*

On a recent trip to Kauai, Hawaii, I purposely ventured out to try some traditional dishes of Hawaii.

My first stop was Pono Market in Kapaa. The market was a busy little hole in the wall packed with assorted drinks, and other premade, quick grab and go items. They also gave the option of combination plates which included a variety of main dishes like, fried chicken, kalua pork, chicken curry, pork lau lau, chicken lau lau, teri meatloaf, and side dishes like different types of poke, Korean tako, spicy ahi, Shoyu ahi, rice, potato mac salad, cucumber kimchee, and rice pudding, just to name a few.

The one item I was most interested to try was the pork lau lau. The lau lau is actually a Polynesian dish consisting of pork, salted butterfish, chicken, or even a combination of ingredients, wrapped in taro leaves, and steamed on the stovetop. Originally, lau lau were cooked in an imu. The imu is an underground oven that is lined with hot stones and vegetation such as banana and taro leaves. The lau lau or the infamous kalua pig is then placed on the leaves along with more hot stones, covered with more of the leaves, covered with burlap and a tarp, then dirt is placed on top and around the edges of the tarp to seal in the heat.

It is important to make note the taro leaf is poisonous in its raw state due to its high levels of oxalates. It can cause severe pain and swelling of the throat, and may cause breathing difficulties. However, when cooked properly, there are many health benefits as described in the following link: https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/taro-leaves

I ordered the combination plate with pork lau lau, chicken lau lau, rice, potato mac salad, and for good measure, I ordered an additional side of cucumber kimchee. Although not the fanciest of meals, I absolutely loved it! The pork cubes in the lau lau were tender, succulent nuggets of flavor. The taro leaves tasted like spinach on steroids.

The chicken lau lau was really flavorful, especially with the dark meat. The potato mac was basically dressed with mayonnaise, but enjoyable nonetheless. With all the rich food, the cucumber kimchee was a nice addition to cut through the richness of the dish. If you find yourself in Kauai, I highly recommend Pono Market for a true culinary experience of local food. https://www.ponomarketkauai.com

As an added bonus, making a trip to the Passion Bakery Cafe in Kapaa, for their malasadas, Portuguese fried donuts, are a must. On Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday you get can fresh, fried either coated in cinnamon sugar, or filled with a variety of flavors. I think they have 15 flavors to choose from. The guava and lilikoi fillings are outstanding. It’s definitely best to place your order the day before as they sell out fast. https://www.passionbakeries.com.

Visit Dorothy’s website at http://ddimarzo2002.wix.