Ahi Tuna Poke Bowl
Ingredients
&w=3840&q=75){kind=small}
&w=3840&q=75){kind=small}
&w=3840&q=75){kind=small}
- 1 1/2 cups short-grain white rice – rinsed
- 2 cups water
- 1 pounds ahi tuna (sushi-grade) – cut into 0.5-inch cubes, chilled
- 3 tbsp soy sauce
- 2 tsp sesame oil – toasted
- 1 tsp granulated sugar
- 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
- 1/2 cups sweet onion – thinly sliced (~0.5 medium sweet onions)
- 1/4 cups green onions – thinly sliced (~1.5 n/a green onions)
- 1/2 cups limu (ogo) seaweed – chopped
- 1 tbsp sesame seeds – toasted
- cucumber – thinly sliced (for serving)
- avocado – sliced (for serving)
- furikake – to sprinkle (for serving)
Instructions
1. Rinse the rice under cold water until the water runs mostly clear, 1–2 minutes. Combine the rinsed rice and 2 cups water in a medium saucepan and let it soak 20 minutes.
2. Bring the soaked rice to a gentle boil over medium heat, then reduce to low, cover, and cook until the water is absorbed, 12–15 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand, covered, 10 minutes, then fluff.
3. While the rice cooks, cube the chilled ahi tuna into 0.5-inch pieces and keep refrigerated.
4. In a large bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, sesame oil, granulated sugar, and red pepper flakes until the sugar dissolves.
5. Add the tuna, sweet onion, green onions, limu (ogo) seaweed, and sesame seeds to the bowl. Toss gently to coat evenly. Cover and refrigerate 10–15 minutes; the tuna should glisten and be well-seasoned while remaining raw in the center.
6. Divide the warm rice among 4 bowls. Spoon the shoyu ahi poke over the rice.
7. Top each bowl with cucumber and avocado to taste, and finish with a light sprinkle of furikake. Serve immediately.
Ahi tuna poke bowl layers tender, sashimi-grade tuna in a savory shoyu–sesame dressing over warm, gently seasoned rice. The fish is complemented by sweet onion, green onion, and briny limu seaweed, with sesame adding nuttiness and a hint of heat from chili. The contrasting temperatures and textures—cool, silky tuna on warm, fluffy rice—make it both refreshing and deeply satisfying.
Poke traces back to Native Hawaiian fishermen who seasoned bite-size cuts of reef fish simply with salt, seaweed, and roasted kukui nut. Over time, influences from Japanese and other Asian cuisines introduced shoyu and sesame oil, shaping the now-classic shoyu ahi style. Today, poke bowls are a hallmark of Hawai‘i’s local food culture and have spread globally, with countless variations built on the core of pristine fish and minimal, balanced seasoning.