Home Cooking with Foodland: Poke Primer

ahi tuna

🥗Healthier: sustainable fish

💰Cheaper: canned tuna

Canned tuna is more affordable and still provides protein.

soy sauce

🥗Healthier: low-sodium soy sauce

💰Cheaper: tamari

Tamari is often cheaper and gluten-free.

avocado

🥗Healthier: smashed peas

💰Cheaper: cucumber

Cucumber is a budget-friendly alternative with a refreshing taste.

Welcome to the class on poke.

Introduce the concept of poke and its cultural significance.

Explain that the class will focus on making four types of poke, starting with ahi poke.

Demonstrate cutting the ahi into cubes, aiming for a size between three quarters of an inch to an inch.

Show how to create cubes by cutting the block of ahi into planks, then into smaller cubes.

Discuss the importance of cube size for sauce and garnish coating.

Prepare other ingredients: chop garlic, and introduce ogo (seaweed) as a key ingredient for texture and flavor.

Mention alternatives for ogo, such as ocean salad from Asian markets.

Introduce masago and tobiko as options for roe in the poke.

Explain the significance of ina mona (toasted kukui nuts) in traditional poke and its nutty flavor profile.

Discuss the use of toasted sesame oil as a substitute for coconut flavor if needed.

Introduce toasted sesame seeds as an additional ingredient.

Explain the choice of maui onion for its sweetness and lower sulfur content compared to regular onions.

Demonstrate how to prepare the maui onion by cutting off the top and trimming the ends.

Slice the maui onion thinly for the poke preparation.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level:

Dietary

Allergens