taco poki

[Hank49]

Anyone have a good recipe for taco (in this case squid) poki? Also, I guess you can make it with ono? I can't get fresh tuna here but I do shoot cero mackerels and they make good sashimi.

 

[KrisB]

"tako poke" I think is what you're asking about.

Since you're looking for a recipe not for octopus, but for squid, "tako" is not what you're looking for. Tako is local word for octopus (I'm not sure if it's Hawaiian or one of the other PacRim languages)

I've only ever seen poke made with tako and ahi -- despite ono being plentiful in the Hawaii area. I suspect it has something to do with the meat's ability to stay together and not turn to soup.

 

[stakanak]

The only issue with making ika (squid) poki is the rubbery consistency of the flesh(like when served as sushi). Pan searing breaks down the muscle tissue and renders a soft succulent meat. Smoking does the same.
You might want to check online for a pickling recipe which breaks down the muscle tissue (maybe adding lime so the citrus "cooks" the flesh for a while, padding dry, then adding the sesame oil, seaweed and sesame seeds. I think I will try that one!
I have had ono (wahoo) poki before and it was excellent! Even saba poki (mackerel) is decent though very oily.
Good luck! Let me know how it turns out.

 

[Hank49]

I know it has sesame oil and toasted seeds and seaweed. I guess just add to taste. I know taco is the word for octo...not sure for squid. Anyway, I'm going to be there in July and my mouth is already watering for some poke. Ahi, aku, taco, whatever.

 

[S0ckm0nk3y]

I've had ono poke a few times and if it is fresh enough it rules. Pasa's (the place to be) in Waimea had it one random night. If they have it and you ask Kawaihae Kitchen sometimes makes bowls with raw ono in a spicy sorta poke way.

While the tako poke you buy at the grocery is cooked (boiled) I'm trying to imagine making it with squid and I just can't see it being good... and I love squid but boiled squid? I agree if you maybe grilled it or seared it then stuck it in the fridge. Or maybe if you kimchi sauced the heck out of it? I was once mildly addicted to kimchi tako poke.

When it comes to a poke recipe you can certainly google one. But it's better to just go with the flow.

I've made sesame shoyu style a few times and it goes a little like this:

• Cube raw fish
• Dump some shoyu in
• Sprinkle sesame oil
• Thinly sliced sweet onion
• Cut up some ogo (seaweed)
• A little freshly grated ginger
• Hot sauce (shiracca , chili garlic paste or dried pepper) to taste
• Maybe some green onion
• Sea salt
• Avocado if you're down with it
• Sesame seeds maybe

It's impossible to totally screw up.

I once saw a little travel sized poke seasoning kit at the farmer's market that came in a little tin for poke emergencies. I wish I had snagged it.

-Eric

 

[Hank49]

Thanks SOckmOnk3y. Soy sauce...that's the biggy. I can't get ogo here.
I used to make it with squid and sold it at our beachside restaraunt in the Philippines. It was good and we grilled the squid first.

Don't know if it's still there in Temple Valley, but Masa and Joyce's seafood had pretty good stuff. Even Foodland had good poke when I was there in 08. oh man...this is killing me. I love that stuff.

 

[KrisB]

Foodland has (in my opinion) THE BEST spicy ahi poke. They have just the right blend of spice to sweet to sour...

I bring it as a snack on the airplane whenever I leave Maui... so far, I've not had my travel chopsticks taken away!

 

[H2Ohm]

Eskimo Candy spicy ahi poke best by far...