Keokea Mushroom Hekka
Haleakala is on East Maui is home to the town area of Keokea with all of its old mom and pop stores supported by local residents and tourists. Many of the first Chinese immigrants in Hawaii had settled on Maui in the Keokea area to work on the Sugar plantations and eventually own their own stores, such as Henry S. Fong Store and K.S. Ching-Store. At the time it was known as Maui's Chinatown first family's Ching, Chung, Fong, Hew, Zane, Shim, Lee, to mention a few of the ancestral families to make their starts here.
Known as the Sleeping Chinatown, Keokea has gotten its nickname from its dormant and historic state that it has been left in. It is said that it waits silently for the opportune time to awaken as said from one of its previous residents. There were many of Hawaiian and other ethnic groups that intermarried into each others families back in plantation time. The dish hekka was familiar to many as it was used as a way to unify through cuisine by improving the quality of shared dishes. |
Butterfish Hekka in Hawaii
The seafood soup dish of the maui was eaten during the winter on the colder days. Many who had eaten at the time had moved into higher elevation areas near Haleakala. It focuses on the Butterfish which is widely eaten as misoyaki Butterfish steak in eateries around the state. When there is no butterfish available the dish is just Tomato Hekka. But, if you have butterfish it can be tasted in each spoonful. |
Food Characteristics
Butterfish Hekka has a fishy after taste and is a bit salty at first bite. The appearance is a red color that is slightly orange and can be a little dark. When Butterfish goes into the simmering broth the flavor is imparted on just about everything in the pot, because the flavor is so strong. Tomato Chicken Hekka has a lighter taste that has more flavor from the tomatoes and only slight flavor from the chicken it self. |
Tomatoes of High Elevation
For a fresh taste, sometimes the addition of Kula Tomatoes from upcountry can do the trick with the very pronounced as it has a flavor that compliments the oil and lean taste of the Butterfish. The olden days recipe uses canned tomatoes, but it has become a specialty of Kula to grow nice tomatoes with the cooler temperature and higher elevations. Kula is also known for its onions. |