Marinating and baking chunks of watermelon (yes, really!) creates a tender, tuna-like texture fit for poke—traditionally a bowl of diced raw fish with lots of toppers.
Ingredients
- less-sodium soy sauce: 0.33333 cup
- rice vinegar: 0.25 cup
- vegetable oil: 0.25 cup
- lime zest: 1 tsp
- lime juice (from 2 limes): 3 Tbsp
- fresh ginger: 1 Tbsp (grated)
- honey: 1 Tbsp
- lb watermelon, rind removed and: 2 piece (cut into 1-inch pieces)
- Japanese-style mayonnaise (such as Kewpie®): 0.5 cup
- hot cooked short-grain white rice: 4 cups
- avocados: 2 piece (sliced)
- English cucumber: 1 piece (sliced)
- radishes: 1 cup (sliced)
- hot cooked shelled edamame: 1 cup
- carrot: 1 piece (shredded)
- black and/or white sesame seeds: 1 Tbsp
- green onions: (for garnish, thinly sliced)
Metric Conversion
Stages of cooking
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For marinade, whisk together soy sauce, vinegar, oil, lime zest, lime juice, ginger, and honey in a large bowl. Add watermelon; toss to coat. Chill, covered, at least 4 hours or up to 12 hours.
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Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line a 10x15-inch baking pan with parchment paper.
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Transfer watermelon from marinade to prepared pan with a slotted spoon, allowing marinade to drip off. Chill remaining marinade, covered, while watermelon bakes. Bake watermelon until browned, about 1 hour. Let cool slightly.
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For dressing, stir 2 tablespoons reserved marinade into mayonnaise in a small bowl. Pour remaining reserved marinade over baked watermelon.
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Divide rice among 4 bowls. Top each serving with watermelon, avocados, cucumber, radishes, edamame, and carrot. Drizzle with dressing and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Garnish with green onions. Vegan-ize Use vegan mayonnaise instead of rich, tangy-sweet Kewpie.
