A wave of Portuguese came to Hawaii in the late 1800s to work the sugarcane fields, and over time their cooking traditions fused with those of other cultures in the islands, including Chinese and Japanese.

Edible bananas find their origin in the Indo-Malaysian region and northern Australia. Many varieties and species of wild bananas still occur in Philippines, Malaysia, New Guinea, and Indonesia.

This is an easy dish that can be served with rice and vegetables and either grilled or broiled.

Coconut appears in many Samoan dishes, like this one for example, the palusami is a parcel of coconut cream wrapped in taro leaves baked in the umu. This is eaten in its entirety including the leaves, and is rich in taste due to its coconut content.

Spring rolls are different in each part of Asia. Spring rolls also differ from the classic egg roll. They can be eaten fresh or fried.

A great tropical tasting dish that is easy to make. Great for a tropical luau or tiki party. A great comfort food with sweetness without the fat.

Kelly Preston( John Travolta’s wife) grew up eating Shoyu Chicken.  She was born and reared in Hawaii.