Pre-pandemic I met up with a friend for lunch (oh, those were the days) and was introduced to the Hawaiian speciality, the Poke Bowl. Pronounced POH-keh, I am reliably informed. This was a beautiful bowl of delights in so many ways – colour, texture, heat (both temperature and spice) and health. Every mouthful was different so it really was the gift that went on giving, right down to the surprise at the bottom of the bowl: a dollop of Kimchi. This was my first taste of the Korean fermented cabbage and boy was it a mouthful of emotion! Textural, fiery and huge in the mouth it was a dream combination with the creamy avocado that was nestled just above it, and the clean green of the cooked broccoli to the side. I’ve since consumed several jars and plan to (one day) attempt making my own. One of the great things about it is that it adds zing to every dish, whether it’s a simple jacket potato with cheese or a more complicated dish – it really is the perfect accompaniment. One word of warning though – as you crunch through a mouthful it’s difficult to hear what your friends are saying… Actually two words of warning – I’d be very careful before you attempt the hot variety! 

 

Having done a little internet research I’ve found that Poke Bowls are often built up on a bed of rice, and usually feature raw fish – a rice/sushi style dish. The one I savoured with my friend was veggie based, although I did add some smoked salmon. The basic ingredients were as follows: 

kimchi
sliced avocado
cooked (hot) broccoli
steamed spinach
raw mange tout
chunks of cucumber, tomatoes, spring onions, sweetcorn 

I reckon you could add anything to the bowl that takes your fancy (purists look away now!) but the main thing is that it’s healthy, colourful and extremely tasty. You can even add some hot sauce or dressing of your choice – sriracha sauce is often included in the recipes I’ve seen and of course some soy sauce or sesame oil on the broccoli would be lovely. Best served with some buttered toast on the side. 

During lockdown, my Mum has been sending me cuttings from magazines and newspapers to keep me cheerful. Which has been lovely! Particularly as the cuttings have included some super recipes, so I thought I’d share a couple with you here. 

This looks lush: Watermelon, Feta and Olive Salad courtesy of John Gregory-Smith. What’s not to love?! It’s a juicy, tangy, crunchy delight!

 

To create: 

Chuck some watermelon cubes, a handful of black olives and some roughly chopped fresh mint into a bowl then add some pomegranate molasses (I reckon this would also work with the seeds), two tablespoons of olive oil, the juice of half a lemon and a sprinkle of salt. Mix it all together, crumble feta cheese on the top and scatter some walnut pieces over the whole thing. A whole holiday in a bowl.  

A spicy take on a comfort food classic: Chilli Cheese Toast. This is taken from India: The World Vegetarian by Roopa Gulati

 

To create: 

Grate some strong cheddar cheese and mix it up with a little chopped red onion, green chillies and chopped coriander. Season it with cumin, black pepper and chilli powder. Use the grill to toast some bread – one side only – then spread butter on the untoasted side. Spread the cheese mixture on the butter side of the bread and pop it back under the grill. (Don’t go away!) 

Now you’ll need to heat some oil in a small pan and add half a teaspoon of mustard seeds. Fry them for 30 seconds then add some cherry tomatoes (halved) and pinch of castor sugar. Cook for another 30 seconds then add some lime juice. The cheese toast should be bubbling by now so you can remove it from the grill, pop it on a plate and spoon over the tomato mixture. You’ve got a plateful of umami yumminess right there.