All Hawaiian Islands

July 7, 2019 Hawaii Recipes

Chili Pepper Water

Chili Pepper Water is beloved Hawaiian condiment made from garlic, chilis, and vinegar. Think of it as a Hawaiian hot sauce. Here’s where to get it and how to make it.

Bottle of housemade Chili Pepper Water on the table at Saimin Dojo in Kauai.

Chili Pepper Water! Also known as Hawaiian Chili Pepper Water or Chili Peppa Watah.

What is Chili Pepper Water?

Chili Pepper Water is Hawaii’s default spicy condiment. We use it the same way you use hot sauce or shoyu (soy sauce)…in abundance and with joy.

Every household and restaurant has their own recipe for chili pepper water (like how everyone has their own go-to butter mochi recipe). There is no right or wrong way to make Chili Pepper Water, but there are many variations….

July 4, 2019 Places to Eat in Hawaii

Special Items at Whole Foods Hawaii

Whole Foods Hawaii is very different (and I daresay, better) than mainland Whole Foods. We have many Hawaii-only items like poke, li hing mui, and mamaki, come take a look!

At risk of sounding too proud of my home state (but what a wonderful place!), many things are better (and cleaner) in Hawaii. The fast food places are nice, the service is friendly. Even the 7-11 stores here are fun. We can add Whole Foods into this list.

I run into friends at Whole Foods Hawaii, and sometimes I eat lunch there. Whole Foods has four Hawaii stores (three on Oahu and one on Maui). If I had to rank the Oahu stores, I’d put them in this order: Queen, Kahala, and Kailua. Whole Foods Queen is the newest and biggest. They even have a restaurant/bar and multiple food vendors. I also like Whole Foods Maui which is conveniently right by Kahului airport.

One thing all Whole Foods Hawaii stores have in common are special Hawaii items offered only at Hawaii stores. Here’s what to get at Whole Foods Hawaii….

July 2, 2019 Places to Eat in Hawaii

Haupia (Hawaiian Coconut Pudding)

Haupia is a Hawaiian dessert that is often referred to as “coconut pudding.” The key ingredient in Haupia is coconut milk and it’s pronounced as: “how-p-ahh.”

Hawaiian plate lunch at Yama’s Fish Market (the cup of haupia is served in the lunch box)

The word haupia sounds mysterious and complicated……

June 19, 2019 Places to Eat in Hawaii

Special Menu at McDonald’s Hawaii

McDonald’s Hawaii offers a special menu of items you can only find in Hawaii. There are breakfast platters loaded with Spam and Portuguese sausage, a dessert menu with hot haupia (coconut pudding) and taro pies, fried apple pies (only state where you can get the pies fried in the US!), and much more. Below are our favorites, ranked.

The only time I eat fast food is in Hawaii. Fast food places here are clean, service is friendly…and the Hawaii-only menu items are a treat. There are breakfast platters loaded with Spam and Portuguese sausage. The dessert menu offers haupia (coconut pudding) and taro pies. Bonus: did you know Hawaii is the only state where you can get McDonald’s fried apple pies (not baked!) in the US?

Below, my favorite Hawaii-only McDonald’s menu items, ranked.

1. Fried Haupia (and Taro) Pies

Haupia (sometimes called “coconut pudding”) is a traditional Hawaiian coconut dessert that has a consistency halfway between pudding and jelly. At Mcdonald’s Hawaii, they stuff haupia into the pie crust and deep fry the whole thing. It’s really good, the haupia is all hot and molten, and that fried pie crust is familiar in all the right ways.

They also make Fried Taro Pies! But you’ll never find both Fried Haupia Pies and Fried Taro Pies on the menu at the same time. It’s always one or the other, and they keep rotating them back and forth…….

June 5, 2019 Places to Eat in Hawaii

Malasadas in Hawaii

Malasadas are an iconic Hawaii dessert/snack. It’s a plush, eggy, yeast doughnut (usually without a hole in the middle), rolled in lots of sugar and served hot.

What are Malasadas?

Short answer: Hawaii’s doughnuts of choice.

Long answer: Malasadas are yeast doughnuts that came to Hawaii via Portugal. Like all foods/recipes that arrive to Hawaii from another country, the food gets “Hawaii-ized.” We adapted malasadas into our local culture, and today you can find malasadas everywhere from local bakeries, to restaurants/hotels, and school carnivals……

May 24, 2019 Places to Eat in Hawaii

Hawaiian Desserts: Kulolo (Taro Pudding)

Kulolo is a super good Hawaiian dessert made from taro, coconut, and sugar. It has a texture like pudding crossed with fudge. Eat it at room temperature (or warm, with ice cream!) You can find kulolo all over Hawaii, but it is most famous in Kauai.

Kulolo from Pono Market (they carry kulolo from Kapaa Poi Factory)

Ok, kulolo!

It’s fun to have an audience in mind when you write blog posts. Is this post for a friend who eats kulolo almost every day? (I have a friend who does that.) Or is this post for a friend like Jee. Jee lives in NYC and has not yet visited Hawaii (come soon, Jee!), but we chat often about all the food I eat in Hawaii.

I’m going to go with the latter because……

April 16, 2019 Hawaii Recipes

Local Sweets: Butter Mochi

Butter Mochi is a local treat (like a cross between cake and mochi) that you can find in Hawaii. See below for our favorite butter mochi spots (including places for chocolate butter mochi and lilikoi butter-butter mochi!) and a recipe you can make at home.

Today we’re talking about one of my favorite subjects: Butter Mochi!

We grew up with Butter Mochi everywhere in Hawaii. At the school cafeteria/snack bar. You’ll see butter mochi at potluck parties and bake sales. Someone’s mom/aunty/grandma always had a fresh tray of butter mochi at home. It’s available at all the local bakeries. It’s easy to make and super delicious.

What is Butter Mochi?

Think of Butter Mochi as Hawaii’s version of the blondie/brownie. It has a deep golden top, and is just a bit chewy and sweet. Imagine vanilla butter cake crossed with mochi. Heavenly! Butter Mochi is usually baked in a 9×13 tray and cut into squares for snacking. It’s meant to be shared and eaten at room temperature.

The two main ingredients in Butter Mochi are mochiko flour and coconut milk……

April 11, 2019 Hawaii Recipes

Local Snacks: Hurricane Popcorn

Every local knows and loves Hurricane Popcorn. You can buy it (easy to find in Hawaii) or make it at home. Super simple: popcorn, furikake, and kakimochi.

I only see Jee in person a few times a year. But! We chat daily, mostly about what we’re eating, what we’re going to eat, and what we made for dinner. Our chats get really interesting when I’m home in Hawaii for long periods of time…that’s when I realize all the local foods/snacks we eat are not at all common or regular. Like Hurricane Popcorn!…