This piece was written on Dharawal Land. Always was, always will be Aboriginal Land.
Where do I begin?
In the year since my last post, there have been no dramatic life changes, no extended times offline, and no, this is not going to be one of those “why I’m no longer vegan” posts (vegan for life bby)… it was just plain old writer’s block!
Every time I went to write, I decided I wanted to do something else - no one tells you how much full-time work gets in the way of your hobbies! However I still managed to fit in a lot of travelling, swimming, reading, and I definitely didn’t stop cooking.
Over here in the southern hemisphere summer is in full swing. Frangipanis in bloom, dolphins, tropical fish… the lot.
The temperatures make it difficult to do anything too labour-intensive, so if you follow me on Instagram (also here) you’d know I have been obsessed with vegan ahi poke lately!
Like many local Hawaiian dishes, poke has native roots, but its changes mirror the colonisation and immigration that the Kingdom has seen over centuries.
It started out as fresh fish massaged with sea salt and seaweed; sailors traded salmon for salt; waves of immigrants from China and Japan brought soy and sesame oil; the Portuguese introduced bacalao; and so on. If you would like to read a short history on the impact of colonisation on Hawai’i’s food system, there’s a great piece here.
Reading up on Hawaiian food history led me down a discouraging rabbit hole of neglected crops, until I discovered the delightful Hawaiian ‘Ulu Cooperative, who aim to revitalise traditional crops such as ‘ulu (breadfruit), kalo (taro), ‘uala (sweet potato) and palaʻai (pumpkin) by empowering farmers as change-makers in Hawaiʻi’s food system. It is a beacon of hope in Hawai’i’s continued plight against over-tourism, colonisation and climate change.
So for some continued summery hope, here is a recipe for a vegan ahi poke. I adapted it from a recipe by Kau Kau Kitchen, a column-turned-website by Leilehua Yuen that has been around since the 80s, but contains recipes passed down through generations. It’s a cornerstone of Hawaiian cooking and I encourage you to check it out - there are several vegan recipes on there!
My version is using watermelon, and before you have doubts, once you cook it, the texture changes dramatically, and there are even lines that appear, making it look scarily tuna-like! This dish is perfect for a summer bbq, the christmas seafood course, a mix plate, or my favourite, on top of rice with mayo and coriander for a quick lunch.
Vegan Ahi Poke
1/4 of a watermelon, cubed
1 tbsp mirin
3 tbsp soy sauce
1/2 a lime, juiced
2 tbsp sesame oil
1/2 cup seaweed, dried or fresh
1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds or toasted macadamias or both
1 spring onion, chopped
Handful coriander
Cook watermelon cubes on a saucepan (no oil), on medium heat for 8-10 minutes, stirring frequently, until the texture changes to be more translucent and no liquid is left in the pan. Let cool.
Mix all remaining ingredients except seeds/nuts, spring onion, and coriander in a large bowl. Add cooked watermelon cubes, stir through sauce and marinate for at least 1 hour, and up to 12 hours.
Serve with toasted seeds/nuts, spring onion and coriander!
To those who stuck around, thank you for being patient, and to those who have joined in the months since my ‘hiatus’, thank you for coming - drop me a line, subscribe (it’s free!) share with your friends, follow my Instagram... all the usual stuff.
I look forward to reading my favourite Substacks, and would love any recommendations, as I’m sure a lot of new ones have popped up over the last year. Happy summer <3
soooo good to see your vibrant & flowery update! hellooooo!
Good to see you back! And this looks like a perfect meal for hot weather