The Strong Lure Of Poke

One of the best things about growing up in Hawaii is poke, a centuries old fish dish that has been refined over time. Sadly for good poke  you do have to visit the islands. That's what Food contributor and restaurant reviewer ,Ligaya Mishan did, . She went back to her beloved home state in search of the best dish.

It wan an interesting article in yesterday's New York Times Food section. It's hard to get authentic poke in the States, especially in the New York area. It is a fish based dish, more of a side or a snack, according to Ms. Mishan. Poke originated with the indigenous Hawaiians, calling it i'a maka according to Martha Cheng in The Poke Cookbook. It was either kneaded with the fingers and called lomi or cut into sticks called poke. Salt was added to preserve it as well as crunchy seaweed,lima, for texture and  more brine . Buttery kukui nut hearts or inamona.Local fisherman caught the fish from shallow waters along reefs.The texture changed .The fish flesh became more like a poi like paste. The Seventies brought a change of tastes and Islanders started to want ahi or yellowfin tuna splashed with shoyu or Japanese soy sauce. This  reflected the influence of the Japanese to the Islands , first coming as early as 1868 to work on the sugar plantations.

There are many places to find the real deal in Oahu. Ms. Mishan likes Foodland's, a local chain. Theirs is made with ahi and shoyu. The recipe for the stores is overseen by a CIA graduate, Keoni Chang. He uses sea asparagus, truffle oil and gochujang, a savory and sweet red chili paste used in Asian cooking. It becomes a deconstructed California roll poke with the addition of avocado, sriracha and furikake - a Japanese seasoning consisting of chopped sesame seeds , seaweed and dried fish mixed with MSG , sugar and salt.. Another well made poke is from the Japanese born brothers Junichiro and Ryojuro Tsuchiya . Theirs is sold at the back of  Kekaulike Market in Chinatown. Their flavors are that of their native country , Ahi, bought from the nearby famed Honolulu Fish Auction is flavored with salted plum and spiked with the fiery wasabi. They also honor the Hawaiian version by spiking it up with lima. For those curious about poke, there are several recipes on the web you can try,Beginners  can use Allrecipes or What's Cooking America's versions.The recipe is not for the leery. Raw tuna has to be used.

Poke is a Hawaiian classic that's best eaten in the islands. It's a delicacy that can be replicated at home, if done properly. Yet's it's best eaten under a South Pacific sun, as Ligaya Mishan knows.