Description
Sushi-grade tuna seared in a sesame crust is one of those dishes that looks impossibly elegant but takes about five minutes of actual cooking. The outside gets a nutty, toasted crunch while the center stays ruby-red and cool. A soy-ginger dipping sauce ties it together. This is dinner party food disguised as weeknight cooking.
Ingredients
Units
- 4 sushi-grade ahi tuna steaks (6 ounces each, about 1 inch thick)
- 1/3 cup white sesame seeds
- 1/3 cup black sesame seeds
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 1 green onion, thinly sliced
- 1/2 teaspoon sriracha
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Mix the white and black sesame seeds on a plate. Season the tuna steaks with salt and pepper on both sides.
- Press each tuna steak firmly into the sesame seeds, coating all sides evenly. The seeds should form a dense, even crust.
- Make the dipping sauce: whisk together the soy sauce, rice vinegar, ginger, honey, green onion, and sriracha. Set aside.
- Heat the vegetable oil and sesame oil in a large skillet over high heat until the oil just begins to shimmer.
- Sear the tuna steaks 45 seconds to 1 minute per side for rare, or up to 2 minutes per side for medium-rare. The sesame seeds should be golden and toasted.
- Let the steaks rest 1 minute, then slice against the grain into 1/2-inch thick pieces.
- Fan the slices on plates and serve with the dipping sauce alongside.
Notes
- Sushi-grade tuna is essential here since the center stays raw. Buy it from a trusted fishmonger and use it the same day.
- A screaming-hot pan and very short cooking time is the entire technique — do not overthink it or overcook it.
- Mixing black and white sesame seeds is not just visual. Black sesame has a slightly more intense, nutty flavor that adds depth.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: Japanese
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 2
- Sodium: 680
- Fat: 18
- Carbohydrates: 6
- Fiber: 1
- Protein: 42
- Cholesterol: 65