Sesame Crusted Ahi Tuna with Soy Ginger Lime Sauce
Ingredients
Pickled Cucumbers:
1/2 cup rice wine vinegar, Kikkoman
1/2 cup water
1/3 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon red chili flakes, dried
2 6-inch japanese cucumbers, or Persian, cut into ⅛-inch slices
Soy Ginger Lime Sauce:
2 teaspoons ginger, minced
6 tablespoons lime juice, about 2 limes
4 tablespoons soy sauce, plus 2 more teaspoons
1 teaspoon sesame oil
2 tablespoons honey
2 teaspoons water
1/2 teaspoon red chili flakes, dried
Tuna:
20 ounces ahi tuna, (four 5-oz pieces) about 1-inch thick
8 tablespoons sesame seeds, (white, black or mixture of both)
2 tablespoons grapeseed oil, sesame oil, or vegetable oil
Directions
Pickled Cucumbers:
Combine vinegar, water, sugar, salt, and chili flakes in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat.
Remove from heat. Add cucumber slices and stir.
Let it rest for 10 minutes, then transfer cucumber to a sealable container and refrigerate until ready to use.
Soy Ginger Lime Sauce:
Whisk together all soy ginger lime sauce ingredients together in a small bowl. Set aside until ready to serve.
Tuna:
Place sesame seeds on a plate. Pat dry the tuna steaks with a paper towel to remove excess water.
Dredge and press tuna in sesame seeds, coating evenly. Sprinkle with more seeds as needed.
In a medium frying pan over medium-high heat, warm the oil until just smoking.
Frying two portions at a time, arrange the tuna steaks in the pan (do not overcrowd) and cook until the sesame seeds start to turn golden underneath, about 1 minute.
Turn the tuna over and cook for 1 minute.
Sear the edges of the tuna for 15 seconds on each edge.
Transfer the tuna to a plate with a paper towel, gently patting to soak up any excess oil. Repeat with remaining tuna portions.
Transfer tuna to a cutting board and cut ¼-inch thick slices.
Arrange tuna on individual serving plates or bowls. Serve with pickled cucumbers and soy ginger lime sauce.
