Poke' - As in Po-Kee...OK????

The entire reason for my foray to Los Angeles was to purchase some ogo to make poke'. For those who don't know what poke is.... Poke in Hawaiian literally means to "slice or cut crosswise into pieces". Alan on his wonderful Food Blog ma'ona has a wonderful post on poke'. In it's most simplest form, poke consists of fish cut into bite-sized pieces seasoned with "Hawaiian" (sea) salt. Today, there are many variations of poke' with main ingredients that range from the traditional Aku and Ahi and Tako (octopus) to newer versions that use tofu and artificial crab. And poke' can be found everywhere in Hawaii from the Supermarkets to upscale restaurants such as Alan Wong's and Roy's. On any given day, there may be up to 20 -30 types of poke' sold from "deli-cases" in "local" Supermarkets in Hawaii.

Everybody I know who makes their own poke', has their own little "twist" or indispensable ingredient. Be it inamona (roasted kukui or candlenut chopped, crushed, or mashed into a paste) to limu (seaweed), or even shoyu (soy sauce). Ogo originally is the Japanese name of a specific type of limu, but nowadays, many, including myself use the terms limu and ogo interchangeably. I apologize in advance for any inaccuracies provided by my over-racked brain.

For me the item that I need for my poke' is ogo, thus the trip to Marukai in Los Angeles. Marukai flies in farm raised ogo from Honolulu, and though it's not the "best grade", I think it's good enough for poke'. I have found ogo in San Diego, but it is usually so old and oxidized, that it would probably smell and taste like ammonia! The other thing I need is some "fish". I had the fish cutter at Marukai cut me a "block" of Maguro that weighed a little over a pound.

I separated the fish into approximately two half pound "batches". With the first I made my "standard" poke:

1/2 Lb Ahi, Aku, or Maguro cut into bite sized (1/2-3/4") pieces
up to 1/4 Cup Aloha Shoyu (or Yamasa)
1/4 of a Sweet onion (Maui or Vidalia - heck I'm so desperate I just use brown onions) sliced thin.
2 Stalks Green Onion - Green parts only
1/4 cup Ogo Chopped.
Sea salt to Taste (I use Ala'ea, which is a sea salt colored with red clay)
Either Chili Paste, Chili Peppers, or Red Pepper Flakes to taste
Sesame Oil to taste
Toasted Sesame Seeds

Place cubes of fish into a bowl and add shoyu, a little at a time, to the point that the fish is only moistened. Add sea salt. Add onions and ogo and mix. Taste and adjust salt/shoyu as necessary. Add Chili Paste and sesame oil and mix. Top with Sesame Seeds.

Than I made my twist on Shoyu Poke:

1/2 Lb Ahi, Aku, or Maguro cut into bite sized (1/2-3/4") pieces
up to 1/4 cup of Kikkoman Soy Sauce
1/4 tsp Grated Ginger
1/2 clove of garlic grated fine
1/4 cup Ogo
2 Stalks Green Onion - Green parts only
Sesame Seeds

Mix all ingredients, top with sesame seeds. Serves 1 hungry Ex-Pat Kama'aina with a major Poke' "Jones".

Easy to make, huh? Just remember one thing, poke' is an easy dish, but will reflect the quality of the ingredients you use! My recipes should be used as a very, very, broad guideline.

For those still interested, Sam Choy has a great little book on poke. I could go on and on about poke', how it's the original "pacific-rim, fusion" dish, about how every ethnic group has created and contributed to the vast varieties of poke'. Or how it feels like I'm really finally "home" when I buy a couple of different types of poke from Tamashiro Market, grab some musubi, and head to Kewalo's or some other beach and just sit down and "grind" - delici-yoso!!! Have fun "playing with your food"!

Comments

[clare eats]

Great post Kirk!
I would kill for a plate of your poke right now!
I know this might be sacriligios but Can you use rehydrated seaweed instead?

[Jo]

Ya know, change the ingredients and you have ceviche... ::grin:: lime or lemon juice instead of the shoyu, onions, garlic, tomato (peeled, seeded, chopped), salt... Ceviche! I never really learned or tried to make it because I never really liked it. Mike, however; ADORES Poke, particularly with octopus. If he finds out you know how to make it, The Missus might have to fly up to rescue you! ::wink::

[Jack]

Now that is what I am talking about! Looks great Kirk.

[Kirk]

Hi Clare - There are so many variations of poke', that there's almost no rules to follow, except - Don't Use Dried Seaweed! I'd rather do without. So try this, use the Shoyu Poke recipe, delete the garlic and top with Furikake, or use the shoyu poke recipe and delete the garlic and ginger, and use shimichi togarashi(Japenese Chili Pepper powder), and either dice or thinly slice Japanese cucumber and mix - the cucumber is very refreshing. Actually I did buy the Little Poke Book, and it has most of the basic recipes. Remember to use only enough soy sauce to coat the fish! The combinations are endless....

Hi Jo - Or use lime juice and oconut milk and make Poisson Cru!

Morning Jack - Thanks, your approval means alot!

[Jo]

She put da lime in de coconut
and made de poisson cru
She put da lime in de coconut
and drink it all up
She put da lime in de coconut
and called de doktor woke him up
She said DOCTOR....

::gurgling with laughter::

[clare eats]

Thanks Kirk
I am deinately going to make this, thanks!

[Kirk]

Hi Jo - I see you're starting to "warm up"...what're gong to do for an encore!

Hi Clare - I look forward to a post on the results!

[Reid]

Hi Kirk,

The poke looks good, but I don't really know about the ogo. For some reason, I never did like the crunchies in with the fish.

[Jo]

TRUST me, we don't have enough liquor in the house to get me through an encore! ;o)

[Kirk]

Hi Reid - Yeah, I can relate, but do you like Inamona - in certain cases that can be little crunchies...that's the great thing about poke' you can find or make it anyway you want - I know a few that will never eat poke' on the day it's made, they have to eat it at least a day after...personally I don't have the patience!

Hi Jo - How about Baklava?

[Jo]

Oh, I promise we will have baklava! However, have you ever tried to eat baklava and sing simultaineously?

[Kirk]

Jo - You asking a "flake" like me to sing "crumb-me"????

[Jo]

::laughing so hard the tear are welling:: Weeeeell... I MAY have to hold back on that... ummm, how do you feel about huckleberry muffins?

[Reid]

Hi Kirk,

Nah I really don't like inamona either. I'm just a plain shoyu kinda guy...

[Kirk]

Hi Jo - You're one of the few people who actually seem to enjoy my "corny" humor....

Hi Reid - I guess that what makes Poke so great - you can really have it your way...no jokes please! ;)

[Jo]

::grinning widely:: Yup, there is a "kernal" of truth to that statement Kirk. You'll understand better when you leave, it's all inherited from my Dad.

What's really killin' me is your song references over the last few posts. I'm just wondering when you are gonna get a chance to sleep while you're here! Hope you like espresso, Mike makes the best around, Peet's only in this house. Or Jasmine Downy Pearls tea...

[Kirk]

Hi Jo - Well it's a good thing you didn't hear me singin' in the car coming back from LA with stinky tofu.."Doctor, Doctor, give a clue, I got a bad case of Tsoh Tofu..." Ooops, better go, my morning medication is here...;)

[Jo]

KIRK KIRK! Oh man! You totally fit into this corner of the sanitarium! ESPECIALLY if you sing slightly off key! Make sure you know the words to the following:
MacArthur Park
Bye Bye Miss American Pie
Stairway to Heaven
The Ants Go Marching In

Those are the standards, if you don't know the words, you are required to hum as though you did know them. Between standards, requests are required! ::roaring with laughter::

[Diamond Dog]

Finally! A poke recipe. I always just use the mix you get from Mauraki. It has the ogo, but its purple and dried.

This will be a treat to make.

[Kirk]

Jo - I think I'll bring my Magic Microphone & we'll kill the neighborhood...

Hey Diamond - Yes, the fresh stuff is much better than that dried, ick!! BTW, haven't seen any new posts, hope all is well!