Poke Bowl with Prawns
Poke bowl with prawns swaps the raw fish of a traditional poke for cooked prawns, which makes it easy to put together at home. Seasoned sushi rice goes in the bottom, then prawns in a soy and sesame dressing, creamy avocado, cucumber and edamame beans. The rice is on the hob for 15 minutes while you chop the toppings, and the whole bowl is ready in about 50 minutes.
- Total
- 50 min
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 15 min
- Serves
- 2
- Per serving
- 730kcal
Seasoning poke bowl with prawns
Poke comes from Hawaii, where it is traditionally made with cubes of raw fish. Cooked prawns are the easy option at home, because you can buy them ready to eat from any supermarket and there is no need to source sushi-grade fish. The seasoning is deliberately light: a splash of rice vinegar in the rice, then soy sauce and sesame oil on the prawns. Everything else is fresh and crunchy.
Poke bowl with prawns, step by step
Tap a time to start a timer.
- Cook the rice Rinse the sushi rice in a sieve under the cold tap for about a minute, until the water runs almost clear. Tip it into the saucepan with the 300ml water and bring to the boil. Cover, turn the heat right down and simmer for . Take the pan off the heat and leave the lid on for to finish steaming.
- Season and cool the rice Tip the rice into a wide bowl, sprinkle over the rice vinegar and fold it in gently with a spoon. Spread the rice out and leave it for about , until it is just warm. It should be sticky, not hard.
- Dress the prawns If the prawns are frozen, defrost them fully in the fridge first. Pat them dry with kitchen paper, then toss them in a bowl with the soy sauce and sesame oil. Leave them for while the rice cools.
- Prepare the toppings Cook the frozen edamame beans in boiling water for , drain and rinse under cold water. Cut the cucumber into small cubes. Halve the avocado, remove the stone, slice the flesh and squeeze the lime juice over it.
- Build the bowls Divide the rice between two bowls. Arrange the prawns, avocado, cucumber and edamame on top in separate sections, pour over any dressing left in the prawn bowl and scatter with the sesame seeds. Eat straight away.
Toppings and swaps
The toppings are flexible. Peas or sweetcorn can replace the edamame beans, and radishes, grated carrot or spring onions all work in place of the cucumber. A little chilli mayonnaise is good drizzled over the top if you like some heat.
For another way with rice and prawns, try sushi with prawns. If you would rather wrap everything up, prawn wrap with avocado uses the same pairing, and boiled prawns shows you how to cook raw prawns from scratch.
Common problems and fixes for Poke Bowl with Prawns
- The rice turns hard and clumpy once it has cooled.
- Keep the lid on for the full 5 minutes of steaming, fold in the vinegar while the rice is still warm, and never chill it before building the bowls. Warm or room-temperature rice stays soft and sticky.
- The avocado turns brown before you eat.
- Slice it last, once everything else is ready, and coat the slices in the lime juice straight away.
- The bowl tastes too salty.
- Cooked prawns are already salted, so 1 tbsp of soy sauce is enough. Pat the prawns dry before dressing them, and choose a reduced-salt soy sauce if you want to lower the salt further.
Frequently asked questions about Poke Bowl with Prawns
Can I use frozen prawns?
Yes, as long as they are fully defrosted. Thaw them in the fridge overnight, then pat them dry with kitchen paper so the dressing coats them rather than running off.
Can I use raw prawns?
Yes, but cook them first. Fry raw king prawns in a little oil for 2–3 minutes on each side, until pink and opaque all the way through, then let them cool a little before dressing them.
How long does it keep?
It is best eaten the day it is made. If you have leftovers, cover the bowl and chill it within an hour of cooking the rice, and eat it within 24 hours. The rice firms up in the fridge, so let it come up to room temperature for 20 minutes or so before you eat.
What can I use instead of sushi rice?
Short-grain pudding rice is the closest swap, or use cooked basmati or brown rice. All three are less sticky than sushi rice, but they still work with the prawns and vegetables.
How did you like the recipe?
4.8 / 5 · 30 ratings
