Here are the basics for Great Poke.

Poke is a delicious Hawaiian dish that thrives on simplicity. Like sushi, poke can be made extravagant, but at its core, it relies on quality ingredients. I love poke, especially when it comes with wonton chips! I've never tried to make it myself, but I thought it would be fun to do some research on how to make the perfect poke! Let's get into it.

The Star of the Show

As I mentioned, high-quality fish is at the heart of good poke. This is especially important because poke is traditionally consumed raw. If you decide to use tuna for your poke bowl, which is the most common fish used for poke these days, try to select a piece that has as little white in it as possible. These white streaks will make the fish chewier—which is not what we want in our poke! If you can, look for sushi-grade fish. You can also always ask the butcher or fishmonger which of their selection is suitable to eat raw. When it comes time to prepare the fish, you will simply cut it up into chunks. Just make sure the pieces are bite-sized and easy to chew! If you have those white streaks in your fish, you should go through and cut them out.

##BANNNER## 

Rice

Sushi rice is the most ideal for poke, but brown rice can also work. You should not use long grain and starchy rice such as basmati. You may want to season your rice with vinegar or chopped-up seaweed. While the fish is the most important element of poke, good-quality rice should still be a point of focus. You'll want to make sure it pairs well with the fish without overpowering it. Of course, we already know sushi rice goes well with fish! It also provides that classic sticky texture.

Sauce

If you want to stay on the more authentic side, it is best to keep your sauce simple. Shoyu, or soy sauce, will be the main ingredient here. You can add things like vinegar, ginger, garlic, and lime juice as well. You can check out this simple poke sauce recipe here. If you want to take more creative liberties, have fun and experiment with whatever ingredients sound good. Once your sauce is made, you will want to coat your fish in it before adding it to the bowl.

##BANNNER## 

Extras

This is another area where you can have fun! Basic toppings can include avocado, chopped green onion, and sesame seeds. Pineapple also makes for a fun and refreshing topping that feels extra tropical, which seems appropriate when eating a Hawaiian meal. As I mentioned, I love wonton chips, so I would definitely include those in my own poke! It's up to you how you choose to garnish your poke. Overloading it with toppings isn't super traditional, but if it makes you happy, go for it!

Poke is great because it's pretty customizable. It also doesn't require many ingredients so it's pretty simple to whip up. I think I'm going to suggest a "build your own poke night" for my next date night! If you aren't super into cooking yourself, there are plenty of spots in the Denver area where you can find great poke, such as Motomaki.