Hawaiian · Fish Techniques

Grilled, pan-seared, blackened, baked, or used in kokoda/ceviche preparations. The flesh holds up well to strong preparations — unlike the delicate onaga or moi, mahi-mahi can handle bold sauces, spice rubs, and high-heat cooking without losing its character. This versatility makes it the workhorse of Hawaiian restaurant kitchens and plate lunch counters alike.

Monchong (HI-51) expanded preparations: curried monchong with rice pilaf and mango chutney (the benchmark HRC preparation); naked monchong with crab stuffing and sautéed vegetables (a whole-fish preparation); misozuke monchong (miso-marinated for 24–72 hours, then broiled); pan-seared with macadamia nut crust (the Hawaiian nut + Hawaiian fish combination). Monchongʻs high fat content makes it the most forgiving Hawaiian fish to cook — it stays moist even when slightly overcooked. This is why chefs champion it: it rewards good technique but forgives moderate technique.

Ono steaks are typically grilled or pan-seared. The flesh is firm and dense, with a mild sweetness. It must not be overcooked — ono is very lean and transitions from moist to dry rapidly. Medium-rare to medium is ideal for grilled preparations. For smoked ono, the fish is brined and cold-smoked over kiawe, producing a delicate, subtly sweet smoked fish. Ono is also excellent in kinilaw/ceviche-style preparations where the acid firms the already-firm flesh.

Aholehole (Kuhlia sandvicensis) is the Hawaiian flagtail — a flat, silver fish that grows up in brackish estuaries and lives in reef crevices as an adult. A delicate, mild-flavoured fish traditionally caught with nets in shallow water. Often pan-fried whole.

Grilled steaks (treat like lean beef — hot and fast), smoked (cold-smoked over kiawe), or used in modern poke/tartare preparations. The belly section has more fat and is prized. Smoked marlin is sold at fish markets across the islands.

Fresh: fried whole, grilled, or as poke. Dried: salt-cured and sun-dried like aku but smaller. The communal net fishing of akule was a major social event — the entire community participated in spotting, herding, and netting the school.

Multiple preparations: poke (the traditional everyday poke before ʻahi became the standard — aku poke is darker, richer, more oceanic), dried/salted (salt-cured and sun-dried, a critical preservation technique), tataki (Japanese-influenced: seared exterior, raw interior), baked in ti leaves (imu-style). The Japanese bonito tradition (katsuobushi — dried, fermented, shaved bonito flakes) uses the same species and connects to the Japanese-Hawaiian culinary thread.

Mullet is prepared by multiple methods: raw (as sashimi or poke — the liver was considered a particular delicacy), salt-dried (like aku), baked in the imu, or pan-fried. The flesh is mild, slightly sweet, with a moderate fat content. Ancient Hawaiians ate mullet at all stages of its growth — each size had its own name (pua is the fingerling, kahaha is the juvenile, ʻamaʻama is the adult).

ʻawa (Chanos chanos, milkfish) was the second primary species raised in Hawaiian fishponds alongside ʻamaʻama (mullet). Milkfish is ubiquitous across Southeast Asia (bangus in Filipino) and its presence in Hawaiian fishponds confirms the Austronesian connection. The fish has many fine bones but sweet, mild flesh. In the Philippines, bangus is the national fish. In Hawaiʻi, ʻawa is historical — less commonly consumed today than in ancient times.

ʻAweoweo (Priacanthus spp., bigeye) is one of the “red fish” alongside menpachi and kumu. Big-eyed nocturnal fish with red/bronze skin. Caught with net or hook and line. Good for broiling or drying. Ancient Hawaiians associated schools of ʻAweoweo appearing near shore with significant events.

ʻOʻio (Albula vulpes) is the Hawaiian bonefish — a silvery, fast-running flats fish caught with nets. Popular food fish in ancient Hawaiʻi despite its many small bones (the name is apt). Traditionally netted in schools. The flesh is sweet and the many bones were managed by scraping the flesh from the bones rather than filleting.

Versatile: steamed whole, pan-seared, baked, or served as sashimi. The flesh is clean, sweet, mildly nutty, and takes well to both Asian and Western preparations. Ginger-crusted ʻopakapaka with plum chili sauce is a classic HRC-era preparation. Pan-seared with butter and herbs is the Western approach. Steamed in ti leaves (traditional Hawaiian) lets the fish speak for itself. The flesh holds its shape well during cooking, making it forgiving for less experienced cooks.

Raw (as poke or sashimi), dried (salt-cured, sun-dried), broiled, or fried. Modern Hawaiian fishermen smoke ʻopelu over kiawe. Deep-fried ʻopelu bones are a modern snack — the small, thin bones become completely crunchy when properly fried.

Kajiki is the Japanese-Hawaiian name for Pacific blue marlin (also aʻu, HI-52). The dual naming reflects the dual cultural claim: Hawaiian fishermen catch it; Japanese-Hawaiian fish markets price and sell it. Kajiki nairagi (striped marlin, Kajikia audax) is the smaller, more common marlin species in Hawaiian waters and is preferred for sashimi over the larger blue marlin. The flesh is more delicate, lighter pink, and has a finer texture.

Pan-fried whole (the traditional preparation), broiled, or steamed in ti leaves. Also eaten raw as sashimi or poke. The fish is small (5–16 inches) and typically cooked whole. The flavour is delicate and sweet — reef fish at their finest.

Menpachi (Myripristis spp.) is the nocturnal squirrelfish — one of the “red fish” alongside ʻaweoweo. Caught at night from reef crevices. Small (6–12 inches), red-skinned, with big eyes adapted for night vision. The flesh is firm, sweet, and excellent fried, grilled, or dried. Ancient Hawaiians prized menpachi for its flavour and for its nighttime availability — it was the fish you caught when day fishing was unproductive.

Pan-seared, grilled, baked, or curried. The high fat content keeps it moist during cooking — more forgiving than lean fish like ono or ʻopakapaka. The flesh holds together on the grill and takes well to bold preparations (curried monchong with rice pilaf is a classic Hawaiian preparation). Alan Wong and other HRC chefs championed monchong specifically to diversify demand away from ʻahi.

Nabeta (Iniistius pavo, peacock wrasse/razorfish) is arguably the best eating nearshore fish in Hawaiʻi. The Japanese name is used rather than the Hawaiian (laenihi). The flesh is delicate, sweet, and excellent fried. Modern Hawaiian shore fishermen specifically target nabeta for its superior eating quality.

Nenue (Kyphosus spp.) is the Hawaiian rudderfish — 1–2 feet long, variable in colour, netted just inside or outside the reef. Preferred raw. An ancient Hawaiian staple reef fish.

Onaga is most traditionally steamed whole — Chinese-Hawaiian style, with ginger, green onion, soy, and sesame oil poured over the steamed fish. This preparation honours the fishʻs delicacy: steam cooks gently without Maillard browning, preserving the pale, sweet flesh. Also served as sashimi (the premium raw preparation), baked with light seasoning, or in misoyaki preparations (miso-glazed, broiled). The red skin is left on for presentation at celebrations.

Belly: sashimi, tartare, or smoked (the fattiest portion — treated like salmon belly). Loin: grilled, pan-seared, or baked (lean, firm, versatile). Cheeks: braised or pan-fried (small, tender, deeply flavoured). Liver: sautéed or made into a spread. Alan Wongʻs smoked opah tartare with watercress salad and breadfruit-taro crisps is a definitive HRC preparation. The diversity of preparations from a single fish makes opah a masterclass in whole-animal utilisation.

Palani (Acanthurus dussumieri) is a surgeon fish known for its strong odour but well-liked flavour. 6–12 inches, brownish-orange-grey, netted near shore. In ancient Hawaiʻi, eaten raw, broiled, or cooked in a calabash. The strong odour was accepted as part of the fishʻs character — not a defect but a feature.

Puhi (Moray and conger eels, various species) were an important food fish in ancient Hawaiʻi. Many varieties inhabit Hawaiian reefs. The puhi pahu (conger eel) was particularly noted. Eel flesh is rich, oily, and flavourful — excellent grilled, smoked, or simmered. In modern Hawaiʻi, the Japanese unagi influence has added a sweet-soy glazed preparation. Ancient Hawaiians had deep knowledge of eel behaviour and habitat — specific reef caves were known to hold specific eel species, and this knowledge was transmitted across generations.

Shutome (Xiphias gladius) is the Hawaiian broadbill swordfish — caught in deep-water longline fishing. Firm, dense, pale to pinkish flesh that browns when cooked. Excellent grilled (cut 3/4 inch thick, cook slightly past rare — unlike ʻahi, swordfish needs to be cooked through but not overcooked). A versatile restaurant fish that takes well to marinades, grilling, and pan-searing.

Traditional: eaten raw, mixed with mashed liver and limu. Modern: grilled whole, pan-fried, or steamed. The red uhu was preferred over the green variety. The flesh is firm, white, and sweet. The liver, mixed into the raw preparation, adds richness and a faintly mineral character.

Steamed whole (Chinese-Hawaiian style), pan-seared, grilled, or baked. Ukuʻs slightly firmer texture than ʻopakapaka makes it excellent for grilling. The flesh is white, clean, and mild with a subtle nuttiness.

Papio (juvenile): sashimi, grilled, or pan-fried. Excellent eating. Adult ulua: baked in the imu (traditional), grilled in steaks, or dried. The flesh is firm with a clean, slightly gamey flavour. Traditional preparation: baked whole in the imu with the eyes stuffed inside the belly cavity.

Weke (Mulloidichthys spp.) is the Hawaiian goatfish family — including weke ula (red goatfish), weke pueo, and others. Related to but distinct from kumu (the premium goatfish). Weke is a common, everyday reef fish. The weke nono variety is known for occasionally causing nightmares when eaten (attributed to algae toxins consumed by the fish — hence “nightmare weke”), though this is uncommon.

Hawaiian poke — 'to slice or cut' in Hawaiian — is raw fish (traditionally ahi/yellowfin tuna) cut into cubes and dressed simply with inamona (roasted kukui nut paste), limu kohu (a specific red seaweed), Hawaiian sea salt, and sometimes a splash of soy sauce — is Indigenous Hawaiian food that predates Western contact and now carries the weight of Hawaiian cultural identity in a culinary landscape flooded with mainland interpretations. Traditional poke is not a bowl; it is a preparation — the dressed fish alone, eaten as a snack or shared dish. The inamona and limu provide the specifically Hawaiian flavour signature: the bitter-rich kukui nut oil and the marine-umami seaweed are what distinguish traditional poke from the shoyu-sesame-sriracha-avocado constructions that the mainland poke bowl industry has popularised. Traditional poke represents the Indigenous Hawaiian relationship to the ocean.