When you think of Hawaii, fun and tasty luau party food comes to mind. Warm weather and sunshine inspire people to plan their events outdoors. So why not have a luau with a menu filled with food that reminds us of a tropical paradise?
Get some good kind of Spam
Spam is very popular in Hawaii. Yes, the Spam that comes in the little can. It's just not a luau with out it so get some Spam and make some luau party food. A tasty appetizer is Spam sushi and it's easy to make. You are going to need some sticky rice like Calrose rice. Cook the rice as usual and then mix:
- 1/2 cup Japanese rice vinegar
- 1/2 cup sugar
- A pinch of salt
Cook these ingredients together until the sugar is dissolved and sprinkle it on the rice while the rice is still warm. You now have traditional sushi rice. Keep the rice warm in a bowl while you get the Sato-Shoyu sauce ready. For the sauce you will need:
- 1/4 cup shoyu
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup mirin
Heat these ingredients in a pan and then add your Spam to the sauce. The Spam should be cut into half inch wide strips that are about a quarter inch thick and about two inches long. Simmer the Spam strips in the sauce for a few minuets.
To assemble the sushi you are going to need:
- Nori
- Cucumber sticks
- Radish sprouts
- Takuwan strips
- Wasabi
Cut a sheet of nori in half. Place the nori across your left palm. Place some rice on the nori, enough to form a base for the rest of the ingredients. Add some of the other ingredients topping with the Spam strip. Wrap the nori around the filling and roll from left to right.
Roast a Pig
Luaus traditionally have a whole roasted pig as the main course for the evening. Whether you roast a whole pig or just a large part of one, a roast pig is vital luau party food. The two basic ways to roast a whole pig is either dig a large pit, fill it with hot coals, cover them with banana leaves drop the pig into the pit (a prepared pig not a live pig) cover with more leaves and let it smoke several hours. If you are not so inclined to excavate a major portion of your yard you could go the rotisserie route. You will find that there are several options along this line to help you cook your luau party food. Some rotisseries are on trailers that attach to your car so you can bring the party with you, while others are more stationary. Some use charcoal and others use propane. Whichever route you decide to take be sure to tell your butcher the size of your rotisserie when you have him order the whole pig for you. Tell your butcher that you want your pig de-scaled and de-haired but make sure they do not take the skin off or your pig will fall apart when you cook it. The skin keeps it a whole hog as it cooks. Any barbecue sauce that you enjoy will be fine for basting the pig but be certain to cut several holes in the skin of the pig to let the fat drip out.
If you don't have a rotisserie or a yard you can always cook up the pig in your oven. You may want to get about one pound of pig per person. A good basic recipe for your luau party food is: 5 lb Pork butt Liquid Smoke Preheat your oven to 325°F. Score the fat of the port butt into 1-inch squares and rub with salt. Sprinkle the liquid smoke over all sides of the meat and into the fat. Wrap securely in tin foil and bake in your preheated oven for at least 4 hours. Shred the meat off the bones and serve in sandwiches.
Luau Party Food
With Hawaiian invitations, decorations, music and luau party food your luau is sure to be a success. Make sure there are plenty of Leis and grass skirts to go around.
