Pineapple is a major ingredient for a luau party.
Throwing a luau-themed party can be fun wherever you live. The inspiration comes from the famous meals served in Hawaii which traditionally include Kalua pig, Lomi Lomi salmon, poi, rice and tropical fruits. If you don't want to bury a pig in banana or ti leaves in your back yard, you can do it in a slow cooker. Look for easy recipes and get creative by putting fruit onto skewers or serve in a large hollowed-out watermelon. Serve your luau feast with blended tropical drinks and add bright colors to your decor. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
1. Check out the various Hawaiian food recipes to select the ones you want to prepare. You can stick to traditional foods like Kalua pig, or substitute with foods generally served in Hawaii, such as grilled chicken pieces in teriyaki sauce. Gather all your ingredients a day or two before the party so you have plenty of time to marinate, chop and prepare.
2. Bake the cakes and cookies the day before your event. Banana bread, pineapple upside down cake and macadamia nut cookies work for your theme.
3. Cook the meat dishes slowly, flavoring them with the soy and ginger combinations, liquid smoke and herbs. You can use a pork roast simmered overnight in a slow cooker with salt and apple cider, or marinate other meats to grill the next day.
4. Steam the rice and either leave it plain or season it with a little nutmeg or cloves. Have a bottle of shoyu (soy sauce) on hand for serving time.
5. Prep the Lomi Lomi salmon so the flavors have time to mingle. Mix the chopped tomatoes, onions, chili peppers and salmon in a large bowl and keep it chilled until ready to serve. Open a bottle of prepared spicy Kim Chee and serve as a stand-alone item if you want to get a little more exotic.
6. Bake sweet potatoes by timing them to serve piping hot with butter and brown sugar. Other popular side dishes in Hawaii are coleslaw and macaroni salad -- use your favorite recipes or try one suggested by island cooks.
7. Clean, peel, slice and cut all the fruits. Basic tropical fruits are banana, pineapple, mango, papaya, guava and passion fruit but you can add kiwis, strawberries and melons, too. Slice a large watermelon in half and make melon balls from the fruit after removing the seeds. Refill the empty hulls with the mixture of different fruits. For a fancier look, scallop-cut the edges of the watermelon. You can also alternate fruits along skewers to eat cold as a dessert with sherbet.
8. Get plenty of ice to have on hand, not only for keeping foods chilled if serving outside, but for mixing punch and blended drinks. Alcohol is optional, as you can blend fruit drinks, or alcohol-flavored beverages, too.
9. Serve everything on colorful platters or monkeypod bowls and dishware. Poke toothpicks into the fruit platters.
Tags: Lomi Lomi, Lomi Lomi salmon, Lomi salmon, served Hawaii, slow cooker, tropical fruits