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Tuna Poké

I found poké in the most unlikely place (or so it seemed to me). On a road trip up to Canada for a long weekend, we discovered that Montreal is stealthily killing the poké bowl game--seriously its everywhere and its all amazing. Downtown, there is a secret homage to SoCal called VENICE, and if you venture inside and peek at the menu, you can order a Tuna bowl that might make you say 'cowabunga' non-ironically. 

It was this beautiful cerulean bowl piled with sushi rice, marinated yellowfin, watermelon radishes, mango, cabbage, sriracha aioli, and finished with a mound of shredded green onion, a generous sprinkle of sesame seeds, tobiko, and some pickled ginger. It was gorgeous and completely harmonious and we heard that the other three bowls on the menu are just as good. You should go. 


However, if you don't regularly visit Montreal, then you should attempt a copy because you shouldn't spend another week not having tried it . Our imitation isn't quite as grand as the original, but its pretty damn good and a staple summer meal in our house. I also love it because it is ripe for substitution to suit what you can find around you, and what you like. Like a salad, quantities and what to include are really up to you, but there are some essential elements we believe in:

Fish: Look, its a poké bowl, so you should feature a flavorful sushi grade fish (fresh is key here-- nothing frozen or from a sketchy store so you know it isn't going to make you sick). We prefer the saltiness and meatiness of yellowfin tuna but we have also had great success with Salmon. We typically use a marinade of soy, rice vinegar, sesame oil, and chili oil for the fish but it can also be served raw or even in something ceviche inspired with a lemon or lime base.

Base: Most of the bowls we encounter at restaurants use a rice base. I tend to like rice because it sucks up some of the juices and it brings a different texture and flavor but my husband likes using pea shoots or romaine lettuce as a base for the crunch and green freshness. Its also less filling which leaves him with more room for fish. I think rice noodles or cabbage would also make really great bases. You can also nix a base if you have lots of great fish and mix-ins and you don't want to bother with the filler. 

Mix-ins: there are so many different combos here but we like radishes for a little spicy crunch, avocado for its rich creaminess, mango for its sweet/tart surprise, and cilantro for another unique green flavor in the bite. That being said, we have also included bell pepper, peach, cucumber, red onion, pickled onion, sprouts, seaweed salad, asparagus, jalapeños, etc. This is really the space in this recipe for creativity and we are rooting for you to go wild.

Sauce: you can skip this, but we feel that a spicy and creamy sauce adds a really different dynamic to the bowl that makes it more interesting. Ours is a 50/50 mix of mayo and sriracha. 

Toppings: We like the nutty earthiness of sesame seeds and the surprising burst in your mouth of tobiko so those almost always make it onto the bowl. We also tend to enjoy green onions or a little nori for looks and for taste. I'm not a big pickled ginger or wasabi fan, but if you are, go for it! Again, this is really an opportunity to think creatively. 


Ingredients (as a starting point):
  • 1/2 lb of Yellowfin Tuna
  • 1 Tbs Tobiko (small roe you put on sushi)
  • 2 Tbs Sriracha 
  • 2 Tbs Mayo
  • 2-3 Radishes, sliced
  • 2-3 Green Onions, chopped
  • 2 Yellow Mango, diced
  • 1 Avocado, diced
  • 2 Tbs Cilantro, chopped
  • 1 Tbs Toasted Sesame Seeds
  • 1/2 cup of rice
  • 1/2 cup Soy
  • 2 Tbs Hot Chili Oil
  • 2 Tbs Rice Vinegar
  • 1 Tsp Sesame Oil
Recipe:
  1. First, chop your fish into small pieces so you can have some in every bite. Ours typically end up being small 1/4" cubes. 
  2. Mix together the soy, chili oil, rice vinegar, and sesame oil into a marinade and put the chopped fish inside. We only want it to marinade for 30-45 minutes so you won't overpower the flavor of the fish. Place it in the refrigerator as you continue to prep the other components. 
  3. If you are using a rice base, then start cooking the rice in a rice cooker or on the stove. 
  4. Prep all mix-ins and toppings you plan to add (tobiko, radishes, green onions, mango, avocado, cilantro, sesame seeds) and mix together the sriracha aioli by combining the sriracha and mayo. 
  5. Put it all together in a glorious pile and enjoy. 

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