At Germaine's Luau you are able to experience how an authentic imu works. The compelling show gives an insight on this special Hawaiian tradition.
History of Imu Pits:
The imu pit was a traditional underground oven. Hawaiians used the pit oven (imu) to steam whole pigs, breadfruit, bananas, sweet potatoes, taro, chicken, and fish. This was mainly done for group meals, festivities, or religious ceremonies.
How to Create a Imu:
A lua or round hole, roughly 2 to 4 feet deep with sloping sides, is dug into the dirt to construct an imu. The lua's diameter and depth will correspond to the amount of food to be prepared. Not only must the pit be large enough to hold the food, but it must also be large enough to hold the pebbles and vegetation. While maintaining the imu's compactness as much as possible., place the earth that was excavated next to the pit. It will be used to cover the imu later. Gather kindling materials such as twigs, tiny branches, and any other flammable tinder. Fill the pit with kindling and place it in the bottom middle. The kindling wood is surrounded by larger wood (ideally hardwood).
Use wood that does not give an undesirable flavor to the dish. The smaller stones are then placed on top of the larger wood, about the size of a closed fist. Imu cooking is best done with vesicular basalt stones. Heat is retained by these permeable rocks, which are less likely to crack. Avoid stones that contain moisture, which might cause the rock to explode when heated. The kindling is lit, and the roaring fire warms the pit and the stones. The imu stones fall inward on the hot coals as the wood converts to charcoal. The time it takes for the stones to reach their maximum heat ranges from 1 1/2 to 3 hours. The hot stones are then smoothed out on top of the coals with a stick or wooden tongs to create an even floor.
Preparation is a crucial step in ensuring a successful cooking experience. Gather and prepare any plant material needed while the stones are heating in the pit. When using banana stumps, make sure they're cut into portions that are smaller than the diameter of the pit. Depending on the size of the trunk, the portions are chopped longitudinally, either in half or quartered. The chopped stumps are then crushed with a rock to break up the fibers and release the moisture trapped within them.
When cooking a whole pig, a small amount of rock salt is applied to the skin and the internal cavity area. Place all of your food and vegetative resources near the pit when the stones are nearly ready. Imu's are not only used to cook a whole pig, but traditionally breadfruit, bananas, sweet potatoes, taro, chicken, and fish were added by in Hawaiian tradition as well. Place your covering material near to the imu as well. Old lauhala mats or worn tapa fabric were traditionally used as a covering material before the final soil cover.
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