‘Alex vs. America’ Goes Hawaiian for an Aloha State Battle Royale

Don’t let their sunny smiles and “hang loose” shakas fool you. Acclaimed island chefs Jon Matsubara, Lee Anne Wong and Ippy Aiona came to the mainland to give Alex Guarnaschelli a run for her money (and take her money).

What Is Taro?

How to buy, store, prep and cook with this tropical root vegetable.

Butter Mochi

Butter mochi is a party staple in Hawaii. Made with mochiko (Japanese sweet rice flour) and coconut milk, the dessert is beloved for its sweet, buttery taste and chewy, pleasingly dense texture. A little goes a long way, so avoid cutting the pieces too big. (You can scale down the recipe, but the measurements for the mochiko and coconut milk are really convenient for a 9-by-13-inch baking pan.) If you’d like to add another layer of coconut, sprinkling the top of the batter with shredded coconut before baking is a lovely touch (but by no means necessary).