What is Poke?
Poke is Hawaiian for “to slice” or “cut crosswise into pieces”. Basically, it is diced raw fish marinated in soy sauce and sesame oil tossed with sesame seeds and seaweed. Generally, it’s served either as an appetizer or as a main course and is one of the main dishes of Hawaiian cuisine.
Most poke in Hawaii has sliced pieces of Maui Onions, however, they can be hard to find so we substituted scallions instead.
Ingredients for Ahi Poke Tuna:
- Sushi grade Ahi Tuna – it MUST be sushi-grade quality. (In some cases, it will be frozen, and that’s ok)
- Soy Sauce
- Shallots
- Scallions
- Sesame Oil
- Rice Wine Vinegar
- Chili Garlic Paste – we like Sambal Olek but choose your favorite
- Sesame seeds – toasted seeds, black or white, add a lot of flavor
- Dried seaweed – about 1/2 sheet
- Sea salt – we use pink Hawaiian sea salt, but any type will work
How to make our Ahi Poke Recipe:
- Ahi should be very cold to make slicing easier
- Make the sauce by combining soy sauce, shallots, scallions, sesame oil, rice wine vinegar, and chili paste in a bowl and whisk well to combine
- Cut ahi into cubes about 3/4 – 1″ in size
- Add cubed ahi to the sauce along with sesame seeds, seaweed pieces, and sea salt and mix gently to combine everything
- Give it a taste to make sure it’s spicy enough for you
- Marinate for about an hour in the refrigerator, if possible, for best flavor and serve
Fresh tuna is easiest to slice and cube if it‘s super cold because you get a clean slice
Cut the pieces into about 3/4″ – 1″ cubes for poke
How to serve spicy poke:
Poke is great on its own with a pair of chopsticks but our favorite way to eat it is with a side of tortilla chips. Just scoop some poke onto a chip, or if you can find the scoop-type tortilla chips they make the perfect bite-sized appetizer container.
How to make a Poke Bowl:
Poke bowls are a great way to make a full lunch or dinner, and it’s similar to any rice bowl. Basically, a poke bowl is made up of a base, usually rice, cubed sushi-grade tuna or salmon, and a variety of toppings such as soy sauce, seaweed, avocado and chopped vegetables.
We love a great rice bowl and our Tofu Sesame Rice Bowl is one of our favorite go-to’s for a lunch full of flavor and protein.
Is Poke is healthy?
Yes! Poke is a great protein punch! Poke Bowls are also packed with fresh lean protein from fish, as well as heart-healthy ingredients with fiber, like seeds, avocado, and vegetables. Rice can add quite a few carbs, however, so if you are watching carbs, substitute the rice for cauliflower rice or even cabbage. Tuna packs a high amount of Omega-3, which is great for your heart.
Other easy appetizers to try:
- Mini Caprese Skewers
- Crab Cakes with Homemade Cocktail Sauce
- Mini Taco Salad Cups
- Szechuan Air Fryer Chicken Wings
- Easy Baked BBQ Chicken Wings
Share a picture of your poke or poke bowl if you try this recipe!
Ahi Poke Recipe
Ingredients
- 16 oz Sushi grade ahi tuna
- 4 tsp soy sauce
- 1 shallot, finely diced
- 3 scallions, white and green part, sliced rounds (or Maui onions)
- 2 tsp sesame oil
- 1 tsp rice wine vinegar
- ½ tsp chili garlic paste (Sambal Olek), to taste
- 1 Tbsp sesame seeds
- ½ sheet dried seaweed, sliced and crumbled
- ½ tsp Hawaiian sea salt, or other coarse salt
Instructions
- Slice cold ahi into cubes that are ¾"-1" in size (or smaller if preferred)
- Combine soy sauce, shallots, scallions, sesame oil, rice wine vinegar and chili paste in a bowl and whisk well to combine.
- Add ahi cubes, sesame seeds, seaweed, and sea salt and gently mix to combine.
- Marinate in refrigerator for up to 1-hour, or serve immediately.
Notes
- Serves 4 as an appetizer, or part of a poke bowl, or 2 as a light entree
- Pro tip – Very cold ahi is easier to slice