Salmon Poke Bowl

Cubes of sashimi-grade salmon are marinated in a bright soy, sesame and lime dressing, then piled over seasoned sushi rice with avocado, cucumber and edamame. It is fresh, savoury and endlessly customisable — the ultimate quick, wholesome bowl.

Poke (say it poh-kay) is Hawaii’s answer to fast food: cubes of glossy raw fish tossed in a punchy soy-sesame dressing and served over rice. This version uses sashimi-grade salmon, seasoned sushi rice and a rainbow of toppings so every forkful lands somewhere different. It comes together in the time it takes the rice to cool.

Ingredients

• 150 g sushi rice — or short-grain rice
• 2 tbsp rice vinegar
• 1 tsp caster sugar
• 250 g sashimi-grade salmon fillet — skinless; ask the fishmonger for sushi-grade, or use previously frozen
• 2 tbsp light soy sauce
• 1 tsp toasted sesame oil
• 1 tsp lime juice — about half a lime
• 2 spring onions — finely sliced
• 1 tsp toasted sesame seeds
• 100 g frozen edamame beans — podded
• 1 ripe avocado — sliced
• 0.5 cucumber — thinly sliced or diced
• 1 sheet nori — snipped into strips (optional)
• 1 tsp sriracha — optional, for a spicy mayo drizzle

Method

1. Rinse the sushi rice under cold water until it runs clear, then cook according to the packet instructions. While it cooks, warm the rice vinegar and sugar with a pinch of salt until the sugar dissolves.
2. Tip the cooked rice into a bowl, fold through the seasoned vinegar and spread it out to cool to just-warm or room temperature. Don't skip this — properly seasoned, cooled rice is the backbone of a good poke bowl.
3. Boil the edamame for 4-5 minutes until tender, then drain and cool under cold water.
4. Pat the salmon dry and cut it into neat 2 cm cubes with a sharp knife. Keep it cold until you dress it.
5. In a bowl, whisk the soy sauce, sesame oil, lime juice and most of the spring onions. Add the salmon cubes and turn gently to coat. Marinate for 10 minutes in the fridge — no longer, or the acid will start to cure the fish.
6. Divide the rice between two bowls. Arrange the dressed salmon, avocado, cucumber and edamame in sections on top.
7. Scatter over the sesame seeds, remaining spring onions and nori strips. If using, mix the sriracha with a little mayonnaise and drizzle over. Serve straight away while the fish is cold and fresh.

Serve it with

• Extra lime wedges
• Pickled ginger
• A drizzle of spicy mayo
• Furikake seasoning
• Miso soup on the side
• Wakame seaweed salad

Why this works

Seasoning the rice with sweet-sharp vinegar and dressing the salmon separately keeps every element bright and distinct, so the bowl tastes clean and layered rather than muddy.

Common swaps

• Swap salmon for sashimi-grade tuna, or cooked prawns for a no-raw-fish version
• Use cooked, flaked salmon if you'd rather avoid raw fish entirely
• Replace sushi rice with brown rice or quinoa for a nuttier base
• Mango or pineapple adds a sweet Hawaiian touch in place of edamame

Common mistakes to avoid

• Using ordinary salmon — only sashimi-grade or properly frozen fish is safe to eat raw
• Marinating the salmon too long, which turns the texture mushy and grey
• Dressing hot rice, which steams the toppings and wilts the avocado
• Skipping the vinegar seasoning, leaving the rice bland and sticky

Storage, freezing & reheating

Storage: Poke is best eaten immediately. If you must, keep components separate and refrigerate the dressed fish for no more than a few hours.

Reheating: Not suitable for reheating — this bowl is served cold or at room temperature.

Allergen notes: contains Fish, Soya, Sesame. Always check individual product labels.

Estimated nutrition

Per serving, estimated from typical ingredient values — not a substitute for precise dietary calculation.