There are a few foods from the land of my childhood that instantly take me home, and that I'll even admit to craving once in a while. Spam is the stereotypical Hawai'i food; I don't crave that very much any more, but who can resist once in a while?
Malasadas (from Tex's Drive In, not homemade), the Portuguese fried dough, do it to me too, even in these carb conscious times. Boiled peanuts, kalua pork, a good poké...
The other day, I got a craving for haupia, Hawaiian coconut pudding. And rather than ignoring, I decided to take action. Here's the ghostly white result.
I don't understand why I've never made this before. Sugar, cornstarch, a little water, and a can of coconut milk. It's pretty fool-proof, and if not the healthiest, not the unhealthiest, either.
It definitely reminded me of my native land, in a good way. And it drove home to me what a good canvas haupia would be for other flavors. I'm thinking I should make it again but add some crushed cardamom pods during the simmering phase... Maybe middle-eastern/Hawaiian is the next big fusion cuisine?
