Ho'io: Hawaii's edible fern

Ho'io fern tips also known as pako in the Philippines

As the end of my stay on Kauai draws near, I'm trying to cram as many activities as possible into a long list of "gotta-dos", the most recent being a foray into the lush forests of Koke'e to gather ho'io, an edible fern that is highly appreciated on island tables anywhere in the state. Now this is where I will go off on another tangent for the sake of discussion, because when I spoke with our hawaiian sous chef at the restaurant today, he informed me that the edible ferns go by the name of pohole so I don't know if there are 2 different types to be had or if they go by different names on each island. The restaurant GM put in his 2 cents worth with "fiddlehead" but is there anyone out there willing to divulge some info on this?

Of course, those who know where to find ho'io/pohole will never reveal their secret location {wink} so the least that I can say is that this native plant has a delicate flavor that reminds me of asparagus and is most oftened prepared in a simple Fern Shoots Salad - blanched fern tips, tomatoes, and onions seasoned with soy sauce. It is the only way that I have ever remembered eating them. But being true to my experimental nature, I was looking for a way to incorporate japanese influences and found a package of Yamaimo Soba and dried shiitake mushrooms in the pantry. The idea for this fern shoots and buckwheat soba dish came on a whim and would be fine all by itself in larger portions, or preceding a main course of grilled teriyaki butterfish or salmon. Even better yet, perhaps some sweet prawns thrown in during the stir-frying process would turn this into a one-dish meal. Ono-licious!

Ho'io fern shoots with shiitake mushrooms and buckwheat soba
(serves 4)
8 oz. Yamaimo Soba (buckwheat noodle with yam)
8 whole, dried shiitake, soaked in warm water for ½ hour (or use fresh)
4 cups cleaned ho'io fern tips, loosely packed (see note)*
1 clove garlic, minced
Toasted sesame oil
Lite soy sauce
1/2 lime (opt.)
Salt
Untoasted sesame seeds

1. Bring a pot of water to a boil and salt lightly. Add the soba and prepared fern shoots; cook for 5 minutes or until noodles are al dente.
2. Meanwhile, drain and squeeze dry the shiitake mushrooms. Cut thinly into julienne strips. Heat 2 tablespoons or so of sesame oil in a large skillet and add the julienned shiitake and minced garlic; saute briefly (do not let garlic brown). Remove from heat.
3. By this time the noodles and fern shoots should be done cooking; drain well to remove excess water and toss into the skillet of shiitake and garlic. Turn the heat on to medium and stir-fry to evenly coat with the garlic-infused sesame oil, adding a few splashes of soy sauce and a generous squeeze of lime juice to your liking plus salt to taste. Plate individually and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Serve immediately.

*Note: To clean the fern shoots, carefully rinse and remove dirt and any fine, downy fuzz. Break or cut into 1-inch pieces, discarding any sections that are too tough or difficult to break easily (like when snapping asparagus stalks).

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Saved comment(s)

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Says Eleanor Nakama-Mitsunaga in the Honolulu Star-Bulletin: pohole is a Maui term, others use ho'i'o, Japanese use warabi, all for the same fern. Your dish sounds ono!
http://starbulletin.com/2001/09/...ingredient.html
L.Nakaney | 06.04.06 - 9:42 am

Rowena, Wow, your readers sure are knowledgeable! All those names for different types of edible ferns. Your photo is gorgeous, those ferns look so delicate and yummy. Your description of their flavor reminds me of fiddleheads, asparagus-like and maybe a little mushroomy? BTW do you serve the soba dish cold?
Susan | Homepage | 06.02.06 - 10:42 pm

Rowena, thank u so much 4 the prayer. I hope everything goes to normal soon. :-)
I wonder if this vegetables found in Philippines, perhaps we have this one too. Looks so yummy to fry them with shiitake ya?? How bout slices of fresh chilli (i love spicy food) hehehe, slice of ginger perhaps... ahhh i talk too much :D
dewi | Homepage | 06.02.06 - 7:59 am

What a beautiful dish, rowena! My grandmother used to prepare this too, but I can't be sure that they called it pako. I'll have to remember to ask her. Of course, her way is the classic tomato and fish sauce salad. I tried describing this edible fern to my kids once as we investigated the local fern growing in the backyard. Now I can show them your post. Thanks!
JMom | Homepage | 06.01.06 - 11:34 pm

They do kind of look like fiddleheads, but i'm not 100% sure because fiddleheads have one large spiral on the tip and in this photo it's hard to tell if that's the case. But if they are fiddleheads - they're yummy and we eat them in Canada (but most Canucks probably have never heard of them). I think they're a Newfoundland thing!
Kim H | Homepage | 05.31.06 - 7:45 pm

We call it "warabi" and my grandma usually makes it into a kind of pupu with tomatoes, onions and the warabi. I think the flavoring is like a lomi salmon without the salmon.
Kat | Homepage | 05.31.06 - 4:23 pm

That's beautiful and extremely healthful and yummy looking, and i'd love to try the ferns. Do they only grow on islands? Just wondering if anyone else eats them around the world and if they are growable in other climates (the budding gardengirl in me has an inquiring mind). Thanks for the lovely post, rowena.
ptinfrance | Homepage | 05.31.06 - 3:53 pm

Rowena, I doubt I'll ever taste ho'io in any dish, but your blog is so beautifully designed. It's always such a treat to visit. It sounds like you'll be heading back to Italy at some point. Is the Mads with you? I hope the visit has been healing for you. And... thanks for having such a great blog. You are an inspiration.
Stephen Newton | Homepage | 05.31.06 - 2:01 pm

Mango mania - Republished

Edit: This post has been republished to include my adjusted version of a mango macadamia mochi recipe from Star Bulletin. With that said, now I won't lose anymore sleep over this!

Mango season is in full swing and again, I count my blessings for being in a place where I can get them for free! The mango tree at my aunt's is overburdened with fruit, and my father gathers a shopping sackful every other day it seems. Neither he nor my aunt knows what type it is, but who cares? The fruit is super juicy and the flavor is sweet with just a hint of tanginess, making it perfect for eating and cooking. It has got to be my favorite of tropical fruits. Mango's got mojo.

The dessert above is a mango mousse pie. An absolute no-brainer — mango puree, sugar, gelatin, lemon juice, and sweetened whipped cream — all gently folded into a graham cracker crust. The cornstarch-coated treats below are Mango Macadamia Mochi and I've adjusted the original recipe to achieve better flavor and a deeper tangerine color. At first I was skeptical about making this because the only mango mochi I've seen is that frozen mango mochi ice cream product from Mikawaya (great tasting dessert, by the way). As it turned out, this mochi flavor is awesome! Really, both my dad and aunt were surprised at the results. The macnuts give a nice crunch to the usual glutinous texture, and as I've stated before, the only tweaking required would be the overall color.
Mango Macadamia Mochi
3/4 cup mango puree
1/4 cup water
3/4 cup sugar
1 cup Mochiko sweet rice flour
1/2 cup macadamia nuts, small dice
1/2 teaspoon vanilla (opt.)
cornstarch for dusting
1. Combine mango, water, sugar, and mochiko flour in a large glass bowl that will fit easily into your microwave. Stir in the macnuts and vanilla, cover with plastic wrap. Microwave on high for 5-7 minutes* until cooked through.
2. Turn dough onto work surface dusted with cornstarch. When cool enough to handle, shape into 2 long ropes 1-inch in diameter. Pinch off 1-inch portions and shape into balls. Dust lightly with cornstarch and store in a covered container.

*As microwaves will differ among households, the cooking time may vary between models. The trick is to cook the mochi mixture until it is no longer liquid, but not so much that it is too firm to handle. After 5 minutes I checked the consistency, giving it a stir to evenly distribute any pocket areas that were more liquid than others.

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Saved comment(s)

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I'd KILL to have some of that. Nevermind that i'm insanely allergic to mango, I eat it despite the results (which is really ugly but worth it!)
ptinfrance | Homepage | 05.30.06 - 6:46 pm

The mochi looks amazing. I cannot ever get enough mangos, too bad they cost an arm and a leg here. I used to get them for free too.
Gia | Homepage | 05.29.06 - 9:46 pm

Oh lucky you! Mangoes AND macadamia nuts in the same place!?! Ahh--the things you miss over here in Italy! There ARE mangoes at our local Cityper, but they just don't cut it. Oh well.
Jackie | Homepage | 05.29.06 - 1:14 pm

Umm... so... what's your address again? I think I can be there in about 36 hours. I'll place my order now so that you can have it ready when I get there. I'll take two mousse pies please!
Ivonne | Homepage | 05.29.06 - 4:19 am

Hi Rowena! Yum - those sound great, and I think they look beautiful just as they are! (I'd much rather have that natural coloring.)
Cathy | Homepage | 05.28.06 - 9:21 pm

Surinam Cherry Chiffon Pie

My dad's surinam cherry tree has been steadily yielding a modest amount of fruit and I've managed to collect enough to put together this recipe. Surinam cherries can be a tad tart when picked a day too soon, but when left to ripen to a deep, dark, red, the flavor mellows into an incredible sweetness that inevitably attracts the wild birds. Therefore, I gather them before they get pecked over. ;-)

The original recipe calls for surinam cherry juice, but I've elected to replace this with some fruit pulp. Rinse the cherries and remove stems and flowery ends. Using quick pulses, process a few times then pick the seeds out. The flecks of cherry throughout the pie makes for a pretty presentation when cut and served.

1 pie crust, 9-10 inch diameter, baked and cooled
1 tablespoon unflavored gelatin powder
¼ cup cold water
4 large eggs, separated
1 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup surinam cherry pulp (about 1½ cup fruit)
1 cup whipping cream, sweetened with powdered sugar and whipped to soft peaks

Soften the gelatin in 1/4 cup water. Beat the yolks together with HALF of the sugar and add the fruit pulp. Cook over medium heat until thick, stirring constantly. Add the softened gelatin and stir until dissolved. Cool and set aside.

Whip the egg whites until frothy then gradually add the remaining amount of sugar, beating until peaks begin to hold their shape. Fold beaten whites into cherry mixture and fill pie shell. Chill until firm. Top with prepared whipped topping just before serving. Serves 8-10.

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Saved comment(s)

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Surinam cherries? From the photo, I would never have guessed that they are cherries; they look like tiny, shiny red gourds, or else like berries that are way too pretty to be edible. The pie looks amazing, by the way. I love that soft colour of pink: it promises such deliciousness!
Tania | Homepage

I used to have a Surinam cherry tree when I lived on Maui. They have to be a blood red to be at their best if eaten raw, and they don't taste like the cherries most people are familiar with - they have a unique flavor.
Madam Chow | Homepage | 05.22.06 - 8:07 pm

So lovely! I think you've blogged about this fruit before. The cherries with the little gold thingies look like small Chinese lanterns.
Susan | Homepage | 05.22.06 - 2:16 pm

What a yummy way to use this fruit. My mom makes jellies and jams from them.
Kat | Homepage | 05.22.06 - 2:14 am

Oh, the wild fruit of my youth! I had no idea there was any way to eat them than right off the tree. Thank you for sharing your recipe, the photo of your delicious-looking pie, and for bringing back wonderful memories of growing up in Kaimuki.
Kelly | 05.22.06 - 2:00 am

What beautiful berries - I've never seen those before. I was looking around on the internet to find out about them and got a chuckle when I read that "In Florida, the Surinam cherry is one of the most common hedge plants throughout the central and southern parts of the state and the Florida Keys. The fruits are today mostly eaten by children." Your pie is beautiful too and looks delicious!
Cathy | Homepage | 05.22.06 - 12:34 am

Japanese taro

Odd-looking root vegetables seem to be my calling card these days... I got the idea for this post due to yet another unusual item that I've noticed often in the produce aisle, but never knew enough about it to cross the line between "looking" and "cooking." The mystery root here is araimo (Japanese taro), otherwise known as dasheen to everyone else. They looked absolutely forlorn sitting next to the large yams and Okinawan sweet potatoes. Poor things.

I would say that araimo tastes just like potatoes but in order to use them, they need to be blanched for about 10 minutes which facilitates the ease of removing the skins with a paring knife. Following this version for Dango Jiru (mochi flour dumplings with miso), I was pleased with the addition of kabocha pumpkin, shiitake mushrooms, gobo tempura fishcake, chinese napa cabbage, and araimo among the ingredients, adding fresh shrimp into the mix for a little bit something extra. It rates as simple 'comfort food', but in those instances when the onset of a cold puts a kink in your system, or as usually is my case, too much of a Friday night out with the beer buddies, surely a soup as nourishing as this ought to hit the spot.

Teller of Tales

If all it takes is one photo to reacquaint myself with an old tale, then I should count myself very lucky for being able to gaze at this image of then Princess Liliuokalani and Robert Louis Stevenson at my place of work. [Click to enlarge] It hangs on the wall, securely mounted along with several archival photos, and I had never taken notice of it until recently, when a visitor pointed out that Robert looked rather well in the picture. Robert? Robert who? If it weren't for the utter reverence that she expressed for this man, I'd never have found out that HE was the person behind one of the most classic of stories, Treasure Island. I read it in grade school, ages ago. And I reread it just yesterday, in one workshift and a bus ride home. What a renewed childhood pleasure to experience — there's nothing like hidden treasure, cutthroat pirates, and a secret island to get me turning pages one after the other!

It puts me in awe to look upon these personages each and every time I go to work. So much history in that one shot, I'm envious of the conversations they must have had. Reading up on the biography of RLS was an eye opener too, as it revealed that he was quite the traveler, having gone as far as to live the last of his years in the south pacific. What an adventurer! To quote: "To be what we are, and to become what we are capable of becoming, is the only end of life." - Familiar Studies of Men and Books (1882)

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Saved comment(s)

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I love RLS - try The Pavilion on the Links. Fantastic story.
kitchen hand | Homepage | 05.12.06 - 9:10 am

Rowena! I just saw your gobo post... besides having lived in Italy (Conegliano - ring any bells!?) I'm also half Filippino, so I love the addition of calamansi! My acupuncturist recommended I eat gobo, and I can't remember exactly for what... only that she swore by it.
Yasmin | 05.12.06 - 3:22 am

I suddenly want to pick up "Treasure Island," which I honestly don't think I've read before. I
love the quote with which you end your post. It communicates something I need to remember right now... how serendipitous to have found it on your lovely blog. Thank you.
Tania | Homepage | 05.11.06 - 6:22 pm

Filipinos in Hawaii - 100 Years and Beyond

Kauai Filipino Centennial Celebration

This is the first time that I've been able to attend a grand event celebrating the filipinos that immigrated to Hawaii when sugarcane was KING and laborors were in high demand. Filipinos were the last of the ethnic groups to arrive on the islands (Chinese being the first), and with them came their customs, traditions, and of course food! The weather was gorgeous during the whole event, here's just a few photos taken yesterday.

Parade and dancing in the streets... probably where I got my "party girl" roots.

Some kind of dancer, fire perhaps? I believe that's a bamboo stick in his hands.

Lechon: roasted suckling pig. A long queue of customers, jokingly dubbed "The Lechon Line", waited patiently in the hot sun for this pig to be cut into pieces and served with white rice, pancit, and pinakbet. All for 6 bucks, it was the best deal at the food booths.

Filipino sweets and fresh fruit: clockwise beginning from top left.
Mountain apples (very juicy, the flavor reminds me of a cross between a pear and apple), suman (sweet glutinous rice, brown sugar, and coconut milk), cascaron (sweet rice flour, grated coconut, brown sugar), and lastly patupat ibanag (sweet glutinous rice, salt, and coconut milk) wrapped and cooked in banana leaves.

One of the filipina dancers, who was more than happy to oblige striking a pose for me.

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Saved comment(s)

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Filipino food is one of my faves tho it was always hard to look at the whole pig. In pieces, that's ok!
ptinfrance | Homepage | 05.08.06 - 10:40 am

I noticed that next to the lechon was a bottle of banana ketchup, I love that stuff. When I was a kid, we used to have special ethnic days at school. I like the Filipino stick dances and esp. the food. I would give anything for a plate of caldareta or pancit right about now. Great photos!
gia | Homepage | 05.08.06 - 10:19 am

What a cool celebration! and all that great food too. I love cascaron and mountain apple. When we were growing up, we used to go to a Filipino family's house for birthday celebrations and they would roast a pig too. The skin is so crispy and tasty. Great post!
Kat | Homepage | 05.08.06 - 8:17 am

Gobo (burdock root)

The first thing that needs to be said about this root vegetable is the obvious resemblance to Harry Potter's magic wand, don't you think? I have seen burdock root, commonly referred to as gobo (goh-BOH) in Hawaii, since forever at the local supermarket, always kept under protective cover with damp burlap bags. The only reason why I decided to experiment with this fibrous root just now is because I had read that it was the most "yang" vegetable in Zen macrobiotic cooking. Cool.

A senior at Hula Wednesdays was a great help in finding out how to cook gobo, giving me a few ideas to begin with. Pretty much treated like a turnip, it can be pickled or put into soups or stews such as nishime. Another method was to take short lengths of cleaned gobo, roll it in thinly sliced pork, and securely knot with softened strips of konbu (seaweed kelp). This is then simmered in a sugar/soy sauce mixture. The one dish that she suggested not to miss was kimpira gobo as shown below (I've also seen it spelled as kinpira gobo). A sort of stir-fry seasoned with sesame oil, dried shrimps, sugar, soy sauce, and chile pepper, I came across many versions for this recipe. The one I'll give at the end was taken from an old cooking pamphlet of my dad's.


The surprise however, was this recipe for Ahi (tuna) with Eggplant and Gobo in a Soy Mirin Glaze with Kalamansi Lime Butter Sauce. My brother, who shuns eggplant, agreed to play guinea pig and was actually okay with the citrusy, asian flavors that went into it. I had to make do with regular limes and simplified the tomato part, and my only gripe is that it gave no directions for the plate up. Therefore, I just piled it all atop a bed of white rice. Voila!

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Kimpira Gobo
½ lb. gobo, pared and julienned into matchstick size
1 dozen dried shrimp
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 fresh chili pepper (minced) or a good pinch of red pepper flakes
2 tablespoons sugar
3 tablespoons soy sauce

As you cut the gobo into julienne strips, place them in a bowl of cool water to keep from discoloring; soak for 30 minutes before use. Sauté the dried shrimp and gobo (well-drained) in hot oil for 5 minutes. Add chili pepper, sugar, soy sauce, and continue to simmer and stir over low heat for about 10 minutes until lightly caramelized. Serve as a vegetable sidedish.

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Burdock links:
Burdock - A Lion in Porcupine's Clothes
You Too Can Be A Burdock Convertock

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Saved comment(s)

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You're so right about gobo's resemblance to HP's wand! It's hard to believe one could make a meal out of such skinny twigs, but you certainly did, and how mouth-watering you made them look! The ahi tuna looks fantastic.
Tania | Homepage | 05.05.06 - 11:17 pm

I love kinpira... when I'm in Hawaii, I make mine with a little portugese sausage, gives it a little kick! Your dish looks really good.
Kat | Homepage | 05.04.06 - 3:01 pm

Rowena, you should be proud to have made such a yummy-looking thing out of "sticks" ;-)
Susan | Homepage | 05.04.06 - 11:57 am

Rowena, whenever I read one of your posts about the food of Hawaii I feel like I'm there! First of all you're right... it does look like Harry Potter's wand! (Speaking of which I hope J.K. Rowling is almost done with that 7th book!)

The dish you prepared looks incredible. And where would we be without brothers who are willing to be guinea pigs... I have one of my own!
Ivonne | Homepage | 05.04.06 - 4:36 am

I love coming here to oftentimes find food that i grew up eating, and can imagine the texture of it as i think of tasting one of my favorite root foods. Then i wonder what french people would do with it given the opportunity. Feed it to the pigs? Non!!!
ptinfrance | Homepage | 05.01.06 - 11:09 am