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1
Remove the stems from the luau leaves entirely; any residual stem carries concentrated calcium oxalate. Wipe the ti leaves and strip out the central rib with a knife so each leaf bends without splitting. Lay two ti leaves in a cross on the work surface to form the outer wrapper for each bundle.
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2
Season the pork and butterfish lightly with sea salt. Place a portion of pork and a portion of butterfish at the centre of four to five overlapping luau leaves. Fold the luau leaves around the protein in multiple layers, completely enclosing it. The bundle should feel dense and compact, with no protein visible through the leaves.
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3
Set each luau-wrapped bundle at the centre of the ti-leaf cross. Fold the ti leaves up and around the bundle, then fold the ends over to seal. The ti leaf is moisture-resistant and structural; the finished package should hold its shape firmly without ties, or secure with kitchen twine if needed. The sealed bundle should feel rigid, not loose.
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4
Bring a large steamer to a full, rolling boil. Arrange the bundles in the steamer basket, seam-side up. Cover tightly and steam at full steam for a minimum of 3 hours, and up to 4 hours. This is where the dish lives or dies: calcium oxalate crystals in the raw taro leaf hydrolyse only under sustained moist heat — under-steaming leaves residual crystals that cause throat irritation and the leaves remain fibrous and harsh rather than silky. Do not reduce the steaming time. At 3 hours, unwrap one bundle: the luau leaves must be completely collapsed, deep olive-green, and silky to the touch with no resistance; if any fibrous texture remains, rewrap and continue steaming.
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5
Remove the bundles from the steamer and allow to rest for 5 minutes. Serve in the ti leaf wrapper, opened at the table. The interior should be fragrant with rendered butterfish fat absorbed into the taro leaves, which will be uniformly soft, dark, and earthy in flavour with no bitterness or throat catch on tasting.