Kahuna Garlic Salt
Bringing the Aloha to Your Pantry
Hello!
This is Issue #3 of Funky Foods, where I share fun ways to get more creative in the kitchen! Because life’s too short for basic meals.
✨ Kahuna Garlic Salt
THE DISCOVERY
Aloha, my friends! 😎🤙
I just got back from my first-ever trip to Hawaii (finally! 🌺).
A few days in Oahu, hanging out with my friend Paul, eating my weight in spam, and soaking up as much of the island’s beauty as possible.
The food, the culture, the landscapes—magnifique 👌✨
(If you want to see the whole adventure, click here for the photo recap! 📸)
Back home, still riding the post-trip high, I had one of those wait-a-minute moments in my pantry.
A jar of Kahuna Garlic Salt, a Christmas gift from my mom a few years back, was sitting there, just waiting for its moment. 🎁 🧄
And what better time than now?
A little taste of Hawaii in my own kitchen—because, unfortunately, I can’t just teleport back for another plate of garlic shrimp. 🍤
ABOUT
Hawaiian red salt—pa‘akai ‘alaea—is more than just salt that happens to look cool. It’s a staple of Hawaiian cuisine and culture, used not only for cooking but also for ceremonial blessings and healing practices (talk about multi-purpose!).
Its signature red color comes from alaea, a mineral-rich volcanic clay. Traditionally, it was hand-harvested in small batches and never sold—only gifted or traded within Hawaiian communities.
Today’s version is an homage to that tradition, made for everyday cooking. It’s the secret behind some of Hawaii’s most beloved dishes—kalua pork, poke, and pipikaula (Hawaiian-style beef jerky).
TASTE
Think of this as garlic salt, leveled up.
The Hawaiian red salt doesn’t have that super-salty bite of regular sea salt—so you can be a little more generous with it.
The garlic? It’s there, but in a soft, mellow way—no sharp, punch-you-in-the-face garlic flavor. Just enough to add warmth and depth without overpowering your dish (or worse…giving you garlic breath).
And the dried parsley? A little pop of color.
Sprinkle it on, taste, and then—go ahead, add a little more 😏
SUGGESTED USES
This stuff is practically begging to be sprinkled on everything—but if you need some inspiration, start here:
🔥 Grilled Cheese Glow-Up – Sprinkle on the outside before the bread hits the pan for a crispy, garlicky crust.
🥚 Eggs, Any Way You Like ’Em – Scrambled, fried, or soft-boiled, a pinch of this salt makes them pop.
🍿 Popcorn Perfection – Toss with warm popcorn and a drizzle of butter or coconut oil for an instant upgrade.
🥑 Avocado Toast – Skip the extra seasoning and go all in with just this. Simple and delicious.
🥔 Crispy Potatoes & Fries – Roasted, smashed, or fried, this salt was made for golden, crunchy carbs.
🌽 Savory Roasted Veggies – Corn, broccoli, or a medley of sweet potatoes, carrots, and taro—it all works.
🥗 Easy-Peasy Salad Dressing – No need to mince garlic, just whisk with olive oil and vinegar for instant flavor.
🍞 Biscuits & Breads – Sprinkle on top of quick breads, dinner rolls, or even cornbread batter for a crunchy, salty finish!
🥜 Savory Roasted Nuts – Toss almonds, cashews, or peanuts with a little oil and this salt before roasting.
🔥 Marinades & Dry Rubs – Season your shrimp, chicken, tofu, or steak for extra depth.
🦐 Cheater’s Hawaiian Garlic Shrimp
Too lazy to peel and mince a whole head of garlic? Same. This version skips the mess without skimping on flavor. A quick brine keeps the shrimp plump and juicy, while a punchy garlic-spiced butter delivers that classic Hawaiian shrimp truck taste.
Ingredients
For the Shrimp:
1 tablespoon Kosher salt
1 pound shell-on medium shrimp, deveined
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
½ to 1 tablespoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon paprika
¼ teaspoon cayenne, optional
½ teaspoon Kahuna Garlic Salt
For the Cucumber Avocado Salad
½ English cucumber
½ avocado
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
1 teaspoon seasoned rice vinegar
Kahuna Garlic Salt, to taste
For Serving
Steamed white rice
Minced parsley or sliced scallions
Lemon wedges
Instructions
Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil and adjust the oven rack 4 inches from the broiler
Dissolve Kosher salt in 1 cup cold water in a medium bowl.
Submerge shrimp in the brine, cover, and refrigerate for 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, make the cucumber-avocado salad. Dice the cucumber and avocado, then add to a mixing bowl.
Add the sesame oil, rice vinegar, and Kahuna Garlic Salt. Toss to combine and taste, adding more sesame oil for nuttiness, rice vinegar for brightness, or salt.
Combine butter, garlic powder, paprika, and cayenne in a large bowl.
Remove shrimp from the brine and pat dry with paper towels.
Add shrimp to the butter mixture and toss well, including where they are split from deveining (it's OK if butter starts to solidify).
Arrange the shrimp in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet.
Broil the shrimp until opaque and shells are beginning to brown, 2 to 3 minutes, rotating the sheet pan halfway through broiling.
Flip the shrimp and continue to broil until the second side is opaque and shells are beginning to brown, 1 to 2 minutes longer, rotating sheet halfway through broiling.
Transfer the shrimp to a serving platter and season with Kahuna Garlic Salt.
Garnish with parsley or scallions.
Serve with a side of rice and/or cucumber-avocado salad.
📝 Test Kitchen Notes
If you’re using garlic granules instead of garlic powder, expect a slightly less intense flavor since granules are coarser. You might need to use a little more to get that garlic kick.
For extra flavor, I suggest leaving the shells on. The shells browned quickly in the oven, infusing the shrimp with more flavor. It’s a messy trade-off, but totally worth it! Prefer to cook the shrimp without the shells? Simply broil until the shrimp are opaque throughout and lightly charred in spots—about 2 to 4 minutes—no need to flip.
How to eat shrimp with the shell on: First, suck the shrimp to get all that garlicky, buttery goodness coating the shell. Then, peel off the shell with your fingers and eat the shrimp meat. Have lots of napkins nearby—it’s worth the mess!
Using larger shrimp? Increase both the seasoning and cooking time by a couple of minutes to ensure the shrimp are fully cooked and flavorful.
🕺 7 Ways to Jazz Up Shrimp
If you ever find yourself staring at a bag of shrimp and thinking, “Okay, now what?”—besides the usual scampi, pasta, or tacos—I’ve got you covered. These ideas will take shrimp from “been there, done that” to “why haven’t I tried this before!?”
Pickled Shrimp: Now, I know what you’re thinking….but don’t knock it til you try it! Chilled, tangy, and packed with flavor, pickled shrimp makes an easy appetizer or salad topping.
Shrimp Toast: Crispy, golden, and packed with umami, shrimp toast is DELICIOUS. Spread a shrimp paste mixture on bread and fry until perfection.
Shrimp Pizza: Shrimp on pizza? Yes. Try it with garlic butter, mozzarella, and a sprinkle of red pepper flakes…and maybe some baby spinach for health reasons.
Shrimp Salad (but make it like tuna or egg salad): Swap out tuna for shrimp in a creamy, herby salad. Perfect for sandwiches, crackers, or stuffing into an avocado half.
Shrimp Quiche: Take your standard quiche up a notch with this Julia Child recipe.
Shrimp Tamales: Instead of shrimp and grits, wrap it up in a masa dough tamale and steam until fluffy and rich.
Shrimp Dip: Creamy, tangy, and packed with shrimp flavor, this dip is perfect for crackers, toasted baguettes, or veggies.
👀 Funky Finds
Ice cream that defies gravity.
The future of meat… is 3D printed?
A Hawaiian cooking show that teaches us about breadfruit.
3D artist turns food into cheeky pop-culture art.
😋 Happy creative cooking - Tess
Great newsletter.