Aloha Kitchen: Recipes from Hawai'i [A Cookbook]

by Alana Kysar

From Maui native and popular food blogger Alana Kysar, this gorgeous cookbook of 85 fresh and sunny recipes reflects the major cultures that have influenced local Hawaiʻi food over time: Native Hawaiian, Chinese, Japanese, Portuguese, Korean, Filipino, and Western.

In Aloha Kitchen, Alana Kysar takes you into the homes, restaurants, and farms of Hawaiʻi, exploring the cultural and agricultural influences that have made dishes like plate lunch and poke crave-worthy culinary sensations with locals and mainlanders alike. Interweaving regional history, local knowledge, and the aloha spirit, Kysar introduces local Hawaiʻi staples like saimin, loco moco, shave ice, and shoyu chicken, tracing their geographic origin and history on the islands. As a Maui native, Kysar's roots inform deep insights on Hawaiʻi's multiethnic culture and food history. In Aloha Kitchen, she shares recipes that Hawaiʻi locals have made their own, blending cultural influences to arrive at the rich tradition of local Hawaiʻi cuisine. With transporting photography, accessible recipes, and engaging writing, Kysar paints an intimate and enlightening portrait of Hawaiʻi and its cultural heritage.

Genres: Cookbooks, Cooking, Food, Nonfiction, Reference, Foodie, Asian Literature

240 pages, Hardcover

First published March 26, 2019

Reviews

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

There is a lot of good solid information in here, not only with regards to the recipes, but for the Hawaiian food culture, as well.

I will be traveling to Hawaii in the near future and wanted to learn more about what types of food I might experience - even though Hawaii is part of the United States, by being [literally] a group of islands unto itself, it has been given the opportunity to really maintain a totally separate culture from the rest of the country. Also, a bit of trivia, but Hawaii is the only state to have a language other than English (Hawaiian) as its official language (as set in 1978).

According to the author, context and history are paramount to understanding the local food culture of today. Hawaii is strongly influenced by Polynesian wayfinders (today's Hawaiians), Westerners, Chinese, Japanese, Portuguese, Koreans, and Filipinos.

There are a lot of interesting (read delicious looking) recipes in this book!

One thing that I found fascinating was the anatomy and background surrounding the "Plate Lunch." I hope to try one of these while I am on vacation!

The only recipe that was a total turnoff was Squid Lu'au. I texted my cousin and said no to Octopus / Squid.

[Velma Hayes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Having grown up in Hawaii, I had forgotten a lot of the recipes I once ate with relish! I miss my home so much and am happy to get a little back in the form of food. Thank you for helping me bring my old home into my new one.

[♪ Kim N · Rating 4 out of 5]

Alana Kysar, has a cooking lifestyle blog called Fix Feast Flair. Born in Hawaii of Japanese-American heritage, she shares her love of local Hawaii foods and traces the contributions from Chinese, Japanese, Portuguese, Korean and Filipino immigrants to the islands (Anatomy of a Plate Lunch, for example). She also shares a variety of recipes.

[T]he recipes you'll find in this book stem from family recipes. I've adapted them to my tastes and tinkered with them so that they're as accessible as possible and can be made anywhere in the world... Family recipes differ from one to the next, just as each family in Hawaii is different from the one next door. Every family has its own recipe for each of these dishes.

My mother also grew up in Hawaii, so much of the food in this book is integral to my childhood and favorite recipes handed down in my family are a major part of my cooking repertoire today. Kysar's recipes were as interesting to me for their commonalities as for their differences (just not sure about adding Gouda to curry). The book includes lots of the author's lovely photography too.

[Dan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love the effort and energy that was put into this cookbook. So much more than just a book of recipes.
https://youtu.be/WdEW7Owe3h8

[Stephen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Because Hawai'i is such an attractive tourist destination, there are many colourful cookbooks made to go home in a visitor's luggage. These tend to feature tourist food: things not so unfamiliar as to scare off haole palates, made to seem Hawai'ian by the addition of sweet ham and pineapple. The food eaten in the homes, farms and local restaurants is a fascinating mixture of native Hawai'ian foods with Japanese, Chinese, Korean, Filipino, Portuguese, pan-Asian and Mexican cultural influences. These represent the successions of immigration to the islands. Alana Kysar was born on Maui of Japanese American heritage. She has produced a beautifully photographed cookbook of what Hawai’ian people eat (and how to make it in Mainland kitchens). Many of the recipes suggest the best place to order the particular dish, a favourite restaurant or food truck or grocery store. She devotes considerable attention to how to create and present a "plate lunch" of one or two proteins, two starches (white rice and max salad) and a vegetable (often pickled). There are 85 recipes. Her shoyu chicken is the real thing. Her directions for making kimchi at home would make a Korean grandmother proud. The made-from-scratch saimin is an artform to be accomplished with practice. Loco moco is a goofy staple (hamburger patty atop white rice with tangy gravy and a sunny-side-up fried egg) which non-health-conscious locals eat. Her chicken adobo is a trip to the Philippines, as is the lumpia. Soy-glazed SPAM musubi is a rite of passage. Fish steamed in green leaves is available throughout Hawai'i. Difficult to find ingredients (like li hing powder and furikake) are connected to sources. And the whole thing is wrapped in a demonstration of the aloha spirit which marks this wonderful culture. The resulting cookbook was a finalist for the award given by the International Association of Cooking Professionals ... as well it should have been.

[Kate]

Made the shoyu chicken--the sauce is really good especially!

However, the real strength of this book is in its headnotes, and honestly I found it to be a better resource for info on Hawaiian history and culture than many of the other books I picked up before I went to Oahu earlier this month. Although the editor in me was like, "How is she relating this whole detailed food history with NO ENDNOTES ARGH CITE SOURCE." And then, you know, I felt super ashamed of feeling like that. In any case, really interesting stories and you get a real sense of what Hawaiian food culture is like, its origins, and the memories the author associates with each dish.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. The photography is beautiful, the history behind the food and the people who brought it to the islands and beyond is a thoughtful introduction to the subject. While some ingredients may be challenging for me to find in the Midwest, I look forward to exploring a new grocery store to do my best to find them. I appreciate that Kysar gave the original ingredients as well as acceptable substitutions where she could. I cannot wait to try and recreate some of my favorite dishes from visiting Hawaii. Mahalo Alana for writing a fantastic and accessible book.

[Kerry Pickens · Rating 5 out of 5]

My first book for 2020! I wanted to learn to make moco loco, but this cuisine has so many different influences. I know I will be making lumpia and Chicken Adobe soon. The Kindle version is available today on Amazon for 1.99.

[Meg · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm instantly back to Kaua'i. (sigh). I wanted to eat everything in this book, cook everything, and take a nap on the beach. This book may not be other's jam, but it was mine.

[Jamie · Rating 3 out of 5]

When you close your eyes and think of Hawai'i, what comes to mind? Do you see the brilliant sapphire and turquoise ocean glistening in the sun? Maybe you think about the feeling of the warm, soft sand between your toes? Do you hear gently rustling palms? Or is your perfect moment when you feel the cool, breezy trade winds collide with the warm, light blanket of humidity that hugs the Hawaiian Islands chain? [...]
For me, it's the way the islands taste.
(Alana Kysar, Aloha Kitchen, p.2)

I'll be totally honest. I mentioned in my dumpling cookbook review that I'm reading a lot of the genre because of my 'weight-loss program' (no need to be concerned, I'm just exercising and eating properly after my stupid work schedule seduced me into months of no exercise and nightly take-out), and how cutting things out of my diet tends to make me want to read about them. I've noticed since then that I haven't had any interest in reading lately. These periods come and go, but in the meantime cookbooks don't need much mental focus and it's nice to be able to dust off some of the less read ones. That goes literally for Aloha Kitchen . It's such a beautiful cover (and I have such little kitchen bookshelf space) that it's one of the books that doubles as decor.

I've never been to Hawaii or eaten any of their dishes. I was actually planning a visit for April 2020 - I bought travel guides and everything - but my anxiety kept me from actually booking anything. I'm actually writing this review in late March 2020 (speaking of anxiety, I noticed that being at least a year ahead is stupidly calming so fight me). If you'll turn your minds back that far - and I dearly hope you have to and that the COVID-19 pandemic isn't still happening when you're reading this (EDIT 7/3/21: HA!) - my anxiety saved me from having to cancel that hypothetical vacation so... yay? But in the spirit of the original intent I figured it'd be the perfect time to take this book out from its tableau.

Kysar described the cuisine of her islands and how it was influenced by each influx of foreign laborers. I found it interesting how Hawaiian foods can be so neatly divided into nationalities instead of blending them into a whole. For example, a lunchbox can be divided into a Chinese meat, a Portuguese vegetable, a Korean noodle, and together they would still make a Hawaiian lunch.

Oh, and it has a recipe for Inari/cone sushi! My local grocery store has fresh sushi and for a while they made Inari sushi as well. They offered it just long enough for me to fall in love with it, so I’m thrilled to see the recipe Aloha even if I’ll never have access to the bean curd.

I wasn’t too pleased with the descriptions. Kysar uses very basic descriptors of the flavors (sweet, hot, etc.), or no descriptors at all. It’s alright if the reader already knows what the ingredients taste like but it’s useless for those of us without a frame of reference. What does li hing powder taste like? I can see that Okinawan sweet potatoes are purple, so how do their flavors differ from the orange ones? Most of the foods I read about weren’t triggering any sort of flavor memory at all which was more than a little weird.


CLARITY:
The instructions were clear, but the descriptions made imagining the dishes nearly impossible.

HUMAN INTEREST:
It’s nice to read about someone who loves the food they’re cooking and the country the food comes from.

MAKES ME WANT TO COOK:
Not really. The food looks so interesting and juicy and creamy, but I have no frame of reference for many of the flavors. Even the more mundane ones can be regional. I’ve never so much as seen SPAM, watercress, or taro in a grocery store, and nappa cabbage is stupidly expensive. The blurbs, as I mentioned above, don’t do a good job explaining the taste of the dishes. As a result I don't feel any desire to cook most of the recipes, but I have more desire than ever to travel to Hawaii and learn what the dishes in the book could taste like if I had access to the ingredients. The daydreaming is much of the fun. I think this is why I've only ever read the book once but can't bring myself to get rid of it. I know it'll make me want to cook once that requirement is met. In the meantime I can’t possibly give it full stars.

THE VERDICT?
Well, it’s good for a tableau and it might come in handy after a future hypothetical Hawaiian vacation.

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I would give this one 10 stars if I could.
We've been looking for a true Hawaiian cookbook for decades.
We've skimmed many, perused a lot, purchased a few. But no one has been able to capture what we eat when we're on island.
The author has nailed it!
If you want to know what it's like to eat like a local in Hawaii, this is it!
We've smeared our way thru our copy and bought copies for friends. If you were to open a Hawaiian restaurant on the mainland (ok, outside of Las Vegas), this is what you would use to make the menu.
Thank you Alana Kysar! This is awesome!!

[Erin Weinstein · Rating 4 out of 5]

Would love to do a cookbook party with this book. Interesting to get some of the history with it. Pan-Asian cuisine- excited for all the passion fruit! Also guava cake!

[Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Hawaii is always a good idea"

[Cynthia D · Rating 5 out of 5]

My rating: 5/5

Straight up my favorite cookbook so far ever. I have a really hard time finding cookbooks that really encompass what I'm looking for: a good multicultural book of recipes that mainly have an Asian background. If you look at my hardcopy of this cookbook, you'll find that I have more than HALF of the recipes tabbed to try out, and I'm seriously excited to give these a go! I already cooked the shoyu chicken and got the request to add this to our regular recipe rotation (which is heavily Asian-focused as it is). I'll be trying out the katsu, and hope to try the butter mochi soon.

Since I've been diagnosed with Celiac Disease, I lost the ability to eat at any Hawaiian restaurants. I've wanted to remake a lot of the food I ate at these restaurants and from what I saw in Hawai'i, but didn't always know exactly what I wanted to try making... so I ended up not trying at all. Sad but true.

The book itself is wonderfully done. I love that the author is another hapa (holler!!!) in California (represent!!!!!), and the bits and pieces of her background is so interesting to read. The pictures are BEAUTIFUL. Kudos to whomever did the design for the book because it is BEAUTIFUL. I am so happy my husband picked this out at the bookstore for me to cook from, because it's 100% my favorite cookbook ever. Not exaggerating.

[Sharon · Rating 4 out of 5]

A nice solid Hawaiian cookbook. For ages I’ve looked for a good, non-touristy cookbook and then, finally, two showed up at basically the same time. (The second was Cook Real Hawaii by Sheldon Simeon.) This one hits all the highlights, with a decent selection of plate lunch options. It’s more straightforward and less “cheffy” than Simeon’s book. (Personally, I like cheffy, but I know some people don’t. If you’re that person, this book is more your cup of tea.) I really appreciated some of the less-typical recipes like the meat Jun; I’d resigned myself to never having that anywhere other than my favorite Korean dive in Honolulu.

I haven’t cooked out of either book yet, so my opinions may change once I do... but this looks like a good one.

[Kurt Fox · Rating 5 out of 5]

I especially liked the introduction and the history (albeit short on the global scale of history) of the Hawaiian (food) culture. It really puts things in perspective given the history and dates and introductions and the cuisine in the book. The overall feel of the book is ohana, even in each recipe in the intro gives the feeling of oneness in the community, and kudos and callouts to friends, family, local restaurants, bars, where the entire island feels like a local neighborhood.

While you may or may not like the foods in the book, the recipes do deliver the authentic Hawaiian foods, and what it means to the islanders. And delivering recipes is what a recipe book is all about. Great photos, clear directions, a piece and place in history for each.

Well done! If you like Hawaiian food, this is your book. Even if you don't, you still might learn a bit.

[Kelli · Rating 4 out of 5]

I got this book to try out some recipes for my husband, who is Hawaiian. So far I have made: namasu, takuan, mochiko chicken, chicken jook, chicken adobo, and soon will be trying the haupia recipe. The only one I haven’t liked so far was the takuan— which seemed excessively sweet and not like pickled radish I’d had before. But your preference may differ. Unfortunately I haven’t had the chance to try any of the meat dishes besides chicken due to cost, but I hope to do so soon.

I love how much history the author has included, especially the explanation of how other regions have influenced Hawaiian food.

I’m looking forward to trying more of the recipes!

[Kathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

My husband's family is from Maui, and I lived on Oahu when my daughter was little, so Hawaii is one of my favorite places in the world. The author's descriptions of sight, smell and sounds took me there in 5 seconds-- it sounds weird, but reading it is like a mini trip to the islands. So beautifully designed and well-written. I have tried many recipes from the author's FixFeastFlair blog and they are amazing, so I know I can trust that the recipes in the book will be just how I remember the local foods tasting. Thank you so much, Alana Kysar for this beautiful book!

[Rebecca · Rating 5 out of 5]

Aloha Kitchen feels like home

Beautifully done cookbook with all of the best recipes from Hawai’i, and then some! I learned a few of my favorite staples (Kalua pig, spam musubi) before moving back to the mainland, but never got to learn how to make some of the others because they were just easier to buy at any of the awesome places in the islands. Now that I’m landlocked in Texas, where Tex-Mex reigns supreme, I am missing so many of my Hawai’i faves and definitely looking forward to making many (probably all) of them from the recipes in this book.

[Kieran · Rating 4 out of 5]

I rarely review cookbooks, but this one feels unique. Besides an abundance of authentic Hawaiian recipes, it is also packed with history, cultural facts, and gorgeous photography. It is a beautiful book, obviously crafted with love and care.

My only issue is that some of the recipes felt needlessly complex or used ingredients that are impossible to find. This may be more indicative of my cooking level rather than the quality of the cookbook.

If you are a fan of Hawaiian food or culture, I would recommend seeking this one out!

[Spindrift · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fabulous Resource for Hawaiian Favorites

I love this book! It has all the recipes for home-cooked Hawaiian staples, treats, and special-occasion foods. It includes a nice summary of the historical influence of immigration an incorporation on Hawaiian cuisine, and provides a good discussion and description of classic ingredients, including where to look for those that can be difficult to find on the mainland. I can’t wait to try the manapua and mochi butter cake!

[Jared Musser · Rating 5 out of 5]

With close ties to Hawaii via Inlaws and having lived there for a number of years, I've shelved Hawaiian food as my all-time favorite, soul satiating cuisines. Finding good Hawaiian food is a challenge in Los Angeles, where my wife and I live today. Aloha Kitchen is a doorway into authentic Hawaiian culture through the mediums of thoughtful storytelling, history and of course, vibrant flavors. Thank you, Alana Kysar, for gifting this book to the world. It's much more than a cookbook. 

[Anna]

I checked this out along with Sheldon Simeon's Cook Real Hawai'i and compared to his cookbook, Kysar's is much more basic. However, the cover is beautiful, and if you're brand new to consuming Hawaiian cuisine and are now wanting to cook those delicious tastes for yourself, Kysar lays out the basics well, especially as to what ingredients to have in your pantry with descriptions and illustrations and side notes about unique ingredients and of what to include in the menu.

[Hannah Puhse · Rating 5 out of 5]

Only get this book if you love eating Hawaiian food. I love Hawaiian food but never had an auntie to come share the secrets with me. So my girl Alana comes in... and makes me fall in love with home cooked Hawaiian food. I can keep my love of Hawaiian food and not go broke from eating out. My husband requests recipes from this book, my friends make requests too. Easter was all Hawaiian a few years back! that's the way it should be!

[Jen · Rating 4 out of 5]

As of 10/19 I have not actually made any of these, I will update my review if I get to them. I for sure want to get the mac salad made this weekend! It sounds like one of the simplest items.

It seems like a good variety, including in terms of cooking-ability the reader should have.

I'm pretty low on the good cook scale, so . . . fingers crossed.

[Jacabaeus · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic. Pictures are phenomenal, excellent mini dive in to Hawai'ian culture and history, and the recipes actually work! Except for the manapua buns, but I think that was user error. For the char siu pork I highly recommend smoking them instead of cooking in the oven - ended up absolutely stellar with the dry mein.

[Diera Musser · Rating 5 out of 5]

THE BEST COOKBOOK!! This book is so thoughtfully put together. The photos are beautiful, the recipes are so well written, and the food!! Don’t get me started on the cornbread. I could eat the entire pan. The shoyu chicken, chili, saimin, kalbi ribs...all amazing. These recipes are always on repeat and such a beautiful way to introduce friends to Hawaiian cuisine.

[Stephanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Aloha Kitchen is a delightful cookbook. If you aren’t lucky enough to have Hawaiian plate meals near you, this collection of recipes will bring some sunshine to your plate. I’m lucky to have two Hawaiian joints within a mile of my Kansan home. That said, I’ve made the huli huli chicken several times. I love Hawaiian mac salad and although the recipe included isn’t my fave - it’s good. I made the kimchi (changed it some) and it’s delish! I can’t wait to make the char siu pork, pork lumpia, pipi kaula and butter Mochi (rice cake). Unfortunately, some recipes I can’t make because the ingredients are not readily available. Overall, this is a fun cookbook to incorporate some new recipes in your repertoire. Happy cooking and aloha!

[Veronica · Rating 5 out of 5]

This cookbook is really excellent. I am not local to Hawaii and have never lived there, but I love to visit. I bought this cookbook after my last visit so I could learn to make some more of the dishes the locals eat. I've made several recipes out of it already and I've found them clear and easy to follow, as well as delicious!

[Amy Reade · Rating 5 out of 5]

A book filled with history and stories, delicious recipes, easy-to-follow instructions, and breathtaking photos--what's not to love? I intend to try almost every recipe in the book and I know my family is looking forward to them every bit as much as I am. An excellent book for anyone who is interested in regional cuisines and delicious food.