodservice Innovations Training (HiFIT). HiFIT is a program that will teach students the basic skills that are needed in the foodservice industry. It will take students from very foundational knife skills all the way through to a graduation project which includes a comprehensive final where students will prepare a chicken dinner in a specified amount of time.
For more information on HiFIT
email Daniel Swift at danswift@hawaii.edu
windwardcce.org/foodservice.htm
Curried Vegetables - Yields 4 servings
Garlic Cloves Crushed 7-10 each
Onion 1 each medium
Carrot 1 each
Broccoli 1 head
Cauliflower ½ head
Zucchini 1 each
Diced Red or Green Peppers 1 each
Water 1 cup
Oil of your choice or melted butter ¼ cup
Curry Powder or Favorite Spice ½ cup
Sriracha or your favorite hot sauce To Taste
Salt and Pepper To Taste
The beauty of this recipe is that you get to discover a new technique, sometimes called charring. It is similar to grilling in that it is very high heat and you crisp and lightly burn the edges of your vegetables for a delicious
flavor in the finished dish. If you find that you don’t like that style, you can do this recipe at a lower temperature and it will be fine. Just bake it a little bit longer.
1. Preheat Oven to 475 degrees.
2. Cut all vegetables into small bite sized pieces.
3. In a large mixing bowl mix the crushed garlic and all vegetables, (Remember, you can use any vegetable
you like for this recipe, be creative or just use what you have in the fridge).
4. Add the water, oil, curry powder (or your favorite herbs and spices) and Sirach and gently stir or toss. The
trick is to be sure that the vegetables get a coating of the sauce and that the broccoli absorbs some of the
water you toss it with.
5. Place vegetables on a non-stick or parchment lined baking sheet and roast in the oven for 10 to 20
minutes. Note: it can go into the oven with the chicken below.
Roasted Chicken - Yields 4 servings
Chicken Thigh (Boneless & Skin On) 8 each
Oil of your choice or melted butter 2 Tablespoons
Garlic Salt/Lemon Pepper or Similar Seasoning 1 Tablespoon
Black Pepper (optional) 1 tsp.
The challenge most people have with chicken is that it gets over cooked and becomes dry. If you use chicken thigh you will almost completely eliminate the chances of over cooking as it is very forgiving. Breast, which can also be used is far trickier and should never go over 165 degrees as it becomes very dry. Always roast chicken with the skin side up to protect the meat. It is especially important when roasting at high temperatures such as
in this recipe.
1. Preheat Oven to 475 degrees. This can be baked with the Curried vegetables.
2. In a bowl mix the chicken, oil and spices. Be sure to get seasoning all over.
3. Place the chicken skin side up on a non-stick or parchment lined baking sheet and roast in the oven for 15
to 20 minutes, with your vegetables. Try to make sure that the chicken is flat and the skin covers as much
of the meat as possible. This will protect the meat from drying out and also crisp up the skin. Do not put on
top of your vegetables as it will not allow the vegies to get the charred flavor that we are looking for.
4. Remove the chicken and serve with vegetables and steamed rice or cous-cous.
Simple Rice Custard
Yields 4 servings
Cooked Rice 4 cups
Coconut Milk 1 can
Canned Fruit Nectar 1/2 cup
Fresh Fruit cut as desired 4 cups
Sugar 1/2 cup
Salt Pinch
This recipe is super simple and it is a great way to make a simple desert out of cooked rice. The rice can be any type, white, brown, sticky, black, or whatever. Just remember that each rice has its own flavor and that will impact the taste of the final dish. This dish can be served room temperature or warm, it is up to you. For me, I like to serve the rice at room temperature and the fruit chilled for a nice contrast in temperature. If you also want some “crunch” texture, you can top with toasted coconut or serve a neutral flavored cookie with the dessert.
1. Place the cooked rice into a bowl and stir in the coconut milk and canned nectar. If you have ripe fruit
around the house you can also blend it with the coconut milk to create your own fruit nectar.
2. Add the sugar and salt, stir and adjust sweetness if desired.
3. If you wish to serve the dish warm, you can cover it and heat it slowly in the microwave oven.
4. Serve it with the cold diced fruit and a garnish if desired.
