The poke bowl is one of the most popular dishes right now, but the featured ingredient is often the rice. Let’s lower the carb content, eliminate the fish, and focus on freshness for this vegan rendition of the poke bowl.
Traditionally, poke consists of diced raw fish, sea vegetables, and some sort of marinade. Some poke recipes include mango, avocado, or other fruit. The reason we use watermelon in place of fish is because, aside from the fact that it resembles raw tuna when cubed, it absorbs flavors easily. Watermelon also provides a naturally sweet flavor that complements the tanginess of the marinade. We hope you like the recipe!
- Prep Time:15m
- Total Time:15m
- Serves: 4 servings
- Category: Entrees, Vegan, Vegetarian, Gluten-Free
Ingredients
For the Watermelon Poke
- 3 lbs seedless watermelon, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch squares
- zest of 1 lemon
- 1 -inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and diced
- 1 tbsp. grade A maple syrup
- 1 tsp. red chili flakes
- 3/4 tsp. sea salt
- 1 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
- 1/4 c rice vinegar
- 1/3 c liquid aminos
- 2 tbsp. olive oil
- 2 tbsp. toasted sesame oil
For the Bowl
- 1 avocado, pitted, peeled, and thinly sliced
- 2 green onions, thinly sliced
- 1 medium cucumber, thinly sliced
- 1 c bean sprouts
- pickled ginger (optional)
Instructions
For the Watermelon Poke
- Place the cubed watermelon in a large mixing bowl and set aside.
- Add the lemon zest, ginger, maple syrup, chili flakes, sea salt, lemon juice, rice vinegar, liquid aminos, olive oil, and sesame oil to a blender and blend until smooth.
- Pour this mixture over the watermelon, toss to coat, cover with plastic wrap, and then refrigerate overnight. If you have the time, let the watermelon marinate overnight. If you don\'t, a couple hours will be sufficient.
For the Bowl
- Remove the watermelon from the fridge and spoon a heaping cup in the center of a bowl.
- Decorate the rest of the bowl with the slices from half of the avocado, a sprinkle of green onions, some cucumber slices, some bean sprouts, and pickled ginger (optional).
- Make as many bowls as you want and serve for dinner or lunch. You will find that this entree is very refreshing!
