Poke Bowl Kit: An Easy, Homemade Recipe
If you’ve ever had a poke bowl, you know that it’s one of the best meals out there. The fresh vegetables, the delicious fish, and beautiful rice combine to make one of those meals that just leaves you feeling satisfied and healthy at the same time.
Poke bowls have become increasingly popular, but good poke bowl restaurants are still pretty tough to find. There just aren’t that many of them in the mainland United States yet.
Our sashimi-grade fish selection is ideal for customizing your perfect poke bowl. Salmon, tuna, yellowtail ... Our Kits are built to serve as inspiration, and we encourage you to pick and choose what you like!
So today, we’re going to teach you how to make your own poke bowl straight from your kitchen. You’ll find that making it is far easier than you might think. So let’s get started on your new favorite homemade health meal.
Are Poke Bowls Healthy?
Poke bowls (pronounced “poh kay”) are quite healthy. They have a very well-balanced spread of macros, loaded with carbs from rice, fresh vegetables, and proteins and fats from the fish.
Because the fish isn’t cooked, poke bowls aren’t full of added fat from butter or vegetable oils. Instead, they just contain natural omega-3s that are great for you.
Poke bowls are also loaded with fresh vegetables and even fruits, so this meal will definitely get you all of the vitamins and minerals you should be getting in a meal.
Not to mention, because the meat isn’t cooked, this dish is incredibly light on your stomach. You’ll feel full, but you won’t feel heavy and weighed down by grease after your meal.
Instead, you’ll feel satisfied and ready to keep moving through the rest of the day.
What Is Included in a Poke Bowl?
There are a lot of different things that are included in a poke bowl. One of the great things about them is that they have so many ingredients and are so customizable.
Fish
One of the key ingredients is fish. Most of the time, you’ll see raw salmon or tuna often marinated in a delicious, savory mixture and served in bite-sized cubes.
The raw fish makes for an entirely different eating experience. It has a completely different texture and flavor than cooked fish, and it works so beautifully with the fresh veggies and rice.
Poke bowls are a bit reminiscent of sushi, except you’ll be eating it in a bowl instead of a roll.
Vegetables
What makes a great poke bowl is the delicious vegetables that it is served with. For starters, veggies bring explosions of nutrients and color to the dish as well as a fantastic meal.
You’ll see all sorts of different vegetables served in a poke bowl. Most of the time, the vegetables are also served raw, further enhancing the fresh feeling of the meal.
Rice
The next ingredient is high-quality rice. Poke is best served over a mound of short-grain sticky rice to form a nice substantial bite, where all the ingredients stay together.
But you can serve it up with any rice you like. Brown rice is an excellent option if you’re trying to get some more whole grains in your diet. You can also use quinoa as an alternative.
Toppings
Finally, the toppings. The garnishes add more flavor to the dish. Poke bowls are often topped with scallions, sesame seeds, or furikake flakes.
You can even top your poke bowl off with a bit of soy sauce and a drizzle of sriracha. The best part is that you can customize your poke bowl however you like!
What Kind of Protein Can I Add to a Poke Bowl?
There are lots of different proteins you can add to a poke bowl. Normally, poke bowls are served with raw fish or tofu.
The word “poke” means “to slice or cut.” The dish comes from fishermen who would cut their catches into cubes, marinate them, and then eat the cubes as a snack when they needed some extra fuel on the fly.
All that to say, most of the time, poke bowls are going to be raw fish.
Tuna
One of the main types of fish used is tuna. Sashimi grade tuna is a great fish to be eaten raw. It has a mild flavor with a buttery texture, and it doesn’t have a fishy smell that turns many people off.
Because of this, ahi tuna makes a great addition to your poke bowl. You can get all sorts of different cuts of tuna to have more or less fat, depending on what you prefer.
Salmon
Salmon is another fish to toss into your poke bowl. Salmon has a higher fat content, so the fish just seems to melt in your mouth.
Tofu
If you have a vegan or vegetarian diet, you can also use tofu for your poke bowl. Tofu is great at absorbing your marinade, so each bite will be full of those delicious flavors.
What Other Ingredients Should I Add to My Poke Bowl?
There are so many different ingredients you can add to your poke bowl. Add whatever vegetables you think will complement your marinade well.
Avocado
Avocado is another great addition to your poke bowl. Its creamy texture and slightly earthy taste will complement the sweet rice and rich marinade well. Not to mention, avocados are rich in nutrients like omega-3s, so it will enhance the health of your dish.
Not to mention, that brilliant green color will make for a striking look for your poke bowl.
Toasted Sesame Seeds
Sesame seeds made a great garnish to make your dish just a little bit more beautiful. They add a light toasty flavor that will bring a greater depth of flavor to your dish.
Shallots
As the more toned-down cousin of the onion, a shallot can provide a brilliant flavor. It carries the sweetness of onions without such a sharp zing. You could serve shallots raw or fry them until crispy for a whole new flavor.
Edamame
Edamame is another fresh vegetable to add to your poke bowl. Steamed soybeans are a great way to get a little extra green in your bowl, but they are also high in protein.
Mandarins
The sweetness and citrus from this small orange is a great pairing with the savory marinade of the fish.
Cucumber
There are few things more pleasant than a fresh, crisp cucumber. Dice up one of these green beauties for a fantastic variance in texture in your poke bowl and a bright, fresh flavor.
Cucumbers are quite common in poke bowls, and they really tie the whole thing together.
Mango
If you’re looking for a bit of extra sweetness to add to your bowl, a little bit of diced mango can go a long way. Mango is delicious when paired with the delicate sweetness of rice.
How Do I Assemble a Poke Bowl?
Once you’ve gathered all the ingredients, now’s the time to assemble your poke bowl. The steps are quite simple, so you could make a poke bowl on any busy weeknight
Make Your Rice
First thing’s first, make your white rice. Make sure you wash your rice thoroughly until the water runs clear. Then, put it in your rice maker and let it cook. Rinsing the rice is essential to remove excess starch from the sticky texture that you want to achieve.
Marinate Your Fish, If Desired
If you’re in a time crunch and don’t have time to marinate your fish, you can skip this step. However, marinating will give your dish the best flavors.
To marinate your fish, combine soy sauce, sesame oil, minced garlic, grated ginger, chopped green onions, honey, and chili flakes in a bowl.
Cut Your Fish
Before you put your fish in the marinade, you should cut it into cubes. If your fish isn’t frozen, toss it in the freezer for a few minutes to get the fish slightly firm before you start cutting. This will make it easier to slice.
Grab a very sharp knife and begin to cut. If possible, you want to go all the way through the salmon with one movement of your knife. This will give you a nice clean cut that will make your salmon cubes look great.
After your fish is cut into cubes, put it in the bowl with the marinade. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place it in the fridge for 30 minutes to an hour.
Make Sauce If Desired
While you’re letting your fish marinate, it’s time to make your sauce. Your sauce can be any number of things. You can keep it simple and mix kewpie mayonnaise with sriracha for a delicious spicy mayo.
You could also mix soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, honey, and lemon juice to make a flavorful dressing for your poke bowl. Feel free to make it your own!
Add Rice to the Bowl
Once all your ingredients are ready, it’s time to add your rice. It’s best if your rice isn’t piping hot as you’ll want it to have cooled down so that it’s no longer steaming.
Make your rice into a nice mound to make it look pretty, leaving room for the toppings around the side of the mound.
Add Toppings Around Your Rice
Now, add your vegetable toppings around the rice. To make a great presentation, keep each ingredient in an individual pile and place each pile around the mound of rice. It will look great, and you can mix it up later if you want.
Place Fish in the Middle
Take your marinated fish and place it right in the middle, on top of your rice. The fish will get cozy with the rice and vegetables, and the excess marinade can give them a little extra flavor.
Garnish and Enjoy
Now, it’s time to garnish. Drizzle sriracha mayo, or coat all your ingredients with your dressing. You can add sesame seeds, scallions, furikake, or whatever other garnish you might prefer.
And there you have it, a delicious poke bowl that will lift your spirits with fresh veggies, sweet rice, and flavorful fish.
The Bottom Line
Poke bowls are one of those dishes that will always leave you feeling satiated. They’re full of nutrients, easy to make, and so good, so go make a poke bowl at home today!
If you need to find sushi grade fish or other tough to find ingredients for your poke bowl, check out Umamicart, the online Asian grocery store.
Umamicart Delivers quality Asian ingredients straight to your doorstep so you can make meals like poke bowls with ease. So head over to Umami Cart today.
Find step-by-step instructions on our Instagram @umamicart !
Sources
Avocado Poke Bowl | American Heart Association Recipes
