02
Feb
Many have deemed this as the “next generation of sushi”, Poke Bowls’ omnipresence may still be questioned by those who are unfamiliar of what the raw fish-topped meals really are.
As Bali’s leading food distributor since 1985, Puri Pangan Utama is committed to delivering fresh quality seafood on the island. This week we’ll tell you how you can incorporate our fresh sashimi-grade salmon into a new and upcoming trend, poke bowls.
What is a Poke Bowl?
Poke (pronounced poh-kay) in Hawaiian means “to slice or cut.” Yes, it originated in Hawaii and started spreading like wildfire across the United States and Indonesia. There are eateries dedicated to these bowls, rivaling the casual ramen and sushi joints. You will notice more cafes and restaurants across Bali adopting this food trend – especially beach side eateries!
The Hawaiian term refers to chunks of raw fish, commonly yellow-fin (ahi) tuna or salmon, which is tossed over white rice – or brown for extra fibre – and topped with vegetables and umami (savoury) sauce.
Chefs claim it is easier to eat than sushi!
What it is in a Poke Bowl?
Pic credit: rfsdelivers
A classic poke bowl starts with a base layer of jasmine rice or sushi rice however, people may opt for zucchini noodles, brown rice, or quinoa. The appeal is that it can be customized to be as healthy as you wish.
As previously mentioned, the star ingredient of a Poke Bowl is raw fish. Most chains typically choose sushi-grade fish, such as tuna or salmon.
The cubes of fish are then mixed with spring onions, sesame seeds, and flakes of sea salt to enhance the flavour.
There are various ways you can top your bowl. When it comes to dressing, shoyu, ponzu, or even spicy black-bean paste is preferred to highlight the fatty fish. You may concoct your own dressing with soy sauce, sesame oil, rice vinegar, mirin, and spritz of fresh lemon juice.
Expect to find toppings like avocado, seaweed, spring onions, and shaved carrot to compliment tuna or salmon, and rice pairing. However, you may spice it up with shaved onion, crispy garlic, pickled radish, edamame, even macadamia nuts for extra crunch. Additionally, the Japanese red chili mixture togarashi adds a little kick – wasabi is also a popular go-to.
You would be surprised to find what you can work with when it comes to creating your home-made Poke Bowl. Ingredients like watermelon, cucumber, mango, chopped chilies, even tahini could be a winning combo! It’s easy to make and easy to eat.
Puri Pangan Utama is your dependable food distributor in Bali. Established in 1985, we are known island wide as the trusted food supplier for fresh salmon. Order your sashimi grade salmon from us to experience the freshest and best quality brands at affordable prices – for your restaurant business or to simply cook at home.