Watermelon Poke Bowl

Created by our own Joni Marie Newman

Turn your watermelon into a savory salad on this fun Tanaka Farms take on traditional Hawaiian Poke. Tanaka Tip: Make all of the components ahead of time for easy meals throughout the week! Hawaiian Poke was made popular by fisherman who made this fish salad with the trim and scraps leftover after the prime cuts were used or sold to eat as a snack or appetizer. This marinade will transform your watermelon from sweet to savory. The vinegar will help soften the fruit making it the perfect substitute for ahi tuna in this vegan version of a Poke Bowl.

Yield: About 8 servings cups

Ingredients

For the Watermelon in Marinade:l.

¼ cup rice vinegar
2 tablespoons sesame oil
2 tablespoons Tamari or soy sauce
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
2 pounds cubed red seedless watermelon (cut it into small cubes no larger than ½-inch)

For the Watermelon Poke Salad:

1 recipe Watermelon in Marinade
1 cup julienne cut Maui Onions
1 cup chopped green onion
1 tablespoon sesame seeds
2 teaspoons soy sauce

For the Sweet Sticky Rice:

2 cups short grain arborio or sushi rice, soaked and rinsed
Just under 2 cups water
2 tablespoons agave
1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon salt

For the Poke Bowl:

Sweet Sticky Rice
Watermelon Poke
Sesame Sriracha Sauce
Shredded Nori
Furikake
Sesame seeds
Chopped Green Onions
Wedge of Lime

Method

To make the Watermelon in Marinade, mix together marinade in a pot with a tight-fitting lid. Add the melon cubes and stir to combine. Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, and continue to cook until the watermelon has softened (no one wants crunchy poke!) and it has turned a deep red, translucent color that looks like raw tuna. Strain excess liquid and chill until cool and ready to make the salad.

To make the Watermelon Poke Salad, add all ingredients to a bowl and toss to coat. Keep chilled until ready to serve.

To make the Sweet Sticky Rice, mix all ingredients together in the bowl of your rice cooker and follow the directions on your rice cooker. If you do not have a rice cooker, bring salt and water to a boil in a pot with a tight-fitting lid. Stir in remaining ingredients. Return to a low simmer, cover and simmer for about 20 minutes, or until water has been absorbed. This sweet rice makes a perfect base to serve under your Poke. Use an Ice Cream Scoop for perfectly shaped balls of rice.

Assemble Your Poke Bowl: Time to get artistic! All of your hard work will now be assembled into the most beautifully arranged bowl of Watermelon Poke. Start by adding desired amount of rice to the bottom of the bowl. Next add desired amount of Watermelon Poke.
Top with a generous amount of Sesame Sriracha Sauce, then Sprinkle with shredded Nori, Furikake, Sesame Seeds, and green onion.
Serve with a wedge of lime.