Hawaiian Poke

Here’s the recipe for a classic Hawaiian Poke with an Italian touch. The original Hawaiian version is a dish based on raw fish, usually tuna, cut into cubes and seasoned with a seaweed salad, onion, and sometimes avocado, cucumber, and edamame. However, I’ll add some ingredients to make it a bit more Mediterranean.

Ingredients

• 200 g of high-quality fresh tuna
• 1 tablespoon of soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon of sesame oil
• 1 teaspoon of honey
• 1 spring onion
• A pinch of chili flakes (optional)
• 1 ripe avocado
• Toasted sesame seeds
• White rice or sushi rice (as desired)
• 1 lemon (for an Italian touch)
• Fresh chopped parsley (for an Italian touch)
• Salt and pepper to taste.

Preparation

1. Start by preparing the rice following the instructions on the package. Once cooked, let it cool to room temperature.
2. Cut the tuna into cubes of about 1-2 cm and place it in a bowl.
3. Finely chop the spring onion and add it to the tuna.
4. In a separate bowl, mix the honey, soy sauce, and sesame oil. If you like it spicy, add the chili now as well.
5. Pour the dressing over the tuna and spring onion, mixing gently so as not to break the fish cubes.
6. Cut the avocado in half, remove the pit, and then cut it into cubes, adding it to the tuna.
7. Add the lemon juice, salt, pepper, and chopped parsley, mixing gently.
8. Arrange the rice on the plates and on top of the rice place your poke salad.
9. Finish with a sprinkle of toasted sesame seeds.

Poke is an informal dish that lends itself to great customization: feel free to add other vegetables to your liking or replace the tuna with another type of raw fish of your choice.

Trivia

Poke, a word that in Hawaiian means “cut into pieces”, has roots in the cuisine of indigenous Hawaiians who prepared it by mixing the remains of their catch with seaweed and kukui nuts. The modern version is enriched by Japanese influences and various additions such as avocado and onion. The presence of lemon in our version brings a freshness that pairs well with parsley, typical elements of Italian and Mediterranean cuisine.