For those who are unfamiliar, here's the basics of Hawaiian comfort food, aka the plate lunch:
Spam Musubi - Next to Guam, Hawaii is one of the largest consumers of that canned meat many people love to hate and which in today's digital age is synonymous with 'junk email'. Basically, it's a block of steamed white rice formed in a mould, topped with a slice of Spam (usually marinated in shoyu (soy sauce - nobody in Hawaii calls it other than by its Japanese name) and mirin (Japanese rice wine), then lightly fried) and wrapped with a strip of nori (sheets of dried seaweed). Connvenience stores and supermarkets throughout Hawaii sell them as a snack that can easily be eaten on the go. I grew up eating Spam (which is called jamonada in Venezuela) and like eating it to this day; I just don't like receiving junk email - spam - in my inbox! (The above is Hormel's limited-edition Spam can for the Hawaii market.)
Spam musubi is generally not served as a plate lunch meal. Occasionally, they might be made with a small strip of egg, folded Japanese tamagoyaki style and cut to fit the musubi block under the Spam. There are also several variations of Spam musubi, none of them with any Spam; teriyaki chicken and sliced hot dog (usually Hawaii's own Redondo's hot dogs) are common.
Loco Moco - This ubiquitous plate lunch entreee is one or two grilled hamburger patties smothered in gravy and topped with a fried egg. Quick, cheap and guaranteed to raise the hackles of the healthy food police! Without the egg, it's just a hamburger steak.
Kalua Pork - Traditionally cooked whole in an imu (a Hawaiian underground oven), we on Kwaj don't have that luxury; a dig permit is required to dig six inches or deeper on the rock). Those who cook it here will either use a smoker or cook it in a slow cooker. You really can't tell the difference. Usually served on a bed of shredded raw cabbage.
Göteborg Musubi - Kauai's variation of musubi. It's a slice of Göteborg summer sausage, sauteed and topped with a rice ball sprinkled with furikake (shredded bits of nori, sesame seed and dried fish (bonito) commonly used as a seasoning in Japan). Outside of the Garden Isle it's not well known, but it is catching in popularity in the neighbor islands.
Poke - Pronounced 'po-keh', though some malihini (newcomers) and locals might pronounce it 'po-kee', it's raw fish usually mixed with chopped green onion, shoyu, sesame oil and inamona (roasted and ground kukui nut (candlenut).
Lomi-lomi salmon - A tomato, onion and salmon salad commonly served at a luau. Actually, salmon is not native to Hawaiian waters. Those who are manini (cheapskates) skimp on the salmon wind up making 'lomi-lomi tomato', which is usually frowned upon.
Korean entrees are also quite popular for plate lunches:
Kalbi (sometimes spelled galbi) - Beef short ribs, marinated and grilled on a barbecue (though pork is sometimes used).
Bulgogi - Marinated and grilled slices of beef, chicken or pork
Meat jun (Korean: jeon) - Marinated slices of beef dipped in an egg batter and fried. More of an island-style Korean dish, as few mainland Korean restaurants have this on their menu,
Not surprisingly, Korean food is usually basted with a spicy barbecue sauce called kochujang (sometimes spelled gochujang). It actually is a hot pepper paste prepared and aged much like kimchi. It's kind of sweet but conceals a fiery kick to it. Many times, it's thinned down to a basting sauce for barbecue.
I can go on and on about the wonders of Asian and Pacific Rim cuisine, but that would fill a book. So, enjoy - for now!
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