Wasabi Shrimp Poke Bowl

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I used to eat poke bowls every Friday when I go to town for work. Months of working from home certainly made me miss this routine terribly. So I made this simple wasabi shrimp poke bowl to reminisce about the delicious poke Fridays and satisfy my cravings.

See Also:

• Shrimp Salad in Uni Dressing
• Pineapple Infused Tea Recipe
• Saba Ochazuke (Japanese Tea Rice)

The poke places I frequent are casual and always serve their poke bowls in a round takeaway bowl (even if you are eating there). I find it quite difficult to eat with the bowl filled to the brim. You have to eat the top half first, before you can reach the salad and/or rice at the bottom. So I used a plate instead so that all the toppings can be seen for photography, plus it is also easier to eat.

FRESH COOKED PRAWN (SHRIMP)

Typically, poke bowls consists of sashimi grade salmon or tuna as the main protein. I have not been going to the Japanese supermarkets recently, so I can’t get fresh sashimi-grade fish. Therefore I am making my first poke bowl with shrimps instead, using takeaway cooked whole shrimps from Sushi Express. Alternatively, you can thaw frozen cooked shrimps or boil your own shrimps.

SEASONED WASABI MAYO SHRIMP

In a bowl, mix mayonnaise, wasabi paste, rice vinegar & honey to form a paste. The resulting taste should be sweet, tangy and mildly hot. Add a bit of green tea powder (optional) for an added natural green hue and added antioxidants. As the brand of wasabi paste varies in its heat and sharpness, tweak the honey & vinegar to taste. I recommend using hon-wasabi (real wasabi) that is not as sharp or lingering, such as the one in the picture above, which I bought from Kuriya Supermarket.

POKE BOWL TOPPINGS

With romaine lettuce as the base of the poke bowl, here are the toppings I used for my bowl:

• fresh pineapple – Since poke bowl is Hawaiian in origin, fresh & sweet pineapples are a definite must-have for me.
• jalapeno (pickled green chilli in vinegar) – they add extra tang and heat to the bowl.
• Thai lime wedge – squeeze the lime over the salad just before eating.
• avocado – Adds healthy fat to the bowl
• others – cherry tomatoes, shelled edamame, brown rice (or any favourite carb)
• 1-minute soy-sesame dressing – mix 3 parts soy sauce & 2 parts pure sesame oil. There is a popular poke place here that serve this dressing upon request. Even though a dressing is not common, I do find poke bowls are too plain without one.

Other suitable toppings which are not included this round –

• tobikko (flying fish roe)
• red pomegranate seeds
• diced cucumber
• fried fish skin
• wakame (seasoned seaweed) salad
• and more …

ASSEMBLE THE SALAD

Place salad greens to line the plate and arrange the wasabi shrimps & toppings on top. Serve with a side salad dressing.