Visiting Hawai‘i has always been a flavorful adventure with spectacular hula shows and various dishes, each bringing a meaning and tradition to lūʻaus. After the buffet dinner, lūʻaus conclude with 훌라 쇼: learn more about our Oʻahu hula shows. Previously, we gave an introduction to Hawaiian cuisine to familiarize you with the flavors of the islands. Today, we’ll take you deeper and explore the traditional cooking methods that have kept Hawaiian cuisine unique for generations.
Imu (underground oven)
The most iconic Hawaiian cooking method is the imu, the traditional underground oven of Hawaiian cuisine. Hawaiian families still dig an imu for special occasions like Thanksgiving, graduations, and other milestones. If you love the smoky flavors of some Hawaiian dishes, imu is the method that gives them this unique feature. To understand how imu works, let’s start with a simple description of how imu is created. First, a pit is dug in the ground, then it is lined with volcanic rocks that are heated with fire. Once the rocks are hot, foods are wrapped in ti or banana leaves and placed on the hot rocks. Typically, these foods are a whole pig for kalua pork, but also fish, chicken, sweet potatoes, breadfruit, and taro. The imu is covered with more leaves, wet burlap, and earth to trap steam and heat. Food cooks slowly for hours, resulting in tender, smoky flavors.
Laulau
The next common method that guests will see at lūʻaus is laulau. Unlike imu, which requires space and physical labor to build, laulau is simple. This method intends to keep the freshness of foods. Laulau is a cooking method where meat, typically, pork, fish, or chicken, is wrapped in lūʻau leaves (taro leaves), then bundled in ti leaves (banana leaves), and either steamed in an imu or in pots. The combination of lūʻau and ti leaves create an earthy and grassy aroma while keeping the meat moist.
Poi Making
If imu is the significance/representation of lūʻau, poi making is as important as a staple and as a cooking method in Hawaiian cuisine. More than just a staple, how to make poi sets Hawaiian cooking methods apart from East Asian cuisines that guests sometimes mistake it with. Poi making methods focus on pounding and fermenting to create a starch staple that is high in nutrition and low in fat. The best of it all is that poi keeps you full for a long time. Poi making comes with two parts: the ingredient and the traditional Hawaiian cookwares. Cooked taro root is pounded with a stone pounder (pohaku ku’i ‘ai) on a wooden board (papa ku’i ‘ai) until it becomes a smooth, sticky paste. Water is added to achieve desired consistency. Poi can be enjoyed fresh or allowed to ferment for a tangy flavor.
Methods for Raw Ingredients: Lomi and Poke
Imu, laulau, and poi are all significant images to lūʻaus, but Hawaiian cuisine would not be complete without lomi and poke. These two methods are how raw fish tastes exceptionally delicious in Hawaiian dishes, different from the emphasis of simple freshness in Japanese sashimi. Lomi and poke use other ingredients such as salt, roasted kukui nut, seaweed and chili pepper to bring out the best taste of fresh seafood. Lomi is a preparation technique where ingredients, typically raw fish, are massaged or mixed by hand. While fish is the most widely used ingredient for lomi, other seafoods such as shrimps (lomi ʻōpae) and octopus (lomi heʻe) can be used as ingredients for lomi as well. The most famous example is lomilomi salmon—salted salmon mixed with tomatoes, onions, and sometimes chili peppers by hand until well combined. This method remains special as raw ingredients are more delicate than cooked ones, therefore, they require a more gentle method to bring flavors and textures together.
Poke as a cooking method is the preparation of fresh fish, particularly ʻahi (yellowfin tuna). Fresh fish are cut into chunks and seasoned with sea salt, limu (seaweed), kukui nut (inamona), and sometimes chili peppers. While modern poke has evolved significantly, raw fish preparation stays traditional to Hawaiian people and their cuisine.
Other Traditional Cooking Methods Used By Hawaiian
Stone Boiling
Before metal pots, Hawaiians heated stones in fire and dropped them into wooden vessels or gourds filled with water and food, bringing the liquid to a boil for cooking stews and soups.
Direct Fire Roasting
Fish and other seafood were often cooked directly over open flames or hot coals, sometimes wrapped in leaves to prevent burning and add moisture, this is known as Pūlehu.
Sun Drying and Salt Curing
Fish and meat were preserved by drying in the sun and salting, essential for storing protein in the tropical climate before refrigeration, a popular dried meat dish is called Pipikaula.
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What is an imu and why is it important in Hawaiian cuisine?
An imu is a traditional underground oven used by the people of Hawai‘i to slow-cook food with heated volcanic rocks. Imu is famous for producing tender, smoky dishes like kalua pork and is often showcased during ceremonies at many lūʻaus.
How did Hawaiians cook before metal pots existed?
Before the existence of metal pots, Hawaiians used stone boiling to cook. These are heating rocks in fire and placing them into water-filled wooden containers to bring liquids to a boil. This method allowed Hawaiian people to prepare soups and stews efficiently.
What is the difference between lomi and poke?
Both are raw seafood preparation methods. Lomi involves massaging ingredients together by hand (as in lomilomi salmon), while poke focuses on cutting fresh fish—usually ʻahi—into cubes and seasoning it. You’ll often encounter both styles during our Honolulu hula show at our lūʻau’s buffet.
How did Hawaiians preserve food in the tropical climate?
Before refrigeration, sun drying and salt curing were essential methods that Hawaiians used for food preservation. Fish and meat were dried and salted to extend shelf life. Today, these methods are still respected for their role in sustaining island communities.
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