Sep 16
Tender pork and salty butterfish wrapped in layers of soft lūʻau leaves and steamed slowly until everything becomes rich, savory, and almost meltingly tender—that is the heart of Hawaiian lau lau. Unlike many dishes that are casually labeled “Hawaiian” because they contain pineapple or teriyaki sauce, lau lau is rooted in Hawaiian food tradition. Its …
Sep 02
Plump shrimp coated with loads of golden garlic, melted butter, and a touch of spice make North Shore garlic shrimp one of Oʻahu’s most recognizable roadside foods. Served shell-on with hot white rice and a wedge of lemon, it’s messy, intensely garlicky, and exactly the kind of food you’ll want to eat with your hands. …
Jul 29
Fresh pineapple becomes something completely different after a few minutes over a hot grill. The juicy fruit develops dark grill marks, lightly caramelized edges, and a deeper sweetness while keeping enough acidity to remain bright and refreshing. This easy grilled pineapple recipe requires only a handful of ingredients and works equally well as a simple …
Jul 22
Juicy grilled chicken, caramelized pineapple, and a sweet-savory teriyaki-style glaze make these colorful skewers an easy favorite for summer cookouts, backyard parties, and casual weeknight dinners. The chicken marinates in shoyu, pineapple juice, ginger, garlic, and brown sugar before being grilled until lightly charred around the edges. Fresh pineapple cooks alongside it, becoming sweeter and …
Jul 15
Creamy, soft, slightly tangy, and wonderfully simple, Hawaiʻi-style macaroni salad—usually just called mac salad in Hawaiʻi—is one of the defining sides of the local plate lunch. It commonly appears beside two scoops of white rice and a hearty entrée such as chicken katsu, kalbi, teriyaki beef, shoyu chicken, or hamburger steak. Rather than competing with …
Jun 18
Soft, fluffy steamed buns filled with sweet-savory char siu pork are one of Hawaiʻi’s most beloved portable foods. Known locally as manapua, these generously sized buns evolved from Chinese char siu bao after Chinese immigrants brought their food traditions to Hawaiʻi during the 19th century. Classic manapua are usually larger than the char siu bao …
Jun 10
Hot from the fryer, crisp around the edges, unbelievably fluffy in the center, and covered generously with granulated sugar, malasadas are one of Hawaiʻi’s most beloved sweet treats. But malasadas aren’t originally Hawaiian. Their roots are Portuguese, particularly connected with immigrants from Madeira and the Azores who came to Hawaiʻi during the plantation era beginning …
