Monday 25 January 2021

SESAME SEARED TUNA POKE BOWL WITH MISO & KIMCHI SAUCE


After a cheese and heavy carb filled weekend (how can I ever forget that deep dish pizza), I was ready for an attempt at something a little more wholesome and you can't get more nutrient packed yet delicious than my version of the very versatile Poke bowl! 

Of course feel free to adapt the veggie and fruit to suit your taste - I love mushrooms and broccoli and add them whenever possible. I also love the sweet tang from chunks of ripe, diced mangos, contrasting with the spicy sauce, and am a big fan of the fresh crunch from sliced radishes but again chop and change according to what you like and have in the fridge! 

The real wow element indeed in any case is the show-stopping and rather addictive Miso and Kimchi sauce, which you will want to pour on just about anything, while a quickly made sesame oil, miso and rice vinegar sauce lends itself perfectly for quickly stir frying your chosen veg in. 

Make sure to get yourself a nice, good quality piece of tuna and DO NOT overcook it, you want that wonderful just about seared end result that makes the tuna so spectacular. If you want to go super light and low cal use cauliflower "rice" or leaves as base for the bowl or go more classic with some cooked rice or soba noodles! 

It's a fun dish to make, looks amazing and makes you feel even more amazing after eating it! Real sunshine, nutrient packed food we all can do with during these rather lethargic times.

Serves 2 (with plenty of the amazing Kimchi Miso sauce leftover for another day!(

INGREDIENTS

Kimchi Miso Sauce
  • 1 tablespoons freshly grated ginger
  • 1 clove of garlic, roughly chopped
  • 3 spring onions, roughly chopped (white and pale green parts only)
  • 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (add more for a bit more heat)
  • 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
  • 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
  • 2 teaspoons low sodium soy sauce
  • 2 tablespoons white miso
  • 1/4 cup kimchi, roughly chopped
  • 1 teaspoon honey
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons water (more to thin if need be)
Miso Sesame Sauce
  • 2 tbsp sesame oil
  • 2 tbsp soy sauce
  • 2 tbsp water
  • 2 tbsp honey
  • 1 tbsp white miso
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
Bowl Toppings
  • 2 cups mushrooms, sliced
  • 2 heads of bok choi, individual leaves torn from the stem, briefly steamed in the microwave
  • 2 cups of broccoli florets, briefly steamed in the microwave
  • Handful of radishes, thinly sliced
  • 2 cups cooked white rice, cooked
  • Cup of ripe mangos, diced
  • 1 avocado, 1/2 per person, thinly sliced
Tuna
  • 2 fresh fillets of tuna
  • Olive oil
  • Black + white sesame seeds

METHOD
  • Prepare the Miso and Kimchi sauce by combing all the ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth and creamy. 
  • Taste for seasonings, adjust as needed and set aside.
  • Prepare your veggies, rice and toppings, then whisk the ingredients together for your Miso sesame sauce.
  • Coat your pieces of tuna in the sesame seeds and season with a bit of salt. 
  • Set aside.
  • Add stir fry veggies one by one (I like to keep the different types of veg apart because of differing cooking times and as it looks neater) to a frying pan and cook them over med-high heat with a splash of the Miso sesame sauce until cooked but still crunchy. 
  • Add more sauce as needed and set sautéed veg aside until bowl assembly and repeat until all your veg is done!
  • Meanwhile, heat olive/coconut oil over high heat in a small frying pan. 
  • Once oil starts to smoke, add tuna fillet (one at a time) to the pan, cooking for 45 seconds each side (time this on your phone or a kitchen timer). 
  • You basically want to get a good sear on either side and then lightly cook the ends. 
  • Remove from heat and cut into thin slices against the grain with a very sharp knife.
  • Add your rice to each bowl, then your stir fry veggies, fresh veggies and mango chunks. 
  • Top with tuna slices and lashings of the Miso and Kimchi sauce.
  • Garnish with sesame seeds and enjoy!

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