Poke, The Trendy Food
Perhaps, in recent times, you have heard of poke , a food that, despite the fact that it has become fashionable all over the world, you probably do not know what it is about. Therefore, in this article we want to tell you more details about it.
Although it is of Hawaiian origin and has raw fish as its main ingredient, today it is one of the most appreciated gastronomic dishes in European and American countries. In addition, it can be made with other elements and from there make different versions of it.
What is poke?
For starters, we tell you that the word in Hawaiian means ‘cut into pieces or sections’. This name is due to the fact that it is made with pieces of raw fish. For their preparation, they are seasoned with soy sauce, sesame and other condiments that are then mixed with vegetables.
In general, the traditional ways of preparation are aku , which is made with yellow fin tuna, and he’e , which is prepared with octopus instead of fish. However, it can also be made with raw salmon or shellfish.
Among the vegetables that are added to this meal are those that are fresh, such as cucumber, seaweed, avocado and onion. All this preparation is served in a bowl and, if you prefer, it can be served with white rice.
What is the history of this food?
Regarding the history of this dish, we tell you that over the years it served to replenish the energies of the island’s fishermen. They prepared it with the fish that live in that area.
To do this, they gutted the fish, removed the skin and cut it into pieces with their hands. Then they preserved it with salt, added limu seaweed and typical seasonings, such as inamona (it is made with toasted kukui nut). After a time of marinating they mixed it with vegetables.
As mentioned, over the years influences were taken from other places and the dish suffered variations. Among these, the contribution of Japanese and Indian cuisine stands out, since in the 1970s migratory currents allowed inhabitants of those countries to arrive in the area.
From there the salmon, soy sauce and rice were introduced. So today, gourmet poke recipes include almond milk, quinoa, kale, tofu, chia seeds, and poppy, among other ingredients.
Poke: a meal packed with nutrients
In addition to its refreshing taste, this dish stands out for the nutritional contribution that comes from the combination of foods. In this sense, science shows that fish and shellfish are a source of complete proteins and healthy fatty acids from the omega 3 family.
For their part, seeds and nuts provide omega 3, 6 and 9, while vegetables incorporate fiber, iron and calcium. If it is prepared with chia, for example, the contribution of fatty acids will be noticeable.
Even in vegetarian preparations that include tofu instead of meat, there are proteins among other compounds. For all this, we recommend that you try this food full of healthy nutrients.
How to make a poke bowl?
Although there are several ways to do it, one of the simplest ways that “The Poke Cookbook: The Coolest Way to Eat Fish” indicates is the following. Write down the ingredients that you will need and follow the steps in this recipe.
Ingredients
To marinate the fish you need the following:
- 1 tablespoon of sesame oil or 1 tablespoon of white sesame seeds hydrated for 2 hours.
- Juice of 1 lemon.
- 1 slice of fresh ginger.
- 1 tablespoon of soy sauce.
For the preparation of the poke, on the other hand, the ingredients are these:
- 3 tablespoons of cooked rice.
- 100 grams of salmon.
- 5 walnuts
- 1/4 of cucumber.
- 1/4 of red onion.
- 5 slices of radish.
- 1/2 avocado.
To season and enhance flavors, 3 strips of scallion and hot sauce are used.
Steps to follow to marinate the fish
- First, dice the salmon, pour it into a bowl or deep plate.
- Add the juice of 1 lemon, the soy sauce, the sesame oil (or the seeds) and the ginger slice.
- Then, stir everything and leave at least 20 minutes for it to take flavor.
- Cover with a film or lid and reserve in the refrigerator while the next step is prepared.
As it is not cooked, it is recommended that you make sure that all the ingredients are clean and in good condition.
Steps prior to assembling the poke
- Next, you have to chop the onion and let it soak in hot water for 15 minutes to reduce the acidity.
- Then slice the cucumber, radish or avocado.
- Chop the green onion.
- Once everything is cut, you have to assemble the dish.
Assembling the cymbal
- Add the rice base in a bowl.
- Remove the marinated salmon from the refrigerator and arrange it (in the way you prefer) in the same container.
- Incorporate the vegetables.
- On top, add the hot sauce to taste, the walnuts and the onion.
Poke: the trendy food
As you will see, in addition to the fact that this dish is fashionable, it combines beneficial nutrients for the body and its preparation is simple. Keep in mind that this recipe is an idea that we suggest you to put into practice, but you can make the variations you want.
