Poke Recipe, A Delicious Hawaiian Dish

Poke is a Hawaiian dish made from raw fish, rice and vegetables. In this article, we show you how to make poke right at home.

You may have heard of poke lately because it is a food that has become very popular all over the world. In this article, we will tell you more about this dish and we will show you an authentic poke recipe.

Although it is of Hawaiian origin and raw fish is its main ingredient, it has become one of the most popular dishes in European and American countries. Of course, you can use other ingredients to prepare different varieties of poke.

What is poke?

To begin with, we must mention that “poke” in Hawaiian means “cut” or “cut transversely into pieces.” This recipe is prepared with pieces of raw fish. To prepare the raw fish, you need to season it with soy sauce, sesame and other spices. Then you have to mix it with vegetables.

In general, the traditional ways of cooking are Aku, which is made with yellow tuna and he’e, which is made with octopus instead of fish. However, salmon or shellfish can also be used.

The fresh vegetables used for this dish are cucumbers, seaweed, avocado and onion. You must serve this dish in a bowl. If you want, you can also serve it with white rice.

Poke can include seaweed as a vegetable that accompanies fish.

What is the history of this preparation?

As for the history of this dish, poke was first prepared by fishermen on the island of Hawaii. The locals prepared it with fish caught in that area.

The locals eviscerated the fish, removed the skin and cut it into pieces. Then they salted it and added lime algae and typical spices, such as inamona (made from fried Kuku nuts). After marinating, the fish was mixed with vegetables.

As mentioned above, over the years, the preparation has undergone changes due to influences from other countries. The contributions of Japanese and Indian cuisine are noticeable. In the 1970s, migration flows allowed residents of these countries to reach Hawaii. Due to this, salmon, soy sauce and rice were added to the original recipe. In fact, nowadays, poke recipes include almond milk, quinoa, cabbage, tofu, chia seeds and poppy seeds, among other ingredients.

Poke: a preparation full of nutrients

In addition to its refreshing aroma, this dish stands out due to its nutritional contribution. In this regard, scientific evidence shows that fish and shellfish are an excellent source of protein and healthy omega-3 fatty acids.

In turn, seeds and nuts provide omega-3, -6 and -9, while vegetables provide fiber, iron and calcium. For example, if you add chia seeds, poke will contain a significant amount of fatty acids.

Even in vegetarian dishes that include tofu instead of meat, other ingredients provide protein. For all these reasons, we recommend that you try this food full of healthy nutrients.