Recipe
Ingredients
250g Ahi tuna
1 each lemon, lime
10g ginger
20g baby radish
50g asparagus
50g fresno chili
50g snow peas
½ red pepper
3 egg (whites)
3 cloves garlic
½ cup & ¼ cup white & black sesame seeds
¼ cup sugar
½ cup white vinegar
3 tbsp kosher salt
½ tsp black pepper
1 sprig thyme
2 tbsp vegetable oil
Preparation
Step 1: Pickled Fresno Chili
1. In a small saucepot, bring ¼ cup of sugar, ¼ cup water, ½ cup of white vinegar, 2 garlic cloves, a sprig of thyme, and 1 tablespoon of kosher salt to a boil.
2. While the pickling liquid is heating up, slice about 6 Fresno chilis thinly, and add to an empty jar.
3. Once the liquid is hot, pour over into the jar and make sure all the chilis are fully submerged.
4. Cover with a lid and let it cool down.
5. It will be ready by the time you begin assembling your dish.
Step 2: Lemon-Ginger Ponzu
1. In a mixing bowl add 3 tablespoons of soy sauce, (light soy if available) finely grate one tablespoon of fresh ginger, and squeeze in the juice of 1 lemon.
Step 3: Veg
1. In a pre-heated sauté pan on medium high heat, add 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil.
2. Add julienned red pepper, and chopped asparagus.
3. Add a teaspoon of minced garlic and sauté until fragrant. Finish with salt and pepper. (cook time should be about 2 minutes)
4. In a small sauce pot bring water to a boil with a pinch of salt. Once boiling, add snow peas to water and blanch for 2 minutes.
5. Using a mandolin slice 1 baby radish into thin slices and set aside in cold water.
6. Shock snow peas. (bringing an ingredient from hot water to ice water)
Step 4: Tuna
1. In a mixing bowl, whisk 3 egg whites until you’ve achieved soft peaks (this is the stage of whisking egg whites where it’s just starting to hold its shape)
2. Add the zest of 1 lime into the egg whites.
3. For the tuna, try to pat down any excess moisture and zest with some more lime.
4. You’ll need about ½ cup of white and ¼ cup black sesame seeds mixed together and flat plate to coat the tuna in.
5. Using a brush, brush the tuna with the egg whites (this will be the binder, but won’t add any flavor)
6. Lightly season with a pinch of salt.
7. Coat the tuna completely in the sesame seed mix
8. In preheated pan preheated to medium heat, add 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil.
9. Sear each side of the tuna for no more than a minute. (This may vary depending on the size and shape of tuna)
10. Let rest for 2 minutes before slicing into desired thickness.
