When visiting Hawaii, you will encounter many foods names and terms that may seem quite foreign to you. This is due to the fact that Hawaii is such a melting pot of cultures from around the world, with influences from the Chinese, Filipino, Hawaiian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, Puerto Rican, Samoan, Thai, Vietnamese and others.
In this series, we take a look at some of the common foods and food terms that you'll find in the islands.
In this second part of our
series, we look at the foods that you are likely to find at one or more of the
many luaus throughout Hawaii. While you won't find every one of these foods at
every individual luau, we're confident that we have covered most of the foods
that you are likely to find at any luau that you choose.
In the event that you would
like to try to cook some of these foods yourself, we've included links to
recipes for most of the dishes listed. At the end of the glossary we provide
links to several related books of interest.
These
delicious rich, red spareribs are a favorite thanks to the Chinese
immigrants to Hawaii.
Chicken
Adobo (recipe
from Hawaii's own Governor Ben Cayatano)
This
national dish of the Philippines is a favorite at luaus. It is a stew with
chicken and pork (or beef, shellfish) in a sauce of white vinegar, soy
sauce, garlic, and peppercorns.
Hawaii's
own version of barbecued chicken is cooked with Huli-Huli Sauce (made with
pure Hawaiian brown sugar cane along with soy sauce, fresh ginger and
more).
Kalua
Pig (make at home recipe) Kalua
Pig (cooked in an imu - underground oven)
The
featured dish at every luau, Kalua Pig is slow-cooked whole in an imu
(underground oven) for many hours.
Great
as a dip for pupu's (appetizers) or a stand-alone side dish, Korean style
Kim Chee is made of fresh island cabbage, chili peppers, ginger,
garlic and other seasonings.
From
the Hawaiian words to massage, knead or rub, Lomi Lomi Salmon is made with
cold diced salmon, tomatoes and onion. It is found at almost every luau in
the islands.
Lu`au
Taro
leaves, often baked with coconut cream and chicken or octopus; the word
eventually came to mean a Hawaiian feast, which is also known as 'aha'aina
or pa'ina.
One
of the staple foods of the Hawaiian diet, poi is a thick, purple-colored
paste made by pounding taro. Poi
can be bought fresh or "day-old," which allows a sour flavor to
develop. Poi is labeled "one-finger," "two-finger" or
"three-finger" to describe its consistency--the thicker the poi,
the fewer fingers needed to scoop it up. Today, is it used in many Hawaiian
recipes or served as a side dish.
Poi
Dinner Rolls
These
delicious purple-colored rolls made from taro flour are a staple at almost every
luau. If you know of a good recipe, let me know!
A
Japanese favorite of beef marinated in teriyaki sauce and island
seasonings and then broiled or grilled. The same recipe can also be used
with chicken.
Ti
leaves are used in Hawaiian cooking to wrap foods that are to be cooked.
The leaves are removed before the food is eaten. Dried ti leaves, which
can be found in some ethnic markets, must be soaked to soften before they
can be used.
Also
known as kalo, taro leaves are eaten as a vegetable or wrapped
around fish and meats. The root is cooked and pounded into poi.
Related
Books of Interest
Alan Fong's
New Wave Luau by Alan Wong
An excellent cookbook by one of the premier chefs of Hawaiian Regional Cuisine.
Wong shows you how to take traditional luau foods and prepare them in all new
and exciting ways.
Entertaining
Hawaiian Style: The How to Book of Hawaiian Luaus by Patricia L. Fry
This book is a great place to start if you want to hold a luau in your own
backyard. It covers everything from how to cook a kalua pig and other luau foods
to even how to speak some basic Hawaiian.
Hawaii's Best Tropical Food and Drinks
by Hawaiian Service Inc.
If you're looking to find out how to make that specialty Hawaiian drink, this
book is for you.
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