Indy Power's protein-packed Ahi Poke Bowl

Ahi Poke Bowl

This is one of my favourite dinners. The tuna is my mum's recipe and I've just added it to a bowl with loads of gorgeous extras. It's so refreshing and light and packed with protein. Buy the highest quality, freshest tuna you can afford - it's so worth it. You can use salmon instead if you prefer, but tuna is the classic.

Serves 2. Gluten-free & dairy-free

Ingredients

85g of quinoa

250ml of stock

300g of sushi grade tuna

3-4 spring onions

3 tbsp of tamari (or soy sauce)

1 tsp of sesame oil ( I use toasted sesame oil)

1 tsp of fresh ginger, grated

2 tbsp of sesame seeds

1 avocado

Optional extras:

Cucumber, pickled ginger, radishes, nori etc

Method

Add the stock and quinoa to a pot on medium heat. Pop the lid on and cook for about 10 minutes until most of the visible liquid has been absorbed and air pockets are forming. Remove it from the heat, fluff it with a fork and pop the lid back on. Set aside.

Slice the tuna into small half inch cubes. Thinly slice the spring onions and add them to a medium sized bowl with the tuna. Add in the tamari, sesame oil and grated ginger and toss well. Cover and refrigerate.

Toast the sesame seeds in a pan on medium heat until lightly golden. When they've cooled, add them to the bowl with the tuna and toss well.

Add some of the warm quinoa to each bowl with half a sliced avocado, the tuna and any additional extras.

Step 1: Slice tuna

Step 2: Marinade

Step 3: Add sesame seeds

Tamari

Tamari is a gorgeous Japanese ingredient that I always have in my pantry, I use it all the time. It’s basically just a gluten-free version of soy sauce. It’s a little thicker and a little less salty but you can use it just as you would soy sauce. I use it in dressings, sauces and as a seasoning or dip on its own. You can pick it up in most big supermarkets and at any Asian market.

Something fishy

Prepping and eating raw fish can be daunting if you haven’t done it before. The first tip for buying sushi grade fish is to always go to a proper fishmonger rather than the supermarket aisle. They have the freshest fish and can help advise you on which to choose. Once you’ve picked the type of fish, start with the smell test — really fresh fish should have almost no smell at all. That fishy smell we’re used to is actually the smell of fish rotting — when you smell your fish you should only be able to smell a faint beachy smell, if anything. Then look at the texture, the flesh should be shiny and glistening with a vibrant colour rather than dull or faded. I get my fish as Cavistons in Glasthule.

Indy loves…

Sesame seeds. I toast them and sprinkle them on everything, I even love sprinkling them into my smoothies at the moment. So it’s no surprise that I love sesame oil too. Sesame seeds are a great source of healthy fats, which help to boost good cholesterol and lower bad cholesterol. They’re full of zinc, which is great for bone strength and essential for collagen production, making them excellent for your skin. Sesame oil has so much flavour, tastes great in marinades or dressings and is delicious on its own too. I love toasted sesame oil, which has even more flavour.

thelittlegreenspoon.com