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Scrolling through Pinterest one morning photos of tuna tatakis flooded my feed, almost to distraction. I hadn't pinned any of them but perhaps they knew that I was miffed over a very bad tuna tataki that was really more of a inedible ceviche which I'd recently been served at a Parkhurst restaurant (the internet can be creepy like that). As I stared at some frozen sushi-grade tuna at our fishmongers, those tuna tatakis came back to me and I thought to myself, how can I make seared tuna more Levantine in its flavor? This is what I came up with.
For the spice rub:
2 tablespoons sesame seeds
1 tablespoon lightly crushed coriander seeds
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt
For the dressing:
2 tablespoons pomegranate molasses
zest and juice of one lime
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
pinch of chilli flakes
salt and pepper to taste
400g sushi-grade tuna steaks, patted dry
olive oil for brushing
2 radishes, jullienne
1/4 cup microgreens
1/2 avocado, small dice
1 green onion, thinly sliced on bias
avocado oil for cooking
fleur de sel and black pepper for garnish
First make the spice rub for the tuna by toasting the sesame and coriander seeds before mixing them with the cumin, salt, and pepper. Let it all cool before brushing the tuna steaks with olive oil and coating the tuna with this spice rub. Pat it in so it sticks well.
Make the dressing by combining all of the ingredients in a bowl and stirring well. Also, before cooking the tuna prepare all of the garnishing vegetables.
Get a frying pan very hot and add a tablespoon of avocado oil. Gently place the coated tuna steaks in the pan and cook for just 30 seconds on each side. Remove and place in the fridge if you'd like to serve the tuna cold. When you're ready to serve, slice it thinly and lay the slices on a serving plate like you would a carpaccio. Scatter the radishes, avocado, green onion, and microgreens on top before spooning over the dressing. An extra pinch of fleur de sel and black pepper is a very welcome touch at the end.
