Salmon Poke Bowl with Edamame and Brown Rice
A poke bowl is mostly assembly. Cook the rice, make the dressing, and slice everything else while the rice cools. You can use raw salmon, as in Hawaii, or roast it for 8 to 10 minutes. Both are given below, along with who should choose the cooked version.
Ingredients
- 240g skinless salmon fillet (see the note in the method if eating it raw)
- 120g brown rice (uncooked weight)
- 100g frozen shelled edamame beans
- 1 carrot (about 80g), cut into thin matchsticks or grated
- Half a cucumber (100g), thinly sliced
- Half an avocado (60g), sliced
- 2 spring onions, thinly sliced
- 1 tbsp sesame seeds
- For the dressing
- 1 and a half tbsp tamari (25ml), labelled gluten-free if you need it to be
- 2 tsp rice vinegar
- 1 tsp honey
- 1 tsp toasted sesame oil
- 1 tsp finely grated ginger
- Optional: a pinch of chilli flakes and a sheet of nori, cut into strips
Method
- Rinse the rice, then cook it in plenty of boiling water for 25 to 30 minutes until tender. Drain well and spread on a plate to cool to warm.
- Whisk the dressing ingredients together.
- Cut the salmon into 2cm cubes.
If eating it raw: buy salmon that the label or fishmonger says is suitable for eating raw, not a standard fillet, and keep it in the fridge until the last moment. Toss it with half the dressing and leave it in the fridge for 10 minutes.
If cooking it: heat the oven to 200C (180C fan). Toss the cubes with half the dressing, spread on a lined tray and roast for 8 to 10 minutes, until the salmon is opaque and flakes easily. - Cook the edamame in boiling water for 3 minutes, then cool under cold water and drain.
- Divide the rice between two bowls. Arrange the salmon, edamame, carrot, cucumber and avocado on top in sections.
- Spoon over the rest of the dressing, then scatter over the spring onions, sesame seeds and nori and chilli, if using. Eat straight away.
Why it works
A bowl has about 38g of protein from the salmon and edamame. Edamame are young soya beans, one of the few plant foods that contain all nine essential amino acids.
Salmon is an oily fish, rich in the omega-3 fats EPA and DHA. The NHS recommends at least two portions of fish a week, one of them oily. If you rarely eat fish, see our guide to omega-3 before reaching for a supplement.
Brown rice, the edamame and the vegetables give about 7g of fibre a bowl, and the carbohydrate makes this a good meal after training. Sesame seeds, avocado and ginger add flavour and healthy fats.
The honest part is the calories. At about 680 a bowl, this is a full main meal, not a light one. Halve the avocado or rice if you want it lighter. Tamari is salty too, so taste before adding more.
Who should choose cooked salmon. If you are cooking for young children, older people or anyone with a weakened immune system, use the cooked option. The NHS says raw fish in dishes such as sushi is usually fine in pregnancy, but choose cooked if you are unsure. Pregnant women are also advised to eat no more than two portions of oily fish a week.
Cooked rice needs care. If you cook the rice ahead, cool it within an hour, keep it in the fridge and eat it within a day. For another oily fish bowl, try the mackerel and avocado bowl.
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