For us, there is nothing more exciting than getting lost within the rows of magical ingredients at our local Asian supermarket. But this isn’t always practical! So we have compiled a pantry to help you find the essentials for making poke. We have also extended the list for the more intrepid – dare ya!
The Essential Poke Pantry
Black + White Sesame Seeds
Little pearls of joy. Almost as important as soy sauce in our poke recipes. To keep them fresh, store in an airtight container or sealable jar.
Chilli
Red, green, whatever – always have some to hand to help power up your poke. We use bird’s eyes, habaneros and jalapeños, but you can use another variety if you prefer.
Dried Shiitake Mushrooms
These add so much umami. Once hydrated, these meaty mushrooms can be used for stocks, pickles or as the star of a dish.
Fresh Ginger
A must. Fresh as it can be and as much of it as you can handle. It features in most of our recipes for good reason. It cleanses the palate and adds a fiery kick.
Mirin
A sweet rice wine, with a mild acidity. A key ingredient for seasoning rice (Cooking Rice).
Miso Paste
This is made from fermented soy beans. We use both sweet white miso and salty red miso.
Rice
An obvious staple! We often use a short-grain variety, normally labelled as sushi rice. Alternative types we use are brown and black.
Rice Wine Vinegar
A mild vinegar made from rice. Ideal for Japanese salad dressings and pickles. It is less acidic than other vinegars such as sherry, distilled white vinegar and some wine vinegars.
Soy Sauce or Tamari (gluten-free)
We could drink this stuff – definitely have! We prefer a lighter style. Tamari is a gluten-free version we also use.
Spring Onion (scallions)
We use both the white and the green ends of our oniony friends. They help to season our dishes with subtle onion undertones.
Toasted Sesame Oil
Wonderfully strong oil. You only need to buy a small bottle: a little goes a long way, so it is worth paying for a good-quality oil.
Togarashi Powder
A spicy seasoning made from a famous Japanese blend of seven flavours, which adds a glorious kick.
Wakame Seaweed
A type of dried seaweed. It is available from most specialist stores. We use it in salads and soups.
Japanese horseradish packs a punch. We recommend brands with at least 4 per cent wasabi. It needs to be mixed with water before use.
White Onion
Ideally, get the sweetest you can find. In Hawaii, Maui onion is traditionally used – it adds crunch and sweetness to poke bowls.
The Pro Poke Pantry
Bonito Flakes
Dried and fermented skipjack tuna shavings – far tastier than they sound! Use to add depth of flavour to soups or sprinkle over poke bowls.
Fish Roe (flying fish roe)
Tobiko, masago and ikura are the most commonly used fish roe for poke and sushi. We love tobiko for its smoky taste and crunchy texture.
Gochujang Paste
A punchy Korean hot pepper paste – a little goes a long way! Also comes as flakes known as gochugaru.
Hijiki Seaweed
Edible seaweed, used along with bonito flakes to add umami depth to dashi stock.
Nori Seaweed
Dark green sheets of edible seaweed, most commonly used in sushi. Its saltiness is a great addition to a dish. Also available in shredded form called Kizami Nori.
Sake
Brewed Japanese rice wine. They come in lots of varieties and, depending on the grade; it is drunk warm or cold.
Shiso
A ridiculously good-looking Asian herb. With its unique, delicate fragrance, this is sometimes likened to mint or basil. We use it in furikake seasonings, poke dishes and infused oils.
Umeboshi Paste
This versatile, tangy and slightly salty Japanese condiment is made from dried, pickled ume (plum) fruits. We use it to add a tartness to our dressings and mayos.
Yuzu Juice
A sour Japanese citrus juice that’s widely available bottled from larger supermarket. You can substitute it with the juice of other citrus fruits, but it’s not quite the same.
Yuzu Kosho (chilli paste)
A salty, spicy paste made from fermented chilli peppers and yuzu fruit peel.
