Hawaiian poke can be made with raw fish (above) as well as tofu, cooked shrimp and smoked salmon.

On a recent trip to Hawaii, we went a little wild — for a traditional dish called poke, that is. Pronounced “poh-keh,” it’s often composed of sesame-soy dressed cubes of raw ahi tuna, a sustainable alternative to overfished bluefin tuna. In Hawaiian, poke means “to slice or cut crosswise,” and this salad originally consisted of slices of the day’s catch tossed with Hawaiian salt, seaweed and chopped kukui nuts. Nowadays, poke recipes are a bit like pizza — anything goes — and it all tastes great.

To wit, we found poke recipes made with tofu, cooked shrimp and smoked salmon instead of raw fish. Sometimes the salad mix contained bean sprouts, tomatoes and watercress, along with seasonings like scallions, ginger, garlic, chilis and toasted macadamia nuts (in lieu of kukui nuts). What we love about poke is how zesty and satisfying it tastes, all while being healthy. And, because it’s so cool and refreshing, it’s an ideal summer appetizer to enjoy at home, on a picnic or to bring to a potluck. Following is an easy recipe that uses cooked shrimp instead of raw fish. Enjoy it on a small plate, as you would a salad, or have it heaped on plain baked corn chips.

Hawaiian Shrimp Poke
1 pound cooked shrimp, cut into small chunks
3 scallions, trimmed and thinly sliced
1½ cups fresh bean sprouts
¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
2 teaspoons toasted sesame seeds
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
½ teaspoon chili-garlic sauce

Mix all ingredients in a large bowl. Seal and let marinate in the refrigerator several hours before serving.

Serves 6

NUTRITION SCORE (per serving)
116 calories
31% fat
Fat 4 g
Carbs 3 g
Protein 17 g
Fiber 0.9 g
Calcium 50 mg
Iron 3 mg
Sodium 636 mg

What’s your favorite shrimp recipe?

Tags: Appetizers, Cuisine, Cuisine of Hawaii, Filipino cuisine, Food and drink, Hawaii, Hawaiian cuisine, Hospitality/Recreation, Indonesian cuisine, Japanese cuisine, Other, plain baked corn chips, Po'e, Poke, sesame oil, Tofu