The Pupu Platter — Hawaiian Appetiser Tradition

Ingredients

• For the poke
• 300 g sashimi-grade ahi tuna, cut into 2 cm cubes
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp sesame oil
• 1 spring onion, finely sliced
• For the sashimi
• 200 g sashimi-grade fish, sliced thin, variety as available
• For the tempura
• 200 g shell-on prawns or mixed vegetables, peeled and prepared for frying
• 120 g tempura batter, prepared to package or standard proportion
• 1 litre neutral oil, for deep-frying
• For the won tons
• 12 won ton wrappers
• 150 g seasoned pork or prawn filling, finely minced
• For the chicken skewers
• 300 g boneless chicken thigh, cut into 3 cm pieces and threaded on skewers
• 2 tbsp soy sauce, for marinade
• 1 tbsp honey, for marinade
• Dipping sauces
• 60 ml soy-based dipping sauce, e.g. ponzu or plain soy with ginger
• 60 ml sweet chilli sauce

Method

1. 1
   Combine the cubed tuna with soy sauce, sesame oil, and spring onion. Toss gently to coat. Refrigerate until service. The poke is ready when the fish is glossed and aromatic but the cubes hold their shape without weeping excess liquid.
2. 2
   Slice the sashimi-grade fish to serving thickness. Arrange on a chilled plate and hold under refrigeration until the moment of plating. The fish must be cold, translucent, and clean-smelling — any ammonia note disqualifies it.
3. 3
   Fill and seal the won tons. Heat the neutral oil to frying temperature. Fry the won tons until the wrappers are golden and rigid, then drain. Fry the tempura items in the same oil, working in small batches so the oil temperature does not fall. The batter is done when it is pale gold, dry to the touch, and audibly crisp.
4. 4
   Grill the marinated chicken skewers over direct heat, turning once, until the exterior is caramelised and the juices run clear. This is the step that decides the dish: the platter lives or dies on delivering the chicken hot, the fried items crisp, and the raw elements cold simultaneously — a failure of timing collapses the full range of texture and culture that is the platter's sole purpose.
5. 5
   Arrange all elements on a single large shared platter — raw poke, sliced sashimi, fried won tons, tempura, and grilled skewers — keeping hot and cold items separated. Set the dipping sauces in small vessels at the platter's edge. The finished platter should present multiple colours, textures, and aromatic registers at a glance.