Japanese · Lunch · Dinner
Sesame-Crusted Seared Ahi Tuna
Seared ahi tuna
Ruby-red tuna steaks wrapped in a crunchy black and white sesame crust, seared hot and fast so the centre stays rare. Served sliced with a zingy ginger-lime soy dip and a crisp cucumber and scallion salad.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 5 min
- Total
- 20 min
- Serves
- 2
Calories come from: Carbs 12% · Fat 33% · Protein 55%
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Ingredients
For 2 servings- 2 steaks (6 oz each)340 gSushi-grade ahi (yellowfin) tuna steaks, about 2.5 cm thick
- 2 tbsp18 gWhite sesame seeds
- 1 tbsp9 gBlack sesame seeds
- 1/8 tspSalt
- 1/4 tspBlack pepper, ground
- 1 tsp5 gCanola oil
- 2 tbsp32 gReduced-sodium soy sauce
- 1 tbsp15 gRice vinegar
- 1 tbsp15 gLime juice, fresh
- 1 tspFresh ginger, finely grated
- 1 tsp5 gToasted sesame oil
- 1 medium200 gCucumber, thinly sliced
- 2 stalks30 gScallions, thinly sliced
Steps
- 1
Take the tuna out of the fridge 10 minutes before cooking and pat it very dry with paper towels.
- 2
Whisk the soy sauce, rice vinegar, lime juice, grated ginger and toasted sesame oil in a small bowl to make the dipping sauce.
- 3
Toss the sliced cucumber and most of the scallions with 1 tablespoon of the sauce and set aside.
- 4
Season the tuna on all sides with the salt and pepper.
- 5
Mix the white and black sesame seeds on a plate and press each steak firmly into them to coat the top, bottom and edges.
- 6
Heat a heavy non-stick or cast-iron pan over high heat until very hot, then add the canola oil and swirl to coat.
- 7
Sear the tuna for 45–60 seconds per side for a rare centre, turning gently with tongs; briefly sear the edges too.
- 8
For anyone who should avoid undercooked fish (pregnancy, young children, weakened immunity), cook longer until the centre reaches 63 °C / 145 °F.
- 9
Move the tuna to a board, rest 1 minute, then slice across the grain about 1 cm thick with a sharp knife.
- 10
Plate the slices beside the cucumber salad, scatter with the remaining scallions, and serve the rest of the sauce for dipping.
Swaps, storage and make-ahead
Swaps
- For a gluten-free version, use a tamari labelled gluten-free instead of the reduced-sodium soy sauce.
- If you can't find black sesame seeds, use 3 tablespoons of white sesame seeds for the whole crust.
- Swap the ahi for sushi-grade salmon fillets if tuna is hard to find, searing a little longer on each side.
- Use avocado oil instead of canola oil for searing if that's what you have on hand.
Storage
Seared tuna is best eaten fresh, as the rare centre doesn't keep well; refrigerate any leftovers in a covered container within 2 hours and eat them cold within 1 day, without reheating or freezing. Keep the dipping sauce separately in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Make ahead
Whisk the dipping sauce and slice the cucumber and scallions up to a day ahead, storing them separately in the fridge, then dress the salad just before serving. Coat and sear the tuna right before eating.
Nutrition values are for the recipe as written.
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Allergens and nutrition
Contains: FishSesameSoyGluten
Check the labels of packaged ingredients for allergens and suitability for your diet.
Full nutrition
| Per serving (336 g) | Per 100 g | |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 337 kcal | 100 kcal |
| Protein | 46.4 g | 13.8 g |
| Carbohydrates | 10.2 g | 3 g |
| of which sugars | 2.3 g | 0.7 g |
| Fiber | 2.7 g | 0.8 g |
| Fat | 12.3 g | 3.7 g |
| of which saturated | 1.8 g | 0.5 g |
| Sodium | 812 mg | 242 mg |
Nutrition is calculated from USDA FoodData Central data and may differ from what you cook.
