Poke — pronounced 'POH-kay' — is raw fish salad, and it has been made in Hawaii since long before it became a global bowl trend. Traditional Hawaiian poke used reef fish, sea salt, seaweed, and kukui nut. The modern version most people know uses ahi tuna, soy sauce, sesame oil, and whatever toppings make the bowl complete.
The seed oil problem in poke is the dressing. Most poke sauce contains sesame oil (derived from sesame seeds — technically a seed oil, though one with a long history as a seasoning) and soy sauce, which is seed oil free. The bigger issue is the mayo that many poke chains use — standard mayonnaise is made with soybean or canola oil. Use avocado-based mayo or Chosen Foods avocado oil mayo if you want a creamy element, or skip the mayo entirely.
Poke Bowl Recipe
Ingredients
- 400g sushi-grade ahi tuna, cut into 1.5cm cubes
- 3 tbsp coconut aminos (or soy sauce)
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- 1 tsp fresh ginger, grated
- 2 spring onions, finely sliced
- 1 tsp sesame seeds
- 2 cups cooked sushi rice (short-grain Japanese rice),
- To serve: sliced avocado, thinly sliced cucumber, shelled edamame, pickled ginger, extra sesame seeds, nori strips
Method
- In a bowl, combine the cubed tuna with coconut aminos, sesame oil, grated ginger, sliced spring onion, and sesame seeds. Toss gently to coat. Marinate for 10 minutes — no longer, or the acid from the coconut aminos will begin to 'cook' the fish.
- Divide the cooked sushi rice between 4 bowls.
- Spoon the marinated tuna over the rice.
- Arrange the toppings: fanned avocado slices, cucumber ribbons, edamame, pickled ginger, and nori strips.
- Drizzle with a little extra coconut aminos. Scatter sesame seeds. Serve immediately.
Is poke bowl seed oil free?
The tuna, coconut aminos, and vegetable toppings contain no seed oils. Check any sauce or mayo you add — most commercial poke sauces contain canola or soybean oil.
What fish can I use?
Sushi-grade tuna (ahi/yellowfin or bigeye) is traditional. Sushi-grade salmon also works. Only use fish labelled sushi-grade or sashimi-grade for raw preparation.
Can I use regular soy sauce?
Yes. Soy sauce is made from fermented soy beans and wheat and contains no oil. Coconut aminos is the slightly sweeter, lower-sodium alternative.
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