Hawaii's favorite fish salad - includes recipes and a listing of Hawaiian and Japanese descriptions of poke ingredients

Sunset, Sept, 1996 by Linda Lau Anusasananan

Poke (po-key) is an Island treasure with many interpretations. Try it to start or as the heart of a light summer meal

Poke - just say po-key - IS A survivor. Native to the Hawaiian Islands, it's a grand salad when ingredients are strictly local. But now poke is being more broadly interpreted by Hawaiians championing their own cuisine, by visiting cooks and migratory chefs, and even at a cooking contest. Poke means to slice or to cut. What gets cut up is fish, mostly - usually raw tuna. Basic poke is tuna or other Island fish and crunchy seaweed seasoned with sea salt and the local kukui nut, which has been pounded to a paste. Nontraditional versions use shellfish and fish from distant waters. Some new-wave chefs even propose beef. And in the melting pot culture of Island kitchens, the seasonings of the Caribbean, China, Japan, Korea, Mexico, Southeast Asia, and the South Pacific are all making their marks on today's poke.

The most revealing diversity of poke is found at Sam Choy's Aloha Festivals Poke Recipe Contest. Last year's competition had more than 70 finalists from Hawaii and the Mainland. Some pokes were variations of the basic; others were wildly inventive and included cooked seafood, fruits, vegetables, noodles, lime juice, and chilies. The dishes' common denominator was taste: a good poke should be light, bright, and fresh.

Much of the contest fun is visual, ranging from high-style to off-the-wall presentations: poke encased in paper-thin nori (seaweed), poke fried as pseudo macadamia nut bonbons, or poke surfing on fried wonton skins. This year's contest is October 6 at the Hapuna Beach Prince Hotel, Kohala Coast, on the Big Island of Hawaii. The event is free for those with the Aloha Festivals ribbon ($5). The public is invited to taste at 11:30, after the judging is finished. For information contact Gloriann Akau, Aloha Festivals, Box 1921, Kamuela, HI 96743; (808) 885-8086. (For more on the Aloha Festivals, see page 32.)

This colorful shrimp poke, a synthesis of the best of several sampled, has the proper Polynesian persona, but its ingredients are available to off-Islanders - malihinis. For traditional poke, try the version on page 125. And if you expect to be eating poke in Hawaii, bone up on the lingo, page 126.

Malihini Shrimp Poke

Prep and cook time: 1 1/2 to 2 hours, including chilling

Notes: To save about an hour, skip the raw shrimp and buy 1 3/4 pounds of shelled cooked tiny shrimp. Rinse before using.

Makes: 6 to 8 main-dish, 12 appetizer servings

2 pounds (about 35 per lb.) shrimp, shelled and deveined 3/4 cup lime juice 1/4 cup Asian fish sauce (nuoc mam or ham pla) or soy sauce 2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger 2 cloves garlic, pressed or minced 1/2 cup finely chopped Maui or other sweet onion 1 cup (or 1 can, 5 oz.) sliced water chestnuts, drained and chopped 1 1/2 to 2 tablespoons minced fresh red or green hot chili 1 firm-ripe avocado (about 10 oz.) 1 firm-ripe mango (about 1 1/4 lb.), peeled, pitted, and cut into 1/2-inch cubes 1/2 cup chopped watercress sprigs Fresh ti leaves, thawed frozen banana leaves, or romaine lettuce leaves (optional) Watercress sprigs, rinsed and crisped

1. In a 5- to 6-quart pan, bring 3 quarts water to a boil. Add raw shrimp, cover pan tightly, and remove from heat. Let stand until shrimp are white in thickest part (cut to test), about 3 minutes. Drain; immerse shrimp in cold water until cool, then drain again, rinse, and coarsely chop.

2. Mix shrimp with lime juice, fish sauce, ginger, garlic, onion, water chestnuts, and chili to taste. Cover poke mixture and chill at least 30 minutes or up to 2 hours; stir occasionally.

3. Peel and pit avocado. Cut 2 or 3 thin slices, coat with a little dressing from poke, and reserve for garnish. Cut remaining avocado into 1/2-inch chunks. Add avocado chunks, mango, and chopped watercress to poke; mix gently.

4. Line a large shallow bowl or rimmed platter with ti leaves. Spoon poke and dressing onto leaves, then garnish with reserved avocado slices and watercress sprigs.

Per main-dish serving: 207 cal., 29% (60 cal.) from fat; 21 g protein; 6.7 g fat (1.2 g sat.); 16 g carbo.; 445 mg sodium; 140 mg chol.

OLD-TIME POKE

For centuries, Hawaiian fishermen cut their catch of raw fish into cubes and seasoned it with ingredients at hand. Modern poke makes use of seasonings brought by recent Island immigrants, such as soy sauce, onions, tomatoes, and chilies. Mostly, the fish is used raw. But at Sam Choy's Restaurant in Kona, you get a choice. You can have poke raw (native-style) or briefly seared, then seasoned.

Sam Choy's Island Poke

Prep and cook time: 15 to 25 minutes; 20 minutes more if using frozen ogo

Notes: For raw poke, buy commercially frozen fish or freeze fish at 0 [degrees] or colder at least 1 week to kill harmful parasites.

On the Mainland, the most likely sources for ogo (seaweed) are Japanese fish markets. Japanese grocery stores may have frozen ogo, which is salted. Let it thaw, rinse well, then soak in cold water, changing water frequently, until ogo no longer tastes heavily salted, about 20 minutes.