RECIPE: Tuna Poke Bowl

A staple of Hawaiian cuisine, poke bowls are a fresh and tasty dish consisting of raw fish served atop rice. Poke means “slice” or “cut into chunks” in Hawaiian, referring to the cubed fish. 

When shopping for fish to turn into poke, make sure to purchase “sushi-grade” or “sashimi-grade” fish. This refers to fish that the producer has deemed safe to consume raw. While we use tuna in this recipe, you can substitute it for any fish or seafood of your choice. Salmon, shrimp, and tako (octopus) are all commonly used for poke. 

Start by cutting your fish and avocado into 1.5cm cubes and set them aside in a bowl. Then, prepare a light but flavorful sauce by mixing together mentsuyu, olive oil, and lemon juice. The mentsuyu provides umami, the olive oil provides richness, and the lemon juice provides brightness, creating a well-balanced sauce that enhances the natural flavors of the fish. Pour the sauce over the cubed fish and avocado and stir to combine. Then, spoon the poke mixture on top of cooked rice and garnish with nori strips (dried seaweed). At this stage, feel free to add any extra toppings of your choice. Classic poke bowl toppings include sesame seeds, furikake, wakame, fish roe, and white or green onion, but less traditional ingredients like cucumber, edamame, mango, jalapeno, corn, and carrots are also gaining popularity. 

Refreshing, healthy, and delicious, poke bowls are an excellent way to enjoy fresh fish and seasonal produce.

Servings: 2

Ingredients:

• 150g tuna (for sashimi) (cut into 1.5cm cubes)
• 1 avocado (cut into 1.5cm cubes)
• 2 tbsp mentsuyu
• ½ tsp olive oil
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 440g cooked rice 
• 2 nori sheets (seaweed)

Instructions:

1. Mix the tuna and avocado cubes in a bowl with the mentsuyu, olive oil and lemon juice.
2. Split the cooked rice into two bowls then top with torn pieces of the seaweed and the tuna and avocado from step 1.

Introduction courtesy of Britney Budiman

Britney Budiman (@booritney) is a writer, minimalist, aspiring effective altruist, and runner-in-progress with a penchant for saying “yes.” Previously, she has worked in Cambodia at a traditional arts NGO, in Brazil as a social sciences researcher, and in San Francisco at a housing start-up. She currently lives in the countryside of Kagoshima, Japan, where she teaches English. Her favorite thing in the world is good conversation.