''Lomi ōio'' is a raw fish dish in traditional

Hawaiian cuisine The cuisine of Hawaii incorporates five distinct styles of food, reflecting the diverse food history of settlement and immigration in the Hawaiian Islands, primarily originating from Polynesian, North American and East Asian cuisines. In t ...

using (

bonefish The bonefish (''Albula vulpes'') is the type species of the Bonefishes, bonefish family (Albulidae), the only family in order Albuliformes. Taxonomy Bonefish were once believed to be a single species with a global distribution, however 9 differ ...

). This dish is an heirloom recipe fairly unchanged since pre-contact

Hawaii Hawaii ( ; ) is an island U.S. state, state of the United States, in the Pacific Ocean about southwest of the U.S. mainland. One of the two Non-contiguous United States, non-contiguous U.S. states (along with Alaska), it is the only sta ...

, and is a precursor or progenitor to the more well-known but ''en vogue''

poke Poke may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media * Poke (Ender's Game), Poke (''Ender's Game''), a fictional character * Poke (game), a two-player card game * Poke, a fictional bar owner in the television series ''Treme (season 2), Treme'' * The ...

seen today. It is a common preparation of the local recreational

fly fishermen Fly fishing is an angling technique that uses an ultra-lightweight lure called an artificial fly, which typically mimics small invertebrates such as flying and aquatic insects to attract and catch fish. Because the mass of the fly lure is ins ...

who catch this fish and is considered a special side dish at traditional lūau gathering for many Hawaiian families.

Background

Native species of ('' A. glossodonta'', '' A. virgata'') live in inshore waters and move into shallow mudflats or sand flats with the tides. This made it one of the more common fish species able to be cultivated in ancient Hawaiian fishponds. Deep sea fish like aku, a popular fish for

today, were reserved for the upper class according to the kapu system. However, was able to be consumed by the (commoner). Like many fish dishes in ancient Hawaiian cuisine, fish was minimally prepared with a few ingredients and preferably eaten raw.

Preparation

First, the is descaled, gutted, and filleted. The delicate flesh is then collected by scraping it off the skin and bones using a shell or spoon. The collected flesh is massaged by hand, or ( Hawaiian lit. "to massage"), to check for bones and scales then further massaged into a homogenous paste. Water is added to adjust the texture and consistency, and seasoned with salt. Common native ingredient additions are

inamona Inamona is a condiment or relish used in traditional Hawaiian cooking made from seed kernels of the kukui nut (candlenuts) and sea salt. To make traditional ''ʻinamona'', the fruits of the kukui are harvested, dried, and husked. The exposed dr ...

, fresh or dried limu or ogo, opihi, and fresh or

dried shrimp Dried shrimp are shrimp that have been sun-dried and shrunk to a thumbnail size. They are used in many African, East Asian, Southeast Asian and South Asian cuisines, imparting a unique umami taste. A handful of shrimp is generally used for dish ...

. Tomatoes, onions or scallions, and chili can also be added. When is not available, finely minced ahi, aku, or opelu, or other suitable fish can be substituted. The texture of is similar to raw

surimi is a paste made from Fish as food, fish or other meat. It can also be any of a number of East Asian cuisine, East Asian foods that use that paste as their primary ingredient. It is available in many shapes, forms, and textures, and is often ...

. Raw paste not prepared for is commonly prepared for

fishcake A fishcake (sometimes written as fish cake) is a culinary dish consisting of filleted fish or other seafood minced or ground, mixed with a starchy ingredient, and fried until golden. Asian-style fishcakes usually contain fish with salt, water, ...

or fishballs. It is also very similar to

namerō is a type of tataki, a manner of preparing fish or meat finely minced and mixed with some spices and seasonings, not unlike a tartare. This recipe has been passed down among Bōsō Peninsula fishermen. Variations Sangayaki A dish of gril ...

, a Japanese fish

tartare Steak tartare or tartar steak is a French dish of raw ground (minced) beef. It is usually served with onions, capers, parsley or chive, salt, pepper, Worcestershire sauce, and other seasonings, often presented separately, to be added to ...

Background

Preparation

See also

References

Further reading