Recipe video above. The Dressing is what makes or breaks a Poke Bowl. This Ginger-Sesame one MAKES it!!! Mirin is the secret ingredient - it adds complexity and flavour that's missing from usual Poke Bowl Dressings. It looks like a long list of ingredients and there are quite a few bits and pieces, but it's actually a very leisurely recipe to make. (PS Dicing fish is great flavour carrier technique) GREAT HOT WEATHER FOOD!
Place water and rice in a large saucepan over medium high heat, no lid.
As soon as it comes to a boil (see video), lower heat to medium low, place lid on and leave for 18 - 20 minutes or until water is completely absorbed). DO NOT stir, DO NOT remove lid!
Remove from stove with lid still on and leave undisturbed for 15 minutes.
Sushi Rice Seasoning:
Mix Sushi Seasoning ingredients until sugar dissolves.
Spread rice out into large pan (23 x 33cm / 9 x 13"), drizzle half Seasoning all over.
Using a rice paddle OR rubber spatula, cut through the rice and gently fold the rice over (see video!) to mix the Seasoning through.
After 1 minute of mixing, drizzle remaining Seasoning then cut/fold for 1 minute. Will look wet but will absorb in next step.
Leave rice to cool to warm or room temp (if you can stick it in front of a fan, that's even better!) - about 20 minutes.
Poke Bowl Assembly:
Dressing: Mix ingredients in a bowl.
Divide rice between bowls. Top with radish, carrot, edamame and avocado.
Place tuna in Dressing and toss (no need to marinate), then immediately transfer onto rice.
Sprinkle cucumber over the top (mainly on tuna), then green onion and sesame seeds.
Drizzle over remaining Dressing then serve!
Notes
1. Sushi Rice - particular type of short grain white rice that is kind of sticky which makes it suitable for making sushi, and is also a bit more absorbent so can absorb the sushi rice vinegar without going mushy. Sold in packets labelled "sushi rice" (helpful!).Short grain white rice also suitable, then next best is medium and plain long grain rice (can use sushi rice seasoning). Jasmine also fine, basmati adds an Indian/Middle Eastern aroma which might seem a bit out of place in this dish! Quinoa, wild rice and other grains also fine - but skip the sushi seasoning.Rinsing rice - place in colander, and swish around with your hands under running water for 15 seconds. Drain off excess water well before transferring into saucepan.2. Rice Vinegar - also labelled "rice wine vinegar", this is Asian vinegar made from (yep, you guessed it) RICE! Not as harsh as normal white vinegar and has slight Asian flavour.3. Soy Sauce - The dark soy sauce stains the tuna that nice dark colour and adds flavour to the Dressing. Light and all purpose soy is salty but doesn't have the same intensity of colour or flavour.Sub Dark Soy with more light or all purpose soy.DO NOT use dark soy in place of light or all purpose - will make dressing way too strong flavoured!4. Toasted Sesame oil is dark and has a more intense sesame flavour than untoasted (yellow oil, harder to find in Australia)5. Mirin is a sweet Japanese cooking sake. Sub with Chinese cooking wine (Shaoxing wine) PLUS 3/4 tsp sugar. If you can't consume alcohol, sub with 2 tsp honey plus 3 tsp unsweetened grape juice or apple juice (yes really, fruit juice will provide complexity to the Dressing to make up for not using Mirin, won't taste fruity).6. Sashimi Fish - sashimi grade fish essential here. Should be labelled as such at the shops - it means they are fresh and good quality enough to eat plain. You don't need much - 80 to 100g / 2.5 - 3.5oz per person is enough for Poke Bowls. Fish isn't dense and once chopped, a small amount goes far.7. Cucumber - cut lengthwise into half then quarters. Then cut off the watery seeds in the middle of the cucumber (I eat it!). Then finely dice the cucumber "meat".8. Edamame are soy beans, and in the last decade they've become all the rage. In Japan, they're traditionally served as a small appetiser to nibble on, usually in the pods. They're also sold frozen already taken out of the pods which is what I use here. Even sold at large grocery stores nowadays, like Coles, Woolies and Harris. Boil or steam like peas!8. Nutrition includes 1 cup cooked sushi rice per serving. Recipe does make more rice than you will probably need, but it's better than being short!