Published June 1, 2021 at 10:00 a.m.
I have never traveled to Hawaii, but I have been transported there by eating a poke bowl. Poke — pronounced poh-KEH — originated in the Aloha State and means "to slice or cut." In its purest form, it refers to marinated bite-size chunks of sushi-grade raw fish — like tuna or salmon. As a cultural melting pot, Hawaiian food incorporates flavors from Japan, China, Korea and other Asian cuisines. When you add a base of rice to the marinated fish, as well as other sweet and savory ingredients, you get a poke bowl. It's the perfect meal for a hot day!
What I love most is how customizable poke bowls are. You can add (or even substitute) zucchini spirals to the rice as a base, add fresh or pickled vegetables, bring in sweetness with the addition of mango, use a spicy sauce if you like that kick, or even substitute chicken, beef or tofu for the fish. Premade tempura shrimp adds crunch, and smoked salmon can replace raw. Everything can be made ahead of time — just make sure you use sushi- or sashimi-grade raw fish and that it stays nice and fresh! If that's hard to find, you can order sashimi from a trusted sushi restaurant, which often comes with the added bonus ingredients of pickled ginger and wasabi.
I make sushi rice in my Instant Pot, but you can also make it on the stovetop. The key to sushi rice is to use short-grain rice. The rice must be rinsed well to get rid of excess starch. Some recipes call for soaking the rice prior to cooking it, but I skip that step. Cooked rice can be made into sticky rice by tossing it in a lightly sweetened vinegar mixture. I like using a combination of rice wine vinegar, mirin (sweetened rice wine) and sugar. Or, just use vinegar. To make sure the rice grains don't break, use a wooden spoon or rice paddle to mix them.
It's fun to experiment with different sauces to drizzle on top. I like a creamy, zingy mayonnaise or a ponzu-based sauce. You can buy ponzu, which is made from the Japanese citrus fruit yuzu, at an Asian market or in the grocery store's international section. As an easy alternative, use lime juice.
For this recipe, I marinated my fish in a simple Asian-inspired sauce. If you like things spicier, add a little chili oil or chili flakes.
Finish the bowl with an array of vegetables, fruits and other toppings, such as shredded carrot, sliced avocado, edamame, bean sprouts or hard-boiled egg. I have even added a premade mango jicama slaw, and it was delicious. Making it pretty is half the fun. Play with this recipe, and create your own delicious version!
(serves 4-6)
For the rice:
For the tuna and marinade:
For the ponzu poke sauce:
Other toppings and ingredients (customize according to your taste):
This article was originally published in Seven Days' monthly parenting magazine, Kids VT.
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