The author of the new Fast Days Cookbook, Laura Herring, shows you how to hop on the pokē bowl trend while sticking to your fast day calorie count if you're on the fast diet
On a recent trip to New York, it became apparent that poke bowls really were a ‘thing’. There were pokē pop-ups literally everywhere. As a sushi-lover, I couldn’t get enough of these little bowls of deliciousness. The basics are simple: very fresh raw fish – usually tuna or salmon – with a choice of umami extras: seaweed, avocado, fried shallots and rice were regulars on the pokē bowl circuit. Here’s my low-cal interpretation.
Make sure your tuna is so fresh you can eat it raw – ask a fishmonger or at the fish counter.
Makes 2 bowls | 220 kcal
Ingredients
100 g (3½ oz) very, very fresh tuna, cut into chunks
100 g (3½ oz) cucumber, peeled and diced
65 g (2 oz) podded edamame beans
5 radishes, very finely sliced
40 g (1½ oz) pickled seaweed (wakame) or grated carrot
2 tablespoons pickled ginger
For the marinade/ dressing
1½ tablespoons tamari
1 teaspoon rice
wine vinegar
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon black (or white) sesame seeds
½ teaspoon very finely chopped red chilli
2 spring onions (scallions), very finely chopped
a few coriander (cilantro) leaves
Method
In a shallow bowl, whisk together the ingredients for the marinade/dressing.
Add the tuna chunks and leave to marinate for 10 minutes.
Arrange the rest of the salad ingredients in a bowl and top with the fish. Drizzle over the marinade dressing, and serve.
You can also make this ahead and pack this into the fridge for a few hours.
This recipe is an extract from The Fast Days Cookbook by Laura Herring (Hardie Grant £12.99 RRP). Photography by Danielle Wood
Find out more about the 5:2 diet here and discover great recipe ideas and 5:2 meal plans