Eating Hawaiian Style

Since moving to the Big Island of Hawaii, I’ve had a powerful desire to sample all aspects of the culture. Given my culinary background, food is naturally one of my primary interests. I have assembled a short list here, and will continue to add to this list as I have the opportunity.

Poi

Perhaps the food that mainlanders associate most with Hawaii is Poi. Poi is specific to Hawaii and is not found anywhere else in the world, making it significantly important to the people of the islands and the preservation of their culture. Here is a brief history of it’s importance in the culture:

After creating the islands of Hawaii and giving birth to the stars and heavens, the sky and the earth had another child: Haloa. Believing he was stillborn and mourning the loss of their child, the two wrapped him and buried him in the earth. It was at this point when Haloa came to life, sprouting stems and magnificent, heart-shaped leaves. He was then known as the first Hawaiian and the ancestor of all people of the islands.

The process of making poi has not changed much from its original method. The taro root is cooked slowly and for many hours, traditionally in an imu, or underground pit. This cooking method breaks down the root’s fibers. On a stone tool, which is still used today, the cooked taro is mixed with water and then pounded into a thin or thick paste, depending on preference. When fresh, the poi is sweet and often consumed as a dessert. When given some time, the poi becomes a bit sour and is perfect as an addition to savory meals.

I have to admit, I’m not a huge fan perhaps because my Western palate isn’t used to it. However, as a child I went to elementary school on Oahu and on Fridays the school lunch usually included some typical Hawaiian foods. I always looked forward to it and I did always eat the poi.

kalua pork

The other food everyone associates with the Islands is roast pig.

Traditional Hawaiian Kalua pig, like taro for poi, is also cooked in an Imu. An Imu is a 2- 4 foot deep pit dug and filled with kindling and rock, most often lava rock or basalt, and lit on fire. It takes a few hours for the kindling to turn to coal and the stones to get to an even heat and once they are ready to cook the pig, tropical leaves are placed on top to steam cook the pork.

The pork comes out so incredibly tender and juicy. You need lots of napkins for this feast! The seasonings are super simple: just Hawaiian red salt is traditional. The Imu gives it a lovely smoky flavor. The good news is that you don’t need to cook an entire pig to enjoy this dish. There are good recipes using a crockpot and a little liquid smoke to cook a pork shoulder, and we’ve had good success cooking the meat in a smoker – no need for anything else to flavor it.

SPAM

When I was younger, my parents had Spam as a good source of protein on our sailboat. Its role in Hawaii is significantly elevated above a “convenience” food. Spam is especially popular here, where residents have the highest per capita consumption in the United States. If you go into any larger grocery store in Hawaii, you will find a larger variety of Spam than you ever imagine existed! Varieties of Spam are found in Hawaii that are unavailable in other markets, including Honey Spam, Spam with Bacon, and Hot and Spicy Spam, to name just a few.

I haven’t had Spam in many years – it’s just not to my taste – but since it is such an important part of the culture here, I had to reintroduce myself. I decided to try Spam Musubi, a popular snack and lunch food. Typical preparation begins with grilling or frying slices of Spam and adding a sauce in which soy sauce and granulated sugar are the basic ingredients. Using a mold the same size as a slice of Spam, a layer of cooked rice is pressed down over a strip of nori (seaweed), with a slice of Spam on top of that, a dash of furikake (a mixture of dried fish, sesame seeds, chopped seaweed, sugar, salt), and then another layer of rice. The mold is removed and the nori is wrapped over the top and around the musubi. It is served sometimes with soy sauce or Japanese mayonnaise. Add some scrambled egg between the layers and it’s breakfast!

You can often find Spam musubi next to the cash register in convenience stores, and that’s where I found the sample I tasted. A dear friend recommended a small mom-and-pop market in Hilo as having the best Musubi and I must admit, I was pleasantly surprised! I found it to be a perfectly palatable mini-meal. The slice of Spam was thin and tender with the added spices giving it an unexpected complexity.

Do I get extra credit for not referencing a certain Monty Python sketch?

Shave ice

It is NOT “shaved ice.” No. It is Shave Ice. Very important to say it correctly or you will give yourself away as a haole (white mainlander). While it does resemble a snow cone, snow cones are made with crushed, rather than shaved, ice. 

Hawaii Shave Ice is often flavored with local ingredients like guava, pineapple, lychee, and passion fruit. A scoop of vanilla ice cream goes in the paper cup first, then the shave ice on top. Often, it is topped with a sweet, creamy topping.

To put it mildly, Shave Ice is wonderful! Perfect for a hot day. Or pretty much any day.

POKE

Pronounced “poh-kay,” this is one of my favorite Hawaiian-style foods. Poke is essentially raw fish (usually tuna), cubed up and seasoned. Poke can also be made from cubed octopus. It is different from ceviche because there is no citrus to cure the meat.

My favorite is Ahi poke seasoned with sesame oil, soy sauce, and green onions. Second to that is spicy poke which is drizzled with a spicy mayo-like dressing. Or maybe I prefer the wasabi poke – good for clearing the sinuses for sure! Anyway, there are some great spots on the Big Island for fresh poke and I have tried many of them. Just for research of course…

The best spot on the Big Island is Da Poke Shack in Kona along Alii Drive. You have to get there early since their menu is derived from whatever is the catch of the day and if you come too late, you’ll miss out since they only get fish in stock for one day’s worth of sales. With that said, there are several local Hilo-side stores which offer a nice variety of fresh poke, so there’s no reason to drive out of your way to try this traditional, super-yummy dish.

Lau lau

I hate to admit it, but I am not a huge fan of lau lau. It is very popular here and very traditional, but even though I’ve tried a few times, I just haven’t acquired a taste for it. It may be because my tastes are more suited to leaner cuts of meat. I would encourage everyone to try it though since everyone’s tastes are different.

Lau lau is traditionally made by wrapping fatty pork and salted butterfish in taro leaves and steamed. I’ve had it with and without the fish included and for many people, this is their favorite Hawaiian food. It is very rich and is often served as part of a “plate lunch” which also includes rice and macaroni salad. A good lau lau is meaty, savory, and VERY juicy.

If you’re going to try it, I recommend checking out Verna’s Drive-In near the Hilo airport, or Zippy’s, just down the road. Or, better yet, get yourself invited to a Hawaiian family picnic so you can have fresh lau lau made by Auntie.

Loco Moco

This is my newest conquest! I had seen it on menus many times, but it didn’t really appeal to me. Boy was I wrong. Loco Moco is rice topped with a hamburger patty, lots of gravy, and a fried sunny-side-up egg. I agree with what you’re thinking right now – it does sound strange. I was so surprised at how well the flavors went together and the creamy texture of the egg yolk, blended with the gravy was so satisfying. Real comfort food! Of course, the burger must be made from quality meat and fresh, homemade gravy is key.

This dish was invented in the late 1940s and as the story goes, a group of teenagers came to one of the local Hilo restaurants (it is disputed as to which one) and wanted to eat something that was different from their usual order. The owner brainstormed this filling creation that included everything the teenagers loved. 

They joked that the first boy who tried it was completely, “loco.” The word “moco” rhymed nicely. And thus was born…Loco Moco.

The good news is that Loco Moco is easy to find at almost any Hawaiian eatery. Zippy’s is quite popular for this dish, but one of my local friends insisted that I try it at a smaller local diner where the burger is a full half-pound! I may go there with a friend or three to split it with.

Huli Huli Chicken

A favorite in my family! Skinless chicken thighs are marinated in a sweet and tangy sauce, then cooked on the grill for an added light char. It’s just the right combo of sweet and tangy that makes this such a great dish.

I buy the marinade pre-made at the local grocery and it comes with recipe suggestions right on the bottle. The sauce is generally made with ketchup, brown sugar, soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, garlic, and ginger. Just marinate the chicken in the sauce for a few hours, then grill! I like to reduce the leftover marinade till thick then pour it over the cooked chicken. Be sure to let the marinade boil for a while prior to pouring on the chicken.

I often see signs for Huli Huli chicken for sale at the little mom-and-pop stands that are everywhere here. Do yourself a favor and try making this at home. You can order the marinade online and you’ll definitely want to serve it with Hawaiian sweet rolls on the side. Super yum!

I do hope you will try some of these dishes and there are so many more I haven’t tried yet. I think desserts like mochi, haupia, and kulolo will be next. And I am looking forward to trying locally-made malasadas. Stay tuned!