Why
Hawaiian Cuisine
is special

Hawaiian Cuisine is one of the best and oldest examples of fusion cuisine. Polynesian, Asian, European and mainland American culinary heritages have profoundly influenced it.

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The four branches

Hawaiian Cuisine has four distinct culinary personalities:

Traditional Polynesian  see below
Modern Luau  see below
Local Hawaiian   click Page two
Regional Hawiian  click Page two

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Traditional Polynesian

This is the cooking style most people associate with Hawaiian Cuisine. The seafaring Polynesians first landed on uninhabited Hawaii about 700 A.D., bringing their plants, pigs and cooking techniques. Their most celebrated contribution was the luau, a communal feast that included these famous dishes:

Kalua Pig
The whole animal is slow-cooked in an imu (an underground pit oven).

Poi
Mashed cook taro root.  Used as the starch staple.

Lau Lau Foods
Foods wrapped in Ti leaves and steamed in the imu.

Lomi Salmon
Seasoned diced raw fish.

Haupia
Coconut cream pudding-like dessert.

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Modern Luau

The Luaus orchestrated today are popular with residents and (especially) tourists. They serve the above-mentioned Polynesian Luau dishes. However, the cooks use many shortcuts. And, the events are more commercial than communal. But like in the old days, they can be fun.

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Click

Hawaiian cuisine - Page two

for more pointers

What's good, what's bad about it

California

Creole & Cajun

New England

Soul Food

Southern

Southwestern

Tex Mex + New York Ethnic

Penn Dutch + Midwest farm

Native American

Cowboy + Pioneer

American city specialties

World cuisines

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Clickable
American cuisine map

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