Ferns
Our "Hawai‘`i's Rainforest" showcases two types of ferns commonly found on the Hāmākua coast, where Chef Brian spent lots of time at his grandparents' farm.
Kuware Sida and hāpu`u are two types of wild, native ferns rich in tradition and history.
Fiddlehead ferns have been a popular food source for millennia around the world. In Hawai‘i, there are several types of edible ferns called by various names.
The fiddlehead fern so often eaten in salads with tomatoes, dried ebi, and kamaboko is an introduced, invasive fern (Diplazium Esculentum) which is commonly mistaken for the native hō‘i‘o.
Locally, many Japanese refer to the introduced fern as warabi, but in Japan, warabi is actually the name for a type of bracken fern (Pteridium Aquilinum).
The correct Japanese name for Diplazium Esculentum is kuware sida (also kuware shida).
Hāpu‘u, also known as kakuma, was a critical food source during times of famine in ancient Hawai‘i. When being prepared, the shoots can emit noxious fumes which can burn the eyes and throat.
Chef Brian and a close friend foraged the hāpu‘u and spent hours preparing them.
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