Lomi Lomi Tuna
Submitted by micky
Lomi lomi tuna tosses fresh diced ahi with cucumber, tomato, red onion, lime, and chili sesame oil for a Hawaiian poke-style appetizer served on crisp baked wonton chips. Tobiko optional.
YIELD
8 servingsPREP
20 minCOOK
8 minREADY
58 minLomi lomi tuna is a Hawaiian appetizer that walks the line between poke and ceviche. Cubes of fresh ahi tuna get tossed with diced cucumber, seeded Roma tomato, sweet red onion, fresh lime juice, olive oil, and a hit of hot chili sesame oil, then rested briefly so the flavors merge without cooking the fish into firmness.
‘Lomi lomi’ means ‘massage’ in Hawaiian, referring to the gentle hand-mixing that breaks the ingredients down just enough for their juices to mingle without bruising the fish. The 30-minute marinate gives the lime acid time to brighten everything without flipping the tuna texture from sashimi to ceviche.
Fresh cilantro goes in only at the very end, twenty minutes before serving, to keep its herbal punch sharp.
The baked wonton chips are the unsung hero. Egg-white-brushed wonton wrappers crisp into shatter-light vehicles that hold the spoonful of tuna without going soggy.
Chef Tips
- Use sashimi-grade ahi from a fishmonger you trust. Lower grades have connective tissue that turns chewy when diced raw.
- Dice all the vegetables to roughly the same size as the tuna cubes. Uniform pieces keep each bite balanced.
- Don’t skip the cucumber seeding. Seeded cucumber stays crisp; unseeded weeps water and dilutes the dressing.
- Make the wonton chips up to 3 days ahead and store airtight. The fish mixture comes together in minutes when you’re ready to serve.
Variations
- Add diced jicama, water chestnut, or even raw parsnip for extra crunch (per the original recipe’s note).
- Substitute yuzu juice or a mix of lemon and lime for a different citrus note.
- Top with tobiko or salmon roe for that signature pop and umami burst.
Serve alongside a tropical mai tai for the full Hawaiian appetizer hour.
Ingredients
Directions
In a non-reactive bowl, combine the Ahi, cucumber, tomato, onion, lime juice, oils and salt and pepper to taste.
Cover and refrigerate and allow to marinate 30 minutes.
Remove 20 minutes before serving and stir in cilantro.
Serve on baked wontons garnished with green onions, sesame seeds and Tobiko, if desired.
This is based on an appetizer mixture served universally throughout Hawaii.
Add/substitute whatever other fresh, seasonal crunchy vegetable you can find such as jicama, fresh water chestnuts, parsnips, etc.
BAKED WONTONS: This is more a technique than a hard and fast recipe.
Beat 4 egg whites with a tablespoon of water until frothy.
With a pastry brush, lightly paint wonton skins with the mixture and arrange in a single layer on non-stick or parchment lined baking sheets and bake in a preheated 375℉ (190℃) oven for 5 to 8 minutes or until wontons are lightly browned and crisp.
You can sprinkle the brushed but unbaked wontons with sesame seed, Kosher salt, poppy seed or whatever to add interest.
Store in airtight container for up to 3 days.
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