Sweet and Savory Vegetarian Poke

I've tasted a variety of vegetarian poke bowls that have been satisfying, but this is the first I've had that didn't leave me missing the fish just a little bit.

It all starts with this watermelon poke recipe I found. I combined this recipe with my usual tuna poke tricks for a bowl I can't wait to recreate again.

Ingredient partner dish: Many of the ingredients of this dish mirror those in Watermelon Gazpacho - a simple summertime dish with complex flavor.

Servings: 4

Ingredients:

For the watermelon poke:

• Grated zest of 1 lemon

• Fresh ginger, cut into a 1-inch cube, peeled, and grated

• 1 tablespoon honey

• 3/4 teaspoon cayenne

• 3/4 teaspoon fine-grain sea salt

• 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

• 1/4 cup unseasoned (brown) rice vinegar

• 1/3 cup soy sauce (low-sodium is ok)

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

• 2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil

• 3 pound seedless watermelon (small melon)

For the poke bowl:

• 1 cup jasmine rice

• 1½ cups low fat coconut of milk

• ½ cup water

• 1 tbsp soy sauce

• 1 tbsp unseasoned rice vinegar

• 8-10 stalks of asparagus

• 6 oz lightly fried tofu

• 1 cup shelled edamame

• 1/2 cup roughly chopped cilantro

• 3/4 cup micro-greens of your choice

• 2 radishes, finely sliced

• 1 cucumber, finely sliced

• 1 shallot, finely sliced

• Furikake (or sesame seeds) to top

• Optional: I prefer to include Tomayago (Japanese omelet). If you have the time and ingredients, give it a try.

Instructions:

1. Prepare the watermelon poke as per the instructions. The poke needs to marinate for a couple of hours to reach its full potential.

2. Prepare the coconut rice:

   1. Combine the coconut milk, water, rice vinegar, and 1 tbsp of soy sauce in a small sauce pan. Bring to a boil.

   2. Add in the rice. stir, and simmer for 15-20 minutes until liquid is absorbed.

3. Toss the asparagus in olive oil and sea salt, and bake at 350 for about 12 minutes.

4. Make the crispy shallots: sauté over medium heat in olive oil for about 5 minutes until golden brown and crispy

5. Put it all together as shown below. Top the main ingredients with the crispy shallots, cilantro, and a drizzle of soy sauce.

OPTIONAL: Tomago Egg: https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/221923/japanese-tamago-egg/