# Polynesian Foods



## gummy-bear (Oct 27, 2007)

My friend is hosting a party with a Polynesian theme. She is having Polynesian foods as well. I have no idea what that includes and she doesn't really have an idea either. What do you guys know about Polynesian foods? I'm doing some research but I was also looking for opinions. Thank you for your help, Gummy-Bear


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## dirk skene (Feb 13, 2007)

The first thing that comes to my mind is a pork roast with pineapple :lips: Grilled Mahi Mahi would be nice. If you go for the fish I'd suggest getting some nice grill marks & finishing it ogg in the oven. About 450 for 8-10 min. should to do it.

Don't forget the mai-ties.


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## gummy-bear (Oct 27, 2007)

Is Polynesian food interchanged with Hawaiian or is this the completely wrong signal that I'm getting?


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## dirk skene (Feb 13, 2007)

Weeelllll. We may need some advise on this one  I have always thought of it as one in the same . But before I went to Singapore I lumped Chinese food together too 

I am sure somebody with a good answer will chime in.


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## gummy-bear (Oct 27, 2007)

Also, the research I have done shows that spam is used often. How on earth can you make Spam edible?


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## dirk skene (Feb 13, 2007)

I just checked their web site. There are a few recipes there. spam.com. You might give it a shot. Got nothin to lose


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## jbd (Mar 17, 2008)

Tropical fruits come to mind as does taro root, although many mainlanders won't care for it. Pork is a common island food throughout Polynesia. Seafoods are commonly used. If I recall correctly, which I might not, breadfruit is common.

Spam is a common food item amongst native Hawaiians due to it availibility during WWll. There are places in Hawaii that feature Spam on their menus and the some of the chefs there are quite creative in using Spam.

Items in the vegetable group don't come to mind readily other than the taro.

Much of what would be considered island cooking would have been done in banana leaves etc.

Might want to skip the mai tai's for now :


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## fishmonger ran (May 19, 2008)

Spam Musubi is one of my absolute favorite snacks. Super easy to make too.
Go to: cookingcute.com and look it up.
for the perfect recipe. Almost exactly how we prepare in my home.
You may also want to do Poke. Here is a very basic recipe:

1 lb fresh fish (Ahi tuna, Albacore Tuna, Salmon)
2 tsp hawaiian rock salt (the Red Salt is better than the Gray if you can find it) You may also use a coarse kosher salt
2 Tbs Sesame Oil
1 tsp red pepper flake
1 tsp rooster sauce (Chinese Hot sauce)
1 Tbs Ogo (purple seaweed)(nori works just fine if you can't find the ogo)

Hint: You can find the Hawaiian rock salt at Trader Joe's and many oriental stores. As well, you can find the Ogo/Nori and rooster sauce there too.
Cut the raw fish in 1/2 to 3/4 inch squares. Set aside. Ogo only comes dried unless you gather it yourself, so you must soak it for about 2 minutes in cold water. Cut it into 1/2 inch lengths and add to fish. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix with your hands so your fish doesn't get mushy. Refrigerate for about an hour. Right before you serve it, chop some green onions and sprinkle on top. Serve and enjoy!

Fishmonger Ran


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## oregonyeti (Jun 16, 2007)

Hawaiian food is one type of Polynesian food, however, a lot of it now isn't traditional Hawaiian, but who cares, right? They now have a LOT of influence from Japanese, Korean, other Polynesian, and mainland USA food (others too, maybe?).

BTW I started a thread asking about Hawaiian cuisine just last night


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## fishmonger ran (May 19, 2008)

It is my understanding that most Native Hawaiian food comes about how most native foods come about. That is to say that they live off the land and sea and whatever is caught is what is eaten.

Influence from many cultures obviously play into the menu's of today's Hawaiian food. But again, if you look at the more popular (the stuff the locals eat in their homes, not the restaurants) foods, it is always using what is found locally; either grown or harvested from the sea. Importing food is expensive and most locals go to market (still to this day, Saturday Market is probably where the larger percent of the food is bought). 

I am definitely not a historian, but you have to take 3 years worth of Hawaiian history in school before you can graduate.

fishmonger ran


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## oregonyeti (Jun 16, 2007)

Yeah I don't know much. And who draws the timeline when new foods were no longer traditional.

If you go back far enough, even pork isn't traditional Hawaiian :crazy:

My ex-wife was born and raised in Hawaii and I had some close Hawaiian friends in college, and I learned some things from them. My cousin also married a Japanese-Hawaiian guy and he gave me a great tour when I visited. That's when I got to taste so much of that good stuff.


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## mikelm (Dec 23, 2000)

Don't forget to have some "long pig!" :lol:

Mike


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## kyheirloomer (Feb 1, 2007)

In my experience, when most people say "Polynesian" what they have in mind is a Trader Vic's, Don The Beachcomber" type theme---lots of tiki lamps, and poo-poo platters, and mai-tais to wash it all down.

If that's the case here, check out the book "Trader Vic's Tiki Party," by Steve Siegelman. It's published by 10 Speed Press, and available through Amazon.

While there are other books on the subject, Victor Bergeron (Trader Vic) started the whole thing, and kept it going, lo those many years. So his original drink- and food-recipes would make sense.

To fully carry out the theme, check out Tiki Mugs - Tiki Farm, Inc. for a selection of serving ware, mugs, and bowls.


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## dirk skene (Feb 13, 2007)

OK Mike, What is long pig  I GOTTA know.:smoking:


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## kyheirloomer (Feb 1, 2007)

He's gotcha, Mike. Now you're gonna have to use the dreaded "C" word

Were they in polynesia? I know they were in micronesia, but don't have a clue about the folk further north.


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## oregonyeti (Jun 16, 2007)

What cannibals call human flesh


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## fishmonger ran (May 19, 2008)

Of course, you can do Kalua Pig. If you do not want to dig the kalua (pit), there are several recipes online to do it in the oven or slow cooker. In my experience the slow cooker is the better of the two. 
And let me know if you want any ideas for the leftovers.


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## peachcreek (Sep 21, 2001)

I've been eating a lot of poisson cru lately. I learned to make it when we were visiting Bora Bora a few years ago. I eat it with a savoy cabbage mango slaw. Very tasty.


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## zora (Apr 9, 2008)

Rachel Laudan's _The Foods of Paradise_ is an OK treatment of the history of Hawaiian cuisine. Try cookbooks by Hawaiian star chefs like Sam Choy, Alan Wong, Roy Yamaguchi, Bev Gannon, etc. Sam Choy's _Aloha Cuisine_ isn't too bad. I worked on that one.

Indeed, I'm copyediting a Hawaiian cookbook right now. Pork adobo, loco moco, spam musubi, malasadas, haupia, poke, kalua pig, stir-fried chuka soba with bacon ... along with some ridiculously complex restaurant productions.

It's hard to give advice, however, since I have no idea what kinds of food re available where the poster lives. Can he get mochiko and coconut milk? Buy char siu?

Of course, if you want the real nitty-gritty of Polynesian cooking, there's nothing like living on a small island in the Ha'apai archipelago for a year or so. Pounded baked breadfruit molded into little dumplings and served with coconut caramel sauce (ngou'a -- my favorite!). New Zealand canned corned beef mixed with coconut milk and baked in taro leaves in an earth oven. Baked pig. Baked horse. Baked goat. Watermelon juice with coconut milk. Raw fish with lime juice, coconut milk, and chopped onions. (Tongan ceviche. Tasty.) Yams and fish. More yams and fish. Sea urchin and lobster. Hard tack for breakfast, with a cup of cheap tea and sweetened condensed milk. White bread and cheap fruit-flavored soda pop for breakfast. (That was popular in the capital, but I abstained.)

I don't think you could duplicate that for a party. If you did, probably no one would eat it.

Ask me more. This I know.


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## oahuamateurchef (Nov 23, 2006)

Zora explained it all excellently. I'd avoid trying to duplicate the particulars of Polynesian/Hawaiian food, and instead focus on a few more familiar items that will appeal to party goers. I still have years to go before I will be proud of my signature Hawaiian dishes, but intend to never include spam among them, even as popular as it is. I see it on the menu often, but I still have never tasted hot-dog sushi. There are some great recipes here, at the Hawaiian electric company. They include one on every month's bill.


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## gunnar (Apr 3, 2008)

some basic hawaiian dishes are LauLau ( have no idea how to make it) and pulled pork in kahlua ( again don't have a recipe). these were being sold everywhere in Hilo when my wife and I went a couple of years ago. Also a rotisseirie ..rotiserie ...rot..,..screw it.. a whole spitted chicken turning on the grill with a sauce pollo pollo ... i think. anyway good luck


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## oregonyeti (Jun 16, 2007)

Gunnar, there was a good laulau recipe posted on this thread
http://www.cheftalk.com/forums/food-...n-cuisine.html

Fishmonger Ran gets credit for that laulau recipe.

There are two competing threads right now and this one is ahead:roll:. But there's a recipe there. I love laulau.


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## zora (Apr 9, 2008)

It's kalua pork (pig baked in an earth oven, or baked with ti leaves and smoke flavoring). Not with Kahlua. Though that might be interesting  There's a recipe for kalua pork in _Aloha Cuisine_, but you'll probably find dozens of recipes online as well.

The chicken is called hulihuli chicken (huli is turn, in Hawaiian). It's roasted on a constantly-turning spit over keawe charcoal. There's one company that makes it. They contract with schools, athletic groups, etc. to run a fundraiser, then get permission to put up a tent and their grills in a church or supermarket parking lot. You buy a chicken and part of the money goes to the sponsoring group. You can smell the hulihuli chicken blocks away. I should think this would be hard to make at home, unless you owned a rotisserie.

Don't disdain spam. Spam musubi (cooked rice with a slice of fried teriyaki spam, wrapped in nori seaweed) is available most everywhere; it's cheap, filling, and can be 'ono when done well.

Though I must say that my favorite quick meal is a pork manapua. Island Manapua Factory kind.


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## fishmonger ran (May 19, 2008)

Zora - Thank you for bringing up the Spam Musubi. I was kinda sacred to bring it up myself with all these foodies..... This is so easy to make and is absolutely everywhere you turn in the islands. This is a quick, delicious snack that with the kamaaina (local resident - not tourist (haole) rate, cost about a buck each. So Ono!

Peachcreek: I was recently introduced to poison cru from one of my customers. All I can say is, "WOW!" What a fantastic mix of flavors. Every fish lover needs to give this a try. If anyone is interested in the recipe that was given me, just PM me and I will happy to write it out for you.
Great Thread Yeti!


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## ceejay (Apr 26, 2008)

Hawaiian food is not really hard to make. Kalua pig as Zora explained it is traditional made under ground, but now days you don’t have to. In a 4'' hotel pan place a couple of pork butts whole, add rock salt or sea salt, liquid smoke and just enough water to submerge the pork half way, place a layer of pvc film over the top then cover tightly with foil. Place in 350 oven for 4 hours, take out and shred. If the pork is still hard then put the cover back on and cook longer. 
Fish monger had a great Ahi Poke recipe. Can’t get a hold on good ahi. Try fresh salmon.
Oregon Yeti Loves lau lau for those that don’t know what that is here goes.
Its pork slow cooked in its own juices wrapped in taro leaves and usually some put butter fish in it. Sound hard to make? Take some pork butts cut it into 1’’x1’’ squares and brine it in sea salt, water and liquid smoke, about 2 hrs then drain. Take some taro leaves destemed, don’t have taro leaves, use spinach. Place the raw pork in the middle of the leaves add a piece of butter fish, Don’t have butter fish use black cod, don’t have that use halibut, don’t have that us try salmon belly’s. Then wrap the whole thing in ti leaves then steam until pork is cooked and tender. If you don’t have ti leaves use foil. The trick is to make sure that the pork is nice and tender. Hope this works for you. Aloha


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## fishmonger ran (May 19, 2008)

So CeeJay, I did not see you weigh in on the Spam Musubi. lol! Kinda wanted know your feelings on that being an industry professional in Hawaii. 
I was very excited to your recipe for the lau lau. It is **** near identical to the one I posted the other day in another thread. I have found one more fish that goes extremely well in my lau lau, and that is Escolar. Give it a try. I buy mine from a Hawaiian whole seller who ships it fresh, not frozen. Adds a very unique flavor to the lau lau. I think it actually compliments the pork quite well. 
Tanks Eh


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## ceejay (Apr 26, 2008)

How zit Fishmonger Ran, as for question about spam musubi, I love it’s a great snack, in fact im having one right now. 
Thank for the tip, I never used Escolar I'll try it out. The one that we make for our Hotel includes pork butt, pork fat, salmon belly and lup chong, (Chinese sausage). Little different but still good. 
Oh yeah! Before I forget if any out there is using taro leaves in their cooking, please make sure that you cook the leaves good if not, your thought will get itchy.
If any one is intrested in any recipes let me know.


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## ceejay (Apr 26, 2008)

Fishmonger Ran, I just read your version of your lau lau recipe, I assure you that I didn’t snake your Idea. It's just that any one from Hawaii can tell you how to make a basic laulau, it come from all that training with tourists when they ask, "what that green thing with the pork". As for cooking it in a slow cooker. I prefer it over a steamer any day. Just add a little water to the bottom of the slow cooker, "set it and forget it". I don’t use chicken in my mix because chicken cooks much faster than the pork will, then all you end up with is mushy chicken. 
Yo Yeti and Ran I got one for you, I know this guy who makes his laulau with Turkey tail, taro leaves and Hawaiian salt. Sounds weird but the taste is out of this world.


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## fishmonger ran (May 19, 2008)

Oh? Turkey tail? I gotta try that! Thanks for the tip.


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## peachcreek (Sep 21, 2001)

I had an appetizer catering last winter for a group of arctic researchers who spend a lot of time in remote places and subsequently eat a lot of Spam. The Spam musabi was a huge hit!!


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## dirk skene (Feb 13, 2007)

Holy Mackeral, Andy  (OK, I just showd MY age )


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## oahuamateurchef (Nov 23, 2006)

Has the party happened yet?

I want to suggest manapua! It's like a Hawaiian Dim Sum, and you can fill them with purple sweet potato, char siu, pork hash, chicken curry, etc.

I like this manapua website, for explanation.


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## gummy-bear (Oct 27, 2007)

I thank y'all for all of your ideas. I'm actually not catering the whole thing but my friend told me to bring a few dishes as her present, she likes my cooking. We'll see what happens.


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