There are numerous options when it comes to selecting food with a Hawaiian theme.
Whether you're planning a backyard barbecue blowout or a casual dinner party, the addition of a Hawaiian theme can make the occasion even more memorable. There are a variety of different Hawaiian foods you can prepare, of varying degrees of difficulty, when putting together your very own Hawaiian-style luau. Add this to my Recipe Box.
Main Course
One of the most popular dishes at a luau is the roasted Kalua pork. If you're planning a backyard barbecue for a lot of guests, you can rent or buy a large pig roaster and cook an entire pig, Hawaiian-style. If you're looking for something a bit less ambitious, you can make your own kalua pork from a pork butt, either roasted in the oven or in a slow cooker. Other main-course ideas include laulau (a combination of pork, chicken and fish wrapped up in special luau leaves), Huli Huli chicken, Macadamia-crusted coconut shrimp and Ono ribs.
Side Dish
A staple of any Hawaiian luau is poi, a thick paste made from the mashed taro root. Understandably, authentic poi is not easy to find outside of Hawaii, although a few companies produce a dehydrated product that turns into poi when water is added. An easier alternative is potato-mac salad, a combination of macaroni salad and potato salad. Other ideas for side dishes include chicken long rice, sesame cabbage salad or even a traditional vinaigrette salad with the addition of Macadmia nuts and tropical fruit to add a Hawaiian flavor.
Beverages
No cocktail is more identified with Hawaii than the Mai Tai, and any bartending guide should have a simple recipe. Another suggestion is Volcanic Punch, an easy-to make combination of fruit punch, pineapple juice, coconut milk and ginger ale. Vodka can be added for an extra kick. Other tropical cocktails such as rum punch and pina coladas will also work. For non-alcoholic alternatives, tropical fruit smoothies are an appropriate option, especially if they include fresh fruits such as pineapple, mango and guava.
Dessert
Whether you want to keep things simple or go all out, there are numerous ideas for Hawaiian-themed desserts. On the easier side, simply cut a whole, fresh pineapple so it serves as a serving bowl for a fresh fruit salad, sprinkled with toasted coconut. Add a dipping bowl of flavored yogurt for an extra treat. A traditional idea is Haupia, a Hawaiian coconut pudding, or perhaps even a homemade coconut cream pie. Children will enjoy making a cookie lei; use packaged butter cookies with holes in the center and decorate them with colorful frosting. Thread the frosted cookies on a necklace made of shoestring licorice for an edible version of the traditional Hawaiian lei.
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