 by Keala Kahuanui celebrates traditional Hawaiian voyaging food from the Makaliʻi canoe & Hanauna Ola program.){kind=link}
Experience a taste of traditional voyaging cuisine with Waʻa Hash (ʻUlu and Smoked Meat) by Keala Kahuanui, a member of the Makaliʻi voyaging ʻohana and the Hanauna Ola program. This hearty dish combines the smoky richness of preserved meat with the earthy flavor of ʻulu (breadfruit) — a true example of sustainable Hawaiian cooking.
Inspired by the long open-ocean journeys of Hawaiʻi’s voyagers, this recipe shows how ancestral preservation methods kept crews nourished for 30–40 days at sea without refrigeration. Learn how to prepare and can smoked meat, or try other poke recipes like Kalo Poke by Kamalei Kawa’a.
Explore more from our voyaging series — Ulu Kalua Pig Hash Patties and Chadd Paishon’s Waʻa Kalua and Greens — celebrating the deep connection between Hawaiian food, culture, and sustainability.
For more about the Hanauna Ola program and the Makaliʻi canoe, visit Nā Kālai Waʻa — preserving the spirit of Hawaiian voyaging for future generations.
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Wa’a Hash (Ulu and Smoked Meat) by Keala Kahuanui
Ingredients
- 16 -18 oz. Freeze Dried Ulu
- 2 qt. Canned Smoked Meat
- 4 lbs. Smoked meat canned in Quart Jars
Instructions
Preparation of Ingredients to be freeze dried and canned:
- Cut cooked ulu into 3/8” pieces and freeze dry
- Cut smoked meat into pieces and can in quart jars
Preparation for cooking when ready to eat:
- Boil 32oz of water in a kettle.
- In a large skillet, on medium high heat add freeze dried ulu.
- Rehydrate ulu with boiling water as needed.
- Add canned smoke meat to ulu in skillet.
- Mix well.
- Allow each side to brown until crispy.
- Serve with poi.