Hawaiian Opihi – The Deadliest Delicacy

“Try it, Mickey – you will like it!” If you have an opportunity to taste Opihi, do not turn it down. Opihi, known as the “Deadliest Delicacy” in Hawaii, is a “superfood,” chock full of iodine, fat-free and delicious. An edible shellfish, Opihi (Cellana exarata) of the limpet species of marine gastropod mollusks found growing attached to rocks where the ocean meets the shore, is a rare treat either eaten raw with salt or seaweed or cooked over a driftwood fire on the grill and garnished with butter and lemon. Others prefer opihi slurped fresh from the shell, wiggly tentacles and all, garnished with a dash of Tabasco. Opihi is also scrumptiously pickled, seasoned with soy and ginger.

Kauhana (elders) fondly remember when Eva Beach on Oahu was carpeted with opihi. As a child, they would make it a family outing followed by a lula, to go to the beach and gather baskets of opihi, cart the succulent morsels home and as a whole family, clean and pickle them to enjoy in celebration of special events.

Admittedly, opihi, like scotch, is an acquired day. Some people remark that opihi is chewy, crunchy, salty, and somewhat rubbery. However, it washes down well with a tall frosty mug of local beer. There are three different types of opihi that inhabit the waters of the Hawaiian Islands. There is opihi makaiauli, also known as black foot, opihi ko’ele or giant opihi, and opihi alinalina, also known as yellow foot. Most folks note that they prefer the yellow foot opihi; the texture is smoother and the flavor superb.

Should you encounter an opihi on its home turf, it would appear to be anchored to the rockface like a barnacle. Actually opihi slowly creep along the rock face, grazing on algae, like contented cows in a field of sweet grass. While the opihi are grazing is the only time opihi pickers have an opportunity to quickly pop them loose with a knife. If the picker misses, he or she doesn’t get a second chance. Once the opihi is alarmed, it clamps so firmly to the rock that even the most violent wave can not move it.

Harvesting opihi involves crawling on dangerously sharp rock outcroppings where a rogue wave can break your back or drag you out to sea and death by drowning without warning. Opihi pickers cling with their hands and feet to the sheer cliff face while they attempt to pry the tenacious morsels off with a butter knife or paint scraper.

Watermen that dive for opihi are in the same danger of being slammed against the unforgiving rocks and receiving life-threatening head and facial injuries. The best opihi spots are in the roughest waters. Unfortunately, the islands have a long history of stories of opihi pickers that died in vain attempts to pull the little limpets off the lava.

Opihi is a luxury delicacy throughout the Pacific Rim, especially in the Hawaiian Islands and Japan where opihi garners an extremely high price. It is extremely tough to find fresh opihi in Hawaii, let alone afford to buy it. Because it is in such high demand and fetches such a high price (up to $200 a pound), there are those that continue to risk their lives in pursuit of opihi. If you encounter opihi in your ocean explorations of the islands, it is best to leave it alone. Opihi is so very good, but it is not worth risking your life for it. Your best chance of tracking down the elusive shellfish is likely Tamashiro’s Market in Honolulu or one of the more than 250 upscale sushi shops in the city.