Tuesday, October 24, 2023

Traditional Poi with Lomi Lomi Tomato in Maui

Traditional Poi with Lomi Lomi Tomato

I don't get to eat poi very frequently, so when I saw these little tasting cups at a corporate spread today, I was quick to grab a few. They were topped with lomi lomi, which overpowered the taste of the poi. But after pushing it aside, the mildly sour taste of the poi came through.

Actually, this was accompanied by a quick poi making demo, and we were told that the fermented sour taste is preferred. It can vary by age and whether the skins of the taro are used, but it is also full of probiotics, and interestingly has very long shelf life suitable for long voyages on the sea. Neat!

1 comment:

bma said...

This only occurred to me after going to Chao Shan Cuisine in Singapore the following week, but at a quick glance, this looks very similar to Teochew orh nee, being a dark grey mashed yam paste. But that is where the similarities end, as poi is fermented, sour, and served at room temperature as a base starch in one’s meal rather than being a sweet dessert served warm with lard on top. I’ve only eaten orh nee a few times, but I’m going to look into this more now that the light bulb has gone off.