Try Something New With Salmon — Make It Hawaiian Style With 3 Fresh Ingredients

When it comes to raw fish, most people immediately jump to sushi, which while delicious, is not the only raw fish meal out there. For example, if you take raw salmon and add just three fresh vegetables, you get the Hawaiian side dish known as lomi lomi salmon. This staple starts with curing salmon pieces with salt, a procedure the native people of Hawaii have used for generations that helped keep food fresh in trade ships. Lomi is the Hawaiian word for "massage" or "knead," which refers to the process of blending everything together to make this tangy salad.

Your dish begins by liberally adding and massaging salt into cubed, raw salmon pieces. You then cover the salmon and refrigerate it overnight to let the salt do its job. On the day of preparation, it's time for the three additional ingredients: tomatoes, onions, and scallions, all diced. Mix the veggies and salmon together with only your bare hands. You may think this step is unnecessarily old-fashioned and want to reach for a salad spoon. But massaging everything together softens the salmon and releases the tomato juices to create the ultimate refreshing Hawaiian side. You can eat it along with other items or pour it over rice and main dishes, much like pico de gallo.

While traditional lomi lomi is made with only salmon, salt, and three veggies, many in Hawaii add ice to the mixture. Lomi lomi is best served icy cold so that every bite remains crispy and refreshing. You can also mince some cucumbers to add a crunchy texture and more juice in the bowl. Adding Hawaiian chili pepper water adds kick and acidity to cut through the rich tastes of traditional island main dishes like Kalua pig. While you're adding a little more than three vegetables, your lomi lomi salmon remains authentically Hawaiian with any of these additions.

In the mainland United States, poke is everywhere. Meanwhile, lomi lomi is a Hawaiian staple many don't really know about, even though it should be as widely known as ceviche because of its fresh and tangy taste. You can find lomi lomi salmon on many food tables in Hawaii, and certainly at any luau. When it comes to raw fish dishes, sushi usually requires chefs with years of training. But you can add an authentic taste of the Pacific islands with salt-cured salmon, three fresh ingredients, and a massage.