You might have read “poke bowl” and thought, “What on earth is she talking about???” But, I swear, it’s a real thing! Poke, pronounced “po-kay” is Hawaiian for “to cut.” It’s a traditional dish of cubed raw fish usually served as a salad in the Hawaiian islands. The flavours of poke, much like the rest of Hawaiian cuisine, are heavily influenced by Asian cuisine—especially Japanese.
In the past couple of years, poke has become increasingly popular in mainland North America, and poke bowls are showing up in menus across the world. Think of a poke bowl as a deconstructed sushi. It consists of the traditional poke (raw fish), served with rice and other toppings — a mix of tropical fruit, vegetables, nuts, etc. Vegetarian and vegan versions of this Hawaiian favourite are served with tofu instead of fish.
Poke bowls are majorly trending, and ever since I first heard about it, I’ve been really excited to try it. I absolutely love sushi, and any meal that comes in a bowl (buddha bowls, rice bowls, burrito bowls, noodle bowls, ramen…). When two of my favourites combine—there was no way I wouldn’t like it!
Just thinking about these tropical poke bowls is making me dream of sun, sand, and piña-coladas. Though the pristine white beach and blue Pacific Ocean is far away from reality, these yummy, summery, vibrant bowls will have to do for now!
Now let’s talk bowls.
I love that it’s so versatile and you can customise your bowl to preference. I like mine piled up with veggies, fresh fruit, nuts and protein in order to make it a well rounded meal. This poke bowl has rice at the bottom, and topped with edamame beans, pineapple, avocado, and cucumber.
Edamame beans are whole soybeans, sold while still in their pods. I love steamed edamame on its own when served with a pinch of sea salt, like in Japanese restaurants. Edamame is a rich source of protein, and very low in calories too. Tastes incredible, but totally optional — skip it if you don’t like it or can’t find it.
Though it may sound complicated at first, a poke bowl is really quite easy. You can make it simple by using leftover veggies already in your refrigerator, or go all out for fancy ingredients. Here are few ideas to get you started:
BASE:
Start with some sushi rice (or any short grain rice). You can even choose brown rice, or go carb-free with zucchini noodles.
PROTEIN:
Since this is a vegetarian version I use tofu, but feel free to substitute it for a fish like tuna or salmon (something that would typically be used in sushi).
TOPPINGS:
Cucumber, carrots, pineapple, mango, avocado, watermelon, edamame, shredded cabbage, beets, sliced radish, mushrooms, sweet potato, zucchini noodles, pickled ginger, seaweed salad, sesame seeds, crispy nori, cashews… there are so many options!
SAUCE:
Try the sauce in the recipe below, or go simple with Sriracha, or a chilli mayo.
Start with a base and build according to preference. Serve it in individual portions (like pictured), or even toss it all together in one big bowl! Didn’t I say the best part is customisation? With a little imagination you can work with just about anything!
This recipe requires minimal cooking, and will definitely bring the tropical beachy feeling to you at home even if you can’t get away for a vacation! Why not have a build-your-own poke bowl party this summer?
- 1 cup sushi rice (or any other short grained rice will do)
- ¼ cup rice wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 200g tofu
- 1 tablespoon oil
- Salt, to taste
- 6-8 tablespoons soy sauce
- 4 tablespoons honey
- 6 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoons finely minced ginger
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped garlic
- 1 tablespoon red pepper flakes
- A squeeze of lemon juice
- 2 cups boiled and shelled edamame*
- 6 slices of pineapple (fresh or canned)
- 2 small cucumbers, thinly sliced
- 1 large avocado
- ½ cup toasted cashew nuts
- A handful of finely chopped green onions
- 1 Nori sheet
- 2 teaspoons of toasted sesame seeds
- ½ cup pickled ginger
- Boil the rice according to package instructions, and keep aside. Dissolve the sugar and salt in the vinegar and add it to the rice.
- Cut the tofu into cubes. To cook the tofu, heat up a saucepan with one tablespoon of oil. Add the tofu cubes and sear on all sides until slightly browned. Season with salt and keep it aside.
- For the sauce, whisk together the ingredients in a mixing bowl. Pour into a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Once the sauce starts to bubble, reduce the heat and let the sauce simmer for a couple of minutes.
- Remove half the sauce and strain it to discard the solids. Save the sauce in a bowl to serve later. Add the seared tofu cubes to the remaining sauce and toss to coat. Garnish with chopped green onions..
- Prep the vegetables. Cut the pineapple slices in half, and lightly grill both sides in a dry griddle until grill marks form. Thinly slice the cucumbers and avocado.
- To prepare the nori, if using, wave one nori sheet on an open flame until it crisps. Cut into thin strips.
- To assemble the bowls, place the sushi rice in the centre. Place the tofu, edamame, pineapple, cucumber, avocado, and toasted cashew nuts on the rice.
- Garnish with nori and toasted sesame seeds.
- Serve at room temperature with a side of the reserved sauce and some pickled ginger.
To cook the edamame beans, bring a pot of generously salted water to a boil. Add the edamame beans (in their shell) and cook for about 5 minutes, until boiled. Drain, and immerse the beans in cold water to stop the cooking process. Drain again. Gently squeeze the shells to remove the beans.
For the toasted cashew nuts: heat a small pan on medium heat and add the cashew nuts. Toast for a couple of minutes, or until lightly browned.
If vegan, substitute agave for honey.
Did you make this recipe?
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