Shoyu Ahi Poke is the perfect mix of shoyu sauce and cubed ahi tuna. It really brings out the fish’s natural flavors and adds just enough extra taste to keep you coming back for more. Make this for your family and friends to bring a piece of Hawaii right to your home!
What is Ahi Poke?
Ahi poke is one of my favorite dishes. Whenever I return to Hawaii, it’s a must-have for me! While there are many varieties of poke, Ahi poke is the most common. You can also find it served in a variety of styles including shoyu, spicy mayo, California style, and more.
Poke’ in Hawaiian means ‘to cut crosswise into pieces.’ The authentic version is often made with diced raw tuna, or ahi, and seasoned simply with shoyu, sesame oil, green onion, and Hawaiian salt. In Hawaii, we typically eat it on a bed of rice or just by itself. I’ve noticed that mainland poke places offer a variety of additional toppings you can choose from.
Where Did it come from?
Since its origins in Hawaii, poke has remained deeply ingrained in Hawaiian culture. Native Hawaiians traditionally seasoned their cut-up fish with available ingredients, usually sea salt, seaweed, and crushed kukui nuts, as a way to savor the fresh catch. Over time, the influence of diverse cultures in Hawaii has led to the evolution of poke into the variety we see today.
Making Shoyu Ahi Poke at Home
I love eating Poke; it’s always one of my first meals when I return to the Islands. When I moved to California, I noticed Mainland poke was quite different, so I decided to make my own. Making it was easy and it tasted so much better, so let me show you how I make Shoyu ahi poke.
*This post contains affiliate links. If you click on these links and make a purchase, I may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting my blog!
Ingredients
Scroll to bottom for full recipe.
- Ahi – I like to use sushi-grade ahi because we’ll be eating it raw! I go for the really dark red pieces, that don’t have that white connective tissue in them. The white part usually makes the ahi tough and chewy.
- Shoyu – Soy Sauce. The #1 brand used in Hawaii and also my favorite to use is Aloha Shoyu (use code: Higashiskitchen to get 15% off your cart at checkout).
- Sesame oil
- Green onion
- Garlic
- Ginger
- Onion
- Ogo – Seaweed. I like using it for texture. It gives it a little crunch and doesn’t have much of its own taste. I got mines from amazon. It comes dehydrated and you just put it in water for about 5-10 minutes to rehydrate it.
How To Eat It
My favorite way to eat it is on Nachos! I just get some wonton chips and add my poke on top! In Hawaii, sometimes I’ll grab a poke bowl with rice from Foodland or even grab 1/4 lb of poke, some chips, and pickled garlic and just take that to the beach. You can top it on a salad or make your own sushi with it. There are so many ways to eat it, which makes it so versatile for lunch, dinner, or potlucks. I hope you get to try it out and enjoy!!
Favorite Spots on Oahu For Poke
Visiting Oahu, Hawaii soon and you want to taste real ahi poke? The best place to get poke is Foodland! It is a local grocery store but they have such a great variety of poke flavors and it tastes so fresh! Depending on when you go the lines to order can get crowded, so be prepared, it usually moves quickly though.
Tamuras is another local grocery store that has the most delicious poke! They don’t have as many selections as Foodland but it tastes so amazing. Poke on Da Run is known for its Kamikaze flavor and poke nachos, which are huge by the way! Totally worth the visit. The last place I would suggest is Off The Hook. I’ve actually never been here myself before but I’ve heard so many good things about it from close family and friends!
Shoyu Ahi Poke
Ingredients
- 12 oz. ahi sushi grade
- 1½ Tbsp shoyu
- 1½ Tbsp sesame oil
- 1 stalk green onion chopped
- ½ Tbsp garlic minced
- 1 tsp ginger minced
- ½ onion diced
- Hawaiian salt & pepper to taste
- ogo optional
Instructions
- Prep your ingredients by cutting ahi into cubes, chopping onion, mincing garlic and ginger, and dicing onion.
- Add all ingredients to medium bowl with sauces. Mix until everything is well incorporated and season to taste.