ʻOno at Home Recipe: Poke Donburi

Chef Morimoto shares a simple but delicious way to blend a Hawaiian staple with the flavors of Japanese cuisine—all in one dish.

“Poke donburi is my way of bringing the spirit of Hawaiʻi and the heart of Japan together in one bowl,” says award-winning chef Masaharu Morimoto.

The celebrated chef is known for his role on the Japanese cooking show, “Iron Chef,” and the food Network spinoff, “Iron Chef America.” He also owns two must-try restaurants on Oʻahu: Momosan Waikīkī and Morimoto Asia Waikīkī.

“When I first came to Waikīkī to open my restaurant, I was inspired by the way locals treat the ocean with so much respect and simplicity. Fresh fish is cut into generous cubes, gently seasoned, and always shared with care. This respect for the ingredient reminded me of Japanese cooking and the importance of balance in every dish.” the chef says.

RECIPE: Chef Morimoto’s Supagetti No Teriyaki

This flavorful dish is easy to make, even for new home cooks or those who spend little time in the kitchen. “Once you secure sushi-grade tuna, this meal in a bowl takes almost no effort to make. I upgraded the typical tekka don—sliced raw tuna, often briefly marinated in soy sauce—by merging it with the Hawaiian dish tuna poke, which I fell for while opening my restaurant in Waikīkī. The cubes of luscious crimson fish dressed with a little salt, sugar, and spice taste great over wonderfully plain white rice or less traditional but no less delicious sushi rice.” 

Poke Don Recipe (1 serving): 

Ingredients: 

• 1 cup of cooked rice
• Nori strips
• 3-4 oz. sushi grade fish (tuna, salmon, or yellowtail) cut into ¾ cubes
• 2 oz. poke dressing (see recipe below)
• 1 oz. chile oil (see recipe below)
• 1 pinch of toasted sesame seeds
• 1 tablespoon of thinly sliced scallions
• 1 oz. seaweed salad
• ½ piece of sliced breakfast radish
• ¼ piece of avocado 

Poke Dressing: 

• 6 oz. soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons of mirin
• 1.5 tablespoon of sugar
• 1 teaspoon of sesame oil
• 1 oz. wasabi (mixed with water or wasabi paste) 

Preparation: Dissolve the sugar in the mirin, then add the remaining ingredients. 

*You can save the rest of the dressing in the fridge for 2–3 weeks. 

Garlic Chile Oil: 

• 2 tablespoons of fried shallot
• 2 tablespoons of fried garlic
• 4 oz chile oil  

Preparation: Crush the fried shallots and garlic into small pieces, then pour chile oil over. 

*You can save the rest of garlic chile oil in fridge for 1-2 months.   

Directions: 

Start with 1 cup of cooked white rice in the bottom of your bowl. Take 2 pinches of nori strips and distribute them across the top of the rice.  

In a mixing bowl, season the cubes of fish with 2 oz. poke dressing and 1 oz. of garlic chile oil. Spoon the fish over the rice, spreading it evenly to cover. 

Top your fish with toasted sesame seeds, sliced scallions, seaweed salad, 5-6 pieces of diced avocado, and garnish with slices of radish.  

Serve with wasabi and sushi ginger on the side. 

ʻOno at Home is HAWAIʻI Magazine’s recipe series that brings the flavors of the Islands to you, wherever you are in the world.