Taro

Kalo leaves hold beads of dawn above the clear water of the loʻi. In Hawaiian genealogy and foodways, this is more than a staple: it is an elder relation tended with patience.

Simple recipe: cook peeled kalo corm thoroughly until completely tender, then mash with water into poi. For a lūʻau-style stew, simmer young leaves fully and patiently before adding coconut milk; raw or undercooked kalo and leaves cause painful irritation and must never be eaten.