Poi is the most misunderstood food in Hawaiʻi. Tourists taste it and say 'it doesn't taste like anything' or 'it's too sour.' Both reactions are correct responses to poi eaten outside of its context. Poi is not a standalone food — it is a condiment, a starch, a vehicle for the salt and fat of other Hawaiian dishes. Eaten alongside kalua pork, it is transformative. Eaten alone with a spoon at a luau buffet, it is baffling.
What Poi Actually Is
Poi is made from taro (kalo) — the corm of the taro plant is steamed or baked until soft, then pounded on a wooden board with a stone pounder (pohaku ku'i 'ai) while water is added incrementally until the paste reaches the desired consistency. Fresh poi is thick and slightly sweet. As it ferments (typically 1–3 days at room temperature), it thins and develops acidity — 'one-finger poi' is thick, 'two-finger poi' is medium, 'three-finger poi' is thin.
The Taro Itself
Taro (kalo) is sacred in Hawaiian culture — the taro plant is considered the elder sibling of the Hawaiian people in traditional cosmology, grown from the body of the firstborn child of the sky father and earth mother. The relationship between Hawaiians and taro is not merely agricultural; it is genealogical. This context makes poi something other than food: it is a connection to the land and to ancestors.
How to Eat Poi
Eat poi alongside: kalua pork (the salt of the pork with the starch and acidity of the poi), lau lau (the fattiness of the butterfish with the clean poi), lomi salmon (the bright acid of the tomato and salmon with the neutral poi base). Never eat poi alone and expect to enjoy it. It is a companion food, not a main course.
Fresh vs. Frozen
Fresh-pounded poi is available at the Hilo Farmers Market, the KCC Saturday Market, and from Waiahole Poi Factory on Oʻahu. The fresh version is smoother, more flavorful, and more expensive than the grocery store poi (which is often frozen, reconstituted). If you have the choice, go fresh. The difference is significant.
The Right Level of Sour
Poi's sourness comes from natural lactic acid fermentation. Hawaiians historically preferred more sour poi — it kept longer and the acidity increased nutritional bioavailability. Modern commercial poi is often sold fresh (less sour) to appeal to a broader audience. If you want to understand what traditional poi tasted like, buy fresh poi at a farmers market and leave it on the counter for 24–48 hours.