Sesame Tuna with Ginger Miso Dipping Sauce

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Sesame Tuna with Ginger-Miso Dip

This preparation leaves the tuna partially raw in the middle. Feel free to cook it longer to your preferred level of doneness; just be sure to flip the tuna halfway through cooking and lower the heat slightly so it doesn’t burn.

If you have a tree nut allergy you might want to consider eliminating the sesame seeds in the recipe. Although not a nut, some people with a nut allergy experience similar symptoms when they eat sesame seeds.

  • Duration
  • Cook Time
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  • 4 ServingsServings

Ingredients

For the dipping sauce

  • 2 tablespoons mirin (Japanese rice wine)
  • 2 teaspoons white miso
  • 2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
  • 1⁄3 cup carrot juice
  • 2 tablespoons fresh orange juice
  • 2 teaspoons gluten-free soy sauce
  • 2 tablespoons distilled white vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
  • 1 teaspoon Asian sesame oil

For the tuna

  • 2 tablespoons black sesame seeds
  • 3 tablespoons white sesame seeds
  • Four 4-ounce yellowfin tuna steaks
  • 1 tablespoon grape seed oil
  • 1 bunch fresh cilantro, finely chopped (optional)

Preparation

Make the dipping sauce

Combine the mirin, miso, ginger, carrot juice, orange juice, soy sauce, vinegar, red pepper flakes, and sesame oil in a small bowl, whisking until everything is fully dissolved. Set aside.

Prepare the tuna and serve

1. Combine the black and white sesame seeds in a shallow dish and press the tuna steaks into them, turning to coat each side.

2. Heat the oil in a medium sauté pan over medium-high heat. Cook the tuna on both sides until the white seeds have browned slightly, about 30 seconds per side. Transfer the tuna to a paper towel–lined plate for a minute to drain and cool.

3. Cut each tuna steak into ¼-inch-thick slices and serve with the dipping sauce and chopped cilantro, if using.

Variation

To make vegan

Substitute the tuna with 1 to 2 blocks of extra-firm tofu. To prepare the tofu, place the blocks on several layers of paper towels; cover with more paper towels and top with a cutting board to drain excess liquid. Let stand for several minutes, pressing down occasionally. Cut into serving-size portions.

Serving Suggestion

The tuna is delicious served with cold asparagus or a watercress salad. Serve with Sriracha on the side.

Nutrition information per serving: Calories: 315.9, Total Fat: 11.1g, Cholesterol: 65.7mg, Sodium: 473.8mg, Total Carbohydrates: 16.4g, Dietary Fiber: 2.1g, Sugars: 5.4g, Protein: 37g

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