How To Make Mouth-Watering Poke Bowls At Home

Think of poke (pronounced poh-keh) as a sushi-based bento box jam-piled in a bowl. Instead of getting glutted with sticky rice, this Hawaiian delicacy allows you to combine metabolism-spiking proteins such as tuna and salmon with fiber-filled toppings like avocado, shredded carrots, cucumbers, edamame, and seaweed salad. While the trendy bowl makes for a delicious and balanced lunch, Door Dashing it to your office on the regular can get really expensive‚ pretty fast. To help you master the Eat This-approved meal at home, we've enlisted the help of Claudia Sidoti, head chef & recipe developer at HelloFresh. Below, she shares exactly how to make a restaurant-worthy poke bowl at the comfort of your own kitchen—and budget.

How to Prepare a Poke Bowl at Home

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Before you try your hand at this at home, heed these chef-approved tips. Sidoti opts for firm seafood like tuna, salmon, shrimp, swordfish, or scallops because they absorb flavor easily without falling apart. But if you're iffy about cross-contamination from raw seafood or just don't have access to sushi-grade fish at your local supermarket, chicken is also a protein-packed (and way more accessible) choice.

Next, it's time to choose a carb. Sidoti admits that Jasmine rice is her favorite, but any type of rice works well. "White rice seasoned in rice wine vinegar, or brown rice works as well. If you prefer to avoid the carb, try using salad greens, zucchini ribbons, or even cauliflower rice for a delicious alternative!" Now that you're familiar with the basics, let's get down to making Sidoti's chicken poke bowl recipe

Hawaiian Chicken Poke Bowl Recipe

Ingredients

1 thumb ginger
2 scallions
4 ounces pineapple
1/4 cup shredded coconut (contains tree nuts)
3/4 cup jasmine rice
10 ounces chicken stir-fry
1 lime
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon Thai chili
4 ounces shredded carrots
4 tablespoons sour cream
1 teaspoon Sriracha
1-ounce coconut crunch cashews

How to Make It

1. Wash and dry all produce. Peel ginger, then finely mince or grate until you have two teaspoons (you'll have extra). Trim, then thinly slice scallions, separating greens and whites. Drain pineapple over a small bowl, reserving juice. Roughly chop cashews.
2. Heat a large pan over medium-high heat (use a nonstick pan if you have one). Add shredded coconut, tossing occasionally, until lightly golden, one to three minutes. Set aside on a plate to cool.
3. Melt one tablespoon of butter in a small pot over medium-high heat. Add scallion whites, rice, and half the ginger. Cook, stirring, until rice is lightly toasted, about one minute. Pour in 3/4 cup water; season with salt. Bring to a boil, then cover, lower heat, and reduce to a simmer. Cook until tender, nine to 11 minutes. Keep covered off heat until the meal is ready.
4. Heat a large drizzle of oil over medium-high heat in the pan used for the coconut. Add chicken; season with a half teaspoon of sugar, salt, and pepper. Cook, tossing occasionally, until browned, about seven minutes. Transfer to a medium bowl. Heat a drizzle of oil in the same pan over medium heat again, add pineapple chunks and cook, tossing occasionally, until lightly charred, one to two minutes. Transfer to bowl with chicken and toss.
5. Zest lime, then quarter. Thinly slice chili (remove ribs and seeds for less heat) and keep them aside. Stir together soy sauce, juice from two lime quarters, remaining ginger, and one teaspoon of sugar into a bowl with pineapple juice. Put carrots in a medium bowl. Pour over half the soy dressing and toss the carrots to coat. In another small bowl, mix sour cream, Sriracha, a half teaspoon of sugar, a drizzle of oil, and one teaspoon of water. Fluff rice with a fork, then stir in the lime zest. Season with salt.
6. Divide the rice between bowls, pushing to one side. Mound carrots next to rice, followed by the chicken mixture. Spoon remaining pineapple dressing over. Garnish with coconut and cashews. Drizzle with Sriracha cream. Garnish with scallion greens and chili, to taste. Serve with remaining lime.
7. Komo i ka! (That's "enjoy" in Hawaiian.)

Eat This! Tip

If you're opting for a sashimi-based bowl at home, make sure the fish is free of bones, skin, and scales, Sidoti reminds us. "Cut the fish into bite-sized pieces, about 1/4- to 1/2- inch. Don't put the sauce or marinade on too early, otherwise the acid will begin to break down the fish. I like to toss it in the dressing about 15 to 30 minutes prior to serving."

You can also make veggie poke bowls if you're vegetarian or vegan. Toppings such as cucumber, nori, and zucchini ribbons are great additions along with plant-based proteins like edamame and nuts, and you can even add pickled veggies for probiotics. The options are truly endless. For more savory and savvy meals, don't miss these 20 Quick & Easy Dinner Recipes.