The Poke bowl

Poke bowls are a great way to serve healthy fast food at home. We have make-your-own-poke nights regularly on weeknights and it’s a hit with the kids. As long as you have a few basic Asian ingredients in your pantry, you’re all set. Traditionally, they are topped with fresh raw fish, but since we’ve got one kiddo who doesn’t do the raw fish thing yet, we sometimes adjust and just add extra veggies, sliced grilled chicken, seared steak or sautéed tofu cubes instead.

I’ve included the basic ingredients but feel free to have fun and omit some or experiment with whatever fresh produce you’ve got in the fridge.

Ingredients

• 1 cup uncooked sushi rice
• 1 tsp rice wine vinegar
• 1 carrot, grated or julienned
• 1 cucumber, seeded and julienned or cut into thin slices
• 2-3 radishes, thinly sliced
• 1 avocado, cubed
• 400 grams of sashimi quality salmon/tuna, with no bones or skin
• 3/4 cup mango/papaya or 1/2 cup pineapple, cut into cubes
• A small of handful of wakame or other seaweed

Dressing

• 1/4 cup tamari or soy sauce
• 2 tbsp mirin (or rice vinegar mixed with a tsp coconut sugar or other natural sweetener – not molasses)
• 2 tbsp rice vinegar
• 1 tbsp sesame oil
• Juice of one lime

Toppings

• 1/4 cup cilantro, chopped or a dozen mint leaves
• 1/4 cup toasted coconut chips or root vegetable chips
• 1 sheet of nori, cut into small pieces
• 1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds

Sriracha/wasabi mayonnaise
Mix 1/3 cup mayonnaise with 3 tbsp sriracha or 1 tbsp wasabi paste. Cover and reserve in the fridge until ready to serve.

Instructions

1. Cook sushi rice as per package directions. Mix in 1 tbsp rice vinegar in the rice and set aside.
2. Place the seaweed in a heat proof bowl and pour 2 cups of boiling water on it. Let is rest for 20 minutes and drain.
3. In a small bowl or shaker, place all the dressing ingredients and mix/shake well
4. Divide the warm rice into two bowls and drizzle with some dressing
5. Then you can either:
   • Give each person a rice bowl, place all the ingredients on the table and let them make their own bowl
   • Or make it for them by placing half the vegetables, fruit, seaweed and fish one by one on top of the rice. Drizzle more dressing on top and then sprinkle a bit of each topping on the bowl. Top it off with one or two tbsp of sriracha/wasabi mayonnaise.