Pu pu platter
Encyclopedia
A Pu Pu platter, Pu-Pu platter or pupu platter is a tray of American Chinese cuisine
consisting of an assortment of small meat and seafood appetizers. A typical pupu platter, as found in American Chinese cuisine, might include an egg roll
, spare ribs
, chicken wings
, chicken fingers
, beef teriyaki
, skewered beef, fried wontons, crab rangoon
, fried shrimp
, among other items, accompanied with a small hibachi
grill.
, pū-pū denotes a relish, appetizer, canapé
, or hors d'oeuvre; it originally meant "snail', but also referred to small bits of fish, chicken, or banana relish
served with kava
.
The belief that "pu pu" comes from the Cantonese dialect of Chinese
(bou2 means "treasure," "jewel," "precious," or "rare") appears to be an example of Chinese transcription of a Hawaiian word.
vegetables, shrimp, poke (cubed and seasoned raw fish), small skewers of teriyaki
meat or chicken, sushi
, and other similar finger foods. An establishment that serves "light pupus" usually will offer only the cold foods such as poke, sushi
, and vegetables. Some establishments will serve pūpū to the table.
At Hawaii bars, restaurants, catered events such as political rallies, and private parties, establishments and hosts are known in "local" circles by the quality of their pupus. Event invitations often will state that "light pupus" or "heavy pupus" will be served so that attendees will know whether they should plan to have a full meal before the event or not.
Today, the simple platter of dried fish, grilled chicken, and slices of banana has evolved into chefs' offerings of international delicacies arranged for visual as well as gustatory pleasure. Modern "pupu platters" can hold offerings of anything from traditional Hawaiian fare to exotic combinations.
, Jacob Adams, and Trader Vic
during the craze for "Polynesian-style
" food of the 1940s and 1950s. The "pupu platter" of that time was in actuality based largely on Cantonese cuisine
as interpreted by American bar owners who catered to the American taste for exotic Polynesian/Asian dishes. During this period, most Chinese restaurants in the United States were Cantonese-operated. Such restaurants catered to the more conservative American public while still providing a taste of the exotic, and may have provided a "pupu platter," though not necessarily by that name. It is also commonly known as a BoBo Platter. The fact that the American Chinese pu pu platter is almost always served in a hardwood
tray (with carved sections for each food item)photo seems further evidence that the dish is of Hawaiian origin.
Although quite popular in 1970s and 80s, the term "pupu platter" regained popularity in the 1990s as chefs experimented with "Pacific Rim cuisine."
American Chinese cuisine
American Chinese cuisine refers to the style of food served by many Chinese restaurants in the United States. This type of cooking typically caters to Western tastes, and differs significantly from the original Chinese cuisine.-History:...
consisting of an assortment of small meat and seafood appetizers. A typical pupu platter, as found in American Chinese cuisine, might include an egg roll
Egg roll
An egg roll is an appetizer and dinner, a variant of spring roll that has spread throughout the world as a staple of Asian cuisine. Egg rolls with fillings are commonly served in Vietnamese cuisine.-Description:...
, spare ribs
Spare ribs
Spare ribs are a variety of pork ribs and beef ribs, cooked and eaten in various cuisines around the world. They are the most inexpensive cut of pork and beef ribs. They are a long cut from the lower portion of the pig or cattle, specifically the belly and breastbone, behind the shoulder, and...
, chicken wings
Chicken Wings
Chicken Wings can refer to:*A type of food, a serving of the wing sections of a chicken, deep fried wings coated in sauce are also known as Buffalo wings*Chicken Wings , an aviation related comic by Michael and Stefan Strasser...
, chicken fingers
Chicken fingers
Chicken fingers are deep-fried strips of chicken meat that do not include any bones or skin....
, beef teriyaki
Teriyaki
Teriyaki is a cooking technique used in Japanese cuisine in which foods are broiled or grilled in a sweet soy sauce marinade...
, skewered beef, fried wontons, crab rangoon
Crab rangoon
Crab rangoon are deep-fried dumplings served in American Chinese, and more recently, Thai restaurants, stuffed with a combination of cream cheese, lightly flaked crab meat , with scallions and/or garlic...
, fried shrimp
Shrimp
Shrimp are swimming, decapod crustaceans classified in the infraorder Caridea, found widely around the world in both fresh and salt water. Adult shrimp are filter feeding benthic animals living close to the bottom. They can live in schools and can swim rapidly backwards. Shrimp are an important...
, among other items, accompanied with a small hibachi
Hibachi
The is a traditional Japanese heating device. It consists of a round, cylindrical or a box-shaped open-topped container, made from or lined with a heatproof material and designed to hold burning charcoal....
grill.
Hawaiian origin and etymology
In the Hawaiian languageHawaiian language
The Hawaiian language is a Polynesian language that takes its name from Hawaii, the largest island in the tropical North Pacific archipelago where it developed. Hawaiian, along with English, is an official language of the state of Hawaii...
, pū-pū denotes a relish, appetizer, canapé
Canapé
A canapé is a small, prepared and usually decorative food, held in the fingers and often eaten in one bite.- Details :...
, or hors d'oeuvre; it originally meant "snail', but also referred to small bits of fish, chicken, or banana relish
Relish
A relish is a cooked, pickled, or chopped vegetable or fruit food item which is typically used as a condiment.In North America, relish commonly alludes to sweet pickle relish-like sauce that often condiments hot dogs, hamburgers and other types of fast food.-Description and ingredients:The item...
served with kava
Kava
Kava or kava-kava is a crop of the western Pacific....
.
The belief that "pu pu" comes from the Cantonese dialect of Chinese
Chinese language
The Chinese language is a language or language family consisting of varieties which are mutually intelligible to varying degrees. Originally the indigenous languages spoken by the Han Chinese in China, it forms one of the branches of Sino-Tibetan family of languages...
(bou2 means "treasure," "jewel," "precious," or "rare") appears to be an example of Chinese transcription of a Hawaiian word.
In Hawaiian cuisine
Since the introduction of commercial dining and drinking establishments in Hawaii, pūpū were, and remain, standard fare in island establishments. An establishment that serves "heavy pupus" will often have a buffet table with warming trays full of chicken, tempuraTempura
], is a Japanese dish of seafood or vegetables that have been battered and deep fried.-Batter:A light batter is made of cold water and soft wheat flour . Eggs, baking soda or baking powder, starch, oil, and/or spices may also be added...
vegetables, shrimp, poke (cubed and seasoned raw fish), small skewers of teriyaki
Teriyaki
Teriyaki is a cooking technique used in Japanese cuisine in which foods are broiled or grilled in a sweet soy sauce marinade...
meat or chicken, sushi
Sushi
is a Japanese food consisting of cooked vinegared rice combined with other ingredients . Neta and forms of sushi presentation vary, but the ingredient which all sushi have in common is shari...
, and other similar finger foods. An establishment that serves "light pupus" usually will offer only the cold foods such as poke, sushi
Sushi
is a Japanese food consisting of cooked vinegared rice combined with other ingredients . Neta and forms of sushi presentation vary, but the ingredient which all sushi have in common is shari...
, and vegetables. Some establishments will serve pūpū to the table.
At Hawaii bars, restaurants, catered events such as political rallies, and private parties, establishments and hosts are known in "local" circles by the quality of their pupus. Event invitations often will state that "light pupus" or "heavy pupus" will be served so that attendees will know whether they should plan to have a full meal before the event or not.
Today, the simple platter of dried fish, grilled chicken, and slices of banana has evolved into chefs' offerings of international delicacies arranged for visual as well as gustatory pleasure. Modern "pupu platters" can hold offerings of anything from traditional Hawaiian fare to exotic combinations.
In American Chinese cuisine
The term "pupu platter" appears to be a mid-20th century introduction to the American Chinese culinary lexicon, though the concept of serving pūpū appears to have spread to North America from Hawai`i via such entrepreneurs as Don the BeachcomberDon the Beachcomber
Donn Beach , born Ernest Raymond Beaumont Gantt, is the founding father of tiki restaurants, bars and nightclubs. The many so-called "Polynesian" restaurants and pubs that enjoyed great popularity are directly descended from what he created...
, Jacob Adams, and Trader Vic
Trader Vic
Trader Vic's is a restaurant chain headquartered in San Francisco, California. Victor Jules Bergeron, Jr. was the founder of a chain of Polynesian-themed restaurants that bore his nickname, "Trader Vic," and was one of two people who claimed to have invented the Mai Tai...
during the craze for "Polynesian-style
Tiki culture
Tiki kitsch culture is a 20th-century theme used in Polynesian-style restaurants and clubs originally in the United States and then, to a lesser degree, around the world...
" food of the 1940s and 1950s. The "pupu platter" of that time was in actuality based largely on Cantonese cuisine
Cantonese cuisine
Cantonese cuisine comes from Guangdong Province in southern China and is one of 8 superdivisions of Chinese cuisine. Its prominence outside China is due to the great numbers of early emigrants from Guangdong. Cantonese chefs are highly sought after throughout the country...
as interpreted by American bar owners who catered to the American taste for exotic Polynesian/Asian dishes. During this period, most Chinese restaurants in the United States were Cantonese-operated. Such restaurants catered to the more conservative American public while still providing a taste of the exotic, and may have provided a "pupu platter," though not necessarily by that name. It is also commonly known as a BoBo Platter. The fact that the American Chinese pu pu platter is almost always served in a hardwood
Hardwood
Hardwood is wood from angiosperm trees . It may also be used for those trees themselves: these are usually broad-leaved; in temperate and boreal latitudes they are mostly deciduous, but in tropics and subtropics mostly evergreen.Hardwood contrasts with softwood...
tray (with carved sections for each food item)photo seems further evidence that the dish is of Hawaiian origin.
Although quite popular in 1970s and 80s, the term "pupu platter" regained popularity in the 1990s as chefs experimented with "Pacific Rim cuisine."