Poke

When it comes to poke knowledge, local chef Sam Choy is something of an authority. He hosts an annual poke competition nearly fifteen years in the running, and has entire cookbooks devoted to this single dish. He speaks to the origins of poke, starting back with ceviche from South America:

Raw fish started in South America and made its way up the islands to Hawaii. As I came around to Rapa Nui and even into Pitcairn, I found that there were traces of poke there, too. Rapa nui was like the old Hawai'ian poke, where they cut up the aku (skipjack) and then put the innards and the fish blood into it. And then, when you come around the horn and into the Tuamotus and Tahiti, you come across poisson cru, where the raw fish is also cooked with lime juice. Throughout Fiji--where a preparation similar to poisson cru is called kokoda--and other parts of the South Pacific, you find a little more Island-style poke, where they're using a lot of reef fish.

And then, of course, you come to Hawai'i, where traditional poke consisted mainly of reef fish, sea salt gathered off the shoreline, 'inamona for flavoring, all sorts of limu (seaweed)--manauea, līpe'epe'e, limu kohu--and the chili pepper to spice it up. And as the canoes began to run out to deeper water, they got to using aku and 'ahi--this was the basic poke.
--Sam Choy's Little Hawaiian Poke Cookbook

These days poke is a standard fixture not only at luau celebrations, but also at every potluck, farmer's market and corner deli in town. The traditional preparation involves just fish, salt, seaweed and 'imamona, but in my unscientific sampling, I've found the most prevalent to be 'Ahi Shoyu Poke.

'Ahi Shoyu Poke

• 1 lb. 'ahi
• 1 T. sea salt
• 1/2 t. 'imamona
• 3-4 T. Aloha shoyu
• 1 Hawaiian chili pepper, minced
• 1 1/2 c. ogo seaweed
• 1/4 c. chopped Maui onion
• 1/2 t. fresh minced ginger
• 1/4 c. chopped green onion
• 1 1/2 T. sesame oil

The ingredients are important, so let's talk about the key ones.

'Ahi tuna - As mentioned, 'ahi and aku are common choices around here. It matters less the exact fish you choose, as long as it's as fresh as possible. I recommend sushi grade 'ahi tuna for your first poke. You can see from the colors in my poke that I skimped and bought lower grade sushi 'ahi. The better 'ahi was a deeper red color.

Sea salt - Any coarse sea salt will be just fine, but Hawaiian sea salt is preferred.

'Inamona - Roasted and ground kukui nut. I got mine from the deli at Safeway, although I had to ask because it was hidden in a cooler in the back. Most people won't have easy access to 'inamona, so Sam Choy recommends substituting a 50% larger portion of crushed cashews.

Aloha Shoyu - Aloha Shoyu is sweeter and nuttier than a standard Japanese brand soy sauce like Kikkoman. You can safely substitute your favorite soy sauce, although it won't taste entirely the same.

Hawaiian chili pepper - You may substitute chopped red serrano.

Ogo seaweed - I couldn't find ogo seaweed when I made my poke, so I used limu huluhuluwaena. The seaweed adds a fresh crunch and the taste of iodine to the poke. Whatever seaweed you use, just make sure it's fresh. If you can't find fresh seaweed, wait to make your poke until you can. Reconstituted dried seaweed won't work this time.

Maui onion - Maui onions are small and sweet. Substitute Vidalia or other sweeter onion.

I've just made a big deal about ingredients, but don't let that freak you out. If you can get your hands on most of the items above, the poke practically assembles itself. If you can't get everything, trust your instincts and omit or substitute as needed. When you have your ingredients, cut the raw fish into 1/2 inch cubes, rub with the salt and set aside while you prep the other ingredients. Mix everthing together and serve chilled. Pretty easy, eh? If you'd like to try other poke varieties, from the traditional to contemporary, I recommend the very affordable Sam Choy's Little Hawaiian Poke Cookbook.

This post is part of my Hawaiian Luau series.