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Salmon Poke Bowl

Name: Salmon Poke Bowl
Prep time: 27 min
Total time: 47 min
Cuisine: Japanese
Ingredients: salmon fillet — 454 g; soybean soy sauce — 59 g; dark sesame oil — 27 g; rice wine vinegar — 11 g; honey — 15 g; ginger — 10 g; scallions — 300 g; salt — 5 g; short-grain white rice — 532 g; english cucumber — 200 g; carrots — 237 g; avocado — 150 g; ground toasted sesame seeds — 15 g; pickled ginger — 59 g

Salmon Poke Bowl reads umami 6.4, richness 5.7 and salinity 5.5 on Palate's 0–10 flavor X-ray — a Japanese main, about 47 min. Measured from the recipe itself: ingredients and technique.

The flavor X-ray — six axes, 0–10

Umami & Savory — 7.6 / 10
Sweet & Fruity — 4.9 / 10
Sour & Bright — 3.8 / 10
Bitter & Earthy — 1.7 / 10
Rich & Fat — 6.9 / 10
Aromatic & Spice — 4.1 / 10

The measured notes (of 18)

Umami 6.4 · Richness 5.7 · Salinity 5.5 · Sweetness 4.7 · Nutty 4.1 · Sourness 3.6 · Floral 3.5 · Marine & Briny 3.3 · Allium 3.1 · Funk & Ferment 2.7 · Herbaceous 2.6 · Warm Spice 1.9 · Earthy 1.5 · Fruity 0.8 · Smoke 0.7 · Bitterness 0.7 · Citrus 0.5

What's in it (14)

salmon fillet — 454 g
soybean soy sauce — 59 g
dark sesame oil — 27 g
rice wine vinegar — 11 g
honey — 15 g
ginger — 10 g
scallions — 300 g
salt — 5 g
short-grain white rice — 532 g
english cucumber — 200 g
carrots — 237 g
avocado — 150 g
ground toasted sesame seeds — 15 g
pickled ginger — 59 g

Time & effort: about 47 min (27 min active) · effort: involved

Nutrition (per 100 g, engine-estimated): 165.8 kcal, 6.9 g protein, 4.9 g fat, 23.2 g carbs

Dietary: Contains meat · Contains seafood — engine-derived; double-check anything allergy-critical.

How it's cooked (8 steps)

In a medium bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, 1 tablespoon of the sesame oil, rice vinegar, honey, grated ginger, half the scallions, and 1/2 teaspoon of the salt.
Add the salmon cubes to the marinade and toss gently to coat without breaking up the pieces. Cover and refrigerate 15-20 minutes, until the edges turn pale and opaque but the centers stay translucent - any longer and the acid starts to cure the fish, turning it firm and chalky instead of silky.
Meanwhile, toss the diced cucumber and shredded carrots with the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt in a small bowl and let stand 10 minutes to draw out excess water, then drain off any liquid and pat the vegetables dry.
In a large bowl, toss the warm rice with the remaining 1 tablespoon sesame oil until glossy, then spread it out and let it cool to just warm, about 5 minutes - warm rice under raw fish is fine, but hot rice will start to cook the salmon on contact.
Divide the sesame rice among four bowls.
Lift the salmon out of the marinade with a slotted spoon, letting excess drip off, and mound it over the rice in each bowl; reserve the leftover marinade.
Arrange the drained cucumber, carrots, and sliced avocado around the salmon in each bowl.
Drizzle each bowl with a spoonful of the reserved marinade, then scatter with sesame seeds, the remaining scallions, and a few slices of pickled ginger. Serve at once, while the salmon is still cold from the fridge.

Dishes with a similar flavor shape

Ahi Tuna Poke Bowl — Japanese
Sesame-Crusted Seared Tuna — Fusion
Sesame Ginger Salmon — Japanese
Sheet-Pan Miso-Glazed Salmon with Bok Choy — Japanese
Miso Butter Salmon with Rice — Japanese

Keep reading: what umami, richness, salinity mean in the flavor lexicon · the world's cuisines, by flavor.

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Every number above is Palate's engine-measured estimate, computed from this recipe's ingredients and techniques — not human-tasted ratings or reviews.