Hawaiian-style salmon poke in a soy marinade over sushi rice, with avocado, edamame, and quick-pickled onion. Shiso microgreens on top add notes of mint and anise.
INGREDIENTS
- 150 g - sushi rice
- 2 tbsp - rice vinegar
- 1 tsp - sugar
- 50 g - red onion
- 250 g - sushi-grade salmon, previously frozen
- 2 tbsp - soy sauce
- 2 tsp - toasted sesame oil
- 1 tsp - grated ginger
- 1 - avocado (150 g)
- 100 g - cucumber
- 100 g - frozen shelled edamame, cooked
- 1 tsp - sesame seeds
- 10 g - shiso microgreens
STEPS
- Rinse the rice until the water runs clear and cook it according to the package. Mix 1 1/2 tbsp rice vinegar with the sugar and a pinch of salt, fold it into the hot rice, and let it cool to room temperature, about 30 minutes.
- Thinly slice the red onion, cover it with the remaining vinegar and a pinch of salt, and let it sit for 20 minutes.
- Cut the salmon into 3/4 in (1.5-2 cm) cubes. Whisk the soy sauce, sesame oil, and ginger, pour over the fish, and marinate in the fridge for 10-15 minutes.
- Slice the avocado and cut the cucumber into thin rounds.
- Divide the rice between bowls. Arrange the salmon with its marinade, avocado, cucumber, edamame, and pickled onion on top in sections.
- Sprinkle with sesame seeds, set 5 g shiso microgreens in the center of each bowl, and serve right away.
Shiso Microgreens in a Poke Bowl
Poke comes from Hawaii: raw salmon or tuna in a soy marinade over rice. In Japanese cooking, shiso leaves traditionally go with raw fish, and they fit right into poke. Shiso microgreens, with their dark purple leaves, smell of basil, mint, and anise at once. A few sprigs on the bowl freshen up the rich salmon and salty sauce.
The shiso goes on last, over the fish. Its aroma is strong, so 5 g per bowl is enough.
About the Ingredients
Shiso microgreens: 10 g for two bowls. No shiso? Radish or mustard microgreens make it spicier.
Salmon: only fish sold for sushi that has been frozen. Freezing at -4°F (-20°C) for 7 days kills parasites, which is why the FDA recommends it for fish eaten raw.
Rice: short-grain sushi rice. Seasoned with rice vinegar, it holds its shape without turning mushy.
Avocado: ripe, giving slightly when pressed.
Technique: Room-Temperature Rice
Hot rice warms the fish, and cold rice from the fridge turns hard. Cook it ahead, season it with vinegar, and let it cool to room temperature, about 30 minutes. Marinate the salmon for no more than 15 minutes: soy sauce salts the fish and firms it up within an hour.
Variations
- Tuna poke: sushi-grade tuna instead of salmon.
- Shrimp poke: cooked shrimp, if raw fish isn’t for you.
- Spicy mayo: 2 tbsp mayonnaise with 1 tsp sriracha in place of some of the soy marinade.
- With mango: ripe mango cubes instead of edamame.
Serving and Storage
Assemble poke and eat it right away. Rice and vegetables can be prepped a few hours ahead; cut and marinate the fish last. Pregnant women, young children, and people with weakened immune systems are better off with the cooked shrimp version. Whether to wash microgreens before serving is covered in our wiki: should you wash microgreens.
Another raw dish with microgreens: veal tartare with mustard microgreens.
CHEF'S TIPS
Cut the salmon with a very sharp knife in one stroke: a dull knife crushes the fish.
Keep the fish in the fridge until the last minute and assemble the bowls right before serving.
