# Poke Night with Shaved Bluefin Tuna, Ponzu, and Kimchi-Avocado Bowls > Start with paper-thin bluefin tuna, bright ponzu, lemon zest, and just enough olive and toasted sesame oil to round out the citrus. Then build bowls of glossy tuna, creamy avocado, crisp radish pickles, miso-tamari cucumber, and punchy bok choy kimchi over white rice—a cool, mostly no-cook dinner for a summer evening. - URL: https://www.chezjk.com/recipes/poke-night-shaved-bluefin-ponzu-build-your-own-tuna-poke-bowls - Author: Jonathan Katzman - Cooked and photographed: 2026-07-22 - Recipe updated: 2026-10-23 - Serves: 4 servings - Tags: gluten-free, dairy-free, nut-free, pescatarian ![Poke Night with Shaved Bluefin Tuna, Ponzu, and Kimchi-Avocado Bowls](https://www.chezjk.com/api/images?path=9e5d6860-dd86-455e-b57b-e352c363fc57%2F8053df6796eff1f7.jpg) ## Shaved Bluefin Tuna with Ponzu, Chives, and Lemon Very thin slices let a small amount of ponzu season the tuna evenly. Olive oil softens the citrus while a restrained drizzle of toasted sesame oil adds aroma without hiding the fish. ### Ingredients - 8 oz bluefin tuna loin sourced and handled for raw consumption, well chilled - 1 tablespoon gluten-free tamari - 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice - 2 teaspoons unseasoned rice vinegar - 2 teaspoons water - 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil - 1/2 teaspoon toasted sesame oil - 2 tablespoons finely snipped chives - 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest - 2 teaspoons toasted sesame seeds - edible chive blossom petals, optional ### Instructions 1. Chill a serving platter. Stir the tamari, lemon juice, rice vinegar, and water together for a quick ponzu. 2. With a very sharp knife, shave the cold tuna across the grain into slices about 1–2 mm thick. Arrange in a loose, slightly overlapping layer on the chilled platter. 3. Immediately before serving, spoon the ponzu over and around the tuna. Drizzle with the olive oil and toasted sesame oil. 4. Scatter with chives, lemon zest, sesame seeds, and optional chive blossom petals. Serve immediately while the tuna is cold and silky. ### Notes - Buy fish from a supplier who can confirm its suitability and handling for raw service; a 'sushi-grade' label alone is not a safety guarantee. Keep at 40°F or below until preparation. Raw seafood is not recommended for pregnant, immunocompromised, or other high-risk diners. - If the tuna is difficult to shave, firm it in the freezer for 10–15 minutes; this brief chilling is for slicing, not parasite control. ## Scallion-Sesame Tuna Poke Large, tender pieces of tuna need only a thin savory coating. Dressing at the last moment preserves their texture and lets the pickles and kimchi supply most of the bowl's acidity. ### Ingredients - 1 1/2 lb tuna loin sourced and handled for raw consumption, well chilled - 2 tablespoons gluten-free tamari - 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil - 1 teaspoon unseasoned rice vinegar - 4 scallions, thinly sliced - 2 teaspoons toasted white and black sesame seeds ### Instructions 1. Pat the tuna dry and cut across the grain into generous 3/4-inch pieces, trimming away any tough connective tissue. Refrigerate in a covered bowl. 2. Stir together the tamari, toasted sesame oil, and rice vinegar. 3. Just before assembling the bowls, gently toss the tuna with the dressing, scallions, and sesame seeds. The fish should look glossy, not sit in a pool of dressing. 4. Serve immediately over rice that has cooled to lukewarm or room temperature. ### Notes - Keep the tuna refrigerated while preparing the other components; do not marinate it during the full pickle or rice cooking time. ## Quick-Pickled Korean Radish Thin batons pickle quickly but retain a clean crunch. Mild sweetness balances the radish's pepperiness and the bowl's salty fermented elements. ### Ingredients - 12 oz Korean radish (mu), peeled - 1/3 cup unseasoned rice vinegar - 1/3 cup water - 2 teaspoons honey - 1 teaspoon fine sea salt ### Instructions 1. Cut the radish into batons about 1/4 inch thick and 2 inches long. 2. Whisk the vinegar, water, honey, and salt until dissolved. Toss with the radish in a shallow nonreactive container. 3. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, tossing once or twice. The radish should taste bright and lightly seasoned while remaining crisp. 4. Drain the portions needed for serving. ### Notes - Make up to 3 days ahead and refrigerate in the brine. ## Miso-Tamari Cucumber Brief salting removes excess water so the miso dressing clings rather than becoming diluted. Thin slices stay cool and crunchy against the soft tuna and avocado. ### Ingredients - 1 lb Persian or Japanese cucumbers - 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt - 1 tablespoon gluten-free white miso - 1 teaspoon gluten-free tamari - 1 tablespoon unseasoned rice vinegar - 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil - 1 teaspoon water, plus more if needed ### Instructions 1. Slice the cucumbers on a slight bias about 1/8 inch thick. Toss with the salt and let stand for 10 minutes. 2. Drain and gently blot dry without crushing the slices. 3. Whisk the miso, tamari, vinegar, sesame oil, and water into a fluid dressing. 4. Toss with the cucumber shortly before serving. Taste before adding any more salt. ### Notes - If the miso is particularly salty, increase the water slightly rather than adding more tamari. ## White Rice A modest layer of tender rice catches the tuna dressing and kimchi juices. Letting it cool slightly keeps the raw fish from warming on contact. ### Ingredients - 1 1/2 cups Japanese short-grain white rice - 1 3/4 cups water, or the amount specified for your rice ### Instructions 1. Rinse the rice in several changes of cool water until the water is mostly clear, then drain well. 2. Combine with the measured water in a saucepan. Bring to a simmer, cover tightly, reduce the heat to low, and cook for about 15 minutes, or according to the rice package. 3. Remove from the heat and let stand, covered, for 10 minutes. Fluff gently. 4. Spread in a shallow dish and let steam escape for 5–10 minutes. Assemble the bowls promptly once the rice is lukewarm, not hot. ### Notes - A rice cooker works well; use its white-rice setting and corresponding water line. ## Avocado, Bok Choy Kimchi, and Sesame-Nori Finish Avocado rounds out the salty, acidic bowl while bok choy kimchi adds fermented heat and juicy crunch. Sesame and nori tie the vegetables back to the tuna. ### Ingredients - 2 ripe avocados - 1 cup Volcano Kimchi bok choy kimchi, or another gluten-free bok choy kimchi - 1 tablespoon toasted white and black sesame seeds - 1/2 sheet plain toasted nori, finely crumbled - 1/4 cup tender chervil sprigs, optional ### Instructions 1. Halve and pit the avocados. Peel and thinly slice each half, keeping the slices together so they can be fanned. 2. Lightly drain the kimchi and cut any large stems into bite-size pieces. 3. Mix the sesame seeds and crumbled nori. 4. Keep the avocado and kimchi separate for plating. Sprinkle the sesame-nori mixture over the finished bowls and add optional chervil. ### Notes - Check the kimchi label for gluten-containing sauces; use a confirmed gluten-free product for this version. ## Overall Timing / Workflow The rice and pickles can progress together while the fish stays cold. Serving the appetizer before dressing the poke preserves both courses' delicate textures. ### Instructions 1. 0:00 - Start the radish pickles, then rinse and cook the rice. Keep both portions of tuna refrigerated. 2. 0:15 - Salt the cucumbers, mix their dressing, and prepare the appetizer ponzu and poke dressing in separate containers. 3. 0:25 - Drain the cucumbers, portion the kimchi, and prepare the sesame-nori finish. Let the cooked rice rest, then spread it out briefly to release steam. 4. 0:35 - Slice and finish the shaved tuna appetizer. Serve immediately, leaving the poke tuna refrigerated. 5. After the appetizer - Cut and dress the poke tuna, toss the cucumbers with their dressing, and slice the avocados. Assemble and serve the bowls immediately. ## Plating A flat platter highlights the shaved tuna, while distinct sections in the bowls let each bite have a different balance of richness, crunch, and acidity. ### Instructions 1. Serve the shaved tuna on a chilled platter with the ponzu forming a shallow pool rather than submerging the fish. 2. Divide the lukewarm rice among four wide bowls. Arrange the poke on one side and the cucumber, drained radish, and kimchi in separate sections. 3. Fan half an avocado into each bowl. Finish with sesame-nori seasoning and optional chervil, keeping the toppings loose rather than pressing them into the rice. ## Leftover Path Separate storage protects the pickles' crunch and avoids soaking the rice. Raw tuna is best treated as a same-day ingredient rather than saved as an assembled bowl. ### Instructions 1. Prepare only as much raw tuna as you expect to eat. If properly chilled tuna remains, refrigerate immediately and cook it within 24 hours to 145°F rather than planning another raw serving; discard fish left out more than 2 hours, or 1 hour above 90°F. 2. Refrigerate rice promptly in a shallow container, within 2 hours of cooking. Use within 3–4 days and reheat until steaming throughout before serving with the cooked tuna. 3. Store radish in its brine for up to 3 days and dressed cucumber separately for up to 2 days. Keep kimchi according to its label. 4. Press a cover directly against leftover avocado and refrigerate; use the next day. Keep all remaining garnishes separate from the fish. --- From ChezJK (https://www.chezjk.com), Jonathan Katzman's public home-cooking archive: every meal he has photographed, written up as a recipe you can cook.