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When you think of Hawaii, what types of food come to your mind?

Do you think of dishes served at luaus and barbeques?

What other types of tropical food sound tempting to you?

Hawaii is justifiably noted for its many tropical dishes, but some are more well-known than others. Native Hawaiians have always lived in a sustainable way. They parceled their land to optimize the growing of food crops and managed the sea areas to keep them a stable source for fish used as food.

The first Hawaiians grew taro plants, sweet potatoes, bananas, sugar cane and breadfruit. In addition to ocean fish, the natives also constructed fish ponds, so they would always have a supply of fish available.

In the 1700 and 1800s, traders, whalers and missionaries came to Hawaii, and they brought the cuisines from their homelands. So, nowadays, Hawaiian cuisine includes influences from the Philippines, Okinawa, Puerto Rico, Portugal, Japan and China.

The disparate cultures intermingled in the food of Hawaii, interacting and creating dishes now considered "local." From their tropical fruit and vegetables to meat and fish, Hawaii has so much to offer foodies. Read on, and learn more about Hawaiian cooking...