This variation on a Hawaiian classic was inspired by a locally grown Chioggia beet. One day, while examining a batch of pickled Chioggia beets, I had a realization that when steamed, peeled, cubed, and stained by a brine or marinade, these red and white striped root vegetables closely resemble tuna poke. I helped develop a tuna poke bowl for a menu while working another job at a restaurant in my college town and hadn’t stopped craving them since. However, raw tuna from hundreds or thousands of miles away didn’t seem to align with the Feathered Pipe way. But when I picked up that locally grown Chioggia beet, I realized I had discovered a way to bring one of my favorite dishes to the ranch. This beet poke and quinoa bowl made with stunning local Chioggia beets thoughtfully sourced by the Western Montana Growers Coop has become a fan favorite at the Feathered Pipe. It provides a cool, fresh, colorful, and nutritious meal on a hot summer afternoon. Paired with a mountain breeze and views of the lake, it may not be Hawaii, but it’s a slice of paradise nonetheless.
Poke bowls are a fun way to be creative and let your bowl serve as a blank canvas. “Poke” meaning slice in Hawaiian in its most simple form is cubes of marinated raw fresh fish like tuna. It is commonly served over rice and alongside other fresh toppings like sliced veggies, seaweed salad, seeds or nuts, and pickles, but the possibilities and variations are endless. We use quinoa instead of rice to create a more nutritious meal. Quinoa is a fantastic source of nutrients when compared to other grains. It contains all 9 essential amino acids making it a complete source of protein. Additionally it is a source of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and can help aid weight loss and promote lower blood sugar. We also add nori flakes as a garnish to the bowl to bring a fitting taste of the sea to the dish and evoke its Hawaiian inspired conception.
Below are directions for preparing the “poke” beets and assembling the bowl, but we encourage you to be creative and improvise by using toppings you may already have lying around in your fridge or by selecting beautiful in-season ingredient options at your local market. Feel free to use rice, soba, or rice noodles instead of quinoa. Have some leftover cabbage or carrots? Shred them and use as a topping. Maybe you’ve had a jar of kimchi in the fridge that you’re struggling to get through? Use that for great flavor, texture, and probiotics to boot! Peanuts, seaweed salad, cucumber, shelled edamame, spicy mayonnaise, pineapple, mango… you can’t go wrong!
Beet Poke & Quinoa Bowl
Makes 5 – 6 servings
Ingredients:
— 1/4 cup soy sauce or tamari (GF option)
— 1/4 cup toasted sesame oil
— 2 tablespoons sriracha
— 2 tablespoons sweet chili sauce (we like Mae Ploy brand)
— Fresh lemon juice to taste (approx. 1 tablespoon)
*Makes enough for approximately 500 grams of beets (about 3 medium/large beets)
Recipe:
— There are several ways to cook the beets. I prefer to cook them skin on either in a vegetable steamer or in an aluminum foil pouch in the oven. To make a foil pouch simply place a sheet of foil down on a work surface then place the beets and a splash of water on the foil. Place another sheet of foil on top of the beets and then roll all four sides of the foil sheets together to create a steam tight pouch. Place the foil pouch onto a baking sheet and cook in the oven at 425 F for 40-80 minutes depending on the size of the beets, or until the beets are just fork tender (easily pierced with a fork.) Cooking in a steamer should take 30-60 minutes.
— While the beets are cooking, combine all marinade ingredients in a bowl and whisk to combine.
— Allow the beets to cool before using a clean kitchen towel (that you don’t mind staining purple!) to rub the skin off of the beets. Cube the beets and place in the marinade for at least 10 minutes.
— Place a bed of quinoa or preferred base in a bowl and season with a drizzle of the poke marinade. Place your toppings in piles atop the base then sprinkle on some garnish. (We used sesame seeds, nori flake, green onion, and spicy mayo)
— Enjoy!
Notes:
— We recommend red or Chioggia beets.
— To make spicy mayo, mix 1 cup mayo with 2 tablespoons of Sriracha hot sauce. Add more or less Sriracha to adjust for desired spice level.
— You can cut some wedges of citrus fruits and include them in the foil pouch for an aromatic citrus roasted beet.
— You can use the same marinade and substitute the beets for raw tuna or salmon if you have a reliably safe source.
— You can control the spice level of the poke by tweaking the ratio of sriracha to sweet chili sauce. More sriracha = more spice. You can also add thinly sliced jalapeno rounds for more spice, flavor, and color.