Raw Beauties!

Showing us that there’s a whole lot more to raw fish dishes than plain old Japanese sashimi are a host of interesting and exotic preparations from as far as Peru to the Philippines. Smart Life introduces you to a few such edible wonders.  

By Raul Dias

It’s safe to say that most of the world’s love affair with raw fish is rather recent. And one that is in its embryonic stages as far the average Indian diner is concerned. Once looked upon as freakishly alien and best left to where it belonged, the raw fish wonder that is Japanese sashimi has ensnared the entire world with its fresh, clean taste and healthy diet appeal. 

Today, sushi bars are an ubiquitous site the world over, with patrons hungry for a piece of that freshly sliced amberjack or for a portion of those gossamer thin slivers of yellowfin tuna—all anointed with a dab of wasabi and a splash of shoyu (soy sauce). And while smoked salmon too has made its way around the world via Scandinavia in the form of gravlax and New York (where it is known as lox), our notion of raw fish preparations is still woefully confined to the above-mentioned two. Not anymore! 

Digging a little deeper into the vast sphere of world cuisine shows us the existence of a whole smorgasbord (pun intended!) of raw fish dish iterations from a diverse number of places that have been enjoyed for centuries in various forms and styles.

Here are a few such raw revelations: 

Poké from Hawaii

Pronounced poh-kay and meaning to “cut crosswise into pieces” this supremely healthy and tasty one bowl Hawaiian origin dish is a very simple preparation that sees short grain sushi rice that has been pre-vinegared as the base. This rice is then topped with diced raw fish and other seafood that can range from salmon and tuna to octopus and sea urchin. A splash of soy, a squirt of Japanese mayonnaise, a dusting of the Japanese spice blend called furikake, sesame seeds and dried flakes of nori (seaweed) finish off this dish that is criminally addictive and clean tasting. Interestingly, very similar to poké is the Korean dish called hoedeopbap that consists of marinated raw tuna served over rice.

Ceviche from Peru

Over the last decade or so the popularity of this paradoxically raw, yet ‘cooked’ fish dish from Peru has reached dizzying heights. This seemingly simple dish is a complex preparation made from fresh raw fish cured in citrus juices, such as lemon or lime, and spiced with ají chillies and other seasonings including chopped onions, salt, and coriander. It is the all-important citrus that cooks the fish, turning its translucent flesh into a milky opaque. Ceviche is usually accompanied by side dishes that complement its flavours such as sweet potato, lettuce, roasted corn kernels called cancha and the current hipster chic craze—avocado!

Kokoda from Fiji

Coming to us straight from the swaying coconut trees and cool waters of the lush Fijian islands, this raw fish dish celebrates two of the island’s greatest resources—coconuts and its abundant seafood. Pronounced ko-kon-da, kokoda is a refreshing salad-appetizer that’s perfect after a day swimming the cerulean ocean. Just like a ceviche, cubed white fish like snapper, walu or mahi mahi is first marinated in a citrus mixture so that it cures and cooks and then a splash of cooling coconut cream is added to give the dish its creamy consistency. Diced tomatoes and a few fronds of coriander finish off this dish that is always served in a hollowed-out coconut shell.  

Crudo and Carpaccio from Italy

Literally meaning ‘crude’ or ‘raw’ in Italian, crudo is a super popular and versatile raw fish dish from Italy that can be anything from slices of raw fish drizzled over with olive oil and seasoning, to a chopped version just like a steak tartare that’s always topped with an egg yolk. Similarly, fish carpaccio is the pescatarian version of the thinly sliced raw beef dish of the same name that was invented in 1950 by Giuseppe Cipriani, founder of Harry’s Bar in Venice and named in honour of Vittore Carpaccio, the Venetian painter known for his characteristic red and white tones.  

Yusheng from China

Literally meaning “raw fish” the dish is basically a Cantonese-style raw fish salad consisting of strips of raw fish mixed with shredded vegetables and a variety of sauces and condiments, among other ingredients. Also known as the “prosperity toss”, yusheng has been a Cantonese favourite for decades with the most common form being the qicai yusheng (seven-coloured raw fish salad) served in local restaurants during the Chinese New Year period. And although versions of it are thought to have existed in ancient China, the contemporary version was created and popularised in the 1960s.

Kinilaw from the Philippines

An interesting raw fish dish that is closely related to not one but two dishes on this list, kinilaw from the Philippines borrows elements from both a ceviche and a kokoda. Hailing from the Visayan region of the archipelago, the name kinilaw is derived from the word, “kilaw”, which means raw or uncooked. Just like a ceviche, the seafood is ‘cooked’ without the application of heat but is rather cured in vinegar. Additional souring agents like the native calamansi (a lime-orange like fruit), tamarind, or green mangoes are added to enhance its tartness. To complete the dish, black pepper, onions, ginger, seaweed and sliced chilies are also added. And in some parts of the country, just like a kokoda, a dash of coconut milk or cream is added to give the dish a creamy, sweetish send-off! 

(A differently edited version of this piece was first published in the November 2020 issue of The Week's Smart Life magazine)

A-N-A-T-O-M-I-Z-E: Chilli Tossed Tuna Poké

By Raul Dias

Kekaulike Market in Honolulu in Hawaii’s Chinatown may not be anything to write home about, with its dank, smelly interiors that reverberate with the cacophony of fishmonger calls and other assorted sounds. But within its cavernous bowels it holds a secret few outsiders are privy to. Dishing out probably the best poké on the Big Island, Maguro Bros. has a perpetual queue of prospective patrons lining up at its nondescript Formica-topped counter.
And it was there at Maguro Bros. that a few years ago I had an edible epiphany of sorts when I dug into my very first bowl of a traditional Hawaiian poké (pronounced poh-kay). Simply put, a mélange of soy- and sesame oil-marinated raw tuna cubes served atop hot sushi rice, poké is rather erroneously classified as a ‘salad’ on menu cards across the world.
Unable to find a desi doppelganger worthy of comparison, I had almost given up hope of ever tasting anything that came close to that poké. All that changed when I recently chanced upon Chef Manu Chandra’s iteration, which he serves with his own unique twist at the New York East village-style casual eatery Toast & Tonic in Bengaluru’s Ashok Nagar. Eschewing the traditional sushi rice for the short-grained and sticky Gobindobhog variety from Bengal, Chandra risks the poké purists’ wrath with aplomb.

He takes further detours by sending his rather transcendent chilli-tossed tuna poké off to the table anointed with a passion fruit and pineapple vinaigrette, a halved, beetroot-pickled boiled egg and fresh avocado cubes—all of this garnished with micro mustard greens, shards of nori (dried Japanese seaweed), fried onions and a sprinkling of the very au courant chia seeds.

(This column first appeared in the 19th February 2017 issue of The Hindu newspaper's Sunday Magazine section on page 8 http://www.thehindu.com/life-and-style/food/chillitossed-tuna-pok/article17324871.ece)

A Foodelicious 2017!

Turmeric in your drink? Or perhaps a bowl of poké—the Hawaiian alternative to sushi—for lunch? There’s never a dearth of interesting food and drink trends that diners here in India are becoming privy to. Food writer RAUL DIAS, brings you a few such trends that promise to make the start of this New Year a yummy one!

The Turmeric Twist
With the turmeric latte being the newest beverage fad in the West with its sudden meteoric rise, Indian restaurants and bars are loathe to be left behind, with all things turmeric finding a firm footing on their dessert and drinks’ menus, giving a stylish fillip to good old haldi walla doodh! Known multifariously as ‘golden milk’ or ‘sunshine milk’ the turmeric latte is only one such iteration, while others like turmeric leaf ice-cream and a fresh turmeric-infused gin cocktail up the ante in the innovatively yummy department.

Who’s Doing It?

·         Golden Milk Iced Coffee at The Pantry, Mumbai

·         Muskmelon Pannacotta with Turmeric Leaf Ice-cream at Toast & Tonic, Bengaluru

·         Turmeric, Maple and Almond Latte at The Korner House, Mumbai

·         The City of Nizam Turmeric-infused Gin Cocktail at Ek Bar, New Delhi

·         Turmeric-infused Dry Fruit Milk Sorbet at Jeon, Mumbai

·         Turmeric Latte at Nosh, Suryagarh, Jaisalmer

·         Eureka—The Turmeric-infused Gin Cocktail at Bodega Cantina-Y-Bar​, Kolkata

Coffee Cocktails, Anyone?
One of the world’s favourite morning beverages—coffee—is getting another shot at racing ahead of tea up the popularity charts in the most interesting and unusual ways. Finding itself paired with everything from orange liqueur and smoky whiskey to the more outré activated carbon and gondhoraj lebu, coffee is taking a slow but steady detour from the soft beverage section on menu cards to the ‘hard’ one with its many experimental iterations one little bean at a time!

Who’s Doing It?

·         ‘The Morning Brew’ at The Sassy Spoon, Mumbai

·         ‘Mad Men’ at Monkey Bar, Kolkata

·         ‘From Aura with Love’ at Aura—The Vodka Bar, The Claridges, New Delhi

·         ‘Oh! Sweet Ninja’ at Shiro, Bengaluru

·          ‘The Caffeine Kick’ at Silver Beach Café, Mumbai

·         ‘Activated Charcoal Martini’ at Bodega Cantina-Y-Bar, Kolkata

·         ‘Coorg Jager’ at 212 All Good, Mumbai

Poké Me!
Forget about ceviche. Leave aside sushi and kiss that carpaccio goodbye for there’s a new hot… err, we mean cold alternative on the scene. Welcome to the tropical world of the Hawaiian wonder—poké! Luscious cubes of fish, generally lean tuna sit, atop a bed of rice in a bowl that is then anointed with sesame oil, lemon juice and topped with pickled vegetables and scallions with a sprinkling of toasted sesame seeds to finish this one dish wonder off with. Ah bliss…

Who’s Doing It?

·         The Poké Bowl at Bastian, Mumbai

·         Chilli Tossed Tuna Poké at Toast & Tonic, Bengaluru

·         Andaman Island Tuna Poké Bowl at 212 All Good, Mumbai

·         Spicy Salmon Poké Bowl at Yuuka, St. Regis, Mumbai

·         Ahi Tuna Poké With Seared Albacore at Ellipsis, Mumbai

The ‘Glocal’ Restaurant
This hybrid species of restaurant is one that flirts with international flavours, textures and presentation styles, but with a strong and conscious focus on procuring produce that is fresh, healthy and most importantly local. A farm-to-table concept given a shot in the arm by a menu that features new world cuisine that is the hot favourite the world over. A sort of stylish food with a conscience, if you will!

Who’s Doing It?

·         Toast & Tonic, Bengaluru for its ingenious use of hyper local ingredients in its New York East Village-inspired dishes.

·         212 All Good, Mumbai for its promise to create incredibly wholesome food and drinks that are shy of preservatives and embrace everything that is good for your gut and for its onsite herb garden that encourages diners to pluck herbs that they can then add to their dishes.

·         Farmer & Sons, Mumbai for its focus on delicious, comfortable and clever dishes using local direct farmer-sourced produce with a focus on excellent flavours and textures.

Betel Mania
Paan, that de facto, post-prandial indulgence for most of us Indians, that promises to alleviate everything from digestive problems like acidity and gas to freshening one’s breath, has been enjoying a makeover of epic proportions and finding itself in a host of desserts and drinks that each seek to give it some serious ‘high street’ cred, and thus turning over a new leaf (pun intended!) for the betel leaf.

Who’s Doing It?

·         Paan Martini Cocktail at The Sahib Room & Kipling Bar, St. Regis, Mumbai

·         Paan-stuffed Gujia at Kava at the Fairfield Marriott, Lucknow

·         Bambaiyya Paan Kulfi at Jeon, Hotel Sea Princess, Mumbai

·         Paan Mojito at Dhaba, The Claridges, New Delhi

·         Gulkhand and Vanilla Ice-cream Paan Shot at Punjab Grill, Mumbai, Delhi, Hyderabad, Chennai and Bengaluru.

(An edited version of this article appeared in the January 2017 issue of Hi!Blitz Magazine, India)