Fast and fresh tuna poke bowls

A flavourful, nourishing way to enjoy a top food trend!

Poke (pronounced poke-ay) hails from Hawaii and burst onto the Canadian food scene in 2016. This bowl version is a delicious dish that’s as healthy as it is beautiful, packed with vibrantly-coloured raw vegetables and marinated sushi-grade tuna. For an extra speedy meal, you can cook the rice, prepare the vegetables and marinate the tuna ahead of time then pop everything into the refrigerator. When it’s time to eat, it will take less than five minutes to assemble these tasty bowls. If you like this dish, you’ll probably also enjoy my sushi bowl recipe. If you’re lucky to have a reliable fishmonger nearby for the tuna that’s fantastic, but if not, don’t despair – many large grocery stores sell good quality tuna today.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup (125 mL) Calrose (sushi) rice
• 1/2 teaspoon (2.5 mL) salt
• 2 tablespoons (30 mL) rice vinegar
• 2 teaspoons (10 mL) white sugar
• 6 ounces (170 g) sushi-grade tuna
• 2 tablespoons (30 mL) soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon (15 mL) water
• 1 teaspoon (5 mL) sesame oil
• 1 tablespoon (15 mL) finely minced sweet onion
• 1 tablespoons (150 mL) finely minced ginger root
• 1/2 to 3/4 teaspoon (2.5 mL to 3.75 mL) Sriracha, or to taste
• 1/2 cup (125 mL) julienned English cucumber
• 1/2 cup (125 mL) grated or ribboned carrot
• 1/2 cup (125 ml) thinly sliced sugar snap peas
• 1 avocado, peeled and thinly sliced
• 1 tablespoons (15 mL) green onion tops, finely sliced on the diagonal
• 2 teaspoons (10 mL) toasted sesame seeds

Method

• Prepare rice by putting it in a medium saucepan. Add just enough water to cover, then swirl the rice and water to rinse rice. Drain off water. Add 1 1/2 cups (375 mL) fresh, cold water and 1/2 teaspoon (2.5 mL) salt to the pan. Cover and place over medium-high heat. As soon as it comes to a boil, immediately reduce heat to low. Let cook undisturbed for 15 minutes; check and cook a few minutes more if needed until all water is absorbed.
• Combine rice vinegar and sugar in a heatproof bowl and microwave for 30 – 40 seconds until sugar dissolves when stirred. Add the mixture to the cooked rice, then transfer it to a broad, shallow bowl. Let cool to room temperature, stirring often. If making ahead, rice should be refrigerated after 30 minutes; you can use a microwave to warm it to room temperature when ready to assemble bowls.
• To make the poke, cut tuna into small cubes (less than 1/2 inch). Place in a bowl.
• Combine soy sauce, water, sesame oil, sweet onion, ginger root and Sriracha in a glass jar with a tight lid. Shake to combine well. Drizzle over tuna, stir gently, then let tuna marinate for at least 20 minutes or up to 12 hours, stirring occasionally. Refrigerate if marinating more than 20 minutes.
• When ready to serve, divide cooked, seasoned rice among two bowls. Arrange cucumber, carrot, snap peas and avocado over top. Spoon tuna into the middle, with just a little of the marinade, transferring any remaining marinade into small bowls or a little jug to serve on the side.
• Garnish with green onions and sesame seeds.

Serves 2.