1. Make brine: In a large pot, bring 3 1/2 cups water to a boil. Stir in salt, brown sugar, and vanilla. Chill until cool.

2. Put pork in a 9- by 13-in. pan and pour on brine. Chill at least 3 hours and up to 12.

3. Make char siu glaze: In a small bowl, mix together ketchup, hoisin, sesame oil, garlic, ginger, and soy sauce. Pour half the sauce into another small bowl.

4. Prepare grill for indirect medium heat (350° to 450°; you can hold your hand 5 in. above cooking grate only 5 to 7 seconds). Lay pork over indirect-heat area and cook, covered, until meat reaches 135° on a meat thermometer, 15 to 20 minutes.

5. Using a pastry brush and one bowl of glaze, cover pork with glaze, saving 2 tbsp. for the pineapple. Cook pork (if using charcoal, add 6 to 8 briquets to maintain temperature), turning occasionally, until glaze has caramelized slightly and meat thermometer reaches 145°, 5 to 10 minutes. Transfer pork to a cutting board, tent with foil, and let rest 15 minutes.

6. Lay pineapple slices on direct-heat area of grill, brush with 2 tbsp. reserved glaze, and cook, turning once, until grill marks appear, about 4 minutes per side. Remove slices from grill and cut in half.

7. Cut pork into 1/2-in. slices. Cut a deep diagonal slit across the top of each roll. Fill each roll with a piece of pork, half a grilled pineapple slice, a cilantro sprig, and 1/2 tsp. glaze from second bowl. Serve rolls with remaining glaze for drizzling.

*Find aromatic Hawaiian vanilla extract at gourmet grocery stores and hawaiianvanilla.com; non-Hawaiian vanilla extract works too.

Make ahead: Brine pork and make char siu glaze up to 1 day ahead.

Note: Nutritional analysis is per serving.

1. In a pitcher, mix pineapple juice, vodka, and lime juice, then chill until cold.

2. Rub lime wedges around rims of 6 martini glasses. Pour sugar onto a large plate. Dip rims of glasses in sugar. Divide vodka mixture among glasses. Push a few pineapple chunks onto each skewer and set one in each glass.

Note: Nutritional analysis is per serving.

1. In a small bowl, whisk together vinegar, oil, salt, and sugar. Cut vanilla bean in half lengthwise, scrape seeds from one half with the back of a paring knife, and add seeds and scraped pod to vinaigrette (reserve other half of pod for another use). Set aside at room temperature for at least 1 hour to let the vanilla flavor develop.

2. Arrange lettuce leaves on a large platter in a single layer. On each leaf, lay 1 or 2 slices of papaya and 1 or 2 slices of avocado. Drizzle vinaigrette over salad.

*Available at gourmet grocery stores and from hawaiianvanilla.com

Make ahead: Mix vinaigrette up to 1 day ahead and chill.

Note: Nutritional analysis is per serving.

1. Heat oil in a large nonstick frying pan over medium heat. Add onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until brown, sticky, and caramelized, about 20 minutes. If the pan starts to burn, reduce heat to medium-low and add 1 tbsp. water, stirring well. Transfer onions to a small bowl and chill until cold, about 1 hour.

2. Reserve 1 tbsp. onions. In a food processor, pulse remaining onions, sour cream, buttermilk, and salt just until combined. Transfer to a serving dish, top with reserved onions, and chill at least 1 hour.

Make ahead: Up to 2 days and chill.

Note: Nutritional analysis is per 2-tbsp. serving.

1. In a medium bowl, combine ginger, garlic, lime zest and juice, and coconut milk. Add shrimp, tossing to coat, and chill, covered, at least 1 hour and up to 1 day.

2. Meanwhile, soak skewers in water. Prepare a grill for high heat (450° to 550°; you can hold your hand 5 in. above cooking grate only 2 to 4 seconds). Push 2 or 3 shrimp onto each skewer in a "C" shape (through each end); cook, turning once, until flesh has just turned pink and is slightly charred, about 3 minutes on each side.

3. Arrange skewers on a serving platter and sprinkle evenly with salt, a squeeze of lime juice, and coconut. Serve with extra lime wedges on the side.

Note: Nutritional analysis is per 2-skewer serving.

1. In a medium, heavy-bottomed saucepan, heat passion fruit purée and butter over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until simmering. In a medium bowl, whisk sugar and yolks together to form a paste. Slowly add hot liquid, whisking constantly, until combined. Pour mixture into pan and cook, whisking constantly, until it just reaches a simmer around the edges, about 4 minutes. Transfer to a glass or ceramic bowl, cover with a piece of plastic wrap pressed against the curd's surface to prevent a skin from forming, and chill until cold and firm, about 1 1/2 hours.

2. Using an electric mixer, whisk cream until soft peaks form. Whisk in one-third of the cold curd; then, using a rubber spatula, fold in the remaining curd. Put 3 or 4 brownie chunks into the bottom of an 8-oz. juice glass or other serving dish of similar size. Top brownies with about 1/4 cup passion fruit cream, another 3 or 4 brownie chunks, then another 1/4 cup cream. Repeat with 11 more glasses. Chill until ready to serve.

3. Heat chocolate sauce in microwave until it is warm and easily drizzles off the back of a spoon. Spoon about 1 tbsp. chocolate sauce over each parfait and serve.

*Find passion fruit purée in the freezer section of most well-stocked grocery stores. You can either buy the brownies and chocolate sauce or make them yourself (see sunset.com for recipes).

Make ahead: You can make the passion fruit cream and assemble the parfaits 1 day ahead. Add chocolate sauce at the last minute.

Note: Nutritional analysis is per serving.