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Tin-: MAKING OF POI HV HAND. 



This method, employed by Hawaiian and Chinese poi-makers, 

 is a long and arduous one. The kalo corms are cleaned of roots, 

 washed, and cooked for several hours. The cooking is done in 

 larg'e kettles, or in an imu. The irnii is the characteristic Poly- 

 nesian under-gToimd oven in which food is cooked by means of 

 water-vapor heated l)y hot stones. Previous to the introduction 

 of iron kettles into these islands from abroad the natives had no 

 means of boiling their food. All the cooking of kalo for poi 

 Avas done in the inm, wherein it was steamed underground. 



In constructing an iiuu a hole a foot or so deep and three or 

 four feet across is dug and lined with stones. A few stones are 

 then placed on the bottom, and covered with fire-wood. The w'ood 

 is ignited, and small stones are put onto the fire, and become very 

 hot. After the fire has consumed all the wood the heated stones 

 cover the bottom of the imu. Ki leaves are spread over these 

 stones, the corms are piled onto the leaves, and are covered with 

 more leaves. A large stick or post is sometimes temporarily set 

 up in the center to preserve a hole and then the iinu is covered, 

 kazveii^e, with leaves and earth A quantity of water is poured 

 into the hole, which is then closed. The heated stones convert the 

 water into steam, which cooks the kalo. Kalo but partly cooked 

 is mo'a nno'a or iinoinwa, and when pounded the parts are easily 

 scattered, puchnchii. Kalo ])artially cooked, so that the uncooked 

 portions appear as white spots, is called pnhaaa. Half-cooked 

 kalo in general is vw'a kolckolc. Baked kalo is ai kiipiiii: a bun- 

 dle of cooked kalo partially pounded is holo ai. 



The time for cooking depends upon the amount of kalo init 

 into the imti. It varies from one hour for a small amount to five 

 or six, for an unusually large imu. The average time is two and 

 a half- hours. After the cooking is coni])lete, the top or covering 

 of the imu is removed, and the corms are taken out. The skin is 

 ^cra])ed from the corms by means of shells, (opilii or ])atella shells 

 being deemed especially suitable), sticks, or knives. In this state 

 the corms, called ai paa, solid food, while fresh are much es- 

 teemed. The ai paa may be cither dried or pounded. 



Sometimes the ai paa were sliced U]) and dried in the sun, 

 fiu-nishing a convenient and i)orta1)le food called ao, suitable for 

 long voyages and comparable to hard-tack. .According to An- 

 drews' Dictionary, "Sea-bread or army hard-bread was called ao 

 by ilawaiians when they first saw it." 



POUN'iii\(i I 111-: I'oi. 



If the corms are to be made into ai f^a'i tlu\ .nc put oiit(T a 

 poi-tray or /"O/'-board, papti kii'i ni. ;ind pimmlcil with st<^ne 

 ])ounders. This j)rori-ss is called L-u'i til. Iciiiio. or po'r. 



The p()i-])(K\.n\ is iiMially hewn from a single large plank, five 



