Pohole Salad

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Pohole salad is the perfect pupu (appetizer) or side dish for any occasion. Vibrant green fiddlehead fern shoots, tomatoes, sweet onions, dried ika (cuttlefish) and shrimp tossed in a sauce that’s to die for.

Pohole or fiddlehead fern is most common in the rain forests on the East side of Maui. On Hawai’i island it is called ho’i’o, in Japan warabi, in Korea kosabe, and in the Philippines pako.

The head of the unfurled fond is harvested when it is about 6-9 inches long. This edible fern makes a great tossed salad that we on the island call pohole salad. Pohole has a slightly sweet and nutty flavor.

This fern is mostly water and is a good source of iron. It also contains calcium and magnesium.

Pohole salad makes for an amazing pupu or side dish alongside luau stew, kalua pig, and chicken long rice.

How to pronounce pohole?

poh-HOH-lay

How to store pohole?

Once picked and cleaned, pohole should be kept refrigerated. It will keep for about 5-7 days.

Where can I find pohole?

Pohole is a native fern to the island of Maui. It can be found in local grocery stores. You can also purchase online.

I don’t have access to pohole, what else can I use?

Pohole can be substituted for ho’i’o, warabi, kosabe, or pako. Check your local Asian grocery store. If you are unable to find any of these varieties you can also substitute with haricot vert, asparagus, or even broccolini, although this will change the taste of this recipe, however still very yummy.

What do I need to make pohole salad?

• Pohole 
• Sweet round onion. Be sure to use a sweet variety of onion as to not over power this dish.
• Roma tomatoes. You can substitute grape, cherry, or regular tomatoes here.
• Ika (dried cuttlefish)
• Dried shrimp
• Shoyu
• Rice wine vinegar
• Granulated sugar
• Sesame oil

How to make pohole salad?

Rinse pohole with clean running water and remove any small hair fibers on the shoots.

In a medium bowl add ice and water to create an ice bath. Set aside.

Place a large pot of water over high heat and heat until rolling boil. Add chopped pohole and blanch for 1-2 minutes. Remove pohole and place directly in the ice bath to stop the cooking process.

To large bowl add pohole, onion, tomato, ika and shrimp and set aside.

In a small bowl add shoyu, rice wine vinegar, sugar, and sesame oil. Mix to combine.

Pour sauce over pohole and gently toss to combine. ENJOY!

Pohole Salad

Relle Lum

Pohole salad is the perfect pupu (appetizer) or side dish for any occasion. Vibrant green fiddlehead fern shoots, tomatoes, sweet onions, dried ika (cuttlefish) and shrimp tossed in a sauce that’s to die for.

4.54 from 32 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 2 minutes mins

Total Time 12 minutes mins

Course Appetizers

Cuisine Hawaiian

Servings 2 quarts

Calories 72 kcal

Equipment

• Kadoya Sesame Oil, 22.10 Fluid Ounce
• Marukan Seasoned Rice Vinegar 12 Oz (12 oz), 12 oz
• C&H Pure Cane Granulated Sugar, 20 Oz Easy Pour Reclosable Top Canister (Pack of 2)
• ” class=”wprm-recipe-equipment-link”>Aloha Low Sodium Shoyu 24 Oz.

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 1 pound pohole fiddlehad fern, cut into 1 inch pieces
• 1/2 sweet round onion sliced
• 2 small roma tomatoes diced
• 1/4 cup ika dried cuttlefish
• 1/4 cup dried shrimp
• 2 tablespoons shoyu
• 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil

Instructions

 

• Rinse pohole with clean running water and remove any small hair fibers on the shoots.
• In a medium bowl add ice and water to create an ice bath. Set aside.
• Place a large pot of water over high heat and heat until rolling boil. Add chopped pohole and blanch for 1-2 minutes. Remove pohole and place directly in the ice bath to stop the cooking process.
• To large bowl add pohole, onion, tomato, ika and shrimp and set aside.
• In a small bowl add shoyu, rice wine vinegar, sugar, and sesame oil. Mix to combine.
• Pour sauce over pohole and gently toss to combine. ENJOY!

Video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q1k53GahcBw

Notes

* Be sure to use a sweet onion as to not over power the dish since the onions are raw.

* You can substitute roma tomatoes for grape, cherry, or reuglar tomatoes.

* If you are unable to find pohole you can use haricot vert, asparagus, or broccolini. This will change the taste of the recipe, however still yummy.

Nutrition

Serving: 1gCalories: 72kcalCarbohydrates: 9gProtein: 2gFat: 4gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 11mgSodium: 50mgFiber: 1gSugar: 8g

Keyword appetizer, fiddlehead fern, Hawaii food, Hawaiian food, keeping it relle, kosabe, pako, pohole salad, pupu, salad, side dish, warabi

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