WAIKOLA — Try the poke cheesecake.
If that’s too adventurous, consider something more traditional: ahi, limpit and fern shoots.
Both of these – and every poke in between – was sampled Saturday at the 9th Annual Great Waikoloa Poke Contest, sponsored by Hawaii Island Festivals.
The competition drew an array of contestants, professional and amateur alike, putting their poke on the line at the Waikoloa Beach Marriott &Spa.
Contestants could enter their dish into any of three categories, said Makela Bruno, mistress of ceremonies: traditional, limu/shoyu and fusion.
“Poke traditional” was the most restrictive. Entries into that category could only use a selection of ingredients and weren’t allowed to incorporate sauces of any kind into the dish.
“Traditional,” however, meant anything but “ordinary” and rather than restricting their creativity, the limit on ingredients for contestants only seemed to enhance it.
In addition to the common ahi, Bruno said contestants incorporated ingredients like opihi (limpits) and wana (urchin).
Josh Johansen of the Hoakalei Country Club on Oahu said their poke is “as traditional as possible.”
It featured a simple combination of opihi, ahi and ho’i’o fern shoots with some sea salt.
“We kept it as authentic as possible,” he said, saying the combination of indigenous ingredients is “a taste of the old days.”
That traditional recipe, he said, tastes best to him.
“I want people to enjoy what Hawaii has to offer,” he said.
Anthony J. Carvalho, whose Kona crab poke won the amateur traditional division, also focused on the traditional method.
For old Hawaiians, he said, poke was four ingredients: seafood, limu, inamona (crushed kukui nut) and pa’akai (Hawaiian salt).
“Traditional poke is simple. A lot of it comes from here,” he said, pointing to his chest. “You have to love it to do it.”
Carvalho dismissed poke recipes that veer too far away from the traditional recipe.
“Traditional poke goes back to the old days,” he said, “the real Hawaiians.”
“They never had avocados.”
The event also featured a limu/shoyu category for dishes including seaweed and soy sauce as well as a final category, deemed “poke fusion.”
That one, Bruno said, was about “breaking boundaries.”
For the fusion competition, contestants had the chance to push the limits of what defines poke, incorporating ingredients seldom, if ever before, found in poke.
Bruno said the fusion category taps into Hawaii’s place as a melting pot with a resilient and inclusive culture.
She expressed her hope that as amateur and professional cooks explore pushing poke to its limits, “they can get back to the root of it and discover the traditions of poke.”
Among Saturday’s fusion entries was Lori and Robinson Reyes’ “savory ahi poke cheesecake.”
The couple runs Island Creations 808 Cheesecake.
The entry consists of a savory kimchi-based cheesecake topped with poke.
Their own invention, the couple said they believe their poke cheesecake is the first of its kind.
It’s not an expected combination, they added.
Robinson Reyes said “sweet” is what most people think of when it comes to cheesecake, so their savory creation catches them off guard.
And when people end up trying it, Lori Reyes said, they like it.
“Their eyes light up and they go ‘Oh my God!,’” she said.
Lori Reyes said taking something familiar, like poke, and giving it a “totally different context” makes it work.
“‘Cause it’s delicious,” she said. “It’s so different and people love different.”
Saturday’s big winner was Kai Auld, 27, who took the title in both the amateur fusion and amateur limu/shoyu divisions. Auld’s limu/shoyu poke also won the amateur “Mo’i choice” award, selected from the top dish of each of the three divisions.
Auld, without giving away his secrets, said good poke comes down to keeping a balance of flavor that doesn’t overpower the fish.
This is Auld’s third year competing, though he’s been making poke for his “whole life almost.” For the past two years in a row, Auld won the traditional category.
As for why he changed it up this year competing in the other two categories, Auld said it was “just to see if I could.”
Auld’s uncles were also at the event, where they heaped praise on him after his wins.
“I’m very inspired by these young men carrying on the Hawaiian culture,” said Billye Lindsey, calling Auld a “perfect example of someone carrying on our culture.”
Lindsey said that while poke is catching on internationally, it still remains an important dish for the islands.
“I think it’s important to our culture,” he said. “It’s important to share the ways of Hawaiian life and perpetuate what we have here.”
“We need to catch a fish, not a Pokemon,” he added.
9th Annual Great Waikoloa Poke Contest
Professional
Traditional division: Jaydene and Kau’i Kanekoa
Limu/shoyu division: Casey Hanks
Fusion division: Pedro Almazan
Mo’i choice: Casey Hanks
Presentation: Deanna Delma
Amateur
Traditional division: Anthony J. Carvalho
Limu/shoyu division: Kai Auld
Fusion division: Kai Auld
Mo’i choice: Kai Auld (for limu/shoyu)
Presentation: James Uina