Poke Bowl: What is it and Where Does This Colorful Bowl of Goodness Come From?

First of all, let's discover the origins and meaning of the name of this dish, which is trending everywhere and has become a sensation on social media.

The poke or poké bowl is a Hawaiian dish, typically made with chicken or raw fish, mixed with a variety of ingredients ranging from grains to vegetables or even fresh fruit.

This is a unique dish, light and tasty, served as a main course, although in Hawaii, it is often served at the beginning of meals as an entrée.

How to Prepare the Poke Bowl

Besides enjoying poke in many specialized take-out restaurants and fast-food joints popping up in cities across Italy, you can also make it at home.

Traditional Hawaiian poke is often based on fish, especially tuna, raw and cut into small pieces. It was the snack of fishermen, who used the scraps of the catch they had sold, mixing them with other ingredients.

It's a very fusion recipe because it also recalls some typical elements of Japanese cuisine, such as seaweed, sesame, or soy sauce used for seasoning. Not to mention sushi, since it’s all about raw fish!

The beauty of poke, however, is that you can vary the ingredients greatly and experiment with combinations, even preparing 100% plant-based versions.

Ideas for Poke with Superfoods

To make a colorful and nutritionally complete poke bowl, you usually start with a base of grains or pseudo-grains, from rice to quinoa, whatever you prefer.

Then, add the protein component, be it fish or meat, but also tofu, legumes, or other vegetable protein elements if you follow a vegan diet.

The dish is completed by adding seasonal vegetables and fresh fruit, combining tomatoes and avocado, mango and onion, pineapple and edamame. Finally, a delicious topping that adds a crunchy note is perfect: cacao nibs, for example, or almond flakes or pumpkin seeds.

A special touch is given by some superfood powders like our moringa oleifera, with its spicy note that is perfect in exotic dishes, or a few drops of coconut oil to season and enhance the oriental flavors.