Fun fact!
I used to live in Hawaii - yes, Hawaii. With the sunshine and the waves and the owning only one pair of pants.
As a vegetarian in Hawaii, I quickly fell in love with Tofu Poke. A variation on the beloved classic that is diced fresh fish, seasoned to perfection and served over steaming white rice.
Drooling yet?
Once I left Paradise I realized I had to learn how to keep this dish in my life. Luckily, it’s so easy to replicate, I’d hardly even call it a recipe!
Here’s what you’ll need:
Produce:
- 1 Block of Extra Firm Tofu
- 1 Stalk of Green Onion
- 1 tsp - 2 tsp Minced Garlic
Condiments:
- Soy Sauce
- Sesame Oil
- Chili Oil ** (If you’re trying to cut back on your oil intake you can easily sub Sriracha)
- Nori Komi Furikake Rice Seasonings ** (original)
** I know Chili Oil and Furikake can be difficult to find here on the mainland, if your grocery store has it, it’ll be in the Asian Foods section. Otherwise, you can easily find them at an Asian Supermarket. Ah, I miss the days where you could easily grab all your favorite Asian ingredients at Target! Hawaii is a magical place, y’all.
To prep the Tofu:
You’ll want to soak as much moisture out of the tofu block as possible. The easiest way I’ve found to do this is to wrap the block in one or two layers of paper towels (or a reusable cloth) and let it sit in a Tupperware container in the fridge for a few hours, up to a day. If you’re in a pinch you can, again, wrap the block in paper towels or a cloth on a cutting board or large plate, place another plate on top, and just start stacking like you’re in a Dr. Seuss novel. Pots, pans, I’ve used my kettle half full of water. You just want enough pressure to press out the moisture. Leave it like that for a couple hours and you should be set!
You don’t need every single drop of moisture out, the way you would when you’re frying the tofu, just enough so that it really soaks up the condiments.
Once dry(ish), you’ll want to chop the tofu into little cubes. Place into a big bowl and now top!
I don’t have measurements for the condiments because this is completely preference based. I would start with about 1 tsp of Sesame Oil, Garlic and Green Onion, and 2 tsps of Soy Sauce and Sriracha (or Chili Oil). Take a bite and adjust as you like!
Once it’s at your perfect spice level, put it back in the Tupperware (shake it like a Polaroid picture) then let it sit in the fridge to marinate. This is why it’s the perfect make ahead meal - it honestly only gets better the longer the tofu soaks up the sauces. But if you’re impatient it’ll be delicious to serve immediately!
To assemble, heat your favorite grain. White Rice is traditional, but brown rice, or even quinoa will do! I had quinoa on hand so that’s what I went with.
Once heated, top with the Furikake:
From there just throw on your Tofu Poke, add some more Furikake if you’re feeling it and dig in!
Like. UGH. I miss Hawaii all the time but this always brings me back to those warm, sunshine filled days. Maybe if you close your eyes, you’ll be able to hear the ocean too!
*** Recipe Disclaimer ***
As someone who has suffered from disordered eating in the past, I very consciously do not include caloric information on my recipes. This is a personal choice to avoid falling into dangerous habits again. However I do make sure all of my recipes are healthy, nutritious, and well balanced to leave you happy, healthy, and satisfied!
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