by KawikaChann

Created on: May 15, 2008

Hawaiian Huli-Huli Chicken
Huli-huli (hoo-lee-hoo-lee) chicken is an island favorite, and can be found at carnivals, shopping centers, and other places of interest where people congregate. It is a distinct aroma that cannot be mistaken mostly due to the kea'we (kay-ah-veh) wood logs grown only in certain areas on the island. Halved chickens are placed on spits over flaming kea'we logs, and when ready, they are turned over and over, or, huli-huli. The kea'we logs offer a smokey flavor that cannot be duplicated by simply adding mesquite, or hickory flavored liquid smoke. Adding this will affect and over power the palate, and the experience will finally move the dish's taste farther from it's original intent. We will not attempt to capture the kea'we smokey flavor.

Instead, we will concentrate on a taste that may not be so common to most folks. Hawaiian salt. Hawaiian salt is a rock salt made in the Hawaiian islands. I would not be so bold as to say that the salt made in Hawaii is of an original and therefore incomparable spice, but if you have it available, use it. I've had friends that were able to use kosher salt, or rock salt that you can normally grind, whatever the case may be, it is important that it be rock salt.
Hawaiian salt, or, rock salt is less salty, mellower, and gives the poultry flavor more of a chance at being enhanced, rather than being directed predictably as table salt.
Follow the recipe below, and enjoy an island treat that my ohana (oh-hah-nah) or family, does on a regular basis.

Ingredients:
Chicken
Hawaiian salt, rock salt
garlic - minced if preferred
paprika
butter

You may use whole chicken, quarters, thighs, skin on, or skinless, whatever you normally enjoy is fine. In an oven pan, sprinkle Hawaiian salt over pieces of chicken and lomi (low-mee) or massage the rock salt into the chicken. Next, take generous amounts of butter or margarine and lomi into chicken - it's alright to have clumps of butter here and there. Next, place the garlic into the pan - clove smashed or minced. Last, sprinkle paprika generously over all pieces of chicken, flip and sprinkle more paprika ensuring that all sides are coated. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees, pop it in and cook as usual.
It should be noted that the most enjoyable part of this meal, is that the juices from the chicken will be pulled out of the chicken thanks to the Hawaiian salt, and during the cooking each chicken piece will be basking in it's own juices. Do not over cook. The aroma that this dish creates is very unique, and will cause interest from salivating family members.
This dish is best served with rice, or what my southern friends call "sticky rice". Hawaiians don't do long rice. Back this meal up with a green bean in butter, or sweet corn, and you've got a nice little meal. Don't forget to spoon some of the juices over your rice, I usually add a little shoyu over my rice, and the rest is history.
If you know anything about Hawaii, food is very important to us, and the ability of a o'no (oh-noh) or good-tasting meal to be made without too much piliki'a (pee-lee-kee-ah), or trouble, is key in the Hawaiian life. Aloha.

Learn more about this author, KawikaChann.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.