Asian Dinner: Sushi Part 2

We had a successful dinner party for 9 people on Sunday. The "theme" was Asian and I made a number of new recipes. I'll try to share a few over time.

I started the meal with a small serving of poke which is a Hawaiian staple. When we've gone to Hawaii we live on this stuff having it every evening as an appetizer with a glass (or two or...) of wine. The Safeway in Kona has a poke counter where you can get a variety of poke styles and fish.

According to this site...

Poke (pronounced "po-keh") means "to slice or cut." As a food dish served as an appetizer or snack, it usually consists of bite-sized pieces of raw, fresh fish mixed with seaweed and kukui nut relish. Today’s poke aficionados, however, incorporate a wide range of ingredients, including all types of seafood (everything from swordfish and snapper to octopus and lobster), herbs, spices, nuts, marinades, fruits, vegetables, seasonings and even tofu.

I discovered that Galvan's Market in San Leandro makes poke quite often. Their poke is a well-seasoned starting point with sesame seeds, salt, and red pepper flakes. One can add a bit of soy sauce and other ingredients.



After the poke I served some sushi rolls that I had made earlier in the day. Making the sushi roll ahead of time made all the difference. Wrap the uncut rolls in plastic and let them sit in the fridge for a few hours. Cut with a sharp knife just prior to serving. The nori wrapper will absorb the water and the starch will make it like a skin on the roll.

I used pre-cooked salad shrimp marinated with hot sauce and soy sauce. I added to the roll:

• shredded carrots (buy a small bag at the supermarket)
• slivers of marinated baked tofu
• slivers of red bell pepper
• sprouts

It was well received by our guests. I look forward to more fun with sushi rolls.