Eat Those Words: Hawaii Food Terms

Here's a glossary of some of the better-known Hawaiian foods:

AHI (AH-hee) - The Hawaiian word for yellowfin tuna.

AZUKI (ah-ZOO-key) - Red beans often boiled with sugar for a paste used in Japanese confections.

BREADFRUIT - A melon-size starchy fruit that is baked and flavored like a sweet potato or used instead of potatoes in a stew.

CHICKEN LONG RICE - A popular side dish at luaus, made with threadlike mung bean noodles.

HAUPIA (how-PEA-ah) - A pudding dessert made with coconut milk, cornstarch and sugar.

HAWAIIAN SEA SALT - Harvested on Kauai; it has a distinctive red color.

KALBI (KAL-bee) - Beef short ribs marinated in a Korean soy and sesame sauce.

KALUA PIG (cal-LOO-a) - A pig baked whole in an imu, the underground oven.

KULOLO (coo-LO-LO) - A pudding made with grated raw taro, coconut milk and raw sugar, baked or steamed, then cut into squares.

LAULAU (loh-loh) - Bundles of pork, chicken, fish and taro leaves wrapped in ti leaves, then steamed.

LIMU (LEE-moo) - Seaweed; about 25 varieties used in cooking.

LOMI (low-MEE) SALMON - Salted salmon, shredded by hand, with chopped onion, tomatoes and green onions, served chilled.

MAHIMAHI (mah-HEE-mah-HEE) - Sweet-flavored, open ocean fish. Also called dolphinfish (though not related to the dolphin).

MANJU (MAN-jew) - Japanese rice cakes filled with sweeted azuki bean or lima bean paste.

MOCHI (moo-CHEE) - Steamed rice cake, flavored.

NORI (NOR-ree) - Dried seaweed.

ONAGA (oh-NAG-a) - Longtail red snapper.

ONO (oh-no) - A relative of the king mackerel.

OPAKAPAKA (oh-PA-kah-PA-kah) - Pink snapper.

OPIHI (oh-PEE-hee) - A small black limpet, sometimes eaten raw, sometimes grilled, similar to an oyster. Gathered from rocky areas between waves: it's a dangerous form of fishing, making opihi expensive.

POHOLE (poh-HO-lay) - Fiddlehead ferns. Delicate, curled young fern tips, often consumed raw or blanched.

POI (poy) - Cooked taro root pounded with water into a smooth consistency that makes a starchy accompaniment to many luau foods.

POKE (POH-key) - Fresh raw fish mixed with seaweed, chili peppers and a variety of seasonings.

PUPU (POO-poo) - Snack food, hors d'ouevres.

SAIMIN (sigh-MIN) - Soup noodles and broth, often with small slices of vegetables and meat.

SHOYU (show-YOU) - Soy sauce.

TARO (TAH-row) - Also known as kalo, it was the staple crop for early Hawaiians. Most commonly the cooked taro root is pounded into poi. The leaves, also called luau leaves, are cooked and used as a vegetable or to steam with other foods in stews and soups.

TI (tee) LEAF - The smooth leaves are used as a wrapper for steamed or baked foods. The ti leaf is a symbol of good luck.