Chef Makoa
Baked ʻUala (Hawaiian Sweet Potato in the Embers)
Whole Hawaiian ʻuala baked in embers or a hot oven until the skins char and the flesh goes honey-soft, finished plain with paʻakai so the canoe crop tastes like itself.
Culinary Explorer
A cooking platform built around craft, culture, and the stories behind what we eat.
Poi ʻUala (Hawaiian Sweet Potato Poi)
Created by
Hawaiʻi's sweet potato poi, pounded from ʻuala instead of kalo, smooth and faintly sweet, a canoe-crop starch for the table when the loʻi isn't the only teacher.
Side Dishes
Polynesian, Hawaiian
Comfort Food
Make Ahead
Budget Friendly
20 min
Active Time
45 min cook•1 hr 5 min total
Yield6 servings
My kumu used to say, "Eat what you have," and that wasn't a small lesson. Back home in Hawaiʻi, poi usually means kalo, taro, Hāloa our elder brother. But the kūpuna also carried ʻuala, sweet potato, in the canoes, and when the land was dry or the loʻi wasn't giving, that root fed the people too.
So this is Hawaiian poi ʻuala, sweet potato poi, pounded smooth the same patient way, but softer in spirit, a little sweet, a little earthy, humble as a weeknight bowl. It belongs to Hawaiʻi's hand, and it sits beside its cousins across the Triangle: paʻiʻai and poi from kalo, Marquesan and Tahitian popoi, Cook Islands poʻe, breadfruit and taro pounded wherever one ocean, one canoe, one root took hold.
No need make it precious. If you have Hawaiian ʻuala, use that. If what your market gives you is purple Okinawan sweet potato or an orange one from the grocery, eat what you have and no shame. The point is the work: cook it fully, pound it slow, add water only as the root asks for it, and don't blame the ʻuala if you rushed the hand.
ʻUala, the sweet potato, was one of the major Hawaiian canoe and field crops, especially important in drier places where wetland kalo could not grow well. Long before rice became the everyday starch under plantation life, Hawaiian tables were built from pounded and cooked roots like kalo, ʻuala, ʻulu, and ʻuhi. Poi ʻuala shows that poi is not only one ingredient, but a pounded-starch practice, with cousins in popoi and poʻe across the Polynesian Triangle.
The technique, the tradition, and the story behind every dish.
Discover Culinary ExplorerIngredients
ʻuala (sweet potatoes)
Quantity
3 pounds
scrubbed, preferably Hawaiian or purple sweet potatoes
warm water
Quantity
3/4 to 1 1/4 cups
as needed for pounding
paʻakai (sea salt)
Quantity
1/2 teaspoon
plus more to taste
| Ingredient | Quantity |
|---|---|
| ʻuala (sweet potatoes)scrubbed, preferably Hawaiian or purple sweet potatoes | 3 pounds |
| warm wateras needed for pounding | 3/4 to 1 1/4 cups |
| paʻakai (sea salt)plus more to taste | 1/2 teaspoon |
Equipment Needed
- •Steamer basket or rimmed baking sheet
- •Papa kuʻi ʻai and pōhaku kuʻi ʻai, or a heavy bowl and potato masher
- •Small carved wooden ʻumeke for serving
Instructions
- 1
Cook the ʻuala
Steam or bake the ʻuala until a knife slides through with no catch, 35 to 45 minutes depending on size. Don't pull them early. The root has to give all the way through before it can pound smooth.
- 2
Peel while warm
Let the ʻuala cool just enough to handle, then slip off the skins. Keep the flesh warm if you can. Warm ʻuala listens better under the pounder, and cold ʻuala gets stiff on you.
- 3
Pound it slow
Set the ʻuala on a papa kuʻi ʻai, a poi-pounding board, or in a heavy bowl. Pound or mash until the flesh breaks down from chunks to a thick, glossy paste. Add the salt, then work in warm water a few tablespoons at a time.
- 4
Find the texture
Keep pounding and folding until the poi is smooth enough to scoop, soft but not soupy. For thick paʻiʻai-style ʻuala, use less water. For table poi, add more until it settles in the bowl with a gentle shine.
- 5
Serve or hold
Taste for salt and serve warm or at room temperature in a small ʻumeke, a Hawaiian wooden bowl. If making it ahead, press a little water against the surface, cover tight, and stir it back together before serving.
Chef Tips
- •Steam gives the cleanest, moistest poi ʻuala. Baking gives a deeper sweetness, but the flesh may need more warm water when you pound.
- •Use warm water, not cold. Cold water tightens the starch and makes the poi feel heavy before it turns smooth.
- •Leftover poi ʻuala is good beside kālua puaʻa, fried fish, eggs, or a plate lunch. Deep food and everyday food can sit in the same kitchen. That's how the islands eat now.
Advance Preparation
- •Cook the ʻuala up to 1 day ahead, keep it covered in the refrigerator, then warm it before pounding so it smooths out easier.
- •Poi ʻuala can be made 2 days ahead. Cover with a thin layer of water touching the surface, refrigerate, then pour off excess water and stir until smooth before serving.
Frequently Asked Questions
Nutrition Information
1 serving (about 260g)
Calories
195 calories
Total Fat
0 g
Saturated Fat
0 g
Trans Fat
0 g
Unsaturated Fat
0 g
Cholesterol
0 mg
Sodium
320 mg
Total Carbohydrates
46 g
Dietary Fiber
7 g
Sugars
10 g
Protein
4 g
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