High-quality fish, fresh vegetables, and yummy sauce make a for a
pretty, healthy meal
What is a Poke Bowl?
True Hawaiian poke can be traced back to a simple dish of raw fish
massaged with seaweed, sea salt and sometimes kukui nuts enjoyed by
ancient Hawaiians, and in fact, the word “poke” means “to slice” in the
Hawaiian language. The arrival of immigrants from China and Japan
brought ingredients like sesame oil and soy sauce to poke, and slowly
the simple, seasoned dish of raw fish evolved into what we know as poke
today. Always enjoyed on the islands, poke’s popularity really
skyrocketed in the 1970s and ahi shoyu poke is probably the most popular
of all. Serving poke over a bed of rice—the simplest form of a poke
bowl—was a no-brainer way to make the seasoned raw fish into a much more
filling dish. Thus, the poke bowl! These days—particularly here on the
mainland—people top their poke bowls with all kinds of wild things, but
there’s almost always a mound of white rice, fresh seasoned raw fish,
and usually some greens—avocado at least, and often another veggie or
two. Seaweed or a dusting of furikake is also a common additional touch,
as is a sprinkling of sesame seeds. However, like all bowl recipes, poke
bowls are pretty adaptable—it’s OK to play around a bit and see what
poke bowl toppings you like best!
Learn more about the history of Poke
