Sesame~Seared Ahi Tuna Salad w/Mandarin~Wasabi Vinaigrette

I didn’t grow up doing the whole raw fish thing, but man, I sure do love me some ahi tuna now.  Coated with crunchy sesame seeds and drizzled with a zesty vinaigrette, it makes my belly smile.  I simply love the stuff.

Now of course a good ahi tuna salad starts with good ahi.  That is a must.  Do yourself a favor and make it high quality.  Especially when going raw, you want it fresh as fresh can get!  Even seared and served plain, this ahi is good, but this salad kicks it up a notch by adding a medley of veggies and fruit that make it not only a beautiful rainbow of colors (the phrase “eat the rainbow” really couldn’t apply more here), but also a delicious combination of sweet and savory flavors all on one little plate.

I really love ahi with sauces with an Asian-influence.  There are so many directions you can go with a dressing… miso-based, soy-based, ginger-based, mayo-based.  It just doesn’t end.  But I wanted something light, with a slight punch.  So I went with a fresh mandarin juice, sesame oil, and rice vinegar base, then added in wasabi, ginger, coconut aminos (which is like soy sauce, but slightly sweeter and less salty in flavor), and some mustard and lime.  You can play around and add more of one thing or less of another if you like, but I personally really love the balance of sweet, spicy, and sour in it as is.

If you’ve ever seared ahi tuna before, you know it only take a matter of minutes before it’s done.  The thought of searing tuna often intimidates people (I too was once one of those!), but it’s really one of the simplest things you can make.  You just cook up the exterior for a couple of minutes on each side, then pull it off the pan while the inside is still pink.  Then it melts in your mouth.  So dreamy and delicious.  As I said above, raw fish was NOT my thing growing up, but I’ve come to realize there is something really special about ahi.  It’s way better raw then cooked in my little opinion.

As for the remaining ingredients in this rainbow of nutrition, pick whatever you like- the options are endless.  I went for sliced avocado, cucumber, pear, mandarin, sweet bell pepper, toasted cashews, and cilantro.  It’s also tasty with sliced radishes, pistachios, green apple, and even blackberries.  I say stray from the norm and make it interesting.  Why not?  🙂

Looking for something to make this a complete meal?  One of my fave go-to’s is THIS Crock Pot Nutty Chicken Curry dish served over rice.  It takes a little planning ahead, since it’s a slow-cooker dish, but once it’s in that pot, it pretty much just cooks itself and is ready to go when you are.  I love the combo of the two recipes.  Different sides of the Asian food world brought into one glorious scene.  Fresh, bright, comforting.  Makes my belly so very happy.

serves two

INGREDIENTS

for the vinaigrette…

1 tbsp mandarin juice (two or three slices squeezed)

1 tbsp sesame oil

1 tbsp rice vinegar

1/2 tsp wasabi powder

1/2 tsp coconut aminos (this, or tamari)

1/4 tsp fresh lime juice

1/4 tsp dijon mustard

1/4 tsp ground ginger

salt and pepper, to taste

for the tuna…

1 ahi tuna steak, approx 6 oz

small handful sesame seeds

salt and pepper, to taste

drizzle of avocado or olive oil

for the salad…

large handful mixed greens

any or all of the following:

sliced cucumber

sliced avocado

sliced pear (Asian or other crispy variety)

sliced red bell pepper

sliced radishes

mandarin orange

toasted cashews (pistachios work well too)

cilantro leaves

DIRECTIONS

To make the vinaigrette…

Whisk all of the ingredients together until smooth

Taste and adjust as desired

Set aside for now

Prepare the salad ingredients…

Lightly toast cashews until fragrant and golden brown

Slice and dice all salad ingredients

To make tuna, season both sides of the fish with salt and pepper

Pat sesame seeds all over the tuna

(Tip: sprinkle speeds on a cutting board and

then press the tuna into them, rotating until all sides are covered)

Heat a small drizzle of oil in a pan over high heat

Cook the tuna on each side for 2-3 minutes per side, until done to your liking

(To prevent burning the seeds, lower the heat a tad to the medium-high side)

That’s it!

Time for plating…

Lay greens out on a large plate (or split between two)

Top with all the goods, drizzle with vinaigrette, and dig in

Enjoy!