Poke Two Ways - Signature & Spicy Ahi Poke Recipe

Prepare tuna

Keep tuna well chilled. Pat tuna dry with paper towels and trim away any sinew. Cut into uniform 1/2-inch cubes for even texture and dressing coverage.

Combine dressing: In a medium bowl whisk together 3 tbs low-sodium soy sauce, 1 tbs toasted sesame oil, 1/4 cup finely diced onion, 1 tbs chopped limu or wakame (if using), 1/4 tsp Hawaiian or sea salt and 1/8 tsp freshly ground black pepper until blended.

Add tuna: Gently fold the cubed tuna into the dressing until evenly coated. Do not overmix — fold 8–10 times so cubes remain intact.

Add aromatics and crunch: Fold in thinly sliced green onion (both white and green parts), 1 tsp toasted sesame seeds and 2 tsp crushed macadamia nuts (if using). Taste and adjust salt or soy as needed.

Chill briefly: Cover and chill the poke 5–10 minutes to let flavors meld. Serve cold or slightly chilled over bowls of warm sushi rice, garnished with nori strips, avocado slices, pickled ginger and additional sesame seeds.

Prepare tuna

As with the signature version, ensure sushi-grade tuna is cold, patted dry and cut into even 1/2-inch cubes.

Make spicy sauce: In a bowl whisk together 3 tbs Japanese mayonnaise, 1.5 tbs Sriracha, 1 tsp gochujang (if using), 1 tbs soy sauce, 1/2 tsp toasted sesame oil, 1/2 tsp rice vinegar and 1 tsp fresh lime juice until smooth and homogenous. Season with 1/4 tsp kosher salt — remember gochujang and soy already add saltiness so taste carefully.

Mix in tuna and add-ins: Add the tuna cubes to the spicy sauce and fold gently until all cubes are coated, again avoiding breaking the tuna. Fold in the thinly sliced green onions and 1/2 cup diced seeded cucumber if using.

Finish and rest: Sprinkle 1 tsp toasted sesame seeds and 2 tsp fried shallots over the poke and fold lightly. Let rest refrigerated 5 minutes to meld flavors but serve chilled to preserve texture.

Serve: Spoon spicy poke onto bowls of warm sushi rice, top with avocado slices, furikake if desired, extra nori, lime wedge and a small dollop of wasabi on the side.

Rice: If using freshly cooked short-grain sushi rice (3 cups cooked), keep slightly warm. Seasoning rice is optional; for subtle flavor, fold 1 tsp rice vinegar and a pinch of salt into warm rice and allow to cool briefly before serving.

Assemble bowls: Divide rice among 4 shallow bowls (about 3/4 cup cooked rice per serving). Top half the bowls with Signature Ahi Poke (about 1/2 lb per two bowls) and half with Spicy Ahi Poke so each diner can sample both — or serve both scoops in one bowl if preferred.

Garnish and condiments: Arrange avocado slices, nori strips, pickled ginger and lime wedges around the poke. Sprinkle extra sesame seeds, furikake and fried shallots over each bowl. Serve additional soy (shoyu) and wasabi on the side.

Storage and safety: Keep any leftover poke refrigerated and consume within 24 hours. Do not freeze raw dressed poke. Use freshest sushi-grade tuna and maintain cold chain during prep.