Basic Poke

Name: Basic Poke
Total time: 5 min
Yield: serves 4
Ingredients: 1 1/4 pounds best-quality tuna or marlin, cut into large dice; 1/4 cup minced white onion; 1/4 cup minced scallions; 3 tablespoons reddish-brown seaweed, like limu kohu or ogo (see note); 1 tablespoon ground kukui nuts (also known as candlenuts; see note); 2 teaspoons sesame oil; 1/2 teaspoon coarse sea salt

Recipe from Sam Choy

Adapted by Garrett Hongo

Basic Poke — Tom Schierlitz for The New York Times

Total Time: 5 minutes
Rating: 4(253)
Comments: Read comments

Poke (pronounced POH-kay), is a Hawaiian raw-fish salad made with marlin and ahi (yellowfin) or aku (skipjack) tuna. I make my own version of poke now, here where I live in Oregon, when the weather is good and hot. I drive over to my local fish market, and pick up some fresh kajiki marlin, which I cut into cubes. I buy my seaweed pickled in a bottle from an Asian food market, and I chop a small bunch with half a white onion, toss the garnish onto the cubed marlin in a stainless-steel bowl, squeeze a teaspoon or two of fresh wasabi onto it and mix in splashes of tamari sauce. —Garrett Hongo

Featured in: The Taste of Right Here

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Ingredients

Yield:serves 4

1¼pounds best-quality tuna or marlin, cut into large dice
¼cup minced white onion
¼cup minced scallions
3tablespoons reddish-brown seaweed, like limu kohu or ogo (see note)
1tablespoon ground kukui nuts (also known as candlenuts; see note)
2teaspoons sesame oil
½teaspoon coarse sea salt

Ingredient Substitution Guide

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Preparation

Step 1
In a large bowl, combine the fish, onion, scallions, seaweed and ground kukui nuts and toss gently with a wooden spoon to mix.
Step 2
Drizzle with sesame oil and sprinkle with salt. Toss again and serve.

Tip

Available by mail from Takahashi Market, 221 South Claremont Street, San Mateo, Calif. 94401; (650) 343-0394; www.takahashimarket.com.

Ratings

4 out of 5

253 user ratings

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Comments

Apples'nOranges7 years ago

Substitute macadamias if kukuis aren' available the day your fish is fresh.

Caroline7 years ago

This is simple and so good! I added a few dashes of soy sauce and sesame seeds.

Jessica7 years ago

Lots of great ideas here! I would skip the white onions and throw in some finely minced fresh ginger instead. I also top my poke with Japanese furikake, rather than the Hawai'ian varieties of limu--I'm not sure the latter are even available here in Vancouver. A few extra toasted sesame seeds don't hurt either.

jassybeans5 months ago

Candlenuts are poisonous when raw - not sure if this was in the missing “note” that the ingredient list refers to. They should be roasted prior to use.

Robert3 years ago

This recipe is confusing! In the preface, the author adds wasabi and tamari but these are not indicated in the ingredients or recipe that fallows. Nor is the chopping of the seaweed. Also, Candlenuts are slightly toxic if not cooked-there is no mention of this and that they should be roasted first. A more straightforward recipe is Sam Sifton's Tuna Poke.

John Neill3 years ago

Well this recipe does say it's"basic"! With respect, I suggest a far more satisfying other recipe that is reflecting many of the variations other readers sensibly offer is by our very own editor, Sam Sifton--he includes all the traditional ingredients more often employed inc soy, mirin, ginger, garlic...& I always add a short of lime juice at the end! Also with Poke, a short period (approx 1 hr) of refrigerated marination a distinct advantage..this is highly recommended!

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