Seared tuna salad with sesame dressing

Name: Seared tuna salad with sesame dressing
Cook time: 1 h
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Japanese
Ingredients: 400g piece fresh tuna (or sashimi tuna already cut into logs); 1 tbsp shichimi togarashi; 2 tbsp olive oil

Neil Perry

May 25, 2015

Seared tuna salad with sesame dressing.William Meppem

Time:30 mins - 1 hourServes:4

Add some spice to your salad with traditional Japanese flavours and a touch of Chinese fusion.

Ingredients

400g piece fresh tuna (or sashimi tuna already cut into logs)
1 tbsp shichimi togarashi
2 tbsp olive oil

For the sesame dressing

1 1/2 tbsp Chinese sesame seed paste
2 tbsp light soy sauce
1 1/2 tbsp rice-wine vinegar
1 1/2 tbsp caster sugar
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 tbsp finely grated ginger
¼ cup sesame oil

For the salad

1 small Chinese cabbage heart
4 spring onions
2 medium carrots
1 bunch coriander
3 tbsp toasted pine nuts
2 tbsp toasted sesame seeds

Method

CUT TUNA INTO LOGS. Roll the outside edges of each piece in the shichimi togarashi. Place oil in a pan on a medium-high heat. Sear on all sides (about 30 seconds each side) until it has a cooked edge about 5mm thick, keeping the centre raw. Allow to cool in refrigerator while you prepare the other ingredients.
To make THE DRESSING, mix the sesame paste and soy sauce in a bowl. Add the vinegar and sugar, stirring to dissolve. Whisk through garlic, ginger and sesame oil and allow to stand for 30 minutes to allow the flavours to develop.
Finely shred the cabbage and slice the spring onions. Cut the carrots into matchsticks. Pick and wash the coriander leaves. Combine the salad ingredients with toasted nuts and seeds.
SLICE THE TUNA into 5-8mm pieces. Dress the salad, then place on four plates, top with sliced tuna and serve.

TIPS:
- Shichimi togarashi is a Japanese spice mix. There are lots of different blends out there, so check out your local Asian supermarket and find one you like best.
- This salad is also good with seared prawns or scallops.

- Sometimes, a beer can be one of the best accompaniments to spicy or aromatic dishes.