Hokey Poké – Everything you need to know about Poké Bowls

2 min read

Two of Blowfish’s fan-favourites are our tuna poke bowl and salmon poke bowl. We’re here to tell you all about poke’s origins and its benefits.

Many assume that the poke bowl comes from Japanese cuisine, due to its use of raw fish and due to it often being served at sushi restaurants. Poke, however, has its origins in Hawaii. Poke means ‘to slice’ or ‘cut crosswise into pieces’ in Hawaiian and is sometimes angelized to Poké for pronunciation purposes. Hawaiians traditionally caught fish (usually tuna or octopus) and massaged it with sea salt, seaweed, and crushed inamona or kukui nuts.

As more international people arrived in Hawaii, poke began to reflect this. Different types of fish were used as imports became available and things like soy sauce and sesame oil was brought over from Asian immigrants. This Asian influence and poke’s increasing popularity in North America resulted in what we know as poke bowls today. One of the big differences between traditional poke and modern poke is that traditional poke is marinated in its sauces for at least 15 minutes, while modern poke is prepared on demand. The bed of rice and variety of condiments is what has transformed this dish from a simple snack to a delicious meal.

We’ve already discussed the health benefits of sushi, which you can read about here. Poke bowls have much the same benefits due to the similarity in ingredients. Raw fish and avocado are excellent sources of Omega-3 and healthy fats, while seaweed and fruits provide fibre, vitamins, and minerals. Rice provides you with energy and poke bowls are packed with protein.

At Blowfish we have two poke bowls available. The Tuna Poke is served with Yellowfin tuna, avocado, and tomatoes, in a rich citrus dressing on a bed of sushi rice. The Salmon Poke consists of salmon, edamame beans, pickled ginger, strawberries, cucumber, and avocado, with a sweet chilli and caviar-mayo dressing on top of sushi rice.

Book a table at Blowfish and come try our delicious Poke Bowls! Enjoy it with a side of sushi or a glass of wine. Be sure to ask your waiter or our sushi chefs for any recommendations.