Poke Styles — Complete Taxonomy

Select and cut the ʻahi. Working from sashimi-grade fish held at refrigerator temperature, cut into uniform 2 cm cubes with a single decisive stroke per cut — dragging tears the flesh. The cubes should hold their shape and show a clean, translucent ruby face with no bruising.

Determine the style and its governing voice before adding anything: Hawaiian-style lets the fish speak — paʻakai, hand-torn limu, crushed inamona, sliced chili pepper, nothing further; Shoyu-style lets the soy speak — soy sauce, sesame oil, green onion; Spicy ʻahi lets the mayo speak — mayonnaise, sriracha, masago; Kim chee-style is built on kim chee base and sesame; Limu-style is weighted heavily toward seaweed; Wasabi-style (the Alan Wong / HRC lineage) employs wasabi cream and won ton crisps. Each style is a distinct cultural conversation. Mixing registers produces no conversation at all — this is where the dish lives or dies.

For Hawaiian-style: combine the ʻahi cubes with paʻakai, hand-torn limu, crushed inamona, and sliced chili pepper. Turn gently with the hands — not a spoon — until each cube is lightly coated. The seasoning is complete when the fish surface appears just glossed and no pooled liquid collects at the bowl's base.

For Shoyu-style: fold soy sauce, sesame oil, and sliced green onion through the ʻahi cubes. The dressing should coat without drowning; the tuna colour deepens to a burnished mahogany at its edges while the interior remains translucent. Taste — the soy leads, the fish follows.

For Spicy ʻahi-style: whisk mayonnaise and sriracha to a uniform coral-pink sauce before folding through the ʻahi, then fold in masago last so the roe remains whole. The surface should appear creamy and uniformly coated, with visible orange masago pearls throughout.

For Kim chee-style: fold well-drained kim chee base and sesame oil through the ʻahi. Excess liquid from undrained kim chee will collapse the fish's texture; press the base firmly before use. The aroma is sharp, fermented, and clean — not sour to the point of sourness.

For Limu-style: hand-tear a generous quantity of limu and fold it through the ʻahi so seaweed is present in every mouthful, not merely garnish. The bowl should appear as much ocean green as red — the seaweed is the point.

For Wasabi-style: fold wasabi cream through the ʻahi, then scatter won ton crisps over the top at the moment of service — not before. The crisps must shatter on contact; any give indicates moisture absorption and the textural contrast that defines this style is lost.

Serve immediately after dressing, regardless of style. Poke does not hold once seasoned — the salt draws moisture, the fish softens, and the defining sensory quality of each style degrades. The bowl is ready when it is cold, glistening, and smells of the ocean first and the seasoning second.