What is Poi?

What is Poi?

Anyone who has traveled to Hawaii and attended a luau has heard of poi. But what is it and what is it made of?
• Poi is made from the corm of the taro plant.
• Did you know that Taro is eaten around the world and is the 14th most cultivated crop on Earth? But only the Hawaiians used it to make poi.
• The corm is baked, steamed or in the traditional way put in an imu (underground oven).
• It is then pounded and mashed with a stone called, pohaku ku`i `ai, until it reaches the desired consistency.
• The consistency of the poi is referred to as two-finger or three finger poi- (how many fingers you need to scoop out and eat the poi). Of course today you’d use a spoon instead of your fingers.
• Poi is considered a sacred and important part of Hawaiian life. You’ll find it at every luau.
• Did you know it’s often given to babies because it’s hypoallergenic and therefore easy to digest? I gave it to my sons when they were babies and they loved it!
• Some research has shown that poi may help fight colon cancer by killing cells in the colon. There are so many benefits to poi but some people just don’t like the taste. Here’s my tip on how to eat poi. First, take a bite out of your pork or fish then take a spoonful of poi. The mixture between the meat and poi is ohhhh so good! Check out our website and follow our blogs to get more information on Hawaii and our selection of Hawaiian foods. https://www.shakatime.com