January 1, 2016

Baked Poi Mochi

Posted by HI Cookery under 01 January | Tags: , , , , , , , |
[6] Comments 

Baked Poi Mochi

Baked Poi Mochi

January 1: New Year’s Day

Islander grew up eating Filipino bibingka during the holidays, special occasions and “just because” in Hawaii. Other Asian immigrants on the islands have a similar sweet treat, like Japanese mochi and Chinese gau, for the new year. The glutinous rice is considered an auspicious food. Its stickiness symbolizes that good luck would stick with you throughout the coming year.

In a Hawaiian twist, Islander added poi powder to the mochi and coconut flakes for a tropical taste. We let our haole neighbors try a little bit of poi mochi for a mainland mini makahiki. Some liked its novelty while others were not used to the gooey texture. At least they tried something new for the new year!

Bake poi mochi for the new year and may good luck stick around! Hauoli makahiki hou.

Recipe

(Adapted from Taro Brand)

Ingredients 

  • 2 cups mochiko (sweet rice flour)
  • ½ – ¾ cup poi powder
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 2 ½ cup sugar, granulated white
  • 1 ½ cup milk
  • 1 (14 ounces) can or 1 ½ cup evaporated milk
  • 5 eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • ½ cup (1 stick) butter, melted
  • purple food coloring (optional)
  • 1-2 cup coconut flakes (we used unsweetened)

Directions

In a large mixing bowl, combine the mochiko, poi powder, baking powder and sugar.

Baked Poi Mochi

Stir in the milk and evaporated milk. Beat in the eggs. Add the vanilla extract.

Baked Poi Mochi

Melt the butter and cool slightly. Stir into the mixture. Tint with purple food coloring if desired. Fold in the coconut flakes. Pour into a lightly greased 9×13-inch pan. Bake in a preheated oven at 350 degrees F for 45 minutes to an hour. Check for doneness with a toothpick. Remove from the oven and cool completely before slicing into 24 squares with a plastic knife. Store leftovers in a tightly sealed container.

Baked Poi Mochi

Notes

  • The coconut flakes tend to rise to the top in this recipe, making the crust brown and crunchy. As the top can burn easily, place the pan in the middle or lowest rack in the oven.
  • There are deep-fried versions of poi mochi balls that Islander likes to eat when she finds them while in Hawaii. This baked custard-like version is simpler to make.
  • Mahalo nui loa to Islander’s brother who gifted us with the wooden model poi pounders pictured above.
  • Search our blog for other recipes containing poi as an ingredient.
  • Happy new year to all our blog readers!
 

November 17, 2011

Poi (Taro) Bread

Posted by HI Cookery under 11 November | Tags: , , , , , , |
[6] Comments 

Poi (Taro) Bread

Poi (Taro) Bread

November 17: National Homemade Bread Day

We took a drive down to the “Southernmost Bakery in the USA” when we went to the Big Island of Hawaii with Islander’s ohana (family). Punaluu Bake Shop was where we all stopped for snacks and stocked up on sweet breads. We loved all of their light, fresh-baked fluffy loaves—traditional Portuguese and guava and taro flavors.

Having made “mainland” poi for an earlier blog recipe post, Islander decided to use up the leftovers and bake bread inspired by the one from Punaluu Bake Shop. It turned out to be a tasty taro bread with a pretty purple hue!

Prepare poi (taro) bread in a machine for a sweet and simple loaf with a tropical touch. It is a unique and onolicious way to observe National Homemade Bread Day.

Recipe

(Adapted from the Polynesian Cultural Center via Food.com)

Ingredients

  • ½ cup poi (or mashed taro paste)
  • 2/3 cup water
  • 1 ¼ teaspoon yeast
  • ½ cup sugar
  • ¼ cup (½ stick) butter
  • 1 egg
  • ½ teaspoon purple food coloring
  • 3 ¼ cup flour
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt

Directions

In the container of the bread machine, place the water, yeast, sugar, butter and egg. Spoon in the poi. Add the purple food coloring, if desired. Top with flour and salt. Place the container in the bread machine.

Poi (Taro) Bread

Set the bread machine to a large (2 pound) loaf, as this bread rises high. Select the cycles for sweet or white bread with a light crust. Press to start. Notice that the purple color blends nicely into the dough. Let the bread machine continue kneading, rising and baking. Remove the baked bread from the container. Cool completely before slicing.

Poi (Taro) Bread

Notes

 

September 26, 2011

Poi Pancakes

Posted by HI Cookery under 09 September | Tags: , , , , , |
[7] Comments 

Poi (Taro) Pancakes

 Poi

September 26: National Pancake Day

Poi is Hawaii’s staff of life. Islander first acquired a “taste for the paste” when she was just a toddler, so given her long history with the (in)famous purple-gray staple, she has a deep appreciation for it. Poi is typically served at touristy luaus and local celebrations (it was also on the menu at our wedding reception). The simple starch is considered a Hawaiian health food because it is rich with vitamin B, calcium and phosphorous; is an easily digested carbohydrate; and is non-allergenic.

Hawaiians of yesteryear traditionally pounded cooked taro with water using a wooden platter and a stone masher. For this post, Islander made poi on the mainland with a modern method (with sincerest apologies to the cultural cooking customs of the Polynesian people!). Then she put the poi in pancake batter for a subtle tropical twist.

Poi Pancakes

Although poi is now available as a powder and in a bag, and taro flour and pancake mixes are conveniently sold at stores, Islander still wanted to go back to her roots (literally) and prepare poi pancakes from scratch. Although her poi was not quite authentic, the pancakes turned out terrifically and the experiment was worth the effort.

Prepare poi then try the taro pancakes for a delicious duo of Hawaiian and haole flavors for National Pancake Day. Aloha a hui hou! 

Recipe

For the poi

  • 2 pounds taro roots
  • 1+ cup water
  • purple food coloring, if necessary

Directions

Wash the taro roots well. Place in a large pot and cover with water. Boil for 45 minutes or more until soft and tender. Check if they are cooked through by piercing the taro with the tines of a fork. Drain in a colander, rinse with water and cool completely. Cut and peel off the skins.

Poi

Mash the cooked roots in a large bowl with ½ cup of water each time until smooth and no longer lumpy. Mix in a little purple food coloring if necessary. Transfer to the container of a blender. Puree with a little more water until the desired “finger” consistency is reached (see Notes).

Poi

For the poi pancakes

(Adapted from Maha’s Café in the Big Island via The Food Network)

  • 2 eggs
  • ¼ cup butter
  • 1 cup  milk
  • 1 ¼ cup flour
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ¾ teaspoon salt
  • ½ cup thick poi (recipe above)

Directions

Beat the eggs. In a bowl, place the butter and milk  and microwave until the butter is melted. Cool slightly and stir into the beaten eggs until frothy. In a separate bowl, sift together the  flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.

Poi (Taro) Pancakes

Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until no longer lumpy. Stir in the poi until smooth. Heat a skillet or griddle with a little oil or butter. Pour the pancake batter and let bubbles form.

Poi (Taro) Pancakes

Check the underside, being careful not to burn. Flip the pancake over and cook for a few more seconds until the liquid is cooked out. Serve as a stack with syrup.

Poi (Taro) Pancakes

Notes

  • Warning: Raw taro is toxic. Cook the tuber and its leaves well.
  • There are different varieties of taro root, some of which are grown in drier soil and others in the wetlands. Islander’s brother, Kahuna, once got down and dirty and planted taro in the pondfields of Oahu.
  • The only available taro variety that we could find in our Texas grocery store is the small, dry, white tuber from Central America. However, the slightly larger one that we bought with the batch was a bit purple when peeled. The color was not enough to blend with the white so Islander added a little purple food coloring to the mashed mix. Sorry for this sacrilege!!!
  • Who needs a fork when you have fingers? Poi is traditionally eaten with one or two fingers for a thick consistency and three for thinner, more liquid-like consistency. Adjust the amount of water in the poi for preferred consistency.
  • Sometimes poi goes sour because it ferments after a few days. We like to sprinkle some cane sugar on poi for a pudding version.
  • Mahalo nui loa (thank you very much) to Kahuna for the petite poi pounder shown in the final food photo.
  • National Pancake Day is observed in the United States on September 26. International Pancake Day is celebrated in various English-speaking Christian countries around the world on Shrove Tuesday/Fat Tuesday, the day before Ash Wednesday, as part of Mardi Gras festivals, carnivals and pre-Lent celebrations, and is a movable feast day.
  • Search our blog for more posts on pancakes.