Many think that Hawaiian foods consist of pizza with pineapple and ham on top, or piece of chicken with sweet pineapple sauce glazed over it. Contrary to popular belief, Hawaiian cuisine doesn’t only consist of pineapple toppings; it’s a fusion of many different foods which were brought to the Hawaiian Islands through immigrants from all over the world. Particularly foods from America, China, Korea, and the Philippines have combined to create what is known as traditional Hawaiian cuisine. Immigrants brought their recipes and their culture with them which have joined together to create the tastes of Hawaii.
Today, local restaurants and roadside food stands most commonly make what is known as the plate lunch or “loco moco.” The plate consists of two scoops of rice, American macaroni salad, a hamburger patty, and a fried egg with gravy.
Other traditional Hawaiian foods include;
Lau-Lau– This is an authentic Hawaiian entrée. Using pork, chicken, or a vegetable, the middle filling is wrapped with taro leaves and seasoned to perfection. The dish is then cooked in a pressure cooker or an underground oven and topped off with a sprinkle of salt.
Kalua pig– This is usually the center piece of the traditional Hawaiian Luau. The pig is slowly cooked and smoked in an oven dug into the ground, and is seasoned with Hawaiian salt.
Lomi-lomi salmon- This seafood dish originated in Hawaii and combines crushed ice, green onions, diced salmon and tomatoes and is massaged together. This dish is commonly found at modern Hawaiian Luau’s.
Poi– Poi is derived from the taro plant. By mashing the taro leaves and adding water, a bowl of liquid poi is created. This dish is an acquired taste; it however usually wins over the hearts of those who persistently consume it.
Musubi- This Hawaiian lunch food is comprised of a slice of grilled spam on top of a block of rice, which is wrapped with dried seaweed. The dish came from the Japanese tradition of omusubi.