“Saimin was inspired by Japanese ramen, Chinese mein, and Filipino pancit, and developed during Hawaiʻi's plantation era. After a hard day's work, sugarcane and pineapple plantation laborers returned to their homes to prepare dinner. To save money, each family would bring an ingredient they could spare. They would throw all the ingredients into a pot and share the dish. Saimin is composed of ingredients taken from laborers of the early 1900's: Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Filipino, Hawaiian and Portuguese. During these communal meals, families and friends gathered to talk and share. Today, saimin is a local favorite in Hawaiʻi.” FoodMulticulturalHawaiianLocal Book:Plenty Saimin Source: Plenty Saimin