Although pokè (pronounced poh-keh) originated in Hawaii, it has taken the rest of The States by storm over the past several years. So, what is it exactly? It’s marinated, raw fish that’s served over a bed of sushi rice and loaded with the toppings of your choice. The options are truly endless when it comes toppings! You can also think of poké as a deconstructed sushi roll that takes far less technical skill to put together than sushi itself.

I love myself a good poké bowl year round, but find them particularly enjoyable to eat in the warmer months. I’m all about a summer meal that requires little to no use of the oven! I also love how easy it was to throw these bowls together for meal prep.

Please note that hunting down sushi-grade fish proved to be more of a challenge than I expected it to be. To my surprise, Whole Foods doesn’t carry it. However, if you’re located in Philadelphia, John Yi Fish Market (located in Reading Terminal Market) is a safe bet. Affordable, too! Shout out to my cousin, Jordan, for the recommendation.

Note: This recipe yields approximately four servings.

PART 1: THE SALMON

What you’ll need:

• 1 lb. sushi-grade, wild-caught salmon, cubed
• 1/4 cup tamari (gluten-free soy sauce)
• 1/4 cup scallions, sliced
• 2 tbsp. honey
• 1 tbsp. toasted sesame seed oil
• 1/2 tbsp. white sesame seeds
• 1/2 tbsp. black sesame seeds
• 1/2 tsp. ginger, minced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• The juice of 1 lime

What you’ll do:

• Minus the salmon and scallions, add all ingredients to a small mixing bowl; whisk together
• Gently stir in the salmon and scallions
• Marinate in the refrigerator for at least one hour

PART 2: THE RICE

What you’ll need:

• 2 cups short-grain brown rice
• 2 cups filtered water
• 1/4 cup seasoned rice wine vinegar

What you’ll do:

• Add the rice and water to a rice cooker; cook per manufacturer instructions
• Once cooking is complete, fluff with a fork and transfer to a medium mixing bowl
• Gently stir in the rice wine vinegar

PART 3: THE BOWL

What you’ll need:

• Prepped salmon
• Prepped rice
• Carrots, shredded
• Red cabbage, shredded
• Seaweed salad (I used store-bought)
• Mango, diced
• Cucumber, diced

What you’ll do:

• First, add a bed of rice to the bottom of a bowl
• Second, add the salmon to the center, being sure to top with extra marinade
• Lastly, top with all other ingredients