"I loved eating raw fish very much. Not so much for the flavour, but because it was an extremely fresh food - which today I find ironic, since, in addition to the animal being killed, it has usually been frozen and thawed many times until it reaches our table.

From the watermelon you can get a real "fresh", full of life, food that is also delicious and perfect for hot Summer days.

It is quite simple to prepare, but it takes time to get ready, because we need to freeze and thaw the watermelon at a controlled temperature (ie in the refrigerator).

I shared this recipe first hand with my students, they made and approved it, I hope you enjoy it too! "

Ingredients

2 cups of watermelon cut into cubes.

1 teaspoon of grated ginger.

1 clove of garlic without the core, grated.

¼ cup of lemon juice.

1 tablespoon of sesame oil (if not, olive oil!).

½ teaspoon of salt.

3 sheets of nori seaweed.

Instructions
  1. Prepare the marinade: mix all ingredients except watermelon and nori seaweed in a bowl.
  2. Line a container (preferably one with a lid) with a sheet of nori seaweed, add the watermelon and the marinade and wrap well with your hands to mix the seasoning. With delicacy to maintain the integrity of the cubes
  3. Cut a sheet of nori seaweed into strips and distribute it among the watermelon cubes.
  4. Arrange the cubes side by side, without overlapping, and cover with another sheet of nori seaweed.
  5. If you have a container that seals well like Tupperware, cover and take it to the freezer. If not, it will be necessary to wrap with plastic wrap so as not to create a layer of ice on the watermelon.
  6. Freeze for at least 24h, maximum 48h.
  7. Thaw in the refrigerator for 24 hours.
  8. Discard the nori seaweed sheets and drain the marinade.
  9. Your “fake tuna” is ready to go to the poke
  10. Serve with gohan (Japanese rice), edamame, carrot, avocado and cucumber or whatever you want! Drizzle with a soy sauce with some acidity (lemon or rice vinegar) and chives that are delicious!

Recipe and images by Luisa Mafei from blog https://www.luisamafei.com/post/poke-de-falso-atum-de-melancia