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How do you make the Hawaiian food poi? | Almanac.com

How do you make the Hawaiian food poi?

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How do you make the Hawaiian food poi?
Answer
Poi, a Hawaiian/Polynesian dip, is made by cooking breadfruit, sweet potatoes, bananas, or taro root until it is soft enough to mash with water in a bowl. The cooked taro is very firm and has to be mashed very hard. In the old days, a man would do this using a stone and a pounding board. He would moisten the board with water, place some taro on it, and pound it with short, quick strokes. Poi is served in bowls or small dishes for dipping with the fingers. It has the consistency of a smooth paste, which clings to the fingers for popping into the mouth. Traditionally, Hawaiians preferred to let poi stand for a few days until it fermented and turned sour. Today poi is often served to tourists at Hawaiian feasts called luaus. Here’s a recipe for poi. Mix 1 cup water with 1 bag poi in a bowl, adding more water if needed to achieve the desired consistency. If you want sour poi, prepare it and then let it sit for two or three days.