Mainland Lu'au

Aug 20, 2023

The Hawaiian word lu'au can mean three things: a gathering or celebration, the young leaves of the kalo (aka taro) plant, or a dish made with those leaves, coconut milk and sometimes chicken or squid. This recipe is a version of the latter from chef Kiki Aranita, made with collard greens, which are easier to find on the mainland. This lu'au recipe makes a generous amount, but you won't regret it since it holds beautifully—you can even freeze it so you have a nutritious side dish at your fingertips.

Kiki Aranita was the co-chef and owner of Poi Dog, a restaurant and catering company that served Hawaii's local food, for seven years. She closed its Center City Philadelphia location in July 2020, but has kept the brand alive in the form of large-scale pop-ups and a line of retail sauces that is available nationwide.

Emily Lachtrupp is a registered dietitian experienced in nutritional counseling, recipe analysis and meal plans. She's worked with clients who struggle with diabetes, weight loss, digestive issues and more. In her spare time, you can find her enjoying all that Vermont has to offer with her family and her dog, Winston.

As, to the Mayans, humans were born from corn, so Hawaiians were born from taro, the essential staple food of the ancient Hawaiians. The young leaves of the kalo plant (aka taro) are called "lu'au," a word that also means to gather and celebrate while eating lu'au, a dish made with those leaves, coconut milk and chicken or squid.

It's a word we use casually in Hawai'i, often with little thought to its roots, indicating not only the shows with fire knife dancers and hula in Waikiki but the family gatherings celebrating graduations and birthday parties in our backyards. To me, the word lu'au is only jarring when taken out of the context of Hawai'i.

I was born into a state of perpetual homesickness, my heart and my family rooted in two island territories, Hawai'i and Hong Kong. As a child, I was raised in both places, and if you ask me where I'm from I'll say "Hawai'i Hong Kong" in a single twice-aspirated breath, like my homes are one conjoined place.

Now living on the mainland and away from either side of my family, my homesickness and comfort-food cravings manifest themselves into shoyu chicken over rice, congee topped with smoky kalua pig, spam musubi, spring rolls and wontons fried until crispy golden brown and then drenched in vinegar. I codified the food memories of my youth for Poi Dog, a restaurant in Philadelphia that, during the pandemic, also became a memory. Opening the restaurant forced me to approach dishes and flavors less haphazardly. The dishes I grew up on had to be turned into recipes and taught to line cooks to be replicated over and over and shared with the inhabitants of my new mainland home.

Fresh taro leaves, especially the young ones traditionally used for lu'au, are often difficult to come by on the East Coast (though sometimes found in Caribbean markets). But I found a suitable replacement for them with collard greens. At Poi Dog, we rotated a variation of "lu'au" dishes, making it with chicken, pork and squid. For special events, we topped it with quick pickled chiles and pork floss (fried, dried and shredded seasoned meat), dressing it up like Chinese congee (rice porridge). Making it allays my homesickness for both Hawai'i and Hong Kong.

Collards are rich in antioxidants and nutrients like potassium, folate, vitamin K (which helps you absorb calcium) and fiber, necessary for gut health. It's a dish I often make for my private-dining clients, who are often athletes or follow strict diets. It has become a sort-of secret weapon, since I can make it for nearly anyone following a specific dietary pattern—it's gluten-free, dairy-free, vegan and more.

It's also a dish that can be made far in advance and frozen into lazy weeknight dinner portions. Blend it into the consistency of congee and it will scratch that itch of being a warming thick porridge. Leave parts of it unblended and it will be infinitely more satisfying on your Thanksgiving table than creamed spinach. I like to thaw it to eat alongside rice and a rotisserie chicken from the store. And whenever I take a bite, it tastes like both of my homes.

¼ cup coconut oil

2 medium sweet onions, sliced

5 cloves garlic, peeled

2 bunches collard greens, stems removed and cut into 2- to 3-inch strips (about 10 cups)

½ teaspoon baking soda

1 13-ounce can coconut cream

1 (13 ounce) can coconut milk

1 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon ground pepper, or to taste

Melt oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onions and garlic; cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 10 minutes. Stir in collards, then baking soda. Stir in coconut cream and coconut milk. Increase heat to medium-high; cook, stirring frequently, until the collards are soft, about 10 minutes.

Puree the mixture in the pot with an immersion blender (or in batches in a regular blender) until smooth (if desired, you can also leave some unpureed for texture.) Season with salt and pepper.

Refrigerate airtight for up to 5 days or freeze airtight for up to 3 months.

Nutrition information is calculated by a registered dietitian using an ingredient database but should be considered an estimate.

* Daily Values (DVs) are the recommended amounts of nutrients to consume each day. Percent Daily Value (%DV) found on nutrition labels tells you how much a serving of a particular food or recipe contributes to each of those total recommended amounts. Per the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the daily value is based on a standard 2,000 calorie diet. Depending on your calorie needs or if you have a health condition, you may need more or less of particular nutrients. (For example, it’s recommended that people following a heart-healthy diet eat less sodium on a daily basis compared to those following a standard diet.)

(-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a special diet for medical reasons, be sure to consult with your primary care provider or a registered dietitian to better understand your personal nutrition needs.

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