 | |
| Alternative names | Rētiʻa, Vatia, Nanē Pia [1] |
|---|---|
| Type | Pudding |
| Course | Dessert |
| Place of origin | Polynesia |
| Region or state | American Samoa, French Polynesia, Hawaii, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu |
| Main ingredients | Coconut milk, starch |
Haupia is the Hawaiian name for a traditional coconut pudding found throughout Polynesia.
Haupia and other similar coconut puddings are a variety of traditional Polynesian pudding. Puddings made in the Pacific islands generally consist of two components; a base made from a starch such taro or breadfruit and an emollient such as coconut milk or oil that bound the material together when cooked. [2]
Starch extracted from the pia (or Polynesian arrowroot) is the original thickening agent used in making this dish. [3] These puddings would originally have had a more mucilaginous consistency, and more so without refrigeration historically. Cornstarch (grain starch) is often substituted for pia in modern recipes which give a different texture overall more akin to gelatin. A suitable substitute for arrowroot starch would be another root starch like potato starch or tapioca. Traditional haupia is vegan and does not contain gelatin, eggs, or dairy.
These coconut puddings that were made by the Polynesians were noted by early European explorers to have a resemblance in appearance and taste to the European dessert blancmange. [4] [5]
A standard recipe calls for coconut cream (or coconut milk), water, sugar, salt, and starch to be mixed, then heated until thickened. The mixture may be chilled or left to set until firm.
Haupia remains a popular dessert on its own. It is often served along traditional Hawaiian dishes and at luaus. But it is also a versatile dish that can be incorporated into other desserts.
Haupia is popularly layered on chocolate pudding pie and sweet potato pie. [6] Haupia can also be used in place of buttercream in fillings for cakes, donuts (including malasadas), incorporated into ice cream, or provide a more local twist in almond tofu. [7] [8] [9] McDonald's restaurants in Hawaii seasonally sell fried haupia pies and taro pies. [10]
In Hawaii, products that are coconut flavored but not containing haupia are sometimes appropriated as "haupia".
Dessert is a course that concludes a meal. The course consists of sweet foods, such as cake, biscuit, ice cream and possibly a beverage such as dessert wine and liqueur. Some cultures sweeten foods that are more commonly savory to create desserts. In some parts of the world there is no tradition of a dessert course to conclude a meal.
Custard is a variety of culinary preparations based on sweetened milk, cheese, or cream cooked with egg or egg yolk to thicken it, and sometimes also flour, corn starch, or gelatin. Depending on the recipe, custard may vary in consistency from a thin pouring sauce to the thick pastry cream used to fill éclairs. The most common custards are used in custard desserts or dessert sauces and typically include sugar and vanilla; however, savory custards are also found, e.g., in quiche.
Pudding is a type of food. It can be either a dessert, served after the main meal, or a savoury dish, served as part of the main meal.
Kissel or kisel is a simple dish with the consistency of a thick gel. Kissel can be made of grains, peas, sweet fruit and berry or from milk. It belongs to the group of cold-solidified desserts, although it can be served warm.
Po‘e or poke is a Polynesian pudding usually eaten as a dessert.
Kūlolo is a Hawaiian dish made with taro and coconut. Considered a pudding, kūlolo has a chewy and solid consistency like fudge or Southeast Asian dodol, with a flavor similar to caramel or Chinese nian gao. Because taro is widely cultivated on the island of Kauai, taro products such as kūlolo is often associated with the island. It is a well-beloved dish well documented by many non-Hawaiians since the late 1800s, sometimes found during festive occasions like at lūʻau.
Tacca leontopetaloides is a species of flowering plant in the yam family Dioscoreaceae. It is native to the islands of Southeast Asia. Austronesian peoples introduced it as a canoe plant throughout the Indo-Pacific tropics during prehistoric times. It has become naturalized to tropical Africa, South Asia, northern Australia, and Oceania. Common names include Polynesian arrowroot, Fiji arrowroot, East Indies arrowroot, pia, and seashore bat lily.
Fijian cuisine has long consisted of primarily foraged and farm-grown food. Although rice, wheat, and tea all became staples during Fiji's colonial era, native Fijians still eat primarily tubers and coconuts. The cuisine of Fiji is known for its seafood and various green vegetables, including ''ota'', a young forest fern, and ''bele'', a plant that resembles spinach.
Kalamai is a traditional Chamorro corn / coconut pudding, sometimes referred to as coconut gelatin. Original versions of kalamai called for masa harina, coconut milk, sugar, and water. Subsequently, cornstarch has been used to thicken the dessert. Red or green food coloring may be used to color the kalamai, followed by a sprinkling of cinnamon on the surface. A few recipes add vanilla for additional flavoring.
Niue is an island in the Southern Pacific, mostly inhabited by Polynesians. The plantations are mostly filled with manioc, taro and breadfruit, but banana trees can be found. The wide range of exotic plants in Niue includes taros, pawpaw, coconuts, bananas, yams, cassavas and breadfruits: All are intensively used in the local cuisine.
Lūʻau, Luʻau, Laulau, Lū, Rourou, Rukau, Fāfā, Hāhā, and Palusami are all related dishes found throughout Polynesia based on the use of taro leaves as a primary ingredient. While taro generally is known as a root vegetable for its starchy corms, the leaves are consumed as well. The base recipe is vegetarian. Most often, coconut milk was added, and later meat or seafood. The texture of the dish range from a thick soup to a dense cake.
Native Hawaiian cuisine refers to the traditional Hawaiian foods that predate contact with Europeans and immigration from East and Southeast Asia. The cuisine consisted of a mix of indigenous plants and animals as well as plants and animals introduced by Polynesian voyagers, who became the Native Hawaiians.
Poi is a traditional Samoan dessert made from mashing fruit into a smooth consistency and mixing in coconut milk and other flavourings.
Pie in American cuisine has roots in English cuisine and has evolved over centuries to adapt to American cultural tastes and ingredients. The creation of flaky pie crust shortened with lard is credited to American innovation.
Kōʻelepālau, or pālau, is a Hawaiian pudding made primarily with cooked sweet potatoes mixed with coconut cream. It is similar to other Native Hawaiian puddings like kūlolo and piele.
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