Definition

Noun: 1. A traditional Hawaiian food: A staple dish made from the cooked, mashed corm (underground stem) of the taro plant, often allowed to ferment slightly, resulting in a thick, smooth, and slightly sour paste.

Usage

• As a food item: Poi is a central part of Native Hawaiian cuisine and culture.
  • The luau featured a large bowl of fresh poi.
  • She learned how to pound taro to make poi.
• Describing state or preparation: Often described by its consistency (e.g., one-finger, two-finger poi, indicating thickness) and fermentation stage.
  • I prefer my poi to be a little sour from fermentation.
  • This batch of poi is very thick, almost like dough.

Advanced Usage

• Cultural significance: Beyond sustenance, poi holds deep cultural, spiritual, and social importance in Hawaii, often served at celebrations and gatherings.
  • The sharing of poi symbolizes unity and ohana (family).

Variants and Related Words

• Pa‘i ‘ai: A related, thicker and less processed form of pounded taro, from which poi is traditionally made by mixing with water.

Synonyms

• Taro paste

Noun

1. Hawaiian dish of taro root pounded to a paste and often allowed to ferment