Lomi salmon

Lomi salmon (also known as lomi-lomi salmon) is a seafood dish that originated in Hawaii. It is typically prepared by mixing salted, diced salmon with tomatoes, crushed ice, and green onions. Usually this mixing is done by hand with a "massaging" action, which gives the dish its name (lomi is Hawaiian for "to massage").

Lomi salmon is typically found at modern Hawaiian luaus, and it is said to complement poi, the Polynesian staple made from taro.

Although lomi salmon is not, strictly speaking, a traditional Hawaiian dish, it is still considered an integral part of a luau. The color red in the Hawaiian religion has ritual significance, and the ancient Hawaiians offered kumu, a red-colored fish, to the gods. Because of the red color of the salmon flesh, the Journal of American Folklore speculates that lomi salmon is a substitute for kumu, which is not normally served at luaus nowadays. [1]