Tuna Sesame Poke Bowl
Why this recipe works
- Fast assembly: The tuna is dressed while the rice cools, keeping the bowl practical for a quick lunch.
- Clean, balanced seasoning: Rice vinegar brightens the sushi rice and tuna, while soy sauce and toasted sesame oil add savoury depth.
- Good texture contrast: Tender tuna, gently seasoned rice, roasted sesame seeds and crisp nori give each bowl contrast without extra cooking.
Get the most out of this recipe
Timing notes
- Cool the rice before topping: Spread the seasoned rice out so it cools quickly; hot rice can warm the tuna and soften the nori.
- Assemble close to serving: Dress and top the bowls shortly before eating so the tuna stays chilled and the nori keeps some crispness.
- Use the rice cooking time: Slice the tuna, spring onion and nori while the rice cooks and rests to keep the total time efficient.
Ingredient notes
- Choose sashimi-grade tuna: Use tuna sold for raw eating by a trusted fishmonger and keep it refrigerated until the last moment; use cooked tuna for higher-risk diners.
- Cut even cubes: Bite-sized, even pieces coat neatly in the sesame-soy dressing and are easier to eat with the rice.
- Use toasted sesame oil: Toasted sesame oil gives the dressing its nutty depth; plain sesame oil will taste much lighter.
Common mistakes
- Handle the tuna gently: Toss only until coated; rough mixing can make the cubes look ragged and dull their clean texture.
- Do not add all the dressing at once: Coat the tuna with some dressing first, then drizzle the rest over the finished bowls to avoid a wet, overly salty base.
- Avoid storing assembled bowls: If you need to hold leftovers, keep the rice and tuna separate in the fridge and eat within 24 hours.
Equipment you'll need
Ingredients
Instructions
- Rinse the sushi rice in cold water until the water runs mostly clear, then drain. Cook it in a saucepan with 250 ml water: bring to the boil, cover, reduce to low and cook for 12 minutes, then remove from the heat and rest (covered) for 5 minutes.
- Tip the hot rice into a wide bowl and drizzle over 1 tbsp rice vinegar. Gently fold to coat, then spread the rice out and let it cool until just warm or room temperature.
- Slice the tuna into bite-sized cubes and thinly slice the spring onion. In a mixing bowl, toss the tuna with the spring onion and remaining 1 tbsp rice vinegar.
- In a small bowl, mix the soy sauce with the toasted sesame oil. Add half of this dressing to the tuna and toss gently; keep the rest for drizzling over the bowls.
- Divide the rice between two bowls and top with the dressed tuna. Sprinkle with roasted sesame seeds, then cut the nori sheets into thin strips and scatter over the top; finish with the remaining dressing.
Recipe notes
Tips
- For the best texture, cool the rice quickly by spreading it in a thin layer; it should be just warm, not hot, before you add the tuna.
- Use sashimi grade tuna and keep it chilled; if you are pregnant, elderly, immunocompromised, or serving young children, use cooked tuna instead of raw.
Substitutions
- Replace Tuna steak with Salmon for a salmon poke bowl with the same dressing.
- Replace Rice vinegar with White wine vinegar for a slightly sharper dressing.
- Replace Soy sauce with Light soy sauce for a lighter, saltier finish.
Storage
- Refrigerate up to 1 days
- Best eaten straight away. If you must store it, keep the rice and tuna separate in the fridge and eat within 24 hours; do not leave raw fish at room temperature. The rice can be refreshed with a small splash of water and reheated in the microwave until hot, then cooled before serving with the chilled tuna.
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Recipe overview
- Servings: 2 bowls
- Total time: 25min (15min active)
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cuisine: Fusion
-
Allergens:
Fish Sesame Soybeans
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