tuna avocado poke bowl

When I shared the picture of the tuna avocado poke bowl I made for lunch last week everyone went a bit mad. So rather than leave the recipe to disappear on social media I wanted to keep it here so you can come back to it. If you like sushi or sashimi but are intimidated to make it at home, this is the perfect recipe for you.

When you work from home, Friday lunchtimes can feel a bit of a non-event so when I can, I take a bit of time to make something fancier than what I’d have the rest of the week (cheese and crackers/soup/leftovers).

The freshest fish

You really do need the freshest tuna for this as it won’t be cooked. Ask your fishmonger for sushi grade or sashimi grade and make this the day you buy your fish. I wouldn’t make this with supermarket tuna unless it is on the fresh fish counter at a trustworthy supermarket. If you’re not sure, make the poke bowl but add flaked smoked mackerel or cooked fish.

What is poke?

Not that kind of poke. Poke is something that is everywhere in Hawaii. It is sold in road side shacks and in most grocery stores. There are all sorts of versions but it always has raw tuna and is influenced, as is Hawaii by Japan.

I fell love with poke in California as I never made it Hawaii. Now it is cropping up in England too so you’ll start to see it more and more.

Here’s how I made my single serving – not totally authentic but I just used what I had to hand.

To make a tuna avocado poke bowl for one person.

I chopped my raw tuna (a piece about as big as the palm of my hand and about as thick as my thumb) into small cubes about as a big as a dice (or a die for you pedants) then mixed the cubes with a dressing I’d made with

• 2 teaspoons tamari (or soy sauce)
• 1 teaspoon rice wine vinegar (or lime juice)
• a teaspoon toasted sesame oil
• a tiny bit of freshly grated ginger
• the teeniest dot of maple syrup (or honey)
• Optional – some freshly sliced chilli. I used about a quarter of a chilli but just add yours gradually and taste it until you’re happy with the heat.

I mixed the dressing up, tasted and adjusted it then put the tuna into it, along with half a cubed avocado and mixed it all together. The avocado starts to create a bit of creaminess with the dressing.

I left the tuna and avocado to sit for a few minutes while I steamed some tenderstem broccoli.

I served the tuna and avocado piled on top of the broccoli with some of my speedy leftover pink home-pickled onions and sesame seeds. I dotted some sriracha on top too because I love some heat.

It was so good that I made it for dinner the next week and served it on a pile of my brown rice that I grabbed from the freezer and defrosted in the microwave. You could serve it with quinoa if you want to.

If you like tuna you should also try this recipe. For my sesame crusted tuna.