Poke (pronounced poh-KAY) is a staple of Native Hawaiian cuisine. The word means 'to slice' or 'cut crosswise into pieces' in Hawaiian. It originated with fishermen who would season the 'cut-offs' from their daily catch as a snack. Traditional poke was very simple, consisting of raw fish, sea salt, 'candlenut' (kukui), and seaweed (limu). In the 1970s, it evolved into the modern form we recognize, often using Ahi tuna and soy sauce, influenced by the arrival of Japanese workers in Hawaii. Unlike Japanese sashimi, which is served as thin slices, poke is always served as cubes. The global explosion of poke in the 2010s transformed it into a 'bowl' dish, adding rice and various non-traditional toppings like avocado and spicy mayo.