Poke

By stancec44

It’s even better to make poke bowls at home. Get the right ingredients, do a little chopping and you have a simple, satisfying meal. You can even throw a poke party and let guests fill their bowls with the base, fish, toppings and sauce they prefer.

Fish is a crucial part of a poke bowl. Tuna is traditional in Hawaii, but you can use other kinds of firm thick fish. Thin flaky fish, such as flounder, will not hold together as well. Cooked shrimp or crawfish also are good. Some poke bars offer cooked chicken or tofu for those who don’t like fish. The Food Network’s Aarti Sequeira has used roasted beet cubes to make vegetarian poke.

No matter the fish, it’s important that it’s absolutely fresh, as with sushi, because you’re using it raw. Remember that the term “sushi-grade” is not regulated, so it could mean anything.

Use your eyes and nose. Ask where the fish came from and when it arrived at the store. Fresh fish shouldn’t smell “fishy,” but have a clean, ocean-like scent. Avoid fish that appears slimy or has a sheen that may indicate age or the use of preservatives.

The key to poke is cutting the fish into small bite-sized cubes, about 1 inch. Everything about poke should be easy to eat with either chopsticks or a fork.

Because you’ll be combining it with other ingredients, 1 pound of fish should be plenty for a main dish for one person. Half a pound would do for an appetizer or as part of a meal.

Next, the question is: to marinate or not to marinate. Marinating the fish overnight in the refrigerator in a combination of soy sauce and sesame oil is traditional. However, marinating gives the fish a chewy texture. If you prefer a more sushi-like experience, don’t marinate.

Just follow these rules and you’ll be making poke like a pro for yourself or a crowd.

Ingredients

• Base:
• Cooked rice (sushi or brown)
• vegetable noodles;
• shredded salad greens
• Raw options: Tuna, yellowtail, sea bass, monkfish,salmon, grouper
• Cooked options:
• Shrimp, crawfish
• Toppings
• Sauce
• to alone or combine): Ponzu, sesame oil, lime juice, flavored oils (chili, ginger, etc.), soy sauce, sriracha or chipotle mayonnaise, Japanese spicy mayonnaise, traditional poké sauce (combination of sesame oil and soy sauce to taste)

Details

Adapted from portlandoregonian.or.newsmemory.com

Preparation

Step 1

1. Select one base.

2. Pick a fish and arrange on top of the base.

3. Add toppings — as many as you want.

4. If you didn’t marinate the fish, sprinkle on a sauce or two. If you marinated it, you probably won’t need more sauce.

5. Devour.