After completing graduate school in the late 80s, I spent a year studying martial arts at Kyoto University in Japan. The school cafeteria served many things that one would never encounter in the states (natto spaghetti for example), but one thing they did serve that I couldn’t get enough of was seared ahi tuna, prepared fresh to order. It was usually served with white rice, a little shoyu, some radish sprouts, a few slivers of nori, and some toasted sesame seeds. One ample serving may have cost as much as 200 yen (~$2) but I think it was probably less. Seeing a recipe for seared ahi in the South Beach Diet Cookbook got me thinking again of this delicious fish, and I found some gorgeous steaks at Whole Foods. The South Beach recipe calls for the steaks to be seared with peppercorns. I was looking for a more Asian twist, so I made up my own marinade with tamari, sesame oil and ginger. Ahi tuna is also known as yellowfin tuna. To make seared ahi, you need to start with very fresh, sushi-grade ahi, as you will only be lightly searing the outside, leaving the inside raw.

Not even rare, but raw. The freshness and the quality of the fish make a huge difference with this dish, so don’t even attempt it with a lower grade of fish. Follow me on Pinterest Seared Ahi Tuna Recipe 2 (6-8 ounce) ahi tuna steaks (3/4 of an inch thick)sushi conveyor belt washington dc 2 Tbsp dark sesame oilsushi in oxford mi 2 Tbsp soy sauce (or 2 teaspoons of wheat-free tamari for gluten-free option)vietnamese food delivery calgary sw 1 Tbsp of grated fresh gingerorder sushi in london ontario 1 clove garlic, minced 1 green onion (scallion) thinly sliced (a few slices reserved for garnish)

1 teaspoon lime juice 1 Mix the marinade ingredients together and coat the tuna steaks with the marinade, cover tightly, and refrigerate for at least an hour. 2 Heat a non-stick skillet over medium high to high heat. When the pan is hot, remove the tuna steaks from the marinade and sear them for a minute to a minute and a half on each side ( even a little longer if you want the tuna less rare than pictured.) 3 Remove from pan and slice into 1/4-inch thick slices. Sprinkle with a few green onion slices. Can serve plain, with white rice, or over lettuce or thinly sliced cabbage or fennel. Shown served over sliced fennel salad.All photos and content are copyright protected. Please do not use our photos without prior written permission. If you wish to republish this recipe, please rewrite the recipe in your own unique words and link back to Seared Ahi Tuna on Simply Recipes. If you make this recipe, snap a pic and hashtag it #simplyrecipes — We love to see your creations on Instagram, Facebook, & Twitter!

1/2 cup minced ginger 1/4 cup sesame seeds 1 tablespoon cracked black pepper 1/2 pound very fresh, sushi-grade ahi tuna 3 tablespoons peanut oil, for searing 1 tablespoon lime juice 1 medium-size, ripe avocado, peeled, pitted, quartered and sliced 2 cups mixed greens 12 thin slices red onion 1 medium tomato, peeled, seeded, and diced Ginger Sauce, recipe follows 1 small shallot, minced 1/2 teaspoon finely grated fresh ginger Freshly ground black pepper 1/3 cup soy sauce 1/3 cup lime juice 1/3 cup olive oil On a shallow plate, mix together the ginger, sesame seeds, and cracked black pepper. Season the tuna with salt. Make 1/2-inch deep slices in the tuna, every 1/4 to 1/2-inch or so to make it easier to slice at the end. Roll the tuna in the ginger mixture, pressing lightly so the mixture sticks to the tuna.Place a saute pan over high heat. Add the oil and sear the tuna on all sides, about 30 seconds per side.

Remove the tuna from the pan and set aside. Deglaze the pan with lime juice. Pour the lime juice over the tuna.In a bowl combine the avocado, greens, red onion, and tomato. Toss with some of the Ginger Sauce. Slice the tuna, following the incisions made earlier. Place some of the dressed greens on 4 plates. Top with sliced tuna and drizzle with some more of the ginger sauce. In a small bowl, combine the shallot, ginger, a few grinds pepper, soy sauce, and lime juice. Slowly whisk in the olive oil and set aside. When ready to serve, whisk thoroughly to combine. Recipe courtesy of Wolfgang Puck, 2002User ReviewedHow to Cook Ahi Tuna Three Methods:Searing Ahi TunaBaking Ahi TunaMaking Tuna TartareCommunity Q&A Ahi tuna, also known as yellowfin tuna, has a deliciously meaty taste. This hearty fish is an excellent source of protein, is low on fat, and it's extremely simple to prepare. Ahi tuna steaks are mostly grilled or seared to bring out the best in their flavour, but you can also bake them to reach a different texture.

In case you are buying a piece of sushi-grade tuna, you can forego cooking and serve it raw. Prep time (Searing): 10 minutes Cook time: 4-5 minutes Total time: 15 minutes Choose fresh or frozen tuna steaks. Ahi tuna is sold in form of large steaks or fillets that can be cooked in a similar fashion to beef steaks. Look for deep red tuna steaks with firm flesh. Avoid steaks that have a rainbow sheen or look dry, also avoid buying fish that looks mottled or pale in color. Buy a six-ounce steak per serving you need. If you're using frozen tuna steak, thaw it completely and put in the refrigerator before using. Fresh tuna is in season from late spring to early fall. If you're choosing fresh tuna, it's best to get it while it's in season. Frozen tuna is available all year round. Ahi or yellowfin tuna from the United States or Canada is the best choice, since it has relatively low levels of mercury and is not in danger of being overfished. Bluefin tuna should be avoided, as the mercury levels are higher and it is being over-fished across the world.

Make a spice mixture for the tuna. Seared tuna is frequently coated with spices that complement the tuna's meaty flavour. You can use a steak rub or any other type of spice mix that includes ingredients like garlic powder, pepper and dried herbs. Try making your own spice mix by combining the following ingredients in a bowl (makes enough to coat one six-ounce steak): 1/4 teaspoon black pepper 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder 1/4 teaspoon dried basil 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano Heat your skillet or grill. Tuna steaks and fillets are easy to sear on either a grill or stove top. The key is to fully heat the cooking implement you're using before adding the tuna. This will ensure that the tuna cooks evenly and attains a good crunchy sear. If you're using the stove top, heat a cast iron skillet or other heavy skillet over medium high heat. Add a tablespoon of peanut oil or canola oil and heat it until the oil just begins to smoke.

If you're using a grill, light the charcoal at least half an hour before you plan to cook the tuna. that way it will have plenty of time to get nice and hot before you add the tuna. Coat the tuna with your spice mixture. Sear the tuna on both sides. Tuna steaks are normally served rare, since the texture of rare tuna is more appealing than the texture of a fully-cooked piece of tuna, which tends to be on the dry side. To achieve a sear on the outside and keep it rare inside, place the tuna on the skillet or grill and let it sear for two minutes on the first side. Flip the tuna and let it cook for another two minutes, then remove it from the heat. Watch the tuna as it cooks to make sure you don't overcook it. You'll be able to see the heat cooking the tuna from the bottom up. If two minutes seems like too much time on one side, flip the tuna sooner. If you'd prefer to make sure the tuna gets fully cooked, leave it on the heat for extra time. Preheat the oven to 400 °F (204 °C).

Grease a baking dish. Butter and season the tuna. Rub each steak or fillet with a teaspoon of either melted butter or olive oil, then season with salt, pepper, and the dried herbs of your choice. The tuna itself will be the star of the show, so keep the seasoning light and complementary. A squeeze of lemon juice complements the flavor of the tuna well if you want to add a little extra flavor. You could also season the tuna with classic pairings like soy sauce, wasabi and ginger slices.Place the baking dish in the preheated oven and bake until the skin is no longer pink and flakes when poked with a fork, about 10 to 12 minutes. The actual cooking time will depend upon on how thick your steaks are.[3] After 10 minutes, check the steaks to see if they need more time. Err on the side of undercooking the tuna, since overcooked tuna tends to be dry and take on a fishier taste. If you want the baked tuna to be seared on top, turn on the broiler and broil the top for the last two to three minutes of cooking.

Tuna tartare is a dish made with raw ahi tuna. It's a light, refreshing dish that doesn't actually require cooking, but it's one of the most popular ways to prepare the fish. It's important to get sushi-grade tuna if you're using this preparation method, since you won't be cooking the fish to kill parasites and bacteria. To make four servings of tuna tartare, you need one pound of tuna. Either steaks or fillets will do. This dish is best with fresh tuna, rather than tuna that has been previously frozen.Tuna tartare is prepared with a sauce made from fresh flavors like citrus paired with the deep warmth of wasabi. To make a delicious tartare, combine the following ingredients in a bowl:[4] 1/4 cup olive oil 1/4 cup chopped cilantro 1 teaspoon minced jalapeno 2 teaspoons minced ginger 1 1/2 teaspoons wasabi powder 2 tablespoons lemon juice Salt and pepper to taste Cut the tuna into small cubes.1814 Toss the tuna cubes with the sauce.