Sesame-Crusted Tuna with Cucumber Noodles

• 2fresh tuna steaks, about 180g each, 3cm thick
• salt and black pepper
• 1 tbspvegetable oil
• 4 tbspmixed black and white sesame seeds
• 1 tbsprice vinegar
• 2 tbspsoy sauce
• 1 tsphoney
• 1 tbspsesame oil
• 1 tspsriracha
• 1lime, juiced
• 2large cucumbers, peeled into ribbons or spiralised
• 2spring onions, sliced
• 1 tbsptoasted sesame seeds
• ½cucumber, thinly sliced
• 300 gcooked rice (optional)
• 50 gpickled ginger (optional)
• 800 mlmiso soup (optional)

Method

1. 1Whisk the sesame oil, soy sauce, rice vinegar, sriracha, honey and lime juice together in a small bowl until the honey dissolves and the dressing looks glossy. Taste it; most of the salt comes from the soy, but it should land sharp, salty, and just-sweet in that order.
2. 2Toss the cucumber ribbons with the spring onion whites and about two-thirds of the dressing. Leave to marinate for 5 minutes; the ribbons soften slightly and take on a glossy sheen. Hold the remaining third back; that's your pan swirl.
3. 3Press the sesame seeds firmly onto all sides of the tuna steaks, coating them in a thick even crust. Season generously with salt and black pepper before they hit the pan; the crust needs the seasoning baked into it, not sprinkled on after.
4. 4Heat the vegetable oil in a heavy stainless or cast-iron pan over the highest heat until it is properly smoking; this is important for a good crust. Sear the tuna one steak at a time for 60 seconds per side; crowd the pan and the temperature crashes, the seeds steam instead of toasting, and you lose the crust. You're after a thick golden sesame shell with the centre still raw and deep red.
5. 5Lift the tuna out to a board and rest for 1 minute. With the pan still hot, splash in the reserved dressing and swirl for 20 seconds until it bubbles and turns glossy; that's your finishing sauce, not a glaze stuck to the fish.
6. 6Taste the warmed dressing and adjust; a touch more lime juice if it needs lift, a pinch of salt if the soy hasn't carried it.
7. 7Divide the cucumber noodles between two plates. Slice the tuna thickly and fan over the top, with the sliced half cucumber alongside. Spoon over the warm dressing and scatter with the toasted sesame seeds and reserved spring onion greens. Serve with any of the optional cooked rice, pickled ginger and miso soup if using.

Per serving

kcal

658

protein

50.1g

fibre

7.1g

carbs

26.7g

fat

41.4g