I’ve been making poke forever. And if you ask me to make an appetizer for your big birthday or holiday bash, you guessed it—we’ll be bringing poke.
Don't want to hear me ramble on and on... get just the recipe here!
No one wants to eat beige food all day! Or at least I don’t. So I started making this to bring to Thanksgiving as an appetizer (to be clear, in SoCal—not Nebraska)… why not bring some raw fish!?!? I’m very fortunate to have had the opportunity to spend a lot of time in Hawaii for work and for fun with family over the years. During these trips, I fell in love with poke and all the different varieties. My version is similar to poke in Hawaii but has a lot of San Diego influence as well, with some south-of-the-border ingredients mixed in.
Recipe Supplies:
• Ahi Tuna Steak (Mine was about .6 lbs)
• Red Onion (1/4 cup)
• Green Onion (1/4 cup)
• Cilantro (1/2-1/3 Bushel no stems)
• Jalapeno (1/2)
• Small Avocado (1)
• Dried and Crushed Seaweed (couple pinches)
• Macadamia Nuts (4-6 toasted and chopped)
• Sesame Seed Oil (2 teaspoons)
• Soy Sauce (1/4 cup)
• Hoisin (2 tablespoons)
• Wasabi paste (to taste)
Instructions:
Before you get started, pat dry your tuna steak with paper towels and wrap it in dry ones. Then put it in the freezer to chill (not freeze) while you chop everything else. This will make the tuna much easier to cut into small squares.
Finely dice the red onion and jalapeño. I hate when you get a huge bite of either one of these in poke… it completely overpowers all the other flavors. Then chop the green onion and cilantro. Finally, cut your avocado into small cubes. You can put all of these ingredients into the same large bowl and set aside. Make sure the bowl is big enough to mix in your fish and sauce later.
Get a small bowl and whisk the sesame oil, soy sauce, hoisin, and wasabi paste together. You want to make sure the wasabi has dissolved into the sauce; otherwise, you will have grainy wasabi paste chunks in your poke, and no one wants that. Give the sauce a taste and see if you want to add a little more heat or salt—if you do, add more wasabi (heat) and/or soy sauce (salt).
Toast your macadamia nuts in a small nonstick skillet for a few minutes on medium heat. Shake the pan a few times to toast multiple sides. When they start to turn color, remove them. Just make sure not to burn them. Chop into smaller pieces.
Depending on the dried seaweed you get, you might need to chop it into smaller pieces. I typically crush it between my fingers when I sprinkle it into the mixture. Like the onion and jalapeño, I do not want large hunks of seaweed in my poke.
Remove your fish from the freezer. Get the sharpest knife you have and sharpen or hone it if necessary. Then cut your fish into small, evenly sized squares. Discard any fibrous white tissue you may find on the steak while cutting it.
Finally, combining everything:
Add your tuna, nuts, and seaweed to the bowl of veggies. Mix your sauce one last time, then add it to the bowl as well. Stir everything together thoroughly so all of the fish and veggies are coated in sauce. Give it a taste and serve with rice, chips, or by itself!
If for some reason it seems a little dry, you can always splash a bit more soy and/or sesame on it. Use your discretion.
