Laulau is one of the oldest dishes in Hawaii, born from the Polynesian voyagers who brought taro, pigs, and the tradition of cooking in earth ovens. Wrapping seasoned pork and salted butterfish in taro leaves and steaming them for hours transforms simple ingredients into something deeply savory and silky.
What makes laulau so beloved is the contrast of textures and flavors: the rich, salty pork, the custardy butterfish, and the earthy taro leaves that soften into a spinach-like green. Homemade laulau is a labor of love, but the reward is a bundle of pure comfort that tastes like a family gathering.

