"Ohana" means family, and it's at the heart of Hawaii-born chef Sheldon Simeon's second cookbook title.
Simeon joined "Good Morning America" on Thursday to share new recipes from "Ohana Style: Food from Hawai'i, for Your Family," a new collection inspired by the flavors, traditions and everyday cooking of Hawaii.
In the book, the Maui-based chef and two-time "Top Chef" fan-favorite expands on the meaning of "Ohana" with more than 100 unfussy and crowd-pleasing dishes that are meant to bring people together around the table.
Simeon drew from his experience cooking for his wife, four kids, and restaurant community during the pandemic and weaves in personal stories of resilience and connection through food, including rebuilding the community after the 2023 Lahaina wildfires.
Check out a few of his full recipes below for creative comfort foods with some pantry-driven twists, rooted in Hawaii's diverse culinary influences.
Ingredients
For the cauliflower:
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for the baking sheet
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
2 teaspoons gochugaru (Korean chile flakes) or red chile flakes
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more as needed
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 head cauliflower, cut into florets about the size of a Ping-Pong ball
3/4 cup panko bread crumbs
2 teaspoons toasted sesame seeds
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 jalapeño, seeded and finely chopped
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
3 scallions, chopped, white and green parts kept separate
For the chili-garlic glaze:
1/4 cup honey
3 tablespoons chili-garlic sauce
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Directions
Preheat the oven to 425 F and place a full-sized baking sheet in the oven to heat.
In a large bowl, whisk together the olive oil, eggs, gochugaru, salt, pepper, cinnamon, and turmeric. Add the cauliflower florets and toss to coat.
Add the panko and toss again, then add the sesame seeds, garlic, jalapeño, ginger, and scallion whites, and gently toss to combine.
Carefully remove the hot baking sheet from the oven and drizzle with olive oil. Spread the florets in a single, evenly spaced layer and sprinkle with a few pinches of salt.
Bake, stirring every 10 minutes or so, until the cauliflower is golden brown and crispy, 30 to 40 minutes.
Meanwhile, stir together the honey, chili-garlic sauce, and olive oil in a small saucepan over medium-low heat until heated through and fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes.
Drizzle the crispy cauliflower with the glaze, garnish with the reserved scallion greens, and serve immediately.
Ingredients
For the dan dan sauce:
1 tablespoon neutral oil, plus more for storing
1/2 pound ground pork
2 tablespoons finely chopped bread-and-butter pickles
3 tablespoons shoyu (soy sauce)
2 teaspoons chicken bouillon powder
1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper
1/4 cup extra-crunchy peanut butter
3 cloves garlic, minced or grated
2 teaspoons light brown sugar
2 teaspoons rice vinegar
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
Toasted sesame oil, optional
For serving:
Two 3-ounce packages instant noodles, flavor packets saved for another use
3 scallions, thinly sliced
Chili crisp, for serving
Directions
Heat the neutral oil in a skillet over high heat until shimmering. Add the ground pork and cook, breaking it up with a spatula, until lightly browned, 3 to 4 minutes.
Stir in the pickles, 1 tablespoon of the shoyu, the bouillon powder, and white pepper, and cook, scraping up any browned bits, until the liquid evaporates and the pork begins to brown again, about 1 minute.
Add the remaining shoyu, peanut butter, garlic, brown sugar, rice vinegar, and Worcestershire sauce, and stir until combined.
Remove from the heat and transfer the sauce to a lidded jar. Drizzle a small amount of toasted sesame oil, if using, or neutral oil over the top to form a thin layer. Refrigerate until ready to use, up to five days.
Cook the instant noodles according to package directions and drain, reserving most of the starchy noodle water.
Stir the dan dan sauce into the noodles, adding some of the reserved hot water as needed until a loose, smooth sauce forms that coats the noodles.
Top with scallions and chili crisp and serve immediately.
Ingredients
For the cheesecake:
12-ounce block cream cheese, at room temperature
2 large eggs, slightly beaten
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
9-inch prepared graham cracker crust
For the topping:
12-ounce can frozen guava nectar concentrate, preferably Hawaii's Own, thawed
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 teaspoon unflavored gelatin powder
1/4 cup warm water
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 F.
In a medium bowl, use an electric mixer to beat the cream cheese, eggs, sugar, and vanilla on low speed until smooth.
Pour the filling into the prepared crust and bake until set, about 25 minutes. Let cool completely.
Bring the guava concentrate to a boil in a small saucepan.
In a small bowl, whisk together the cornstarch, gelatin, and warm water until dissolved, then stir into the guava.
Reduce the heat to a simmer, add the lemon juice, and cook, stirring frequently, until the topping is thick and clear, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool completely.
Spread the cooled guava topping over the cheesecake and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to overnight before slicing and serving.
Recipes reprinted with permission from "Ohana Style: Food from Hawai'i, for Your Family" by Sheldon Simeon; with Garrett Snyder, copyright © 2026. Published by Clarkson Potter Publishers, an imprint of Penguin Random House.
Later, Simeon joined "GMA3" with three more dishes from his new cookbook.
Check out those additional recipes below.
Ingredients
2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon chicken bouillon powder
1 teaspoon gochugaru (Korean chile flakes) or red chile flakes, or to taste
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper
Neutral oil
1 pound frozen fish sticks, or frozen battered fillets halved lengthwise
1/4 medium sweet onion, sliced into quarter moons
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1/2 medium jalapeño, thinly sliced
1/4 cup thinly sliced scallions
1/4 cup torn basil leaves, optional
Directions
In a small bowl, mix together the sugar, bouillon powder, gochugaru, salt, and white pepper and set aside.
Line a plate with paper towels and set it near the stove. Drizzle just enough oil into a large skillet to lightly coat the bottom and place over medium-high heat.
Once the oil shimmers, add the frozen fish sticks and cook until heated through and golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes per side, depending on thickness. Transfer to the paper towels.
In the same skillet, drizzle in enough oil to lightly coat the bottom again. Once very hot and just starting to smoke, add the onion, ginger, and garlic, and stir-fry until fragrant and lightly browned, 15 to 20 seconds.
Add the jalapeño and stir-fry until slightly softened, another 15 to 20 seconds.
Return the fish sticks to the pan and sprinkle with the reserved seasoning mixture, gently tossing and flipping to coat evenly while keeping them intact.
Remove from the heat, toss in the scallions and basil if using, and serve immediately.
Ingredients
3 cups thinly sliced green cabbage (9 ounces; see Note)
1 cup thinly sliced red cabbage (3 ounces)
1/2 cup grated carrot (2 ounces)
Kosher salt
1 heaping teaspoon plus 1 tablespoon sugar
Half a 20-ounce can crushed pineapple with juice
1/2 cup mayonnaise
Grated zest of 1/2 lime
2 teaspoons fresh lime juice
1/4 teaspoon ground white or freshly ground black pepper
Directions
In a large bowl, combine the green cabbage, red cabbage, and carrot. Sprinkle with 1 heaping teaspoon kosher salt and 1 heaping teaspoon sugar and toss to combine.
Let sit for 15 to 20 minutes, then gently press down on the vegetables and pour off any liquid from the bottom of the bowl.
Add the pineapple with juice, mayonnaise, remaining 1 tablespoon sugar, lime zest, lime juice, and pepper, and stir well to combine.
Taste and season with more salt as needed, keeping in mind the slaw will taste less salty once chilled.
Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to overnight before serving.
Ingredients
Cooking spray or neutral oil
3-ounce box orange Jell-O
1/2 cup boiling water
1 cup mochiko (glutinous rice flour)
1/2 cup pulp-free orange juice
1/3 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Distilled white vinegar, to keep the mochi pliable
Cornstarch or potato starch, for dusting
6 small mandarin oranges, peeled, rinsed, and dried
Mint leaves, optional, for garnish
Directions
Coat an 8-by-8-inch microwave-safe baking dish or microwave-safe bowl with cooking spray or wipe with an oil-soaked paper towel.
In a heatproof medium bowl, whisk together the Jell-O and boiling water until fully dissolved. Add the mochiko, orange juice, sugar, vanilla, and a few drops of vinegar, and stir until a smooth batter forms.
Pour into the prepared dish and cover with plastic wrap.
Microwave on high for 2 minutes, then knead and fold the mochi with a silicone spatula. Cover and continue microwaving on high in 1-minute increments, kneading and folding each time, until the dough is translucent, 4 to 5 minutes total.
Uncover and let cool for about 10 minutes.
Dust a work surface, a large plate, and your palms with about 1/4 cup cornstarch. Grab a handful of mochi, roll into a ball, dip in cornstarch until no longer sticky, then flatten into a pancake about 1/4 inch thick and at least 5 inches wide.
Place a mandarin orange upside down in the center, bring the dough up around it, and pinch to seal, removing any excess dough to reuse. Place seam-side down on the prepared plate.
Repeat with the remaining mandarins, adding more cornstarch as needed.
Garnish with mint leaves if desired. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days, though mochi is best eaten within 24 hours.
'GMA' kitchen picks
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