Recipe

Kombu-Cured Tuna Poke

by Sasha Marx

If you haven’t gotten the memo, Hawaiian poke is so hot right now. Poke (pronounced in two syllables like the Poké in Pokémon) translates from Hawaiian as “to slice or cut” and refers to a raw fish salad that’s usually served as a snack or appetizer. While the components of this popular dish can vary (Chipotle-esque customization is part of the appeal at fast-casual poke restaurants that are popping up all over the U.S.), one of the classic poke combinations involves diced raw tuna, sweet onion, chopped nuts, and seaweed tossed in a soy-sesame dressing. In developing this recipe to go along with our feature “In the Weeds,” I wanted to up the seaweed factor. Beyond increasing the amount of seaweed in the salad to give it more presence, I also cure the tuna by wrapping it in kombu (the Japanese kelp used to make dashi broth). This is a simple Japanese technique called kobu-jime, in which a piece of raw fish is sandwiched between pieces of kombu and left to cure overnight. In that short period of time, the kombu (with a little help from a light salting of the fish) draws out moisture from the fish, firming up the flesh, and gives the fish an umami boost by infusing it with kombu’s natural glutamic acid. This cured tuna takes our poke to another level. Thanks for the kelp, kombu!

Photography by Steve Klise
Food Styling by Marie Piraino

Yield
Serves 4 as an appetizer or 2 to 3 as a main course
Ingredients
50 g dried kombu
900 g plus 450 g plus 450 g water, divided
400 g fresh tuna, cut into two ¾-inch-thick steaks
6 g kosher salt
6 g dried wakame
4 g dried hijiki
24 g soy sauce
6 g toasted sesame oil
5 g corn syrup
4 g mirin
2 g grated fresh ginger
100 g sweet onion, cut into ¼-inch pieces
35 g salted dry-roasted macadamia nuts, chopped coarse
12 g scallions, sliced thin on bias
8 g sesame seeds, toasted
1 ¾ ounces dried kombu
1 quart plus 2 cups plus 2 cups water, divided
14 ounces fresh tuna, cut into two ¾-inch-thick steaks
2 teaspoons kosher salt
2 tablespoons dried wakame
1 tablespoon dried hijiki
4 teaspoons soy sauce
1 ½ teaspoons toasted sesame oil
1 teaspoon mirin
1 teaspoon corn syrup
¼ teaspoon grated fresh ginger
½  sweet onion, cut into ¼-inch pieces
¼ cup salted dry-roasted macadamia nuts, chopped coarse
6  scallions, sliced thin on bias
2 teaspoons sesame seeds, toasted
Essential Equipment
Instructions
    • 50 g dried kombu 
    • 900 g water 
    • 400 g fresh tuna, cut into two ¾-inch-thick steaks 
    • 6 g kosher salt
    Soak kombu in 900 grams water until slightly softened and pliable, about 10 minutes. Remove kombu from water and pat dry with paper towels; discard water. Sprinkle tuna steaks on all sides with salt. Lay out strips of kombu in single layer on counter to make a roughly 7-inch square. Place 1 tuna steak in center of kombu square. Fold edges of kombu up around tuna and top with additional pieces of kombu as needed to completely encase tuna. Wrap tightly with plastic wrap and set aside. Repeat process with remaining kombu and second tuna steak. Refrigerate kombu-wrapped tuna for at least 18 hours or up to 24 hours.  
  2. Unwrap tuna, discard kombu, and pat tuna dry with paper towels. Using sharp knife, cut tuna into ¾-inch pieces and transfer to large bowl. Cover bowl and immediately refrigerate until ready to mix salad. 
    • 450 g plus 450 g water, divided 
    • 6 g dried wakame 
    • 4 g dried hijiki 
    • 24 g soy sauce 
    • 6 g toasted sesame oil 
    • 5 g corn syrup 
    • 4 g mirin 
    • 2 g grated fresh ginger
    Soak wakame and hijiki separately in 450 grams water until wakame softens and at least doubles in size and hijiki softens and plumps, at least 20 minutes or up to 1 hour. Meanwhile, whisk soy sauce, oil, corn syrup, mirin, and ginger together in small bowl; set aside dressing. Drain wakame and hijiki separately in fine mesh strainer, pressing gently on seaweed to extract water; discard water. Transfer wakame and hijiki separately to paper towels and pat dry. Chop wakame coarse. Add wakame and hijiki to bowl with tuna. 
    • 100 g sweet onion, cut into ¼-inch pieces 
    • 35 g salted dry-roasted macadamia nuts, chopped coarse 
    • 12 g scallions, sliced thin on bias 
    • 8 g teaspoons sesame seeds, toasted
    Add onion, macadamia nuts, and dressing to bowl with tuna and seaweed. Using large spoon or rubber spatula, gently fold to combine. Divide poke among bowls, sprinkle with scallions and sesame seeds, and serve immediately. 
Instructions
    • 1 ¾ ounces dried kombu 
    • 1 quart water 
    • 14 ounces fresh tuna, cut into two ¾-inch-thick steaks 
    • 2 teaspoons kosher salt
    Soak kombu in 1 quart water until slightly softened and pliable, about 10 minutes. Remove kombu from water and pat dry with paper towels; discard water. Sprinkle tuna steaks on all sides with salt. Lay out strips of kombu in single layer on counter to make a roughly 7-inch square. Place 1 tuna steak in center of kombu square. Fold edges of kombu up around tuna and top with additional pieces of kombu as needed to completely encase tuna. Wrap tightly with plastic wrap and set aside. Repeat process with remaining kombu and second tuna steak. Refrigerate kombu-wrapped tuna for at least 18 hours or up to 24 hours.  
  2. Unwrap tuna, discard kombu, and pat tuna dry with paper towels. Using sharp knife, cut tuna into ¾-inch pieces and transfer to large bowl. Cover bowl and immediately refrigerate until ready to mix salad. 
    • 2 cups plus 2 cups water, divided 
    • 2 tablespoons dried wakame 
    • 1 tablespoon dried hijiki 
    • 4 teaspoons soy sauce 
    • 1 ½ teaspoons toasted sesame oil 
    • 1 teaspoon mirin 
    • 1 teaspoon corn syrup 
    • ¼ teaspoon grated fresh ginger
    Soak wakame and hijiki separately in 2 cups water until wakame softens and at least doubles in size and hijiki softens and plumps, at least 20 minutes or up to 1 hour. Meanwhile, whisk soy sauce, oil, mirin, corn syrup, and ginger together in small bowl; set aside dressing. Drain wakame and hijiki separately in fine mesh strainer, pressing gently on seaweed to extract water; discard water. Transfer wakame and hijiki separately to paper towels and pat dry. Chop wakame coarse. Add wakame and hijiki to bowl with tuna. 
    • ½ sweet onion, cut into ¼-inch pieces 
    • ¼ cup salted dry-roasted macadamia nuts, chopped coarse 
    • 6 scallions, sliced thin on bias 
    • 2 teaspoons sesame seeds, toasted
    Add onion, macadamia nuts, and dressing to bowl with tuna and seaweed. Using large spoon or rubber spatula, gently fold to combine. Divide poke among bowls, sprinkle with scallions and sesame seeds, and serve immediately. 
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