Taro, Poi, and Lau Lau

 Taro, see yesterdays post, is cultivated as a food source\. The croms (roots) and leaves are edible. After trying it in several forms, I have decided it must be an acquired taste or eaten for cultural significance. If the Norwegians can eat lutefisk and claim they like it, some of the dishes derived from Taro seem reasonable as a commitment to cultural identity. 

Poi is this weird custard like pink stuff you can purchase in grocery stores. Taro is starchy and when cooked and then pounded into a paste you get poi. The paste must be get cold or it will turn sour. You find it in grocery stores in these bags or plastic containers. 

The starchy taro can also be used as a flour. Like a potato it can be made into chips (not a historical form). The taste is a little different from corn or potato chips, but chips are just an excuse for the salt or nachos so easy enough to eat.

Finally, there is lau lau. Native Hawaiians convinced us we had to give lau lau a try. It was one of the common local foods we had yet to sample in our multiple trips to the islands. We found some in a grocery store followed the suggestions for cooking (you steam it), and gave it a try. Again, edible, but not a dish I would consume on a regular basis. Maybe some poi would have helped.

Lau lau consists of a meat, usually pork but we selected chicken, wrapped in taro leaves and then wrapped in ti leaves. The ti leaves are tough and just hold the individual servings together while cooking. The taro leaves are eaten and tasted like spinach to me. There is more in the center than chicken, but the meat is the main ingredient. 

Lau lau as shown on the plate has yet to be opened and the outside layer of leaves is not eaten. The bright green vegetable is sea weed.