The ti leaf (lāʻī) is sacred to Lono, the Hawaiian god of agriculture and fertility, and to Hiʻiaka, sister of Pele. It also happens to be the one wrapper that gives laulau its distinctive character — the reason the pork inside emerges tender, aromatic, and nothing like a simple steam.
In Hawaiian, lau means leaf — and laulau means a wrapped bundle. The ti leaf is both the wrapper and the secret.
Laulau is one of the foundational dishes of Native Hawaiian cooking. The name itself means “wrapped bundle” — lau repeated to emphasize the layering. Pork shoulder or belly, seasoned with Hawaiian sea salt, is folded into taro leaves, then wrapped again in ti leaves and steamed for hours. The ti leaf is not eaten — it’s a natural, biodegradable cooking vessel that locks in moisture and infuses a subtle tea-like aroma into the meat and taro leaves.
This article walks through the cultural significance of the ti leaf, how it transforms pork during cooking, where to eat laulau on your next trip, and how to make it at home with substitutes that still honor the tradition.
The Sacred Leaf
That sacred status isn’t abstract — it shapes how the leaf is used today. Kahu (priests) and cultural practitioners dip ti leaves into salted water to sprinkle over people, objects, and places to spiritually cleanse and sanctify them. Dancers wear traditional skirts (pāʻū) made of fresh green ti leaves, believed to protect the performer and enhance spiritual connection to the forest and deities. Ti leaf lei are woven and given as symbols of deep respect, inner strength, and physical healing, often worn by men or gifted for significant life transitions.
Ti plants are commonly grown at the four corners of a house or near the entrance as a spiritual shield — the leaf is believed to possess the power to ward off negative energy and repel evil spirits. In traditional Hawaiian herbal medicine (laʻau lapaʻau), chilled ti leaves are wrapped around the forehead or limbs to help “pull” heat out of the body and break a fever. The plant protects, heals, and feeds — all from a single leaf.
The connection between the leaf and food runs deep. The origins of laulau stretch back to Polynesian voyagers who first settled Hawaii more than a thousand years ago, bringing taro, pigs, and knowledge of earth ovens across the Pacific. Taro (kalo) is considered an elder sibling to humanity in the Hawaiian creation story, and wrapping pork in taro leaves combined a sacred plant with a prized animal — uniting two symbols of life and continuity.
How Ti Leaf Transforms Pork
The ti leaf does four things during cooking that no other wrapper quite replicates. Its waxy, non-porous surface creates a tight natural seal during steaming — keeping the meat tender and succulent over hours of cooking. As the leaf heats, it releases a subtle tea-like aroma that infuses the pork and taro leaves with an earthy scent unreplicable by modern materials. The thick fibrous structure acts as a thermal buffer against direct high heat, allowing slow, even steam to melt fat into the surrounding taro leaves. And the leaf is flexible enough to tie into a secure, heat-resistant bundle — a portable, eco-friendly package ready to serve as soon as you open it.
Traditionally, laulau was cooked in an imu — an underground oven lined with hot stones, covered with leaves and earth, and left to steam for hours. The imu was as much a social event as a cooking method, bringing people together for ceremonies and feasts. Today, most home and restaurant versions are steamed in a large pot on the stove for four to five hours. The time requirement hasn’t changed: laulau still needs hours of slow steaming to reach perfection.
Raw taro leaves contain calcium oxalate crystals, which cause a scratchy throat sensation if undercooked. The full four to five hours of steaming breaks these down completely. If the leaves still look firm or feel grassy at four hours, keep going — do not shortcut to two hours.
Some versions include a piece of salted butterfish (black cod) alongside the pork. The fish brings a salt-cured, almost ham-like quality that carries the dish. On a traditional Hawaiian plate at places like Helena’s Hawaiian Food or Highway Inn, the bundle is unwrapped at the table: cut the twine, peel back the ti leaf outer layer, and eat the entire taro-leaf-wrapped interior — the cooked luau leaves themselves, which have absorbed all the fat and salt from the meat inside.
Where to Taste Ti Leaf-Steamed Pork
The best place to experience laulau is at a restaurant that has been making it for generations. On Oahu, Helena’s Hawaiian Food on North School Street in Kalihi has been a James Beard America’s Classic honoree since 2000. Their combination plates pair laulau with pipikaula short ribs, poi, and lomi salmon. Highway Inn, with locations in Kakaako and Waipahu, has been run by the Toguchi family since 1947 — now in its third and fourth generations. For more on Oahu’s dining landscape, check out our guide to Honolulu’s dining scene.
On Maui, Waiahole Poi Factory on Kamehameha Highway serves traditionally wrapped and steamed dishes, prioritizing local farmers and sustainable harvesting of ti leaves. Da Kitchen is another Maui option with consistently strong ratings. Small lunch counters along the Hana Highway often have laulau on the daily plate-lunch board, though availability tends to be hit or miss — check the day of driving rather than planning a special trip.
On Kauaʻi, Ippy’s Hawaiian BBQ, Hanalei Taro & Juice Co., and Mark’s Place all serve laulau. Each prepares it slightly differently, but the core technique — pork and butterfish wrapped in taro leaves, encased in ti leaves, and steamed for hours — remains the same.
Laulau is typically served with poi, lomi salmon, or steamed white rice on the side. The cooked taro leaves taste like creamed spinach with a deeper, almost mineral note, having absorbed all the fat and salt from the pork and fish inside.
Bringing the Secret Home
Making laulau at home requires a few specific ingredients, but most are available outside Hawaii with reasonable substitutes. The filling is pork shoulder or belly cut into chunks, seasoned with Hawaiian alaea sea salt — a salt mixed with red volcanic clay that adds a mineral, earthy note. Coarse kosher salt works in a pinch but loses that complexity. Some recipes also include a piece of salted butterfish (black cod), which brings a salt-cured quality to the dish.
Banana leaves make an excellent substitute for ti leaves outside Hawaii — they’re sturdy, flexible, and provide good steam circulation. For taro leaves, frozen luau leaves from Hawaiian or Asian grocery stores work just as well as fresh once cooked. Collard greens are the best backup if neither is available.
The wrappers are layered. First, taro leaves — fresh if you can find them, frozen if not — are stacked, filled with pork (and butterfish, if using), and folded into a tight bundle. That bundle is then wrapped in ti leaves or banana leaves and tied with kitchen twine. Steam in a large pot with a steamer insert for four to five hours, or use a slow cooker with two to three cups of water on low. Check the water level every 45 minutes and refill with boiling water as needed. The leaves are done when they turn deep army green and are tender enough to fall apart with a fork.
Some Maui families add a chunk of taro to the bundle for extra body. Others replace pork with chicken or beef. The frame is forgiving once you understand it: salt, fat, fish, and many layers of luau leaves, steamed long enough that the leaves themselves become the dish. Serve hot with poi or rice. Do not eat the ti leaf — it’s extremely fibrous and inedible, used only as a protective wrapper. Dispose of the ti leaves with respect, returning them to the earth or compost if possible. For more tips on eating well in Hawaii without overspending, see our guide to affordable Hawaiian eats.
Before You Try Ti Leaf-Steamed Pork
Can I eat the ti leaf when I’m served laulau?
No. The ti leaf is extremely fibrous and inedible — think of it as natural parchment paper. Unwrap the bundle, peel back the ti leaf layers, and discard them. The taro leaves inside are fully edible.
What’s the difference between laulau and kalua pig?
Laulau is individual bundles of pork (and sometimes butterfish) wrapped in taro and ti leaves, then steamed for four to five hours. Kalua pig is a whole pig salted, wrapped in leaves, and slow-cooked in an imu underground oven. Both use ti leaves and long cooking, but laulau is a single-serving bundle.
Where can I find frozen taro leaves on the mainland?
Frozen luau leaves are widely available at Hawaiian and Asian grocery stores across the mainland. They work just as well as fresh once cooked. If you can’t find either, collard greens make the best substitute for the taro leaf layer.
Why does laulau need to cook for four to five hours?
Raw taro leaves contain calcium oxalate crystals that cause a scratchy throat sensation if undercooked. The long steam time breaks these down completely. Do not shortcut the cooking time — the texture and safety both depend on it.
What’s the best substitute for ti leaves outside Hawaii?
Banana leaves are the most reliable substitute. They’re sturdy, flexible, and provide good steam circulation. Heavy-duty foil works in a pinch but won’t add the tea-like aroma that ti leaves contribute during cooking.
The Thread Through Time
The ti leaf connects every stage of laulau — from the spiritual practice of planting it at the corners of a home to the practical work of wrapping a bundle for the imu. When you open a laulau and the steam rises with that subtle tea-like scent, you’re tasting a technique that has crossed an ocean and a thousand years. For more Hawaiian food traditions worth seeking out, read our food lover’s guide to the Big Island.
References
Eats History. “The Best Lau Lau Recipe: Hawaii’s Steaming Bundle of Tradition.” Eats History. ↗
Hawaii Guide. “Laulau Recipe.” Hawaii Guide. ↗
Waiahole Poi Factory. “The Significance of the Ti Leaf in Hawaiian Cooking and Culture.” Waiahole Poi Factory. ↗
For more on where to find traditional Hawaiian food around the islands, browse our guides to Honolulu’s dining secrets and budget-friendly Hawaiian eats. The hidden huli huli chicken joints and best craft breweries and cocktail hideaways are worth seeking out too.
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