I just returned home from my third trip to Hawaii in the last 8 months and, as amazing each experience has been, the thing I keep thinking about is an amazing island dish called Poke. Poke (pronounced POH-kay, means “cut piece” or “small piece” in Hawaiian) is a traditional snack or appetizer typically made from chunks of raw ahi tuna. Standard versions include soy sauce, sesame oil and red or green onions but there are so many modern versions its hard to keep up. You’ll find poke made with octopus, crab and other raw seafood, some kinds are spicy, some kinds have chopped macadamia nuts, it’s practically endless. Its so common throughout the islands you can even find many varieties in local grocery stores.

I’ve eaten Poke all my life in one form or another and it’s always been a favorite of mine, but there’s something so special about grabbing a quarter pound of a couple of your favorite preparations (I go for the spicy tuna and traditional with soy sauce), a couple of pairs of chopsticks and sitting on the deck watching the waves roll onto the shore in Ha’ena. And forget dinner, just give me more poke.

Hawaiian Ahi Poke
Not only are these flavors a knockout, it’s really light and healthy too. Makes two servings.

1/2 pound Ahi tuna (sushi grade) cut into 3/4 inch chunks
2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
1/2 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
2 tablespoon green onions (a.k.a. scallions), chopped
1/4 tablespoon fresh ginger, peeled and grated using a microplane or very finely chopped
1 tablespoon jalapeno (optional), chopped
Sriracha hot sauce to taste (optional), found on the Asian aisle in your grocery store

1. Combine all ingredients in a bowl and serve immediately.