This post has been created in collaboration with Lotus Foods, all opinions are my own.
This vegan version of poke is full of flavor and made with watermelon instead of fish. Served over Lotus Foods’ precooked Organic Brown Jasmine Rice from their exciting new range of Heat & Eat Rice Pouches, creating a scrumptious meal that’s perfect for Spring and Summer!
Last week we made Fresh Veggie & Rice Rolls with Lotus Foods’ Organic White Jasmine Rice in their new Heat & Eat Rice Pouches that were just delicious , so I’m very excited to bring you another recipe, this time with their precooked Organic Brown Jasmine Rice. The 3 different kinds of precooked rice available in the Heat & Eat Rice Pouches are: Organic Brown Jasmine Rice, Organic White Jasmine Rice, and Organic White Jasmine & Forbidden Rice® Blend. This new product is so convenient and makes cooking rice so much easier. Cooking brown rice normally takes at least 45 minutes, so to be able to enjoy it in just 90 seconds is amazing. The rice can be prepared in the microwave or on the stove.
The quality of Lotus Foods’ rice is truly outstanding. Their rice is organic, vegan, gluten free, and non-GMO. The Brown Jasmine Rice was tender and nutty, making it perfect for these bowls. The rice is grown on family farms and is so soft, rich, and buttery! Because all the ingredients in the poke bowl are cold, the warm rice provides a wonderful contrast. I am really proud to work with Lotus Foods because of all their initiatives to help our planet. They work with small family farmers who grow rice more sustainably while preserving rice biodiversity. To learn more about everything they do, be sure to check out their website!
So, let’s talk about poke bowls! Poke is a Hawaiian dish, and the word poke – pronounced poh-KAY, so it rhymes with “okay” – means “slice” or “chunk” in Hawaiian. Typically, it’s made with raw fish, with tuna being the most popular. Today, however, we are going to make a vegan version! Poke bowls have been enjoyed in Hawaii since the 1800s. They became popular in Hawaii in the late 19th century when Japanese workers brought the dish “donburi” to Hawaii. Donburi is another dish made with raw fish and rice. Before the 1970s it was hard to find poke outside of Hawaii, but it began to strike popularity making its way around the continental United States in the 2010s. The poke inspired bowls we are making today pull from the flavors, seasonings, and ingredients used in traditional poke bowls.
For this recipe we used watermelon instead of tuna. I remember first seeing this idea a few years ago and, I have to say, I was skeptical. I love watermelon but the idea of using it like this seemed strange. However, I was so surprised at how well the watermelon worked in here. The best part is these bowls are easy to throw together. You can marinate the watermelon overnight and, with the rice being done in just 90 seconds thanks to Lotus Foods’ Heat & Eat Rice Pouches, this is such an easy meal.
Poke-Inspired Bowls
Ingredients
Watermelon Poke
- 2¾ cups watermelon cubed
- 1 green onion chopped
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- 2 tbsp soy sauce *I prefer low sodium
- ¼ tsp red pepper flakes
- 1 tsp sesame seeds
- 2 tsp rice wine vinegar
Sriracha Mayo
- 2 tbsp vegan mayonnaise
- 1 tbsp sriracha
Other
- 1 Lotus Foods Organic Brown Jasmine Heat & Eat Rice Pouch
- ½ sheet seaweed cut into small pieces
- 1 avocado cut into small pieces
- 2 mini cucumbers made into ribbons or cubed
- ½ cup shelled edamame thawed
- 2 small radishes thinly sliced
- 1 chili pepper Fresno jalapeño, thinly sliced
- 1 tsp sesame seeds for garnish divided
Instructions
- Combine the ingredients for the watermelon poke in a storage container. Mix to coat everything well and marinate for at least 3 hours, overnight is preferable. Every so often shake the container to move the watermelon pieces around.
- When ready to eat, prepare the sriracha mayo by mixing the ingredients together in a small bowl.
- Prepare Lotus Foods Organic Brown Jasmine Rice Heat and Eat Rice Pouch according to package directions.
- To assemble the bowls, divide the prepared rice and watermelon poke between 2 large bowls. Add the remaining ingredients (seaweed, avocado, cucumber, edamame, radishes, and chili pepper), divided evenly between the bowls. Top with sesame seeds, drizzle with sriracha mayo, and enjoy.
SAVE TO PINTEREST
Can’t wait to try this. What are the ingredients for the watermelon marinade?
yay hope you enjoy! thank you for pointing that out, is is fixed now! 🙂