Description
These Marinated Tuna Bowls with Cauliflower Rice are a delicious hodgepodge of Hawaiian poke and Japanese sushi! Marinated tuna is served raw atop rice and served with pickled carrots, cucumber, and buttery avocado. The kicker is a spicy mayo for drizzling on top! A wonderful mash-up of flavors and cuisines!
Ingredients
Scale
For the Pickled Carrots:
- 1 cup shredded carrots
- ½ cup red wine vinegar
- ½ cup water
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
For the Tuna:
- 12 oz sushi-grade tuna, cubed
- ⅓ cup soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon sambal oelek chile paste
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated
- 1 tablespoon unseasoned rice vinegar
- 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
- 2 scallions, chopped
- Salt, to taste
For the Spicy Mayo:
- ⅓ cup mayo
- 2 teaspoons sambal oelek chile paste
- ½ teaspoon toasted sesame oil
- 2–3 drops fish sauce
- 1 teaspoon sugar or honey (optional)
- Juice of 1 lime
- Water, as needed
To Serve:
- 3 cups cauliflower rice, cooked and cooled
- 1 medium hass avocado, sliced
- ½ cup finely chopped cucumber
- 2 scallions, chopped
- The pickled carrots
- The spicy mayo, for drizzling
Instructions
For the Pickled Carrots:
- Place the carrots in a heatproof jar or bowl. In a small saucepan, combine the other ingredients and place over medium heat. Bring to a simmer until the sugar and salt completely dissolve.
- Pour the hot liquid over the carrots, stir, and set aside for 20 minutes (longer is better).
- HINT: this is a good time to make the cauliflower rice so it has enough time to cool off. I will often prep it ahead and keep it in the fridge so it is chilled for quick meals like this.
For the Tuna:
- In a medium bowl, combine the soy sauce, sambal oelek, ginger, rice vinegar, sesame oil, sugar, and sesame seeds and whisk until well incorporated. Add the cubed tuna and scallions to the bowl and stir gently to coat the fish. Season with a little bit of salt. Refrigerate for 15-30 minutes (and up to a couple hours ahead of time – the fish should be enjoyed the same day it is marinated).
- Taste after the marination time and adjust the seasoning as needed. Sometimes I add a little more salt or more acidity or heat.
For the Spicy Mayo:
Combine all the ingredients and mix until well incorporated. Slowly add water, as needed, until the mayo reaches a drizzling consistency.
To Serve:
- Place about 1 cup of rice at the bottom of each bowl, top with veggies, and then spoon the tuna and any residual marinade over the rice and veggies.
- Top with slices of avocado, a drizzle of the mayo, and serve immediately.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: seafood