Spicy Ahi Poke Bowls With Kewpie Mayo

Quick Recipe Version (TL;DR)

• Yield: 4 bowls
• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Cook Time: 20 minutes
• Total Time: 40 minutes

Quick Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups uncooked short-grain white rice + 1 3/4 cups water
• 2 tbsp rice vinegar + 2 tsp sugar + 1/2 tsp fine salt (for rice seasoning, optional)
• 1 lb sashimi-grade ahi tuna, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 1/3 cup Kewpie mayonnaise
• 2 tbsp sriracha (plus more to taste)
• 2 tbsp soy sauce (shoyu), low-sodium preferred
• 2 tsp toasted sesame oil
• 2 tsp rice vinegar (for the poke sauce)
• 2 tbsp masago (capelin roe)
• 2 green onions, thinly sliced
• 1 large avocado, sliced
• 1 cup thinly sliced cucumber
• 2–3 tbsp furikake seasoning
• Optional: toasted sesame seeds, extra green onion, pickled ginger, sliced nori

Do This

• 1. Rinse rice until water runs mostly clear. Cook with 1 3/4 cups water (rice cooker or stovetop) for about 20 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes, then fluff and season with vinegar, sugar, and salt if using.
• 2. In a medium bowl, whisk Kewpie mayo, sriracha, soy sauce, sesame oil, and 2 tsp rice vinegar until smooth and creamy.
• 3. Gently fold diced ahi tuna, green onion, and masago into the sauce until every cube is coated. Taste and adjust sriracha or soy sauce. Chill 5–10 minutes.
• 4. While tuna chills, slice avocado and cucumber. Set out any extra toppings: furikake, sesame seeds, pickled ginger, nori.
• 5. Divide warm rice among 4 bowls. Mound spicy ahi poke on top of each bowl.
• 6. Arrange avocado and cucumber around the tuna. Sprinkle generously with furikake and any extra toppings.
• 7. Serve immediately while the rice is warm and the tuna is cold and silky.

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Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Classic Hawaii-style spicy ahi poke flavor with a rich, creamy Kewpie mayo and sriracha sauce.
• Perfect contrast of temperatures and textures: cool, silky tuna over warm, fluffy rice with crisp veggies.
• Fast and weeknight-friendly: about 40 minutes start to finish, most of it hands-off rice cooking.
• Easy to customize with extra toppings or spice level to match your favorite poke shop bowl.

Grocery List

• Produce: Green onions, cucumber, ripe avocado, optional: pickled ginger, nori sheets, fresh herbs for garnish.
• Dairy: None required (Kewpie mayonnaise is egg-based but dairy-free).
• Pantry: Short-grain white rice, Kewpie mayonnaise, sriracha, soy sauce (shoyu), toasted sesame oil, rice vinegar, furikake seasoning, fine salt, sugar, toasted sesame seeds (optional), plus 1 lb sashimi-grade ahi tuna and masago from the seafood counter.

Full Ingredients

For the Rice Base

• 1 1/2 cups uncooked short-grain white rice (sushi rice or Calrose)
• 1 3/4 cups water (for cooking the rice; adjust if your rice package specifies differently)
• 2 tbsp rice vinegar (optional but recommended)
• 2 tsp granulated sugar
• 1/2 tsp fine sea salt or kosher salt

For the Spicy Ahi Poke

• 1 lb sashimi-grade ahi tuna, very cold, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 1/3 cup Kewpie mayonnaise
• 2 tbsp sriracha, plus more to taste
• 2 tbsp soy sauce (shoyu), low-sodium if preferred
• 2 tsp toasted sesame oil
• 2 tsp rice vinegar
• 2 tsp granulated sugar (or to taste, to balance the heat)
• 2 green onions, thinly sliced (about 1/4 cup)
• 2 tbsp masago (capelin roe), gently patted dry if very wet
• Optional: 2 tbsp finely diced sweet onion for extra crunch
• Optional: pinch of salt, only if needed after tasting (soy sauce adds saltiness)

For Building the Bowls

• 1 large ripe but firm avocado, sliced or cubed
• 1 cup thinly sliced cucumber (Persian or English cucumbers work best)
• 2–3 tbsp furikake seasoning (nori and sesame rice seasoning)
• 1–2 tbsp toasted sesame seeds (optional, for extra nuttiness)
• Extra sliced green onion, for garnish
• Optional: pickled ginger, sliced nori, thinly sliced radish, or edamame for additional toppings

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Rinse and Cook the Rice

Place the 1 1/2 cups short-grain rice in a fine-mesh strainer or bowl. Rinse under cold running water, gently swishing the grains with your fingers, until the water runs mostly clear. This removes excess starch and helps the rice cook up fluffy rather than gummy.

Drain well, then add the rice and 1 3/4 cups water to a rice cooker or medium saucepan. If using a rice cooker, cook according to the manufacturer’s white rice setting. If using the stovetop, bring to a gentle boil over medium-high heat, then reduce heat to low, cover tightly, and simmer for 15 minutes. Turn off the heat and let the rice stand, covered, for 10 minutes to finish steaming.

Step 2: Season the Warm Rice

While the rice cooks, in a small bowl, stir together 2 tbsp rice vinegar, 2 tsp sugar, and 1/2 tsp salt until the sugar dissolves. When the rice has finished steaming, transfer it to a wide bowl or keep it in the rice cooker on the “keep warm” setting.

Drizzle the vinegar mixture over the warm rice. Using a rice paddle or spatula, gently fold and fan the rice: lift and turn the grains with a cutting motion rather than stirring vigorously, so you do not mash them. This lightly seasons the rice, giving it that classic sushi-style flavor while keeping the grains separate and fluffy. Cover loosely to keep warm until you are ready to build the bowls.

Step 3: Make the Spicy Ahi Sauce

In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together 1/3 cup Kewpie mayonnaise, 2 tbsp sriracha, 2 tbsp soy sauce, 2 tsp toasted sesame oil, 2 tsp rice vinegar, and 2 tsp sugar. Whisk until the sauce is smooth, creamy, and slightly thickened. Taste a small dab: add more sriracha if you want more heat, a pinch more sugar if you want it slightly sweeter, or a few drops more soy sauce for extra saltiness.

The goal is a balanced sauce that is rich and creamy from the Kewpie, spicy from the sriracha, and rounded out with umami from the soy and sesame.

Step 4: Fold the Ahi, Green Onion, and Masago into the Sauce

Make sure your ahi tuna is very cold. Pat it dry gently with paper towels, then cut into 1/2-inch cubes if you have not already. Add the cubed tuna to the bowl of spicy sauce along with the sliced green onions, masago, and the optional finely diced sweet onion if using.

Using a flexible spatula, gently fold the tuna into the sauce until every piece is evenly coated. Be careful not to mash or tear the fish; you want clean, distinct cubes. Taste a piece and adjust with a bit more sriracha or soy if needed. Cover and chill the spicy ahi in the refrigerator for 5–10 minutes while you prepare the toppings. This brief rest allows the flavors to meld without “curing” the fish.

Step 5: Prepare the Toppings

While the spicy ahi chills, thinly slice the cucumber into rounds or half-moons. Cut the avocado in half, remove the pit, and carefully peel. Slice or cube the avocado, keeping the pieces fairly large so they hold their shape in the bowl.

Set out your toppings: furikake, extra green onions, toasted sesame seeds, pickled ginger, nori strips, or any other add-ins you like. Having everything prepped and within reach makes assembling the bowls quick and easy.

Step 6: Assemble the Poke Bowls

Divide the warm, seasoned rice among 4 bowls, using about 3/4 to 1 cup of rice per bowl depending on appetite. Gently mound a generous portion of spicy ahi on top of each bed of rice, slightly off-center so you have room for toppings.

Arrange the sliced avocado and cucumber around the tuna in each bowl, tucking them into the rice so the bowl feels full and colorful. Sprinkle 1/2 to 3/4 tbsp furikake over each bowl, along with any extra toasted sesame seeds and green onions. Add pickled ginger or a few strips of nori if you like. Serve immediately so you get the contrast of warm rice and cool, silky tuna.

Step 7: Adjust and Enjoy

Right before serving, you can drizzle a little extra sriracha or Kewpie mayo over the top if you like a saucier bowl. For extra umami, a light splash of soy sauce over the rice is also delicious. Encourage everyone to gently mix their bowl so they get a bit of everything in each bite: seasoned rice, spicy ahi, creamy avocado, crisp cucumber, and the crunchy, savory bits of furikake and masago.

Because this dish features raw fish, enjoy it promptly after assembling, and keep any leftover tuna chilled at all times.

Pro Tips

• Choose the right fish: Ask your fishmonger specifically for “sashimi-grade” or “sushi-grade” ahi tuna. It should smell clean (not fishy), look vibrant, and feel firm to the touch.
• Keep everything cold except the rice: For safety and texture, keep the tuna in the refrigerator until just before mixing, and chill the spicy ahi briefly before assembling. The contrast between cold tuna and warm rice is part of the magic.
• Cut clean cubes: Use a very sharp knife and cut the tuna in one smooth motion rather than sawing back and forth. Clean, even cubes look better and hold their shape in the bowl.
• Taste the sauce before adding the fish: It is easier to adjust the spice, salt, and sweetness in the sauce itself than once the tuna is added.
• Do not overmix: Gently fold the tuna into the sauce just until coated. Overmixing can break down the fish and make it look mushy.

Variations

• Spicy Salmon Poke: Swap the ahi for sashimi-grade salmon, keeping the same sauce and bowl components. The rich salmon pairs beautifully with the creamy Kewpie and sriracha.
• Lighter, no-mayo version: Replace the Kewpie mayonnaise with additional soy sauce, a bit more sesame oil, and a squeeze of lime. You will get a lighter, shoyu-based spicy poke.
• Salad-style Bowl: Substitute half or all of the rice with mixed greens or shredded cabbage for a poke salad. Drizzle extra sauce or a light sesame dressing over the greens.

Storage & Make-Ahead

This dish is best enjoyed fresh, shortly after making it, because it features raw fish. You can cook and season the rice up to 2 hours ahead; keep it covered at room temperature or on a warm setting so it does not dry out or harden.

The spicy ahi itself should be prepared close to serving time. For the best texture and food safety, keep the diced tuna and sauce refrigerated separately and combine them within 1–2 hours of serving. Once mixed, eat within 24 hours and keep it well chilled; the quality and texture decline after that. Do not freeze the prepared poke or assembled bowls. Toppings such as sliced cucumber, green onions, and furikake store well separately in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.

Nutrition (per serving)

Approximate values per bowl (1 of 4), including rice, spicy ahi, avocado, cucumber, and toppings:

Calories: ~650; Protein: ~32 g; Carbohydrates: ~72 g; Fat: ~24 g; Saturated Fat: ~4 g; Fiber: ~7 g; Sodium: ~1050 mg. Actual values will vary based on the exact brands of ingredients used and how much sauce and toppings you add.