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Hawaiian-style Ahi Poke – A Test of a Cook’s Knifework

Hawaiian poke (pronounced “poh-kay” rather than “pohk”) is an excellent test of knives and of a cook’s knifework. After all, the word “poke” itself means “cut into chunks” in Hawaiian. For a dish with no heat involved it is the knifework that is the real cooking.

Photo: Nancy Gardiner
MA

Michael A. Gardiner

Hawaiian poke (pronounced “poh-kay” rather than “pohk”) is an excellent test of knives and of a cook’s knifework. After all, the word “poke” itself means “cut into chunks” in Hawaiian. For a dish with no heat involved it is the knifework that is the real cooking.

Hawaiian-style Ahi Poke

Photo: Nancy Gardiner

This recipe adopts aspects of today’s Hawaiian-style ahi poke but with ingredients more commonly available on the mainland and the tasty simplicity of truly traditional poke.

Preparation

  1. Rehydrate the hijiki and wakame seaweeds in hot water. Combine the soy sauce and sesame oil in a mixing bowl and whisk to combine. Very thinly slice the Maui onion. The slices should be nearly transparent.

2. Once the seaweeds are rehydrated, in a medium sized mixing bowl, combine and mix the seaweeds, tuna, 60 ml (¼ cup) of sweet onion slices, minced chile pepper, and crushed Macadamia nuts. Toss the contents of the bowl with the soy sauce and sesame oil mixture.

3. Garnish the poke with the salts and sliced scallion greens according to taste.