Watermelon Poke Bowl
Courtesy of Café Gratitude
Cafe Gratitude started in the San Francisco Bay Area but has evolved into a Southern California plant-based powerhouse, with several locations in the greater Los Angeles area as well as San Diego. (There’s still a pop-up in San Francisco.) Chef Seizan Dreux Ellis shares an out-of-the-box answer to the question, “How do you make poke without actual fish?”
How to Make It
1
TO MAKE WATERMELON POKE: Blend together all ingredients except watermelon. Set aside. This is your marinade.
2
Cut watermelon into 1-inch cubes and toss with 3 ounces of marinade.
3
Line a sheet pan with parchment and bake watermelon at 350° for 10 minutes.
4
Stir watermelon after 10 minutes and bake for an additional 10 minutes. (Watermelon should not be burnt on the edges.)
5
Once watermelon is soft but not mushy, remove from oven and cool.
6
Pour over remaining marinade and let sit overnight.
7
TO PUT TOGETHER POKE BOWLS: Heat 2 tsp of rice bran oil in a pan, add forbidden rice, and heat completely through.
8
Plate rice in center of serving bowl, plating clockwise starting at noon.
9
Put the watermelon radish, avocado, pickled ginger, edamame, sriracha mayo, and cucumber into serving bowl.
10
Top with watermelon poke.
11
Garnish with pickled carrots and cilantro sprigs, and finish with the sesame seeds.
Ingredients
For the Poke
1 tbsp tahini
¼ cup tamari
¼ cup brown rice vinegar
1 tbsp lime juice
½ tsp chili flakes
2 garlic cloves
1 tbsp ginger
4 green onions
6 tbsp sesame oil
1 tbsp salt
11 cups watermelon
For Poke Bowls
2 tsp rice bran oil
100 g forbidden black rice, cooked
1 watermelon radish
¼ avocado
1 tbsp pickled ginger
½ cup edamame
¼ cup sriracha mayo
½ cup cucumber
6 oz watermelon poke (recipe at right)
⅛ cup pickled carrots
3 cilantro sprigs
½ tsp black and white sesame seeds
Directions
1
TO MAKE WATERMELON POKE: Blend together all ingredients except watermelon. Set aside. This is your marinade.
2
Cut watermelon into 1-inch cubes and toss with 3 ounces of marinade.
3
Line a sheet pan with parchment and bake watermelon at 350° for 10 minutes.
4
Stir watermelon after 10 minutes and bake for an additional 10 minutes. (Watermelon should not be burnt on the edges.)
5
Once watermelon is soft but not mushy, remove from oven and cool.
6
Pour over remaining marinade and let sit overnight.
7
TO PUT TOGETHER POKE BOWLS: Heat 2 tsp of rice bran oil in a pan, add forbidden rice, and heat completely through.
8
Plate rice in center of serving bowl, plating clockwise starting at noon.
9
Put the watermelon radish, avocado, pickled ginger, edamame, sriracha mayo, and cucumber into serving bowl.
10
Top with watermelon poke.
11
Garnish with pickled carrots and cilantro sprigs, and finish with the sesame seeds.
