Poke Bowl Recipe. All Variations

Poke Bowl

Poke bowl is your chance to mix and match all your favorite ingredients and get an exciting and super nutritious meal each time. All your favorite umami flavors in a bowl!

“Have you ever wondered, “What exactly is a poke bowl?” It’s a culinary sensation that has taken the world by storm, but its roots can be traced back to the Hawaiian Islands. In the Hawaiian language, “poke” means to cut something, and that’s precisely what it’s all about. Poke bowls are a delicious blend of marinated, typically uncooked seafood, paired with various veggies and drizzled with savory umami or soybean paste-based sauces”

The basics ingredients are decidedly Asian. They revolve around a grain (usually rice but no problem using other grains or beans), raw or cooked fish (or tofu or tempeh, for vegan diners), condiments (pickled onions, kimchi etc), edamame, fruit (mango is a big favorite), nuts (love roasted peanuts, but roasted pumpkin or sunflower seeds will work great as well).

Poke Bowl for a Crowd

The trademark compartmented look is replaced with a completely tossed look, to make it easier to help yourself for a collective serving bowl or platter. Less beautiful, more functional, but works great when you have a large group

Customize your Selections

There is no right or wrong selections for customizing your favorite bowl.
Just keep in mind the basics guidelines

• Think Asian!
• Think Umami!
• Think Complete Meal!
• Think Short and Sweet Selection

I will list just one – my favorite – basic poke bowl recipe, and will list all or most selections for you to choose from. Last time I made it, I used delicious and funky buttanese red rice

Ingredients

My Favorite Poke Bowl selection

Makes 2 main course servings

Play with these ingredients and build up an interesting poke bowl each time. I’m including alternative ingredients as I go. Do not obsess about ingredients you don’t have. Double up on what you have on hand, and keep going!

Salad

• 2 cups cooked brown rice (or white rice, or red rice, or wild rice, or corn, or beans, or quinoa)
• 12 ounces super fresh salmon or tuna, raw or seared, diced or sliced very thin, or even kanji. Vegan: use tofu or tempeh
• 2 cups chopped dark leaves of your choice: Swiss chard, watercress, kale (if you choose kale, massage the chopped leaves with a little toasted sesame oil to soften them)
• 1 cup frozen thawed edamame
• 1 cup shredded carrots
• 1 cup shredded nappa cabbage (or white cabbage, or red cabbage)

SPRINKLE OVER ALL

• 3 scallions, sliced thin
• 4-5 springs cilantro, minced
• 1 jalapeño, minced
• 2” piece ginger, minced

SALAD ADD ONS to choose from

• sliced toasted nori sheets
• diced avocado
• sprouts
• diced mango
• Minced kimchi
• sliced pickled onion
• diced cucumber
• Diced radishes

TOPPINGS to choose from

• Roasted sesame seeds
• roasted pumpkin seeds
• chopped roasted peanuts or cashews

DRESSING

• 1 tablespoon miso paste, mixed with 1/4 cup hot water until smooth
• 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
• 2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
• 1 teaspoon maple syrup or sugar

Instructions