I feel like these days, poke bowls are all the rage, and with good reason. Especially around the spring and summer time, all I want to do is eat something light and refreshing…and this Tuna Poke fits the bill. I decided to forego the rice and make a version that you wrap up in lettuce leaves instead.
What you end up with is a crisp, juicy, parcel of magic that’s bursting with exciting flavor.
Fresh raw tuna is marinated in an Asian style sauce and left to chill in the fridge for just a little while before you spoon it into lettuce leaves. And that’s all there is to it!
It’s satisfying enough to eat as a stand alone meal, or you can serve it up as an appetizer for a party. Just put out some buttery lettuce leaves and slices of avocado. Have your guests assemble their own wraps and save yourself unnecessary stress.
This is Joe’s favorite recipe for this season and he could not stop eating it, even as the camera stopped rolling. You can see how I make it step-by-step in EPISODE 15 of BITS + PIECES COOKING SHOW, SEASON 5.
This is the LAST EPISODE for this season and I can’t believe we reached the end already! I hope you enjoyed the theme of simple and scrumptious snacks. So if you like this recipe, go back and watch our other ones. But first pick up some tuna and watch our VIDEO BELOW:
To get started, you need to pick up some sushi-grade tuna. I get mine frozen from the Asian market. It’s marked as “tuna for sushi” and it’s usually near all the other fresh fish used for sushi. Of course you can pick it up fresh too…it’s whatever floats your (fishing) boat.
But I actually like buying it frozen because you can just keep it in your freezer and have it ready for you whenever you want it. That’s what makes this recipe perfect for unexpected guests, or a light last minute dinner idea. I kind of wish I had some frozen tuna in my freezer right now.
This is everything you want to eat when the weather is getting warmer and you’re just craving something fresh and healthy. But regardless of it being lighter fare, it really feels like a treat!
I like to add sambal, or Asian chili sauce to add that bit of a kick. But you can always substitute with crushed red pepper flakes or even some Gochujang! And I also like to add a squeeze of lemon because it adds a bright zing.
Do yourself a favor and be sure to use butter lettuce. There’s something so velvety and crisp about the texture which I think only adds to the overall eating experience. Avocados also add a nice creamy touch and mouthfeel.
So skip the restaurant, kick back with your family or friends, and enjoy some super easy Tuna Poke that you proudly made at home.
Tuna Poke
Ingredients
- 1 pound sushi-grade tuna diced
- 1 cup diced English cucumber or Persian/ mini cucumbers
- 2 scallions chopped
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
- 2 teaspoons sambal oelek or ¼-½ tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 teaspoon rice vinegar unseasoned
- ½ packed tablespoon light brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- Butter lettuce and Avocado for serving
Instructions
- Whisk all the sauce ingredients together in the bottom of a large bowl. Add the tuna, cucumber, and scallions on top of the sauce and then toss to coat.
- Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Serve with Butter lettuce leaves and sliced avocado.
RECOMMENDED INGREDIENTS:
Sambal Oelek:
Rice Vinegar:
Toasted Sesame Seeds:
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I love this recipe. I had everything lined up to prepare. I had made rice to use for a poke bowl… (Plain white rice raw , measured out and pounded it out in a plastic bag with Meat tender). I used 3 tblsp seasoned rice vinegar and tablespoon sugar warmed up to mix in the cooked rice. Next time I’m using the butter lettuce. Thank you , Christine
PS the sushi rice was crazy expensive $5.65 for 2lbs
The only difference I could see was the rice seemed smaller😊