Hawaiian poke – pronounced poh-kay – are wonderfully quick and easy to throw together when you’re in the mood for an Asian inspired dish or sushi but don’t have time to fuss around rolling it up. A combination of fresh fish, avocado and shredded vegetables combine in a bowl seasoned with a combination of toasted sesame seeds and nori known as Furikake this is a delicious salty and crunchy meal in a bowl. Although traditionally made with raw fish, here searing the marinated salmon and leeks gives the dish a wonderful intense flavour. One of the best things about poke is its versatility; Although traditional made with fish you could use seared strips of beef or tempeh or tofu for a vegan version. Try experimenting with different varieties of rice or grains and pickles to create new combinations.
Serves: 2
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 5 minutes plus cooking time for rice
2 salmon fillets, boneless and skinless, cut into bite-sized chunks
4 tbsp tamari soy sauce
Juice and zest of 1 lime
2tsp of sesame oil
1/2 tsp fresh ginger finely grated
1/2 tsp xylitol, honey or pinch of stevia
1 leek shredded
Furikake Seasoning
1 sheet of nori seaweed
2 tbsp of sesame seeds toasted
1 tsp xylitol or soft brown sugar (optional)
Pinch of Sea salt and black pepper
Pinch of chilli powder
To assemble the bowl
80g cooked brown rice
1 carrot, spiralised or grated
1/3 cucumber, deseeded, grated or sliced
4 radishes, finely sliced
30g pickled ginger
1tbsp fresh coriander leaves, chopped
1/2 avocado, cut into bite-sized chunks
Edible flowers to decorate, optional
1. To make the furikake, simply place all the ingredients in a blender or mini chopper and process to form a fine powder. Set aside.
2. For the poke, combine the tamari, sesame oil, lime juice, xylitol and spices in a mixing bowl. Place the salmon in a shallow dish and pour over half of the marinade. Reserve the remaining marinade as the dressing.
3. Heat the olive oil in a saute or frying pan. Add the shredded leeks with a pinch of salt and pepper and cook gently for 5 minutes until the leek has softened. Remove the leek from the pan and allow to cool.
4. Add the salmon and its marinade to the pan and cook briefly for a couple of minutes until just cooked.
5. To assembled divide the rice between bowls with the raw vegetables and leeks. Top with the salmon and avocado and drizzle over the remaining dressing. Sprinkle over 2–3 teaspoons of furikake seasoning, or to taste and scatter with coriander leaves and decorate with edible flowers.
Nutritional analysis per serving
Calories 497kcal, fat 26.4g, saturates 5.2g, carbohydrates 26.2g, sugars 10.7g, fibre 7.9g, protein 34.7g, salt 4g