Salmon and Tuna Poke Recipe

Let me start off by saying this: If you have not been to a Korean market before, you’re really missing out. I just discovered one near my house, and it is absolute foodie heaven! There is a whole aquarium in the back where you choose your fresh fish for purchase, and they have the freshest produce I’ve ever seen! To top it off, the prices are so inexpensive, and way better than any other market in town. I got fresh sushi grade tuna and salmon for a steal, and all sorts of other delicious vegetables and seasonings. My cart was so packed that I ended up coming back the next day for more. This is definitely my new go-to place for grocery shopping!

This poke recipe was created out of my love affair with poke. It’s a little sentimental for me, because it was the first time I tried and enjoyed raw fish as a kid, on vacation in Maui, so it holds a very special place in my heart. This is a very simply marinated but delicious version, and you can find almost all of the ingredients at a local store, except for the Furikake, which you can find on Amazon, or at any local Asian market. It’s really yummy, and I love it on everything from rice, to edamame, and roasted salmon!

For Salmon Poke:

• ½ lb sushi grade salmon
• 2 tbs sesame oil
• 1-2 tbs soy sauce
• 2 tbs Furikake rice seasoning (I use Seto Fumi)
• ½ tsp grated lemon zest
• Pinch of red chili flakes

For Tuna Poke:

• ½ lb sushi grade tuna
• 3-4 tbs sesame oil
• 1-2 tbs soy sauce
• 2 tbs Furikake rice seasoning
• ½ tsp fresh grated ginger
• 3 chopped green onions
• Pinch of red chili flakes

Start by chopping the tuna and salmon separately into bite size chinks. I chose to cut them into about 1 cm cubes, but you can chop the fish as fine or as course as you like. Just make sure you use a sharp knife so you can easily cut the flesh.

You’ll just want to mix the ingredients for each batch of poke together in a bowl and toss with the fish. It’s as simple as that! Taste the poke as you go to see if it needs any more seasoning. You can always add more of anything if you need to. I found that the tuna needed more oil because it was dryer, where the salmon was very fatty and luscious, so it didn’t need as much of the sesame oil.

Let the fish marinate for at least one hour, covered in the fridge, and then enjoy! I served this poke recipe over plain white rice, and arugula dressed with some sesame oil, soy sauce, and rice wine vinegar, and it was delicious!