Delicious dishes that make travelers fall in love with the paradise of Hawaii's beaches.
Mar 20, 2024
Hawaii is always seen as the favorite destination for anyone with a passion for travel. It's not just alluring because of its beautiful natural scenery resembling paradise, but also enticing due to its extremely distinctive culinary culture. Each famous dish of Hawaii carries its own unique, novel, and exceptional flavors that leave an unforgettable impression on anyone who has tasted them.
1. POKE
Poke is one of the famous traditional dishes of Hawaii that many locals as well as tourists love. The main ingredients of this dish include raw fish, Limu seaweed, and soybeans. It is prepared in a method quite similar to Japanese sashimi. However, instead of thinly sliced, the fish is cubed into bite-sized pieces.
This dish is a part of the lifestyle of Hawaiians, no matter where the current-day poke trends may take us. For locals and visitors alike, this is a mouth-watering must-have.
2. LOCO-MOCO
Loco-Moco is also considered one of the famous specialties of Hawaii that you must try if you ever have the chance to visit. Hawaiians often enjoy this dish for breakfast. A plate of Loco-Moco typically includes white rice, sunny-side-up eggs, burger patty, and is topped with gravy sauce. When enjoyed, diners mix everything together. Despite nothing particularly special about the ingredients, Loco-Moco has an incredibly delicious flavor.
3. POI CAKE
Not only is Poi cake a famous dish of Hawaii, but it also holds a very important and sacred significance in the lives of the people here. This dish has a long history. It was brought by the first people to set foot in Hawaii over 400 years ago.
Poi cake is made by grinding the stem of the taro plant and cooking it until soft. However, it is not eaten right away but left to ferment for a few days. When enjoying poi cake, you will experience a slightly tangy and unique taste.
4. Kālua Pig
Kālua Pig is a famous dish of Hawaii, quite special both in taste and preparation method. After being cleaned, the pigs are left whole and salted, then placed in a large pit or an oven and buried underground. Then, various types of volcanic rocks are placed on top, and a fire is lit for about 8 hours. After this period, the pork will be very tender and infused with a distinctly smoky aroma.
5. Haupia Coconut Cake
One of the famous dishes of Hawaii that cannot be overlooked is the Haupia coconut cake. This is a traditional dish with a long history. Over time, this cake has been improved in both preparation method and flavor to make it even more delicious and appealing.
The method of making Haupia coconut cake is quite simple. Hawaiians harvest coconuts from trees, extract the coconut water, mix it with sugar, salt, hot water, and cornstarch. Once the mixture becomes smooth, it is poured into a square mold and chilled with gelatin. When enjoying, the cake can be steamed or baked depending on each person's preference.
Enjoying famous dishes is always a wonderful way to learn about the culture and history of a new region. We hope that the famous dishes of Hawaii we introduced above will help you have enjoyable and memorable experiences on your upcoming trip to Hawaii.
