Tiki Food Recipes

Have fun Mad Man
:)

Here is a great recipe from SeriousEats.com: http://www.seriouseats.com/2016/12/hoisin-glazed-cocktail-meatballs.html?utm_campaign=dec16&utm_source=fb&utm_medium=holiday

Here is a variation of a dish called Beggar's Chicken that's great fun to serve at a small luau
Crockpot Kalua pork pre-cooked, wrapped in foil then wrapped in clay and baked. At the table you break the clay off and serve the pork

Did this one some time in the early 80s (note the Mikasa Blue Daisy dishes :lol: ) Bamboo cups, abalone shell salad bowls, bamboo place mats, plastic leis, and served on the floor (note hideous shag carpet :o )

This one was done more recently (2008) I used a red air dry clay from Michael's, it looked a little better than the pale white clay but I forgot to put an apple in it's mouth.

On 2017-01-04 15:31, MadDogMike wrote:
Here is a variation of a dish called Beggar's Chicken that's great fun to serve at a small luau
Crockpot Kalua pork pre-cooked, wrapped in foil then wrapped in clay and baked. At the table you break the clay off and serve the pork

Did this one some time in the early 80s (note the Mikasa Blue Daisy dishes :lol: ) Bamboo cups, abalone shell salad bowls, bamboo place mats, plastic leis, and served on the floor (note hideous shag carpet :o )

This one was done more recently (2008) I used a red air dry clay from Michael's, it looked a little better than the pale white clay but I forgot to put an apple in it's mouth.

I wonder if you could make a cloche in the shape of the kalua pig, so you always have it...

I had to look up cloche :lol: I guess you could, kind of like a lidded tureen. But the fun of this is breaking the clay off at the table, like a treasure hunt.

I have this resin pig that I have used to serve kalua pork

And a made this roaster oven "attachment" for a luau for 30 people :lol:

U KraZy

Looooove the resin pig.

Thank you Hang 10 :wink:

Those pigs are still avail from several vendors in a couple sizes Jokeiii. I did a search for "resin pig bowl", here's one for $35, there was one on eBay for $19

This is sort of a twist on Beggar's Chicken - Fish in Puff Pastry, in the shape of the Hawaiian state fish the Humuhumunukunukuapua'a

Very impressive, MadDodMike! That would blow me away if someone served it to me.

Not traditional Tiki food, more like nouveau Tiki food :lol:
I wanted to make a pie with a pastry crust lei on top. I decided on a "Luau Pie" and filled it with kalua pork, sweet potatoes, a little rice and some small pineapple cubes. The crust lei turned out nice but the filling wasn't so great. Kinda dry and a little too much ginger.

Mermaid, the original Surf 'n Turf! There is nothing more quasi-Tiki than mermaid, how about Mermaid Wellington for your next Tiki get together? Sculpt the lower half of the body from salmon loaf and the upper half from pork loaf (long pig) Then cover in puff pastry, add scale texture and details like hair and seashell bra. Guest can choose between salmon or pork, everyone is happy!!! Winner, winner, mermaid dinner :lol: :wink:

Had an occasion to rifle through my Grandmother's cookbooks last weekend, and came across the 1961 edition of the Betty Crocker Outdoor Cook Book. Mixed in with a myriad of recipes for everything grilled or chilled (teriyaki hamburgers, satellite tomatoes - "for the enthusiastic young space cadet") I found some that, if not purely tiki, are both period and likely influenced by the craze.

Aloha Chiffon Cake

Hibachi Rumaki

Grilled Pineapple

Pineapple-Glazed Ham

Great old recipes. I love looking through old cookbooks and when my mother passed, that was some of the first stuff I packed up to take home with me. Old cookbooks and her old handwritten recipes. Now my brothers beg me when I whip up batches of pickles and preserves. :)

The Chiffon cake looks really familiar and I seem to recall my mom making something similar. I know the filling had pineapple and maraschino cherries in it and she used to put shredded coconut on the outside. She called it Hawaiian Cake. I might have to do some baking this weekend.

Thanks! Will look for that on eBay. I just realized I have (somewhere) a Better Homes & Gardens cookbook encyclopedia -- essentially a trillion pamphlets bound into one cover -- that probably has recipes along these lines.

Did some yard sale-ing recently and found a 1975 compendium of Bon Appétit magazine that included this section on Luau foods:

Great recipes Bam Bam!

Thanks BamBam. That is the reason I love old magazines and cook books....always a gem to be found.

Here's some more period tiki & tikish recipes out of a 1952 "West Coast Cookbook" I scored.

Rumaki

Trader Vic's Fried Chicken Livers

"Wun Tun" (from scratch!)

Egg Rolls (from scratch!)

Char Siu Pork

Chinese Spare Ribs

Chinese Ginger Chicken Wings

Dang, now I have a craving for pupus after compiling all that!

On 2020-03-21 21:54, Bam Bam wrote:
Here's some more period tiki & tikish recipes out of a 1952 "West Coast Cookbook" I scored.

Rumaki

Trader Vic's Fried Chicken Livers

"Wun Tun" (from scratch!)

Egg Rolls (from scratch!

Char Siu Pork

Chinese Spare Ribs

Chinese Ginger Chicken Wings

Dang, now I have a craving for pupus after compiling all that!

What a haul!

OK BamBam - get to cookin'! :lol: Thanks for posting

Feels good to be back!

And, to keep it on topic, I had teriyaki meatballs and spring rolls for dinner.

Went to Maui a couple weeks ago and it inspired me to try Huli Huli Ribs and Chicken. Pork ribs and Chicken Thighs (with bone and skin) 1 cup pineapple juice 1 cup pineapple chunks 1/2 cup soy sauce 1/2 cup brown sugar 1/2 cup ketchup 1/4 cup sherry 1/4 cup honey 1 tbsp fresh ginger grated 4 garlic cloves minced 1/2 tsp sesame oil tbsp Sriracha (or sambal oelek chili paste) In a blender add the pineapple juice, pineapple chunks, soy sauce, brown sugar, ketchup, sherry, honey, ginger, garlic, sesame oil, Sriracha and pulse several times. Reserve 1 1/2 cups for basting. In separate bags, marinate the ribs and chicken overnight. The Hawaiians use kiawe, Hawaiian Mesquite, to cook and smoke with. Different species than our western mesquite but very similar so I used western mesquite for smoke. Smoke according to your smoker and preferences. I have an old propane water smoker, not one of those fancy schmancy microprocessor pellet smokers LOL I smoked the ribs about 5 hours and the chicken about 2 hours at 225. During the last hour of cooking, baste with reserved marinate every 15 minutes

Serve with fake poi (mashed potatoes and purple food coloring LOL), Teriyaki Roasted Vegetables, and Maui Mud Pie

Picked up some delicious Lilikoi Bars (Passion Fruit) in Maui last month and thought I'd give them a try. Found a Lemon Bar recipe on AllRecipes and modified it.

LILIKOI BARS

1 cup butter softened

2 cups flour

1/2 cup white sugar

A pinch of salt

Mix together, pack into the bottom of an ungreased 9x13 pan. Bake at 350° for 15-20 minutes.

4 eggs

1 cup white sugar

3/4 cup passion fruit puree

1/4 cup flour

Whisk together and pour over baked crust.

Bake 20 minutes more, it will set as it cools.

Do not have a "kick you in the mouth" passion fruit flavor but still quite good. I made Lemon Bars too, they are the lighter colored ones.

[ Edited by MadDogMike on 2022-04-14 16:53:14 ]

One more Maui inspiration

Maui Mudpie doesn't need much of a recipe. Start with a premade Oreo crust (or make one in a springform pan if you feel energetic). Add a layer of macadamia nut halves. Pile on a half gallon of softened coffee ice cream. Sprinkle with toasted coconut if desired. Place in freezer until set. Add whipped cream, drizzle with chocolate and caramel syrups.

The newest sensation over here: TERIYAKI PICANHA (a/k/a Sirloin Cap, I think)

2 lb picanha/sirloin cap (fat cap trimmed to 1/4" and scored in a crosshatch)

1/2 cup pineapple zapped pretty fine in a food processor OR 1/4 cup pineapple juice (Trader Joe's is the best, but the refrigerated Dole or Del Monte is not bad. Use canned in an emergency only.) and 1/4 cup crushed pineapples with whatever juice is accumulated (refrigerated kind is best, use canned in an emergency only)

1/4 cup soy sauce (I like the low sodium kind for this)

1 tbsp toasted sesame oil

1/4 cup peanut oil

1 tbsp FRESH lime juice (distilled vinegar in a pinch)

1/4 cup dark brown sugar (packed)

1 tbsp minced ginger (use a rasp grater)

4 cloves minced garlic (ditto)

Kosher salt & fresh ground black pepper to taste

In a large zip-top bag, combine all ingredients except for the steak. Mix thoroughly until all ingredients are combined and there’s no sign of separation.

Add the steak, sloshing around to ensure that all the beef is evenly coated with the marinade.

Squeeze as much air as possible (Google "ziplock" and "displacement method" if you're fanatical)

Allow to marinate in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes, but 1 hour is ideal.

About 30 minutes before you’re ready to cook, preheat your grill on medium-high and remove the beef from the refrigerator and allow it to sit at room temperature. Pat it dry. Put the marinade in a small saucepan and bring it to a boil, and reduce until you get to the texture of melted ice cream.

Place beef on the grill, flipping every minute and glazing with the marinade, allowing them to cook for 4 (for medium rare) to 6 (for medium well) total minutes.

Garnish with some thinly sliced scallions and sesame seeds if you're all fancy.

[ Edited by jokeiii on 2022-04-18 13:34:00 ]

[ Edited by jokeiii on 2022-04-18 13:35:26 ]

[ Edited by jokeiii on 2022-04-18 19:29:27 ]

Today I discovered that, in a small way, The Kahiki lives!

That sirloin looks delicious!

It was CRAZY good. You can marinate it w/o the pineapple for longer, but once that pineapple shows up, you're up against the clock, since its enzymes can break down the beef proteins TOO much, and then...well...it's not pretty.

P.S. If you can find a Hispanic market/butcher it usually comes in much cheaper than the usual options. (That one ran me $6.99/lb, which is very good these days.)

I tried something new, Luau Pig Wellington.

Took a pork loin and shaped it like a pig. Rounded on the back and tapered on the front. I grilled it until almost done, 150-150°

Wrapped in puff pastry dough, added a curly tail, triangle ears, and eyes (cloves, allspice, coriander seeds, etc)

Baked at 400° for 15 minutes until browned.

All this food and inspiration lookin great! I need to get grilling!

Hello everyone, I am new to posting but had been a lurker on here for years back before the site closed (can’t remember login). Anyway I tend to collect Hawaii cookbooks. Here are a few of my favorite recipes along with ones I’ve yet to try. Anything that has written feedback on it, like excellent etc. is a favorite. The duck is also realllly good, if you like duck. Just make sure you don’t get a skinny duck like I did, or there won’t be much meat on it and you’ll be wishing you had more. Have several HI cookbooks and happy to search for something if anyone’s looking for a specific recipe.

[ Edited by plumeria_ilikea on 2022-05-13 13:14:15 ]

This 1952 guide on How To Entertain At Home includes a full run-down on setting up your home luau!

The suggested menu leaves much to be desired, however, I do adore the idea of "candy leis" for any children!

[ Edited by Bam Bam on 2022-05-13 17:10:17 ]

[ Edited by Bam Bam on 2022-05-13 17:15:06 ]

Just made a batch of the passion fruit bars. They are divine!

Great recipes Plumaria! Duck is a little hard to find, I wonder how chicken would work? I know it has a lot less fat and that could be an issue. Roast at 550!!! Don't think I've seen that before! I'm surprised the recipe doesn't include Chinese 5 spice.

Yes MadDogMike duck can be a little hard to find. Asian grocery stores will carry it year round and I’ve seen regular stores carry it closer to thanksgiving and holiday seasons. The Asian groceries will be much cheaper. However in my experience they aren’t as plump.

I think the “dry marinade” is so good that it’s worth experimenting with. It has that delicious Asian fusion flavor that reminds me of something off a Trader Vic’s menu. I have not tried it with chicken but have thought about doing just that. I agree, the recipe would need tweaking for chicken because duck has such a thick layer of fat under its skin. If anyone tries, please update! Or maybe even pork belly.

Thanks Plumaria. Maybe chicken with some dry marinade seasoned butter "coins" under the breast skin to add a little extra fat?

That will do, Mike excellent, Porkulent Madness!

Found this gem on eBay!

That is a beautifully presented Satay!

I had forgotten about this thread. I'll do a Tiki Food dump here LOL

Made up some Saimin (the Hawaiian version of Ramen) A great light meal to go with a little light drinking. We make ours with the Nissin Raoh brand of Ramen and bump it up with some marinated soft boiled eggs, cubed and fried Spam, and whatever veggies we find in the fridge. Ono grindz!!

[ Edited by MadDogMike on 2023-04-05 16:01:00 ]

I'm always looking for new recipes for Polynesian inspired entertainment. I saw this "Pineapple Thone Chicken" or "Pineapple Butt Chicken". A pineapple is cut into a platform and the chicken set on top. I seasoned it simply with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Then into the smoker with mesquite chips for about 3 1/2 hours. I made up some Huli Huli sauce (soy sauce, brown sugar, catsup, pineapple juice, mirin, and a little Siracha) I brushed the chicken and gave it another 30 minutes.

Served with macaroni salad, of course. Verdict? Delicious chicken but lacked the presentation I had hoped for.

Made Hawaiian Paradise Cake a while back, wanted to try in cupcake form.
Per white cake mix directions I added 1/2 cup oil, 3 eggs, but not the water and mixed well. Split batter into 3 equal bowls. Instead of the water for each bowl use 1/3 cup each of juice, I used passion fruit puree, pineapple juice, and lime juice with some lime zest. I added food coloring to the batter also. Spooned into jumbo muffin tins and baked 25 minutes at 400°. Frosted with cream cheese frosting. Very tasty!

[ Edited by MadDogMike on 2023-04-05 16:12:40 ]

Nina Compton's Caribbean Black Fruit Cake.

Full of delicious tropical flavors like tropical fruit, vanilla, spices, rum, and molasses.
Ingredients
1 lb dried fruit soaked several hours in rum (I used dried tropical fruit medley)
1 c rum, divided
1 c butter
1 c sugar
1 1/2 c flour
1/2 t salt
2 t baking powder
1/2 t freshly ground nutmeg
1/2 t cinnamon
1/2 t allspice
5 eggs
1 T lime juice
zest from 1 lime
1 t vanilla
1/2 t rosewater (optional)
1 1/2 c molasses
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Drain soaked fruit and puree half of it in a blender with 1/3 cup of rum set aside. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, cream butter and sugar together until well incorporated. In a separate bowl, sift together flour, salt, baking powder, nutmeg, allspice, and cinnamon. Set aside. Add eggs one at a time to butter-sugar mixture, incorporating thoroughly. Add soaked and pureed fruit, zest, lime juice, vanilla, rosewater (if using), remaining rum, and molasses, and mix well. Add all sifted dry ingredients slowly and mix until batter comes together. Do not overmix. Pour batter into a greased Bundt cake pan. Bake 30 to 45 minutes, or until cake tester comes out clean. Cool in pan, then turn over to remove cake. (I used mini Bundt pans, baked 25 minutes. I also made a rum butter glaze with 1 c butter, 1 c white granulated sugar, and 1/2 c spice rum)

When I was a teen, I worked in a Tiki restaurant. One of popular menu items was Ambrosia - Food of the Gods. Oh, what passed for exotic back then LOL It was sour cream, coconut, marshmallows, and canned fruit cocktail. Yes, that menu price is 75 cents. I tried to elevate it a bit. Fresh fruits (mango, pineapple, banana, tangerine) in Cool Whip. I kept the mini marshmallows. Topped with toasted coconut & macadamia nuts and served in a plastic coconut with a paper umbrella. Pretty good while keeping that 60s dessert vibe.

Hawaiian Smashburgers, Mermaid Hot Tots, and Tropical Fruits Foster.

Hawaiian Smashburgers – Seasoning McCormick Instant Pot Teriyaki Chicken, one packet to 1 ½ lbs ground pork. Mix and marinate several hours, roll in 4-6 ounce balls. Place on a hot griddle, smash down with a burger press, top with a splash of soy sauce and a small pat of butter. Flip and cook the other side. Place on a King’s Hawaiian Bun, top with a grilled pineapple ring. Add leaf lettuce, sliced tomato, teriyaki, Siracha aioli, and/or avocado as desired.
Mermaid Hot Tots inspired by Golden Tiki Las Vegas – Tater Tots topped with Sriracha Aoli, sesame seeds, chopped green onion, Char Siu Spam bits (below)
Char Siu Spam Bits. Chop a can into quarter inch cubes, toss with Chinese 5 Spice, powdered garlic and powdered ginger. If Char Siu Sauce is not available, make a sauce with honey, more Chinese 5 spice and red food coloring (optional). Fry Spam bit in a little oil until crispy. Drain and put back in pan over medium heat. Add sauce to pan and stir until the honey forms a glaze.
Tropical Fruits Foster. Pineapple, mango, coconut, bananas, macadamia nuts, and passion fruit pulp. Sauted with butter, heavily dosed with rum, and served over vanilla ice cream. Traditionally, Bananas Foster has a brown sugar caramel sauce but I figured it was sweet enough without it.

Instant Pot Kalua Pork
Like many of you, I ended up with an InstantPot taking up valuable real estate on my counter top and I'm trying to find ways to use it. It worked out well for Kalua Pork - juicy, tender, and flavorful in 90 minutes

5 lb boneless pork roast. I cut it into chunks and used the Saute feature on my InstantPot to sear the outside. I like the flavor and texture searing the meat adds. I left the oil and burnt bits at the bottom of the pot. Cut 5 cloves of garlic lengthwise, stab a knife into the roast in 10 places and insert the garlic. Season with 1 1/2 tablespoon coarse Alaea Red Hawaiian salt or other coarse salt (or 1 tablespoon fine salt). I also added coarse ground black pepper

I lined the InstantPot with banana leaves (optional - see note below), put the meat in, and covered with another piece of banana leaf. Add 1 cup of water and 1 tablespoon Liquid Smoke. Cook 90 minutes on High Pressure, allow to vent naturally. Meat temp should be 205° or higher and tender enough to tear apart with a fork. Can Cook another 10-15 minutes on High Pressure if needed. NOTE - about 10 minutes into my cooking time, I got a FOOD BURN error message. Research shows that could have a number causes including food burning to the bottom of the pot. I pulled the banana leaf off the bottom and put it on top of the meat. I don't know if that was the problem but I didn't have that error again. The banana leaves are not absolutely necessary but add an earthy flavor. Banana trees don't grow here on the Anvil of the Sun, I found Goya brand in the freezer section of my Mexican grocer. Directions say to rinse before using

Shred the meat with a fork or a pair of bear claws and serve. I had leftover banana leaf so I lined the serving platter. I should have grilled the pineapple slices, would have made a nice presentation

[ Edited by MadDogMike on 2023-04-05 17:09:57 ]

Pineapple Puff Pastry - tropical and sophisticated yet simple.

1/4 sheet of puff pastry dough. Cut along the red lines. A spoonful of mango preserves and chopped macadamia nuts

A slice of canned pineapple on top (fresh grilled would have been better), one corner folded in

All corners folded in, a cocktail cherry garnish in the center

Bake at 400F for 15 minutes. I gave it a drizzle of chocolate because my wife thinks it's not a dessert without chocolate LOL It would have been good without it or maybe with a drizzle of passion fruit syrup. Serve with ice cream if desired.