Ume Shiso Pineapple Poke

In warm-weather places around the world, sweet fruit is often enjoyed with something a little bit sour or a little bit savory. In Mexico, it’s a chili lime salt; in India, chaat masala; in Taiwan, it’s a salted plum powder. And in Hawai‘i, it’s li hing, which is a lot like Taiwan’s powder (and no wonder, as both powders have the same Chinese origins). It’s easy to understand this juxtaposition: when it’s hot out and the last thing you want to do is eat, the combination of sour, sweet, and salty slaps your taste buds awake and has you craving more. This poke is a riff on the particularly irresistible li hing–dusted pineapple, swapping out the li hing with the more widely available Japanese plum paste umeboshi, and adding a touch of heat with shichimi togarashi, a citrusy chili spice blend. Shichimi togarashi and umeboshi paste can be found at Japanese markets, and the latter is also available at specialty grocery stores like Whole Foods.

The Poke Cookbook by Martha Cheng

Ingredients

• 4 cups diced fresh pineapple (in 3/4-inch chunks)

• 4 fresh shiso leaves, chopped 

• 2 tablespoons umeboshi paste 

• 1 teaspoon shichimi togarashi

Can't find it?
If you can’t find shiso, a mixture of half cilantro, half mint leaves will work well with the flavors in this recipe.

Directions

1. In a medium bowl, combine all the ingredients. Fold gently until thoroughly incorporated.
    
2. Chill covered in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes or up to a day, and serve cold.

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Reprinted from The Poke Cookbook. Copyright © 2017 by Martha Cheng. Photographs copyright © 2017 by Aubrie Pick. Published by Clarkson Potter/Publishers, an imprint of Penguin Random House, LLC.