A refined and delicate poke bowl with seared tiger prawns, creamy avocado, crunchy vegetables, and a citrus ponzu sauce that enhances the natural sweetness of the shellfish. An elegant version perfect for special dinners.
This poke represents a more ‘haute cuisine’ interpretation of the Hawaiian dish: the prawns replace the raw fish, bringing a different, more delicate sweetness and texture. The quick cooking keeps the prawns juicy and tender. The ponzu sauce, with its citrus acidity, perfectly balances the richness of the prawns and avocado.
The key to this dish is the quality of the prawns: they must be very fresh, medium-large size, and cooked just enough to keep them tender. Overcooking is the number one enemy of prawns! One more minute and they become rubbery.
Ingredients
- 300 g Tiger prawns (peeled, fresh or thawed)
- 200 g White basmati rice
- 3 tablespoons Ponzu sauce (or lemon juice + soy sauce)
- 1 spoon Sake or white wine
- 2 whole Ripe avocados
- 100 g Edamame
- 1 whole Japanese cucumber
- 50 g Radishes (thinly sliced)
- 1 whole Lime
- 1 whole Orange (juice and zest)
- 2 tablespoons Black sesame seeds
- to taste Tobiko (flying fish roe) (optional, for decoration)
- to taste Spring onion (finely chopped)
- to taste Pea shoots (or other microgreens)
- to taste Shiso or Thai basil (for garnish)
Preparation
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1
Rice cooking: Rinse the basmati rice thoroughly under cold water until the water runs clear. Cook it in lightly salted water (ratio 1:1.5) for 12 minutes, then let it rest covered for 5 minutes. Fluff it gently with a fork and season with a drizzle of rice vinegar and a pinch of salt. Basmati rice will give the dish a special lightness. Let it cool to room temperature.
Durata indicativa: 15 min
Tip: The rice for this recipe must be soft and fragrant, never sticky
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2
Preparation of the shrimp: If the shrimp are frozen, thaw them slowly in the refrigerator for 12 hours. Remove the black vein by making an incision along the back with a small knife. Rinse them well under cold water and dry them thoroughly with paper towels (this is essential for good searing). Marinate them for 10 minutes in a mix of sake (or white wine), lime juice, a pinch of salt, and white pepper.
Durata indicativa: 15 min
Tip: Well-dried prawns = perfect searing. Moisture is the enemy of cooking!
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3
Cooking shrimp: Heat a very hot pan with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. When the oil starts to smoke slightly, place the shrimp one by one. Cook them for 1-1.5 minutes per side - they should turn pink-orange and slightly golden, but remain translucent in the center. DO NOT cook them longer or they will become rubbery. In the last 30 seconds, deglaze with the marinade. Remove from heat immediately.
Durata indicativa: 4 min
Tip: Prawns are cooked when they form a 'C'. If they form an 'O', they are overcooked!
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4
Preparation of enriched ponzu sauce: If you use ready-made ponzu, enrich it with fresh lime and orange juice, a bit of grated orange zest, and a drizzle of sesame oil. If you make it from scratch: mix 2 parts soy sauce with 1 part citrus juice (lime + orange), rice vinegar, a pinch of sugar, and sesame oil. The sauce must be a perfect balance of savory, acidic, and sweet.
Durata indicativa: 5 min
Tip: Homemade ponzu is infinitely better than store-bought!
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5
Vegetable preparation: Cook the edamame in boiling water for 3 minutes, drain and cool under running water. Slice the avocados into a fan shape (thin slices still attached) and spritz with lime. Cut the cucumber into ribbons with a peeler or into thin half-moons. Slice the radishes into very thin rounds (use a mandoline if you have one). All the vegetables must be cut elegantly and precisely, this is a presentation dish!
Durata indicativa: 12 min
Tip: For a gourmet touch, use a Japanese mandoline for perfectly uniform slices
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6
Gourmet plating: Distribute the rice in two elegant bowls, preferably low and wide. Artistically arrange all the ingredients creating a visually perfect composition: seared shrimp placed elegantly, avocado fans, edamame, cucumber, radishes. Drizzle with ponzu sauce. Garnish with black sesame seeds, tobiko (if you use it), spring onion, sprouts, and shiso leaves. Add a bit of orange zest for color. Serve delicately!
Durata indicativa: 5 min
Tip: Think of this dish as a painting: every element has its aesthetic position
Notes and Tips
The rice for this recipe must be soft and fragrant, never sticky
Well-dried shrimp = perfect searing. Moisture is the enemy of cooking!
Shrimp are cooked when they form a 'C'. If they form an 'O', they are overcooked!
Homemade ponzu is infinitely better than store-bought!
For a gourmet touch, use a Japanese mandoline for perfectly uniform slices
Think of this dish as a painting: every element has its aesthetic position
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