Happy Aloha Friday, Folks!!!!

Seester brought it to my attention that I have yet to post a recipe for  my ahi pokē –well, any kind of pokē for that matter. Which is actually kind of surprising since I’m kind of a Pokē Monster….and no, that’s not my Pokémon name.

Just consider the delay a sign of my Island Time …….

But what better time than now as it is Aloha Friday and it’s almost pau hana!

First things first….

Hawaiian Pokē is pronounced POH-keh.

Rhymes with crochet.

And is not POH-kee because that’s just hokey.

Get it? Got it? Good.

Pokē is the Hawaiian take on a seafood “salad” usually consisting of raw seafood —though there are some variations with cooked proteins as well. While in Hawai’i, I eat it by the pounds…DAILY. And if you’re ever there and you don’t–well, you’re just missing out….big time. Particularly since the seafood is so darn fresh there and plentiful!

One of my fav thing to do while on the islands?

Grab a cooler filled with ice and run to the nearest Foodland or other local grocery store where there are Pokē Counters!  Rows and rows of fresh pokē of all different types that are so affordable—averaging $8-$12 per pound when I was last there. Once you’ve got your tubs of fresh pokē in your cooler with some Hawaiian Suns and adult beverages, plop yourself down at a nearby beach and Live A’loha.

Perfection.

Luckily for us, the love of pokē has finally caught on in the mainland as there’s been a surge of pokē shops springing up in SoCal for us to get our fix in.

But don’t fret if there’s not a pokē shop nearby because the standard ahi pokē is really easy to make at home as long as you know of a trusted fishmonger or have a grocery that has sashimi-grade fish on hand.

Ahi Pokē is often referenced as “ahi shōyu pokē” as it is flavored with Japanese soy sauce {shōyu}. There are many different variations but at minimum, it typically consist of ahi, shōyu, onions, sesame oil, and some type of seaweed. Many folks like to also add Hawaiian chili peppers and macadamia nuts, too.

The recipe below is my standard go-to but sometimes I’ll swap out the ahi for yellowtail and throw in some avocados for extra richness and gochugaru (Korean chili powder) for a kick. As with anything, you can add or omit to suit your fancy but be sure to use sashimi-grade fish. I also like to use a marinated akame (sea kelp) that I pick up in the refrigerated section of my local Japanese grocery store. But ogo (also known as ogoniri) can be a bit easier to find at Asian grocery stores (or online) as it’s often sold dried.

I tend to serve my pokē as an appetizer with noriten – seaweed tempura chips. But it’s equally as onolicious in sushi rolls or pokē bowls. 

But I warn you, this pokē is always a hit–even with the munchkins (ours inhale it!), so make a big batch!

A’lohas... ❤

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Ahi Shōyu Pokē 

Ingredients:

1 pound sashimi-grade ahi
¼ cup finely minced shallots or Maui sweet onion
¼ cup chopped scallions
2 heaping tablespoons minced marinated arame or ogo
¼ teaspoon sea salt, more to taste
2½ tablespoons low sodium soy sauce, more to taste
½ tablespoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds

Using a very sharp knife, dice the ahi into 1/3 – ½ inch cubes. Transfer to a large bowl and fold in the shallots, scallions, arame, ¼ teaspoon sea salt, soy sauce and sesame oil. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for an hour.

Once chilled, stir the pokē and taste. Add additional sea salt and soy sauce as needed. Sprinkle the fish with toasted sesame seeds and serve.

For pokē bowls, divide the pokē into 2 portions and serve on top of bowls of steamed rice. Top bowls with additional items such as gari, avocado slices, tobiko, pickled cucumbers, and nori strips. For an appetizer, serve the pokē with tortilla chips or noriten chips.