Poke Nachos Recipe

Heat oil: pour 1 cup neutral oil into a heavy skillet or saucepan to a depth of about 1/2 inch. Heat over medium-high until it reaches 350°F (175°C) or a small wonton corner sizzles immediately.

Prepare wrappers: separate wonton wrappers. Stack a few and cut diagonally into triangles if desired, or leave whole for square chips.

Fry: working in batches (do not overcrowd), add 6–8 wrappers to the hot oil. Fry 30–60 seconds, flipping once, until golden and crisp. Use a spider or slotted spoon to remove and drain on paper towels.

Season: while still warm, sprinkle chips with 1 tsp fine sea salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper. Set aside to cool; they will crisp further.

Prepare fish: pat the sushi-grade ahi dry with paper towels. Trim any sinew and cut into 1/2-inch cubes. Keep fish chilled until assembly.

Make dressing: in a bowl combine 2 tbs shoyu, 1 tsp sesame oil, 1/2 tbs rice vinegar, 1/2 tsp grated ginger, 1/2 tsp honey or mirin (if using), and 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes or a few drops of sriracha for heat if desired. Whisk to combine.

Mix poke: add the cubed tuna to the dressing and gently toss to coat. Fold in 1 tbs toasted sesame seeds, the whites of the scallions (thinly sliced), and 2 tbsp finely diced red onion. Taste and adjust: add a little more shoyu for salt, or a touch more honey/mirin for sweetness. Chill for 5–10 minutes to let flavors marry (do not marinate longer than ~30 minutes for best texture).

If making alternative styles: for sesame-style, increase sesame oil to 2 tsp and add extra sesame seeds; for spicy-style add more sriracha or chili oil to desired heat. For sweet soy glaze version, reserve 2 tsp of sweet soy to drizzle at assembly.

Combine ingredients: in a small bowl whisk 1/2 cup mayonnaise, 1 tsp wasabi paste, 1 tsp fresh lime juice, 1/4 tsp minced garlic, and 1 tsp water to loosen. Season with 1/4 tsp fine salt. Adjust wasabi to taste — add a little more for stronger heat.

Transfer to a squeeze bottle or piping bag for neat drizzling (optional). Refrigerate until assembly.

Mix sauces: in a small bowl combine 1/4 cup thai sweet chili sauce with 2 tsp kecap manis (or 1 tsp sweet soy plus 1 tsp honey if using regular soy). Stir until homogeneous. Taste and adjust balance of sweet vs. spicy as desired.

Transfer to squeeze bottles for easy drizzling during assembly.

Arrange chips: on a large serving platter or individual plates, arrange a single layer or slightly overlapping pile of cooled wonton chips.

Add poke: spoon generous mound(s) of the marinated ahi over the chips, distributing evenly so some chips remain exposed to stay crisp.

Add avocado and cucumber: tuck thin avocado slices and cucumber half-moons around and on top of the poke for creaminess and crunch.

Drizzle sauces: lightly drizzle wasabi aioli across the nachos in a zigzag. Follow with streaks of the thai chili sauce mixture and a few drops/lines of sweet soy glaze. Use squeeze bottles for control.

Garnish: scatter the green scallion slices, microgreens or cilantro, toasted sesame seeds, and optional pickled ginger. Finish with a squeeze of lime over the top.

Serve immediately: serve right away so wonton chips remain crisp. Provide extra lime wedges and extra sauces on the side if desired.