Seared tuna with ginger and wasabi – by Allegra McEvedy
Ingredients (serves four)
For the tuna 300g yellow fin tuna fillet (in a 6 x 1½in log)
1 sheet nori
A little sesame oil
For the pak choi salad 1 red chilli, finely chopped
2tbs sesame oil
¼ cup rice wine vinegar
2tbs soy sauce
1tbs sesame seeds, toasted
2 heads pak choi
1 carrot, peeled and cut into ribbons
For the ginger 60g ginger, peeled, thinly sliced
225ml rice wine vinegar
225ml water
25g caster sugar
1tsp wasabi powder, mixed with water and rolled into balls
2tbs soy sauce
Method
Lay the tuna on the sheet of nori and roll it. Trim off any excess and brush with sesame oil. In a hot pan with no oil, seal the tuna for five seconds on all sides but not the ends. Allow to cool, then slice thinly.
Combine the chilli with the sesame oil, rice wine vinegar and soy sauce, and whisk. Add the sesame seeds. Blanch the pak choi and the carrot for two minutes and add both to the marinade. Allow to cool.
Bring a small pan of water to the boil and drop in the ginger. When it returns to the boil,strain and repeat twice more, changing the water each time. Bring the vinegar, water and sugar to the boil.
Add the ginger and simmer for 10 minutes then remove from the heat and allow to cool in the liquid.
To serve, arrange the tuna on a plate. Strain the ginger, mix with the pak choi and carrot, and serve on the side of the plate. Add a wasabi ball and pour a few drops of soy sauce around.
Allegra McEvedy