Kūlolo

Kūlolo
Kūlolo, a pudding made from taro and coconut milk
Alternative namesPiele, piepiele
TypePudding
CourseDessert
Place of originHawaii
Serving temperatureFresh; room temperature
Main ingredientsTaro, coconut
Ingredients generally usedSugar
VariationsPiele, pepeieʻe
Similar dishesKōʻelepālau, haupia

Kūlolo is a Hawaiian dish made with taro and coconut. Considered a pudding, kūlolo has a chewy and solid consistency like fudge or Southeast Asian dodol, with a flavor similar to caramel or Chinese nian gao. Because taro is widely cultivated on the island of Kauai, taro products such as kūlolo are often associated with the island. It is a well-beloved dish well documented by many non-Hawaiians since the late 1800s, sometimes found during festive occasions like lūʻau.

Etymology

The Hawaiian word kūlolo is a cognate of the Eastern Polynesian term "roro" which describes "brains matter, bone marrow; spongy matter," which itself is derived from Nuclear Polynesian "lolo" which describes "coconut cream or oil", while "kū" is a qualitative and stative prefix.

Preparation

Traditional kūlolo recipes call for wrapping a mixture of grated taro and coconut cream in ti leaves and baking it in an imu (underground oven) for 6 to 8 hours. Modern recipes call for baking the mixture in a baking pan in an oven, or steaming in a pressure cooker.

Variations

Piele (antiquated piepiele) is another name associated with puddings made in a similar manner to kūlolo. It also refers to the grated or pulverized raw ingredients—including taro, sweet potato, breadfruit, yam, or banana—that are mixed with coconut milk to make this dish. Pepeieʻe (or paipaieʻe) is a baked pudding made from the overripe fruits of banana or breadfruit mixed with coconut milk. Kōʻelepālau is a similar pudding made with sweet potato and coconut milk. However, the coconut milk is added after the sweet potatoes are cooked separately.

Today

While kūlolo remains fairly popular, it is unclear why piele and pepeieʻe fell out of favor in modern times. All these puddings, including kōʻelepālau and haupia, were well-documented throughout the late 1800s to early 1900s, including by the famed author Robert Louis Stevenson during his visits.

A powdered kūlolo mix using dehydrated taro powder is available for those who do not have access to fresh taro. Kūlolo is also found as a filling in lumpia, as an accompaniment to, and as a flavor for, ice cream.

See also

References

  1. ↑ Thompson, Rod (September 14, 2001). "They don't make it like they used to, but it's still kulolo :The ancient Hawaiian candy will be for sale at a fund-raiser in Kalapana tomorrow". archives.starbulletin.com. Honolulu Star-Bulletin. Retrieved 14 October 2023.
  2. ↑ Pukui, Mary Kawena; Elbert, Samuel Hoyt (1986). Hawaiian dictionary: Hawaiian-English, English-Hawaiian (Revised and enlarged ed.). Honolulu: University of Hawaii Press. ISBN 0824807030.
  3. ↑ Toth Fox, Catherine (28 May 2015). "Crazy for Kulolo, Kauai's Dessert Staple". Hawaii Magazine. Retrieved 14 October 2023.
  4. ↑ Brickwood (1896). Hawaiian Cook Book (4th ed.). Honolulu, Hawaii: Hawaiian Gazette Company. p. 132. Retrieved 13 October 2023.
  5. ↑ Warriner, E. V. (July 1916). Scudder, Doremus (ed.). The Ninety-Fourth Annual Conference of the Hawaiian Evangelical Association. Honolulu, Hawaii: Volume LXXIV. The Friend. p. 150. Retrieved 13 October 2023.
  6. ↑ M.D.; Goodhue, E. S. (1917). Ford, Alexander Hume; Mellen, George (eds.). The Man in the Malo (1 ed.). Honolulu, Territory of Hawaii: Volume XIII. Mid-Pacific Magazine. p. 391.
  7. ↑ O'Connor, Kaori (June 2008). "The Hawaiian Luau: Food as Traditionpp, Transgression, Transformation and Travel". Food, Culture & Society. 11 (2): 149–172. doi:10.2752/175174408X317543. ISSN 1552-8014. Retrieved 13 October 2023.
  8. ↑ "Entries for RORO.1 [EP] Brains matter, bone marrow; spongy matter". Polynesian Lexicon Project Online. POLLEX-Online. Retrieved 14 October 2023.
  9. ↑ "Entries for LOLO.1A [PN] Coconut cream or oil". Polynesian Lexicon Project Online. POLLEX-Online. Retrieved 14 October 2023.
  10. ↑ "Kū-". Nā Puke Wehewehe ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi. Ulukau. Retrieved 14 October 2023.
  11. ↑ "Catherine Kekoa Enomoto - By Request". Archived from the original on 2002-11-07. Retrieved 2007-04-26.
  12. ↑ Lum, Relle (20 February 2020). "Instant Pot Kulolo Recipe Using Only 3 Ingredients". Keeping It Relle. Retrieved 14 October 2023.
  13. ↑ Bernice P. Bishop Museum Bulletin. Honolulu, Hawaii: Bishop Museum Press. 1972. pp. 153–154. ISBN 978-0-910240-11-6. Retrieved 14 October 2023.
  14. ↑ "Entries for PIERE.1 [CE] Pudding of grated taro, banana, etc: Kind of food made from banana, breadfruit or taro". Polynesian Lexicon Project Online. POLLEX-Online. Retrieved 14 October 2023.
  15. ↑ Central Union Church, Ladies Society (1896). Hawaiian Cook Book (4th ed.). Honolulu: Hawaiian Gazette Company. p. 132. Retrieved 14 October 2023.
  16. ↑ "Piele". Wehe wiki Hawaiian Language Dictionaries. University of Hawaii at Hilo - Ka Haka ʻUla O Keʻelikōlani College of Hawaiian Language. Retrieved 14 October 2023.
  17. ↑ "Pepei.eʻe". Nā Puke Wehewehe ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi. Ulukau. Retrieved 14 October 2023.
  18. ↑ "Kōʻelepālau". Kokua Hawaii Foundation. May 30, 2018. Retrieved 15 October 2023.
  19. ↑ McLaren, L. L. (1915). Pan-Pacific Cook Book: Savory Bits from the World's Fare. Blair-Murdock Company. p. 142. ISBN 978-1-4404-7256-5. Retrieved 14 October 2023. {{cite book}}: ISBN / Date incompatibility (help)
  20. ↑ Andrews, Lorrin (1922). Parker, Henry H. (ed.). A Dictionary of the Hawaiian Language. Honolulu, Territory of Hawaii: Board of Commissioners of Public Archives. p. 541.
  21. ↑ Malo, David (1898). Emerson, N. B. (ed.). Hawaiian Antiquities: (Moolelo Hawaii) (English 1903 ed.). Honolulu, Territory of Hawaii: Honolulu Gazette Co. p. 189.
  22. ↑ Johnstone, Arthur (1905). Recollections of Robert Louis Stevenson in the Pacific. London, UK: Chatto & Windus. p. 304. ISBN 978-0-8414-5324-1. {{cite book}}: ISBN / Date incompatibility (help)
  23. ↑ "Hawaii's Best Kulolo Taro Pudding Mix". Snack Hawaii. Retrieved 14 October 2023.
  24. ↑ Fujii-Oride, Noelle (29 September 2020). "How to Mail Order Kaua'i Poi and Kūlolo". Hawaii Magazine. Retrieved 14 October 2023.
  25. ↑ Sewake, Bianca (16 July 2015). "It's National Ice Cream Month! Try these 10 spots serving up Hawaii-made favorites". Hawaii Magazine. Retrieved 14 October 2023.
  26. ↑ Maeda, Grace (13 July 2021). "7-Eleven in Hawaiʻi is Amazing—Here's Why". Hawaii Magazine. Retrieved 14 October 2023.