Bringing a little plant-based flare to this incredibly popular Hawaiian dish on the blog today.
First things first, for those of you unfamiliar with the term ‘poke bowl’ allow me to quickly break it down. A poke bowl is a rice-based dish topped with raw fish (often tuna), and a variety of vegetables like cucumber, radish and green onion.
The bowl has been popular in Hawaii for decades but has now made it’s way to the West Coast sitting right next to avocado toast on the board of most trendy dishes. Poke shops have been popping up like Starbucks and endless recipes can be found spread across popular blogs showcasing their unique add on’s.
Before I was plant-based, I had dabbled in making my own poke bowls from time to time but when I wrote fish off for good, the recipe went with it.
Until now…..
I first tried vegan poke at a food convention where a booth was handing out samples made from watermelon. I was so impressed but also immediately wrote off the idea that it was something I could recreate.
Move over imposter syndrome, this lady wants a vegan poke bowl and we gotta find a way to make it happen.
It’s spring at the time of writing this blog which means watermelons haven’t quite hit the market which led me to Google-ing another option.
Fingers crossed.
And there it was. How to make ‘sashimi’ from….tomato. Of course, as I’m sure you are, I was skeptical. But don’t let that deter you. It’s amazing!
The Asian inspired flavors completely mask any tomato-like flavors and the texture is uncanny!
HOT TIP
If you can, make the night before or make enough for leftovers because after spending a night in the fridge with the marinade, the ‘sashimi’ doubles in deliciousness.
WHY YOU’LL LOVE THIS RECIPE:
Versatile (make it you own- see below)
Refreshing as fuuuuuuuuuhhk
Great for dinner, lunch or bowl
A great dish for lady’s night. Have everyone bring a different topping and make beautiful bowls together!
Be a food blogger for the day and make your dish Instagram pretty (tag me! @chara.marie so I can see!)
A NUTRITIONIST’S CHOICE
Sesame oil and sesame seeds:
Great for hair, skin and nails.
High in antioxidants, anti-inflammatory properties and contains high amounts of vitamins and minerals like manganese, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, vitamin E and B1 and zinc.
Ginger & Garlic:
Boost the immune system, is anti-bacterial and great for digestion.
Sprouts:
A nutrient beauty powerhouse supporting high growth, clear skin and good digestion. Sprouts boost blood circulation, are high in vitamin C which supports the immune system and vitamin A which is an antioxidant.
Avocado:
A nutrient-dense healthy fat that supports balancing hormones, looking young, lowering cholesterol and helps the body regulate fluid levels due to its high amount of potassium.
In the recipe I’ve added my choice of toppings and a base, but here are a few other options you can choose from to make it a little different each time.
MAKE IT YOUR OWN:
Base:
Black/brown/wild rice
Edamame or black bean noodles
Rice noodles
Vermicelli noodles
Mixed greens
Thinly sliced cabbage
Toppings:
Edamame
Bell peppers
Sprouts of any kind
Radish
Cabbage
Mint
Cilantro
Carrot
Beet
Jicama
Tofu cubes
Sesame seeds
Seaweed strips
Don’t be fooled by the number of steps in making this recipe. Each one stands true to my blog ethos- ‘let’s make clean eating easy!’
Make it following the steps once, then the next time is a walk in the park!
Don’t forget to tag me in your Vegan Poke Bowl creations @chara.marie
Vegan Poke Bowl
Ingredients
'Sashimi'
- 5 field tomatoes
- 2 tbsp grated ginger
- 2 tbsp minced garlic
- 2 tbsp sesame oil
- 1/8 cup tamari or liquid aminos
- 1/8 cup coconut nectar
- 3 tbsp rice vinegar
- 1/4 cup green onions finely chopped
Poke Bowl
- 2 cups rice of choice cooked
- 1 mango peeled and chopped
- 2 cups edamame
- 1 cup cucumber chopped
- 1 avocado peeled and sliced
- 1 cup sprouts
- 1 cup radicchio
- 4 tbsp pickled ginger
- 4 tbsp green onion
- 4 tbsp sesame seeds
Instructions
Preparing the 'sashimi'
- Fill a large pot with water and bring to boil
- De core your tomatoes with a sharp pairing knife + cut thin slices into the tomato skin every 1 1/2'' around
- Place tomatoes into the pot of boiling water. Leave here until skin starts to peel off. About 10 minutes
- In the meantime, dice garlic, grate ginger and mix all 'sashimi' ingredients together in a bowl.
- Fill a large bowl with cold water and ice. Once skin starts to peel off tomatoes, drain then place in ice water. Leave here for 10 minutes.
- Once tomates have cooled, peel off remaining skin and slice removing the seeds.
- Add 'sashimi' slices in a bowl with the sashimi sauce. Cover and place in fridge for at least 40 minutes. The longer is sits the better!
Assembling Poke Bowl
- Cook rice according to package
- Peel, cut, chop and prepare toppings
- Once rice is cooked and cooled, add toppings and sashimi
- Drizzle sashimi sauce over the bowls top with sesame seeds
Enjoy!
