In case you need to catch up from the last post about Hawaiian food, just go here. 

Fish  There are so many edible fish in Hawaiian waters it would be impossible to list them all in this post. Besides, you will only find a few, out of all the fish, on menus intended for visitors. Unfortunate, too, because many of the less well known fish … to visitors … are very tasty.
 
Here’s a list of the better known fish … and a few not so well known.

• aku   (ah koo) Very similiar to ‘ahi but stronger tasting. Aku was very well known to the ancient Hawaiians.

• ono OK, this is the ‘ono ono I spoke of earlier (in case you didn’t read the previous post; ‘ono also means “delicious). Thus, ‘ono ono. This fish is tasty grilled or baked, and appears on just about every menu where local fish are featured.
•  `ôpakapaka  (OH’ pah kah pah kah) This fish is just an all around favorite, and can be prepared baked, fried, broiled, or as "sashimi."
• mahimahi  Appears on menus all over the world with its Hawaiian name intact. Maybe because it’s just fun to say …mah’ hee mah’ hee. Say that a few times and you’ll never forget it. 
• ulua  (oo loo ah) Super game fish, and extremely good eating, to boot. You won’t find this on all menu, but ask for it anyway.
• Here are some favorites you might find in local markets and restaurants: `û`û (menpachi), `ôpelu, akule,  a`u, `ula `ula (onaga). All of these are excellent eating fish.

Ah, well it’s time for News Flash and Fun Facts About Hawaii.

a hui hou

“Ono” Hawaiian Food

So, in the interest of clarity, I’m offering the following ….

Traditional Hawaiian Food

Poi (poy) Made from the thoroughly cooked, mashed, corm of the Taro (Kalo in Hawaiian) plant. Traditionally, Poi is not mixed with other foods, and is eaten by twirling one or  two fingers (never three; greedy, eh?) in a bowl of Poi, then popping what’s collected in the mouth. OK, in modern times, not so much, but it is usally offered as a side dish. I’m a slob, and I like to mix it with my rice.

 Kalua pig (kah loouh …. hey, you know how to pronounce pig) Traditionally, and the only authentic kalua pig is cooked in an underground oven called an imu. The heat source is hot rocks, and much of the unique flavor comes from salt, and wet banana and ti leaves. So, you folks who go to a lu’au where the pig is cooked in a pit are treated to the real deal, no matter how much other imitation stuff is going on. (Note: The word kalua literally means "to cook in an underground oven" and also describes the flavor of food cooked that way).

Lu’au  Thoroughly steamed young Taro leaves … also what a festive event is called. A very popular party dish is lu’au steamed with coconut milk and some kind of fish, meat or fowl. “Eh, you like squid lu’au?“

Laulau (think “bow wow“ …only with L’s) Lau is the Hawaiian word for leaf, so laulau is two leaves. This is a handy little food package consisting of a single portion of meat (usually pork) and butterfish wrapped in lu’au (taro leaf), then wrapped in ti leaf … the aluminum foil of the Pacific. Then the whole package is thoroughly steamed. When served, you unwrap the ti leaf and set it aside … please, please don’t eat the ti leaves. You wouldn’t eat aluminum foil, right? Many local people sprinkle little bit “peppah watah” on.  

‘Uala (Hawaiian purple sweet potato) You’ll find this tasty tuber at lu’aus, and most places where they serve “Hawaiian plate.“ This is an ancient food item, and it is believed that it was brought to central Polynesia circa 700 AD, possibly by Polynesians who had traveled to South America and back (or vice versa), and spread across Polynesia to Hawaii.  

Limu (seaweed) This is such a big category it would take several  posts just to touch on the highlights.  Suffice it to say that native Hawaiians … as well as most of the prominent local cultures of Hawaii … have enjoyed limu as part of their basic diet for literally thousands of years. It’s eaten in raw, cooked and dried form, and is very nutritious.

Fish …….Whew! this is getting kinda long. I’ll finish up with my usual, then return midweek with another post on the “ono” foods of Hawaii. Some recipes, too.

News Flash: Running out of ideas for that November ’09 vacation? To get inspired Check this out.

Fun Facts About Hawaii: As such, in the State of Hawaii there are no governments below the county level. So, don’t look for the City Hall in Hilo.
 
Any questions? Please leave a comment.

Aloha a hui hou