Hawaiians Eating "Poi," the National Dish.

Poi is a traditional staple food in the Hawaiian diet, made from taro. It is produced by mashing cooked taro on a wooden pounding board (papa ku?i ?ai) with a carved pestle (p?haku ku?i ?ai) made from basalt, calcite, coral, or wood. The initial paste, called pa?i ?ai, is mixed with water during mashing and again before eating to achieve the desired consistency, which can range from highly viscous to liquid. In Hawaii, the consistency is informally classified as "one-finger," "two-finger," or "three-finger," based on how many fingers are needed to scoop it up. Poi can be eaten fresh and sweet or left to ferment, developing a sour taste and a smell similar to plain yogurt.