Hawaiian Tofu Poke
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Hawaiian tofu poke has become a weekly staple in my house. We eat it for breakfast, lunch and dinner. It is easy to make, keeps in the fridge for days, can be made simply, or with a lot of delicious add-ins, and provides a great source of vegetarian protein.
Pressing tofu is an easy task. Simply wrap the tofu in a layer of paper towels or a clean kitchen towel. Place the towel-wrapped tofu on a plate, then place something heavy on top – canned food, a heavy skillet, anything with weight. I have used a heavy stone mortar balanced on a plate.
Once the tofu is pressed, it is cut into about 3/4" cubes. I slice the slab of tofu in half to create two equal-sized slabs, about 3/4" thick.
Next I slice each slab into four lengths.
And finally, each length is cut into cubes.
Ogo, also known as limu manauea in Hawaiian and ogonori in Japanese, is a purple, highly nutritious seaweed that is used in both fish poke and tofu poke. It is high in protein, fiber, vitamins A, B12, C and E as well as a variety of minerals. You can buy dried ogo online. One package goes a long way and will make this tofu poke recipe 6 to 8 times. Simply break off a portion of the ogo and let it soak in a bowl of water for about 5 minutes. Drain it, press out any excess water, and roughly chop.
Loaded Hawaiian Tofu Poke
My daughter-in-law’s mother, Kimie, taught me how to make this delicious Hawaiian Tofu poke. Weirdly, both Kimie and I were both raised in Honolulu but moved to California as adults. We are both named Kim (well actually Kim and Kimie) and we both went to the same high school, Punahou, although I am 5 years older so our paths did not cross back in the day.Click to download our free e-cookbook: 15 Recipes To Make You Look Like A Star
Our kids met at UC Santa Barbara, fell in love, got married and just had our first granddaughter. Kimie and I are over the moon. When the baby was born our families gathered to celebrate and Kimie served this Hawaiian Tofu Poke. I instantly wondered how I had missed out on this delicious and healthful dish for so many years.
Simple Hawaiian Tofu Poke
If you like ahi poke or salmon poke, there is a very good chance you will love tofu poke. It is made with the same seasonings and seaweed as fish poke. And the good news is you can buy these ingredients on Amazon.What You Will Need for Tofu Poke
Tofu
Types of tofu: You can use three different kinds of tofu: firm, extra firm or fried tofu, which has a meatier consistency. After trying this recipe with all three types of tofu, I prefer firm tofu.Pressing Tofu
To prepare the tofu you will need to press out the water. Pressing tofu removes excess moisture and helps it absorb flavors more effectively.
Pressing tofu is an easy task. Simply wrap the tofu in a layer of paper towels or a clean kitchen towel. Place the towel-wrapped tofu on a plate, then place something heavy on top – canned food, a heavy skillet, anything with weight. I have used a heavy stone mortar balanced on a plate.
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You can also purchase a tofu press. I recently bought this one. I am making this tofu poke almost weekly, so I feel I can justify a dedicated piece of equipment. What I like about the press is that it is small and fits easily in the fridge, allowing me to press the tofu for as long as overnight, without worrying about the tofu being at room temperature for too long.
Photo credit: Amazon
You can press the tofu for 30 minutes to 2 hours at room temperature. If you press for longer than two hours, do so in the refrigerator to prevent bacterial growth. Likewise, if the temperature in your kitchen is 90 degrees F or above, the tofu should not be left out more than an hour.Cutting the Pressed Tofu
Once the tofu is pressed, it is cut into about 3/4" cubes. I slice the slab of tofu in half to create two equal-sized slabs, about 3/4" thick.
Next I slice each slab into four lengths.
And finally, each length is cut into cubes.
Ogo
Ogo, also known as limu manauea in Hawaiian and ogonori in Japanese, is a purple, highly nutritious seaweed that is used in both fish poke and tofu poke. It is high in protein, fiber, vitamins A, B12, C and E as well as a variety of minerals. You can buy dried ogo online. One package goes a long way and will make this tofu poke recipe 6 to 8 times. Simply break off a portion of the ogo and let it soak in a bowl of water for about 5 minutes. Drain it, press out any excess water, and roughly chop.
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Fun fact, an old classmate of mine, Ray Noh and his family manufacture this product along with many other favorite island ingredients and food items. Ono Hawaiian Seasoning
Photo credit: Amazon
Ono Hawaiian Seasoning is Kimie’s favorite seasoning. She uses it liberally in her tofu poke as well as on meat, fish and poultry. "Ono" translates to delicious in Hawaiian. This seasoning is made of coarse sea salt, cracked pepper, ginger, garlic, and alae salt. Alae salt is Hawaiian sea salt that is mixed with volcanic clay. When you look closely, it gives Ono Hawaiian Seasoning a slightly pink cast. You can purchase Ono Hawaiian seasoning here.Loaded or Simple Versions of Tofu Poke
I like to eat this tofu poke both as a simple side dish or loaded with extra ingredients. You can serve it over a steamed bowl of rice with a variety of add-ins, including mixed greens or spinach, sliced cherry tomatoes, diced avocado, and edamame. Ono-licious! PrintHawaiian Tofu Poke
Hawaiian tofu poke has become a weekly staple in my house. We eat it for breakfast, lunch and dinner. It is easy to make, keeps in the fridge for days, can be made simply or with a lot of delicious add-ins, and provides a great source of vegetarian protein.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 pound firm tofu
- 1/8 to 1/4 cup dried ogo (I just pull off about a 2 – 3″ square piece)
- 2 T c soy sauce
- 2 T toasted sesame seed oil
- 2 T lime juice
- Hawaiian Ono salt, to taste
- Cracked fresh pepper, to taste
- Crushed red pepper flakes, to taste
- 1″ thumb fresh ginger, grated
- 2 T finely chopped Maui or sweet onion such as Vidalia
- 3 green onions, including both white and green parts, finely sliced
- 1 T toasted sesame seeds
Optional add-ins:
- Sliced cherry tomatoes
- Diced avocado
- Cooked edamame
- Spinach or other lettuce
- Steamed rice
Instructions
Pressing the tofu:
- Remove the tofu from its container and wrap it in a clean dish towel or paper towels. Place on a plate and weigh it down with another plate loaded with a weight. You can use canned food, a heavy skillet, or anything that applies pressure to the tofu. Or use a tofu press. Allow to stand for 30 minutes to 2 hours at room temperature, or up to overnight in the fridge.
- While the tofu is being pressed, prepare the ogo and the sauce.
- Once the tofu has been pressed, dry off any residual moisture and slice the slab in half, yielding two 3/4″ slabs. Now slice these slabs into four lengths. Then slice each length into five 3/4″ cubes. You will get 40 cubes total. Set aside.
Reconstituting the ogo:
- Pull off a 2-3″ square piece of ogo and place it in a small bowl of water to reconstitute. This will take about 5 minutes. Drain, pressing out excess water and roughly chop. Set aside.
Making the sauce:
- In a bowl large enough to hold the final dish, add soy sauce, toasted sesame seed oil, lime juice, Hawaiian Ono salt, fresh cracked pepper and crushed red pepper flakes. Stir to combine.
Combine all ingredients:
- Add the tofu, ogo, sweet onion, ginger, green onions, sesame seeds, and any optional add-ins to the sauce. Gently stir to combine all ingredients, coating the tofu and distributing the ingredients evenly.
- You can serve right away, but I like it better if it sits for a few hours or even overnight to let the tofu fully absorb the flavors of the sauce.
Notes
- This Hawaiian Tofu Poke gets better when marinated overnight, and will last up to 5 days in the fridge if you do not add the optional add-ins. Those can always be added right before you serve.
- You can make a Hawaiian Tofu Poke bowl by layering steamed rice, mixed greens, tofu poke, and any additional add-ins you desire.
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