Macadamia Nut — Hawaiian Nut Culture

Overview

Macadamia nut (Macadamia integrifolia) is the Hawaiian nut — originally from Australia, introduced to Hawaiʻi in 1881, and now synonymous with the islands. Rich, buttery, and versatile: eaten roasted and salted, used as a crust for fish (macadamia-crusted mahi-mahi or ʻopakapaka), in cookies, in ice cream, in haupia, and as an oil. The macadamia nut occupies the same “rich, buttery nut” niche that inamona (kukui nut) occupies in traditional Hawaiian cuisine. In a sense, the macadamia replaced the kukui as the Hawaiian nut of choice in modern cooking — kukui for tradition, macadamia for everything else.

Key Principles

1. EXCEPTIONAL: Macadamia-crusted ʻopakapaka: fish coated in crushed macadamia nuts, pan-seared until the nuts are golden and crunchy.

Pro Tips

EXCEPTIONAL: Macadamia-crusted ʻopakapaka: fish coated in crushed macadamia nuts, pan-seared until the nuts are golden and crunchy.

Source

Pacific Migration Trail