Rainbow Poke Bowl

This by no means is an authentic poke bowl. Original Hawaiian poke is a simple mixture of rice, sashimi grade fish, seaweed and soy sauce. It’s not quinoa or tofu or shredded veggies. But I’m here to break the rule. This bowl is loaded with lots of fresh crunchy veggies, sashimi grade tuna and my yum yum sauce. Well it’s not my yum sauce, but my local Japanese eatery calls it that. Added bonus I made a special rice to go with it to amp the flavor. It’s totally optional, but it’s so good. If a delectable rice dish is not on your mind simply make some plain rice and sprinkle furikake seasoning to make it delicious.

Ingredients

• 3-4 pieces shiitake mushrooms, fresh or if using dried, rehydrate in one cup of water and use the soaked water for cooking rice.
• 1/2 medium carrot, peeled and diced
• 1/2 piece aburage, fried tofu (optional), I. didn’t use any on this occasion
• 1 cups rice, I used brown short grain, washed and soaked in water for 1 hour
• 1/2 teaspoon kombu dashi powder( optional, I like the flavor)
• 1-2 teaspoons light soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons sake
• 2 tablespoons mirin
• water, for cooking rice.

Instructions

1. Cut the vegetables into bite size pieces. 
2. Wash and place the rice in the rice cooker’s bowl your usual cooking method . Add salt, soy sauce, Sake and Mirin, mushroom soaked water and enough water needed, next add the veggies. 
3. Cook as usual like regular white rice. Alternately you can cook over the stove top as you would normal rice. Serve as an accompaniment to any Asian meal or in this case with poke bowl. 

FOR THE POKE BOWL

• 1 cup edamame or peas, steamed
• 1 lbs sashimi grade tuna and/or salmon cubed( skip if vegan or vegetarian or Use 1 cup pan fried firm tofu
• 1 cup sliced cucumber or any favorite veggie
• 1 avocado sliced
• 1 cup radish sliced sprouts/micro greens/shredded cabbage
• 1 cup diced mango or orange gives the bowl a nice sweet component but optional
• TO SERVE: 
• light soy sauce or ponzu
• wasabi mayo
• sliced green onions or chives
• sesame seeds, shredded seaweeds or furikake
• Japanese pickled vegetables

Poke Bowl Dressing

• 1/3 cup coconut aminos or sub 3 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup or  honey
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil
• 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice or to taste
•  sea salt to taste
•  sesame seeds to garnish
•  green onions chopped, to garnish
  Mix all the sauce ingredients together, and mix well with a fork. I find that coconut aminos taste more like soy sauce with an extra few pinches of sea salt. If using soy sauce or tamari, the salt might need to be omitted.

• SPECIAL YUM YUM SAUCE
• 1/4 cup mayo
• 2-3 tablespoons sriracha sauce
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
•  1 tablespoon soy sauce
• Mix all the ingredients and drizzle over the poke bowl
• Place 1-2 tablespoons rice then neatly arrange all the ingredients on top. Serve with sauce and condiments.

RECIPE NOTES

• you don’t have to make all the sauce or use all the garnishes. Use as much or as little you like
• Takikomi gohan is my addition, plain rice is normally used in a poke bowl. If you prefer plain rice sprinkle a little furikake, it works beautifully. Only if you want something extra and have time for it try making Takikomi gohan.