Lomi Lomi Salmon
lomi kāmano·(loh-mee kah-mah-no)
Pau Hana: Sunset Bites & The Pūpū Platter
A proper Hawaiian lūʻau demands that heavy, smoky pork be balanced by the freezing-cold crunch of Lomi Lomi Salmon. This dish is a beautiful culinary mutt—Pacific Northwest salmon, Spanish tomatoes, and English onions—brought together by Native Hawaiian sailors in the 1800s. The secret isn't a hard-to-find island ingredient; it's a technique. Lomi means to massage. By gently squeezing the tomatoes and onions with your bare hands, you release their juices to create a bright, savory brine. It tastes exactly like home, requires zero actual cooking, and relies on staples you can find in any mainland supermarket.
Before you start
Plan ahead for the cure.
The salmon requires 24 to 48 hours to cure in the refrigerator before the dish can be assembled.
Ingredients
- Coho or Atlantic salmon fillet1/2 lb
- coarse sea salt or Kosher salt1/4 cup
- Roma tomatoes3 med
- sweet onion1 med
- green onions1/2 cup
- ice cubes4 large
- Hawaiian chili pepper water or red pepper flakes1 tsp
Method
- 01
Cure the salmon.
Lay the salmon in a small glass dish and pack the coarse salt all over the fish, coating the top, bottom, and sides. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 24 to 48 hours. The salt will draw out the moisture, firming and preserving the flesh.
- 02
Soak and dice the cured fish.
Remove the salmon from the fridge and rinse it thoroughly under cold running water to wash away all surface salt. Submerge the fillet in a bowl of ice-cold water for 45 to 60 minutes to draw out the excess salt, then pat dry. Dice the salmon into uniform 1/4-inch cubes, exactly matching the size of your diced tomatoes and onions.
- 03
Lomi the ingredients.
Place the diced salmon, tomatoes, and sweet onions into a large glass bowl. Put down the wooden spoon and use your clean hands. Gently squeeze and massage the ingredients together for about a minute to bruise the tomatoes and onions. They will release their cellular water, blending with the salt of the fish to create a natural, savory dressing.
- 04
Chill and serve over ice.
Cover the bowl and let it rest in the fridge for at least 1 hour so the flavors marry. Just before serving, fold in the sliced green onions and add the ice cubes directly into the bowl. As the ice melts, it slightly dilutes the saltiness and creates an icy broth at the bottom of the bowl that you will want to drink with a spoon.
Notes
Never use iodized table salt for the cure.
It will impart a harsh, metallic chemical flavor and completely ruin the fish. Stick to coarse sea salt or Kosher salt.
Uniformity is everything.
Take the time to cut the salmon, tomatoes, and onions to the exact same 'pencil-eraser' size so every spoonful yields a perfectly balanced bite.
The ice is non-negotiable.
Lomi Lomi Salmon must be served freezing cold. The melting ice is a crucial ingredient that tempers the salt and creates the signature savory broth.
From Cook Hawaiian in America.