1. Poi
A Hawaiian staple made from kalo (taro), a starchy vegetable. It is produced by mashing cooked taro on a timber pounding board with a carved wooden pestle and adding water to make a paste.
2. Poke
This raw fish dish, pronounced ‘poh-kay’, usually features ‘ahi (tuna) cubed and seasoned with ingredients such as Hawaiian sea salt (pa‘akai), limu (seaweed), and inamona (roasted, ground kukui nut). Over time, additional seasonings like soy sauce and sesame oil have become common due to Asian culinary influences.
3. Malasada
Also known as a Portuguese donut, this fried dessert is made from flattened rounds of yeast dough, flavoured with lemon zest and coated with granulated sugar and cinnamon. Choose from original (non-filled) or filled malasadas including custard, dobash (chocolate) or haupia (coconut) varieties.
4. Shave ice
This iconic frozen treat consists of finely shaved snow cones in exotic flavours, with a choice of ice cream or azuki (red) beans underneath.
5. Loco moco
Invented to satisfy the hunger pangs of surfers, this high-carb, high-protein hit consists of a hamburger patty, fried egg and brown gravy on top of steamed rice. It was created in Hilo on the island of Hawai‘i at the request of local teenagers – one of whom was studying Spanish at school and suggested the name loco, which means ‘crazy’, and moco because it rhymed.
6. Lomi salmon
A dish that combines diced salted salmon with tomatoes, onions and spring onions. Lomilomi is the Hawaiian word for to knead or massage, and its name refers to the act of mixing the ingredients.
7. Garlic shrimp
A dish made popular by the shrimp trucks on O‘ahu’s North Shore, it is much loved by local surfers and visitors alike.
8. Haupia pie
A dessert made from thickened coconut milk and chocolate, layered into a pie crust and topped with whipped cream.
9. Saimin
Similar to ramen, this soup (which means ‘thin noodles’) consists of a broth made with kombu dashi (dried kelp) and kamaboko (fish cakes), garnished with diced spring onions. It originated in the plantation era when people from different ethnic camps brought ingredients to work to share.
10. Mochi
A sweet Japanese rice cake made of mochigome, a short-grain japonica glutinous rice, and sometimes other ingredients such as water, sugar, and corn starch.
