Japanese Appetizers, Soups and Noodles Recipes - Fresh Seared Tuna with Seaweed and Cucumber Salad Recipe

Ingredients

• 8 oz (250 g) fresh sashimi-grade tuna

• Oil, to sear

• 1 1/2 heaped tablespoons dried wakame seaweed, rinsed and soaked in water to soften

• 1 small Japanese cucumber

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 1 mioga or spring onion, white part only, thinly sliced, to garnish

Miso Mustard Dressing

• 5 1/2 tablespoons white miso

• 1 1/2 teaspoons sesame paste or smooth peanut butter

• 2 1/2 tablespoons rice vinegar

• 1/2 - 1 tablespoon sugar

• 2 teaspoons Japanese soy sauce

• 1-2 teaspoons prepared Japanese mustard paste

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Method:

1. In a small bowl, mix all the ingredients for the Miso Mustard Dressing and set aside.

2. Heat a skillet with a few drops of oil and lightly sear the tuna for a few seconds on all sides. Alternatively, boil a cup of water in a saucepan. Using a pair of chopsticks, plunge the tuna in the boiling water for 5 to 10 seconds until the flesh on the outside starts to turn pinkish white. Remove and chill in ice water for a few seconds, drain and cut into sashimi-thin slices.

3. Rub 1/2 teaspoon of the salt onto the cucumber skin. Then, halve the cucumber lengthwise and cut into paper-thin strips. Sprinkle with the remaining salt, mix and set aside for 5 minutes. Rinse off the salt and gently squeeze out the moisture.

4. Arrange the tuna, wakame and cucumber on a platter. Top with a little of the dressing and garnish each serving with strips of mioga or spring onion.