Brenny’s Ahi Tuna Poke Bowl
Few things transport me like a delicious bowl of poke. The smooth texture of the ahi, the sweetness of the mango and the crisp crunch of the cucumber. A few bites in and I feel like I’m on the coast of Honolulu. I love the blend of cultures that poke creates. It’s a beautiful marriage between Japan and the islands. A vessel for flavor, poke can go many different directions. While I LOVE salmon, nothing can beat ahi tuna for this type of cuisine. Besides being my favorite protein, Ahi lends itself so well to bright asian flavors. Marinated in some soy, mirin, sesame oil and lime juice. The fish takes on the ultimate umami flavor. Paired with my delicious cilantro lime rice and some fresh toppings. This is an easy-enough dish that will surely impress whomever you serve it to!
Brenny’s Ahi Tuna Poke Bowl
Prep time 10 mins
Cook time 20 mins
Serves 2-4
Ingredients
3/4 lb. - 1 lb of ahi tuna
2 Tbsp. soy sauce
2 Tbsp mirin
1 tsp. sesame oil
1 Tbsp. lime Juice
1/2 cucumber thinly sliced
1/2 mango cubed
1/4 cup diced green onion
2 Tbsp sesame seeds
1 drizzle of sriracha mayo
1 avocado sliced thin (not pictured)
optional
1/4 cup seaweed salad or kimchi
Notes- Didn’t end up using garlic or shallots in this version of my poke but I pictured them because some fried garlic and shallots make a wonderful and fragrant mix in to top off your bowl.
Recipe for cilantro lime rice HERE. Regular rice works great too!
Procedure
Step 1 Take your ahi and place it in a plastic bag. Fill the bag with your soy, mirin, sesame oil and lime juice and place it in the feezer. Yes, you heard me, the freezer! This is a trick a butcher taught me as ahi is easier to dice up for poke when it’s just been slightly frozen. This is going to infuse your fish with some amazing flavors. While that is happening you can start your pot of water for your rice and begin to prep for your poke bowl. add the rice to the boiling water, turn to simmer and cover for 20 minutes. Here comes the fun part!
Step 2 This is a fun time to show off some knife skills that are very easy and look very professional. Peel your mango and cut away from the pit. Dice it into cubes. Take half of your cucumber and thinly slice it, placing them on-top of each other and fanning them out. Similarly slice an avocado on half, taking a spoon to scoop it out after removing the pit. Thinly slice the avocado keeping it all together and then fan it out with your knife. It’s ok if you don’t do it perfectly the first time, try again if you have to! Dice some green onion and set these aside to top your rice with later.
Step 3 Remove your ahi from the freezer after 20 minutes. Take a knife and dice it into cubes and set aside in a bowl. Top the tuna with sesame seeds. Fluff your rice and add the cilantro and lime juice (optional).
Step 4 Assembly! This is when your creativity can come into play. I think I did a decent job and use me as a template if you’d like. Fill a bowl with your rice. Place the fanned out cucumber in the middle and surround it with each of our toppings. A drizzle of sriracha mayo on top and you have yourself a bright and beautiful Island classic right in your very home.
