- Prep Time: 7 min.
- Cook Time: 5 min.
- Yield: 4 servings
About Furikake-Crusted Ahi Tuna
Furikake (fu-ree-KAH-keh) is a savory Japanese condiment that is used to sprinkle over certain sushi rolls, some rice dishes, and here to crust a beautiful, fresh cut of sashimi-grade Ahi tuna.
Yellow-fin Tuna, referred to as “ahi” in Hawai’ian cuisine, is a tender, firm, and sweet fish. It is best served entirely raw or quickly seared in a very hot pan.
As for the furikake, I have both a coffee grinder and one that is reserved specifically for spice grinding. I have a large mortar and pestle set as well. Either will suffice to grind the seasoning.
Ingredients
- 2 8″x8″ or 9″x9″ sheets of nori seaweed
- 1/4 cup sesame seeds
- 1/2 teaspoon pink Himalayan salt, coarsely ground
- 1/2 teaspoon turbinado sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated black pepper corns
- 1 tablespoon of peanut oil
- 1 pound of fresh yellow-fin tuna
Instructions
- In a dry, large sauté pan, the same one in which the fish will be flash-seared, toast the sesame seeds until just pink.
- Make a chiffonade of the nori seaweed sheets, cutting into thin ribbons. Then, chop the ribbons finely. Using a mortar and pestle or coffee grinder, combine the nori seaweed, 1/2 of the toasted sesame seeds, pink salt, sugar, and black pepper. This is the Furikake.
- Cut the Ahi tuna fillet, across the grain of the flesh, into 4 equal portions.
- Dredge each of the 4 pieces in the furikake seasoning, pressing to coat every side and edge in the seasoning.
- In a very hot, but not smoking, sauté pan or wok, add the oil and fry the encrusted tuna fish portions for 2 minutes per side. Remove the fish from the pan immediately to cool.
- The outside should be seared and the inside raw. When at room temperature, slice the fish portions diagonally.
- Plate the crusted ahi on individual serving dishes and serve with boiled white rice and wasabi aioli on a smear of Chinese hot mustard. Sake and Asian beers pair well with this delicious meal.
