Seared Ahi Tuna Bento
Costco and Aldi both have packs of individually packed frozen ahi tuna, which is great for my family who love raw/rare fish often but don’t want to spend the money (or time) going to a sushi restaurant. Our favorite way of eating it is searing it, then cutting into bite sized cubes, and tossing it in a lemon soy sesame sauce with either shiso or scallions (or both!) with some piping hot rice.
You should be sure of the fish before using it in raw/rare applications, namely that it is free of parasites and has only been defrosted right before you plan on using it. I usually toss it in a hot pan to quickly sear both sides, which defrosts it slightly but makes it easy to cut if its still frosty inside. Then once it sits on the hot rice, it finishes defrosting.
I used a flower shaped cutter on a purple sweet potato to make the flowers, and since I grow microgreens (including radish), the cute little stalks are daikon sprouts. The ladybugs are halved cherry tomatoes with nori spots.
Recipe
- 1 6oz piece of frozen ahi tuna
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon lemon or lime juice
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 1 bowl hot white rice
Optional
- Shredded shiso
- Shredded pickled ginger
- Diced scallions
1. Sear tuna directly from frozen on both sides in an oiled pan on high heat. About 1 minute on each side. Cube into 1/2 inch pieces.
2. In a bowl, mix your garnishes with soy sauce, lemon or lime juice, and sesame oil. Toss cubed tuna in and coat well. Serve with hot rice.