Alana Kysar wants to dispel the myth that “Hawaiian food” is “anything pineapple and ham.”

The popular food blogger and former Maui resident’s first cookbook, “Aloha Kitchen: Recipes From Hawai‘i” (Ten Speed Press) takes care to explain the islands’ political history and cultural melting pot, tracing culinary influences from Asia, Europe and other regions. It even breaks down the components of a good plate lunch.

Recipes include such island favorites as Maui-style kalbi short ribs, oxtail soup, chicken long rice, squid luau, chicken adobo, soy-glazed Spam musubi, boiled peanuts and guava cake.

Kysar, 34, was born on Hawaii island and grew up in Kula, graduating from King Kekaulike High School. She now lives in Los Angeles with her boyfriend, who is from Kailua, Oahu, and her 5-pound miniature Dachshund, named Vienna Sausage.

She said she wasn’t always interested in cooking, but “always loved food.” Her parents, Mitch and Joan Kysar, “were both excellent cooks, and spending time together in the kitchen was important to them.”

The food writer answered more of our questions via email. Some of her responses have been edited for length:

What inspired you to write a cookbook, and why the title?

I was looking for a book that was pretty enough to sit on your coffee table, filled with transporting imagery and approachable recipes for all my favorites, and I couldn’t find one. So I finally decided maybe I could make it. I work in the food space, developing recipes for my blog (Fix Feast Flair) as well as for other brands, and do a lot of food photography.

I wanted to not only bring people together around the table, but share the spirit of aloha with them. And to teach them not only how to make a dish, but also maybe share a little bit about where that dish came from or to bring it to life with my own experiences. And the name really seemed to be the only thing that fit once we went through the whole process, because we were having tons of no-frills, paper- towel-napkin dinners with friends during the recipe development process, and it really felt like our kitchen was filled with so much aloha.

What were your family’s food traditions while growing up?

Cooking together was a tradition, as was the annual Christmas cookie baking with my mom. We also had all the Japanese foods for New Year’s like ozoni and nishime. It’s not really a tradition, but when I think back to my childhood, I can still smell my mom’s mochicko chicken and have all the muscle memory to make perfect triangle musubi!

What’s your favorite thing to eat when visiting Maui?

One of my best friends, Kam Yai, has a stand at the Upcountry Farmers Market called Maui Cones. They have the best panko-crusted ahi plate! It’s drizzled with their signature sauce, which is akin to a creamy Asian dressing, and it’s magic!

What message are you trying to impart to readers who aren’t from the islands?

I think it’s sometimes hard for people who aren’t familiar with local Hawaii food to understand why cozy dishes like beef stew and jook are part of the local food culture in a place like Hawaii, which is so warm and tropical. So it was important to me to share where these foods came from, when they were introduced, why Hawaii’s food culture is so diverse, etc. Hawaii’s history is so relevant to its food culture, and I think, or at least I hope, that readers both from Hawaii and the rest of the world want to understand why these wonderful dishes are part of that culture.

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Mochiko Chicken

From “Aloha Kitchen,” by Alana Kysar

>> 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs

>> 1⁄4 cup mochiko flour

>> 1⁄4 cup cornstarch

>> 1⁄4 cup sugar

>> 1⁄4 cup soy sauce (shoyu)

>> 1⁄2 teaspoon kosher salt

>> 2 large eggs, beaten

>> 1⁄4 cup chopped green onions, both white and green parts (about 4 green onions), plus more for garnish

>> Neutral oil, for frying

>> 2 garlic cloves, peeled, extra finely grated

>> 3 to 4 sheets nori, cut into 1-inch-wide strips (optional)

Cut chicken thighs into 2-inch-long strips and place them in a bowl. In a small bowl, combine the mochiko, cornstarch, sugar, soy sauce, salt, eggs, green onions and garlic, whisking until fully combined. Pour the batter mixture over the chicken and mix to coat evenly. Marinate in the refrigerator for at least 5 hours, preferably overnight.

Line a baking sheet with paper towels or newspaper and place a wire rack on top. Fill a Dutch oven or high-sided pot with oil to a depth of 2 inches and heat over medium-low heat to 330 to 340F. Remove the chicken from the bowl and wrap each piece with a strip of nori (if using).

Without crowding the pot, add as many pieces of chicken as you can to the hot oil; the temperature will drop to between 315 and 325F when you add the chicken. Fry the chicken for 6 to 7 minutes, turning with a skimmer or long chopsticks to brown evenly.

The chicken will be golden brown when done, and the internal temperature should be 165F. Remove with a skimmer or long chopsticks and let cool on the wire rack for 8 to 10 minutes. Garnish with freshly chopped green onions and serve with rice. Serves 6 to 8.

Approximate nutrient analysis per serving (based on 8 servings): 300 calories, 15 g fat, 3 g saturated fat, 150 mg cholesterol, 700 mg sodium, 17 g carbohydrate, 0 g fiber, 8 g sugar, 23 g protein.