Kalua pig is a traditional Hawaiian dish where a whole pig, seasoned only with Hawaiian sea salt, is placed inside a large pit that has been dug in the ground. Heated lava rocks are placed in the pit, with the insulation cover made from banana or ti leaves.
The pig is then covered with more insulation and soil and is left to slowly roast through the day. The word kalua from the name of the dish refers to cooking in an underground pit, called imu in Hawaiian. The pig is usually served at special events, parties, and family gatherings, accompanied by steamed rice and taro root paste.
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Plate lunch is an original, traditional Hawaiian dish consisting of two large scoops of white rice, macaroni salad that is heavy on the mayonnaise, and one meat-based entrée. If a plate has more than one entrée, it is then called a mixed plate.
The dish stems back to the 1800s when sugar companies made plantations in Hawaii, attracting workers from all over the world. Since the immigrant workers didn't like sandwiches and similar American foods, they would place leftover rice and meats into metal tins with compartments, and plate lunch was born, based on the Japanese bento box tradition.
MOST ICONIC Plate Lunch
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Loco moco is Hawaii's popular comfort food, most often consisting of sticky rice at the bottom, topped with a hamburger patty, a fried egg, and the thick gravy that is poured on top of the whole combination, although there are numerous variations using bacon, ham, chicken, oysters, and shrimp.
It is believed that loco moco was invented in Hilo, Hawaii in the 1940s, when Nancy Inouye, the wife of Lincoln Grill owner, prepared it as a meal that was affordable to the local children. When she put it on the menu, her husband Richard said that the kids are crazy (loco), and loco moco was born.
MOST ICONIC Loco Moco
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Chicken long rice is a Hawaiian dish with the influence of Chinese cuisine. The dish is made with a combination of vermicelli noodles, ginger, green onions, and chicken thighs in a clear chicken broth. Some say that it's a version of chicken soup, only with more noodles and less soup.
Chicken long rice can be found in most Hawaiian restaurants and it's a comforting dish for many locals, especially during cold weather. It's served in shallow bowls as a first course or as a side dish accompanying lau lau or lomi lomi salmon. If desired, it can be additionally seasoned with soy sauce.
Laulau is a traditional Native Hawaiian dish. It's usually made by wrapping pork and butterfish in luau (taro) leaves, but nowadays beef, chicken, or sweet potatoes can be used in addition to pork or instead of it. Once assembled, laulau is placed into an underground oven called imu, and it's then covered with hot rocks and banana leaves.
After some time, when the meat is fully cooked, the dish is ready to be served. Laulau is also sometimes prepared at home, and it's usually steamed instead of being cooked in an imu. It's recommended to serve it with rice and poi on the side.
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