from The Depanneur
Hawaii may technically be a US state, but its long, complex history and culture is very distinct from the rest of America, reflecting its deep Polynesian roots and strong Japanese and Filipino influences. Fish-based poke bowls became a hot food trend in the low-fat, gluten-free 2010s, and with it came an opportunity for Erwin to introduce more people to Hawaiian culture and cuisine. This plant-based poke represents another evolution of the dish, a mirror reflecting the ever-changing landscape of food and culture. Check out Erwin Joaquin of Big E Hawaiian Grinds at https://www.bigegrinds.com/
Ingredients
Beet Poke:
4 to 5 large beets, peeled and cut into ½-inch (1.3 cm) cubes (about 3 cups/400 g)
1 tbsp olive oil
1 cup/250 mL soy sauce (preferably Japanese shoyu)
1 tbsp sesame oil
½ large, sweet onion, thinly sliced
Dressing:
1 avocado, halved and pitted
1 clove garlic, grated
2 tbsp finely chopped green onions
2 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
¼ cup/60 mL water
Juice of 1 lemon
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce (or Bragg Coconut Aminos for a vegan dish)
¼ tsp salt
½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
Assembly:
1 cup/110 g shredded carrots (about 2 carrots)
1 cup/95 g shredded red cabbage
1 cup/130 g diced cucumber
Shredded toasted nori, for garnish
Directions
Prepare the beet poke: Preheat the oven to 350F/180C. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a bowl, toss the cubed beets with the olive oil and arrange on the lined baking sheet. Bake until fork tender, 25 to 35 minutes. Start testing beets after 25 minutes, they should be fork-tender. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool.
When the beets have cooled down, place them back in the bowl, and add the soy sauce, sesame oil and sweet onion. Set aside to marinate for at least 1 hour.
Make the dressing: Scoop the avocado into a food processor or blender. Add the garlic, green onions, cilantro, water, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce (or coconut aminos), salt and pepper, and puree until smooth. Add more water to thin if needed.
To assemble: Divide the beets onto serving dishes. Top each with the shredded carrots, cabbage and cucumber. Add a dollop of the dressing on top and garnish with shredded toasted nori.
Tip: Serve as a starter or salad, or on top of a mound of sushi rice as a meal.
Makes 4-6 servings
Prep: 25 min, plus 1 hr marinating time
Cook: 25 min
Nada’s Tips & Tricks: As late summer, early fall vegetables become abundant, this is the perfect dish to elevate your veggie intake. I love bowls like this because you can change up the vegs to make different presentations. For the carnivores around the table, add a grilled chicken breast or kebab.
Excerpted from The Depanneur Cookbook by Len Senater. Copyright © 2024 by Len Senater. Reprinted with permission from Simon & Schuster Canada, Inc. All Rights Reserved. https://www.simonandschuster.ca/books/The-Depanneur-Cookbook/Len-Senater/9781668002650
