How to Make Hawaiian Poke

Co-authored by wikiHow Staff

Last Updated: August 10, 2021

If you're a fan of sushi, chances are that you'll enjoy the classic Hawaiian dish of poke. Originating with native Hawaiians, poke features fresh, usually raw fish or seafood that's cut up into small cubes and mixed with seasonings. Poke mix-ins and seasonings typically include soy sauce, sesame oil, onions, and salt, though you can incorporate a variety of delicious flavors. When it comes to classic Hawaiian poke, tuna or ahi is the most common dish, but octopus and salmon variations are also popular. Best of all, whichever type you choose, you can enjoy it all on its own as a salad or appetizer, or place it over steamed rice for a more complete meal.

Ingredients

Hawaiian Tuna Poke

2 teaspoons (1 g) dried wakame
1 teaspoon (½ g) dried hijiki
12 ounces (340 g) raw sashimi-grade tuna, cut into ½-inch (13-mm) cubes
3 ounces (85 g) Maui onion, cut into ¼-inch (6.5-mm) dice
1 scallion, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon (3 g) white or black sesame seeds
4 teaspoons (20 ml) soy sauce
2 teaspoons (10 ml) toasted sesame oil
1 teaspoon (5 ml) honey
Crushed red pepper, to taste
Kosher salt

Hawaiian Octopus (Tako) Poke

12 ounces (340 g) boiled octopus, cut into ½-inch (13-mm) cubes
1 tablespoon (15 ml) sesame oil
1 tablespoon (15 ml) soy sauce
1 English cucumber, peeled and thinly sliced
5 scallions, white and tender green parts only, sliced on the bias
1 red chile, stem and seeds removed and thinly sliced
1 tablespoon nori, pulverized
Salt

Hawaiian Salmon Poke

1 tablespoon (15 ml) vegetable oil
½ cup (70 g) roughly chopped macadamia nuts
12 ounces (340 g) raw, skinless sashimi-grade salmon, cut into ½-inch (13-mm) cubes
3 ounces (85 g) Maui onion, cut into ¼-inch (6.5-mm) dice
1 scallion, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon (3 g) white or black sesame seeds
2 tablespoons (15 g) fried shallots
4 teaspoons (20 ml) soy sauce
2 teaspoons (10 ml) toasted sesame oil
1 teaspoon (5 ml) chili garlic sauce
Kosher salt

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:
Preparing Hawaiian Tuna Poke

1
Soak the wakame and hijiki in boiling water. Place 2 teaspoons (1 g) of dried wakame in one small bowl and place 1 teaspoon (½ g) of dried hijiki in another. Cover both with boiling water, and allow them to soak until they are rehydrated, which should take about 5 minutes.^{[1]
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- Wakame and hijiki are different types of dried seaweed. You can usually find them at Japanese markets and various online retailers.
2
Drain the seaweed and combine. After you’ve soaked the seaweed, empty the water from the bowls and blot the wakame and hijiki with paper towel. Use a sharp knife to roughly chop the wakame, and add it to a large bowl with the hijiki.^{[2]
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3
Mix in all the other ingredients except the salt. Add 12 ounces (340 g) of raw sashimi-grade tuna that’s been cut into ½-inch (13-mm) cubes, 3 ounces (85 g) of Maui onion that’s been cut into ¼-inch (6.5-mm) dice, 1 thinly sliced scallion, 1 teaspoon (3 g) of white or black sesame seeds, 4 teaspoons (20 ml) of soy sauce, 2 teaspoons (10 ml) of toasted sesame oil, 1 teaspoon (5 ml) of honey, and crushed red pepper to taste. Stir all of the ingredients together so they’re well blended.^{[3]
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- You can substitute any sweet onion for the Maui onion. For example, a Vidalia or Walla Walla onion would also work well in the poke.
- If you prefer, you can use a combination of white and black sesame seeds.
- If you don’t want to add any heat to the tuna poke, you can omit the crushed red pepper.
4
Season with salt and taste to adjust the seasonings. After you’ve mixed the ingredients together, sprinkle in some kosher salt and fold it in with the rest of the salad. Next, taste the poke and see if you are happy with the seasonings. Add more of whatever you think is missing, and stir well.^{[4]
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- You may want to add more sesame oil, soy sauce, honey, and/or crushed red pepper depending on what flavors you want to be strongest in the poke.
5
Allow the poke to sit for 5 minutes before serving. Once the salad is mixed and the seasonings are right, let the poke sit at room temperature for approximately 5 minutes to give the flavors time to meld. Serve the poke by itself as a salad or over a bed of steamed rice as a main course.^{[5]
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- It’s best to mix up the poke just before you plan to serve it. The flavors will be brighter than if you leave it marinating in the fridge beforehand.
- The tuna poke serves approximately 3 to 6.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:
Whipping Up Hawaiian Octopus (Tako) Poke

1
Mix all of the ingredients except the octopus. Add 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of sesame oil, 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of soy sauce, 1 English cucumber that’s been peeled and thinly sliced, 5 scallions that have been sliced on the bias, 1 thinly sliced red chile, 1 tablespoon of pulverized nori, and kosher salt to taste to a large bowl. Stir the ingredients together well so they’re fully blended.^{[6]
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- When you’re cutting the scallions, make sure to include only the white and tender green parts.
- Be careful to remove the stem and seeds from the red chile before adding it to the bowl.
- Nori is another type of edible seaweed. For the poke, you can use the sheets usually meant to wrap sushi. If you crush approximately 3 of the sheets, you’ll have the seaweed you need for the recipe.
2
Fold in the octopus. Once all of the other ingredients are mixed, add 12 ounces (340 g) of boiled octopus that’s been cut into ½-inch (13-mm) cubes into the bowl. Use a spatula to gently fold the octopus in so it’s fully incorporated.^{[7]
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- You can purchase boiled octopus at many Japanese markets.
- You can boil the octopus yourself if you prefer. Fill a large pot with salted water and bring it to a boil over high heat. Add the octopus and boil it for 10 minutes or until it is cooked through to the center. Immediately, place it in an ice water bath to stop the cooking.
3
Let the salad sit for several minutes. After all of the ingredients are mixed, leave the poke to sit at room temperature for 5 to 10 minutes. That allows all of the flavors to come together.^{[8]
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- Octopus poke is not a good dish to prepare ahead of time. You’ll get the best flavor if you mix it right before you plan to eat it.
4
Serve the poke at room temperature. After you’ve let the poke sit for several minutes, spoon it in individual bowls to serve. It makes an ideal appetizer or first course, though you can serve it with rice as a meal.^{[9]
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- The octopus poke recipe makes approximately 6 to 8 servings.

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:
Fixing Hawaiian Salmon Poke

1
Heat the vegetable oil. Add 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of vegetable oil to a small skillet. Heat the oil over medium heat for 5 to 7 minutes, or until it starts to shimmer.^{[10]
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- You can substitute canola or peanut oil for the vegetable oil if you prefer.
2
Cook the macadamia nuts until they are golden brown. While the oil is warm, add ½ cup (70 g) of roughly chopped macadamia nuts to the skillet. Toast the nuts over medium heat until they are golden brown, which should take about 5 minutes.^{[11]
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- Be sure to stir or shake the nuts as they’re toasting so they cook evenly.
3
Drain the nuts on paper towel and allow to cool. When the nuts are finished toasting, remove them from the skillet with a slotted spoon. Place them on a plate lined with paper towel and let them cool for about 5 minutes.^{[12]
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4
Combine all of the ingredients except the salt. Once the macadamia nuts are cooled, add them, along with 12 ounces (340 g) of raw, skinless sashimi-grade salmon that’s been cut into ½-inch (13-mm) cubes, 3 ounces (85 g) of Maui onion that’s been cut into a ¼-inch (6.5-mm) dice, 1 thinly sliced scallion, 1 teaspoon (3 g) white or black sesame seeds, 2 tablespoons (15 g) of fried shallots, 4 teaspoons (20 ml) of soy sauce, 2 teaspoons (10 ml) of toasted sesame oil, and 1 teaspoon (5 ml) of chili garlic sauce to a large bowl. Mix well so all of the ingredients are fully combined.^{[13]
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- You can use any sweet onion, such as a Vidalia, Walla Walla, or Bermuda, in the salmon poke.
- You can use a combination of the white and black sesame seeds if you prefer.
- You can use store-bought fried shallots, which you can usually find at Asian markets, or fry your own.
5
Add a pinch of salt and taste the salad to check the seasonings. After you’ve mixed the ingredients, stir in a pinch of kosher salt. Taste the mixture to determine if you’re happy with the seasonings, and adjust accordingly.^{[14]
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- Depending on your preference, you may want to mix in more soy sauce, sesame oil, and/or chili garlic sauce.
6
Allow the salad to sit for several minutes. Once you’re happy with the flavor of the poke, let it sit at room temperature for 5 minutes. The ingredients will have time to marinate together, so the flavors meld and deepen.^{[15]
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7
Serve the poke at room temperature. After the poke has marinated for several minutes, divide it between several bowls. Serve it alone as a salad or appetizer, or pair it with steamed rice for a main course.^{[16]
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- The salmon poke serves 4 to 6 as an appetizer and 2 to 3 as a main course.