If you’ve spent anytime in Hawaii, then you know what the deal is: it’s all about the poke. And now more than ever poke is having a major moment on the mainland. I mean, sure, I love the boiled peanuts, a bowl of Saimin, and a great malasada (or ten) is a must, but it’s not really a trip to Hawaii without some poke. But I’ll spare you the trip and bring you these Spicy Ahi Poke Tostadas.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
If you haven’t had it, here’s the deal: poke (pronounced poh-kay) is like a Hawaiian-style ceviche—at its most basic, sushi-grade seafood is mixed with salt and onions. Lately, my favorite way of serving poke has been super untraditional as a sort of Mexican tostada with Hawaiian flavors. Anytime I spend more than a few weeks away from California, I start craving Mexican food, so this is a best-of-both-worlds situation for me.
You can mix it up and try these tostadas, or if you’re more of a purist, go ahead and just eat the poke and call it a day. Heck, you could even just make the slaw and use it whenever you need a quick side dish. But, the sum of this Spicy Ahi Poke Tostadas recipe is even better than its parts so I encourage you to try it out.
Recipe Ingredients
These are the ingredients that you’ll need to make this recipe:
For The Shoyu Poke:
- Sushi grade ahi tuna, salmon, or hamachi
- Low-sodium soy sauce or tamari
- Jalapeño chile
- Toasted sesame oil
Sweet onion - Scallions (aka green onions)
For The Cabbage Slaw:
- Napa cabbage
- Rice wine vinegar
Agave nectar, brown rice syrup, or honey - Fresh cilantro leaves
For The Tostadas:
- Corn tortillas
- Canola, grapeseed, or peanut oil
For Serving:
- Avocado
- Toasted sesame seeds
- Kewpie mayonnaise
How To Make This Recipe
These are the instructions that you’ll need to follow to make this recipe:
- Make The Shoyu Poke: To cut the ahi, use a very sharp knife and cut it against the grain into 1/2-inch pieces.
- Combine ahi with the soy, chile, sesame oil, and sweet onion. Cover and refrigerate in the coldest part of the fridge or nest in the refrigerator in a bowl of ice water for at least 30 minutes and up to 3 hours to thoroughly chill. Stir in the scallions just before using. Meanwhile, make the slaw and tostadas.
- Make The Slaw: Halve the cabbage and notch out the core of the cabbage. Place the cabbage flat-side down on a board and slice crosswise into thin shreds. Mix with the rice wine vinegar, honey, and cilantro and set aside at least 5 minutes before using.
- Bake The Tostadas: Heat oven to 500°F and arrange a rack in the middle. Brush both sides of tortillas with the oil and place on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake until golden and crisp. Cool slightly before serving.
- Assemble And Serve: Layer the tostada with a quarter of the slaw, top with a quarter of the poke, a few slices of avocado, and a sprinkling of sesame seeds. As desired, drizzle with some mayonnaise and serve.
Now, go stock up on all your cooking essentials, then head into the kitchen, make this, and share it with us by tagging @saltandwind and #swsociety on social!
Spicy Ahi Poke Tostadas Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
For The Shoyu Poke:
- 1/2 pound sushi grade ahi tuna, salmon, or hamachi
- 3 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce or tamari to make it gluten free
- 1/2 to 1 whole jalapeño chile trimmed, seeded, and minced
- 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
- 1/4 sweet onion thinly sliced
- 4 scallions (aka green onions) thinly sliced
For The Cabbage Slaw:
- 1 small Napa cabbage
- 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
- 2 teaspoons agave nectar, brown rice syrup, or honey
- 3 tablespoons roughly chopped fresh cilantro leaves
For The Tostadas:
- 4 corn tortillas
- 1 tablespoon canola, grapeseed, or peanut oil
For Serving:
- 1 medium firm-ripe avocado
- Toasted sesame seeds or garnish (optional)
- Kewpie mayonnaise for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Make The Shoyu Poke: To cut the ahi, use a very sharp knife and cut it against the grain into 1/2-inch pieces. (If you are having a hard time slicing the fish, you can freeze it for just a few minutes to help firm it up and make it easier to cut. If you’re eating the poke on its own, go ahead and cut the fish into bigger (3/4 or 1-inch) pieces.)
- Combine ahi with the soy, chile, sesame oil, and sweet onion. Cover and refrigerate in the coldest part of the fridge or nest in the refrigerator in a bowl of ice water for at least 30 minutes and up to 3 hours to thoroughly chill. Stir in the scallions just before using. Meanwhile, make the slaw and tostadas.
- Make The Slaw: Halve the cabbage and notch out the core of the cabbage. Place the cabbage flat-side down on a board and slice crosswise into thin shreds (you want about 3 cups total). Mix with the rice wine vinegar, honey, and cilantro and set aside at least 5 minutes before using.
- Bake The Tostadas: Heat oven to 500°F and arrange a rack in the middle. Brush both sides of tortillas with the oil and place on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake until golden and crisp, about 5 minutes. Cool slightly before serving.
- Assemble And Serve: Layer the tostada with a quarter of the slaw, top with a quarter of the poke, a few slices of avocado, and a sprinkling of sesame seeds. As desired, drizzle with some mayonnaise and serve.
