Salmon Cucumber Poke Bowl

Salmon Cucumber Poke Bowl

Salmon Cucumber Poke Bowl
Almond Ginger Scallion Ponzu

“Chopped raw fish, or poke, was part of my everyday life when I was growing up in La’ie, the rural town on O’ahu’s north shore. The sea was our playground,” penned Chef Sam Choy in his book Poke, Mutual Publishing, 2009.

In the old days, fresh-caught reef fish would be cut up and seasoned with salt produced by evaporation of the ocean water. Then inamona (ground roasted candlenut) and limu (seaweed) were mixed in. That’s it.

As a nod to Hawaiian poke of the past…here, buttery marcona almonds stand in for local candlenuts, and dashi seaweed broth brings the essence of the sea. Ginger, scallions, soy sauce, and yuzu juice lend background complexity and Japanese touches, while cucumber adds a cool fresh crunch. But this recipe keeps true to its old-style Hawaiian roots – simple, delicious, and uncomplicated – high quality fish with no spicy mayonnaise or syrupy sauces squirted on top.

Chef Sam Choy is a four-time nominee for the James Beard Best Pacific Regional chef award, winning in 2004. He is often credited as the “Godfather of Poke” and the Culinary Ambassador of the Big Island. Read my interview with him about poke and sustainability here.

Salmon Cucumber Poke Bowl Recipe

Almond Ginger Scallion Ponzu

Almond Ginger Scallion Ponzu
  • 1 T. low-sodium tamari or soy sauce
  • 1 T. yuzu juice
  • 1 T. mirin
  • 1 T. dashi
  • 1 T. olive oil
  • 3 T. scallion, thinly sliced
  • 2 T. marcona almonds, chopped
  • 2 t. ginger, minced

Place the first 5 ingredients in a small bowl. Whisk to combine.

Add the remaining 3 ingredients. Stir and let sit at room temperature to meld flavors while preparing the rest of the recipe.

Notes: You can make dashi from scratch, or use 1/4 teaspoon Hondashi granules dissolved in 1/2 cup of water. Substitute fresh lemon juice if yuzu is not available.

Salmon Cucumber Poke Bowl

Seasoned Rice
  • 1 c. short grain rice, cook according to package
  • 2 T. rice vinegar
  • 1 T. sugar
  • 1/2 t. sea salt
  • 1 T. dashi

Place vinegar, sugar, and salt in a small bowl. Microwave briefly until hot. Stir to dissolve the sugar and salt. Add dashi. Let cool slightly.

Sprinkle vinegar mixture over just cooked rice and toss to combine.

Salmon and Cucumber
  • 1 portion of raw salmon, sushi-quality, approx. 8 oz.
  • english cucumber
  • sea salt

Remove skin and pin bones from salmon. Dice into 3/4 inch cubes.

Dice approximately the same amount and same size of cucumber as the salmon.

Place salmon and cucumber in a medium bowl. Add ponzu mixture and toss gently to combine. Let sit 5 minutes to absorb flavors. Taste for salt.

To Compose
  • black sesame seeds
  • pickled red onion

Spoon some seasoned rice into a serving bowl. (Will not need all the cooked rice). Spoon salmon cucumber mixture and all the ponzu mixture over the top.

Garnish with a sprinkle of black sesame seeds and a rosette of pickled red onion.

Mahalo and Happy Holidays Chef!

More Yuzu

Yuzu Bohemian Cocktail

Captivating Yuzu Tea

Pignoli Yuzu Gremolata

Shrimp and Yuzu Risotto

More Raw Salmon

Salmon Crudo, Blackberry Ponzu

Saumon Cru, Beurre Blanc Grenade

Salmon Crudo, Lemon Orange Emulsion

Aguachile de Salmón

Spicy Salmon with Shrimp Chips

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