Yes, You Can Make a Poke Bowl At Home

Few things have entered into the vernacular as quickly as poke. The Japanese fish-based rice bowls have gone from under-the-radar to everywhere in the span of a few years. And it’s easy to see why - they are like the love child of sushi and healthy grain bowls. What could make for a better lunch option?

But they have felt elusive as a meal to make at home. Maybe it’s the raw seafood or the seemingly difficult-to-aquire ingredients, but it has remained an item to purchase rather than assemble in your kitchen. But we got the pros from poke spot Chikarashi to upend our notions. With ingredients that can be assembled ahead or easily purchased, a poke bowl can be a quick option to throw together.

So watch the video below or follow the recipe and take your poke bowls to the next level.

Salmon Ponzu Bowl

(Serves 4)

Cured Salmon

Ingredients
12oz  salmon filet
⅓ cup Sugar
⅔ cup Salt

Mix sugar and salt in large bowl. Cover salmon with mixture on all sides and place on a platter in the refrigerator to cure for three hours. 

Rinse off the salmon, pat dry, and cut into ½” cubes. Set aside. 

Ponzu 

Ingredients
2 cups orange juice and zest (3 oranges)
1 cup lime juice and zest (3 limes) 
1 cup lemon juice and zest (3 lemons) 
1.5 tbsp Oroshi wasabi (frozen)
1.5 cups soy sauce

Combine orange, lime, and lemon juice and zests in a large bowl. Add wasabi and soy sauce to taste. Refrigerate until ready to use. 

Seasoned Rice 

Ingredients
1 quart short grain sushi rice 
1 quart water

Rinse rice in cold water and discard water. Repeat 5-7 times and drip dry in strainer for 30 minutes. Combine rice and water in pot and cover over high heat until water comes to a boil. Bring heat down to low and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let rest for 7 minutes. 

Panko Crumbs

Ingredients
1.5 cups panko or breadcrumbs
1 garlic clove
4 shiso leaves 

Finely chop garlic clove and shiso leaves. Toast panko, garlic, and shiso scraps in a pan over high heat until crumbs are dark golden brown. Remove pan from heat and allow to cool. 

Assembly 

Ingredients
1 recipe cured salmon
1 recipe ponzu sauce 
4-6 Persian or kirby cucumbers
Shichimi, to taste
Sesame oil, to taste
Salt, to taste 
10 shiso leaves (one pack)
1 recipe Panko crumbs
3 oz. Tobiko and/or Ikura (optional)  

Mix cubed salmon with ponzu for 2 minutes in bowl (the citrus will further cure the salmon, so be careful not to let rest for too long).  Slice cucumbers into 2-3mm coins and sprinkle with sesame oil, shichimi, and salt.  Slice remaining shiso leaves into chiffonade.

Place rice in bowls and top with cucumbers and sliced shiso. Top with marinated salmon and remaining ponzu sauce and cover with panko crumbs.  Top with Tobiko and/or Ikura (optional).