Ingredients Print

Check off ingredients as you go

Serves 4 to 6

• 1 thick piece, about 500 g (1.1 lb), of sushi-grade tuna loin, extra fresh or frozen and thawed in the refrigerator
• 1 salmon fillet, 200 g (7 oz)

For the marinade

• 50 ml (3 Tbsp + 1 tsp) soy sauce
• 2 Tbsp ponzu sauce
• 2 cm (¾ inch) piece fresh ginger, grated (or 2 tsp ground ginger)
• 1 tsp toasted sesame oil

For cooking

• 1 Tbsp neutral oil (sunflower)

For coating the tuna

• 2 Tbsp sesame seeds (white and black)

For the dipping sauce

• 50 ml (3 Tbsp + 1 tsp) soy sauce
• juice of 1 lime
• 1 cm (½ inch) piece fresh ginger, peeled and grated, or 1 tsp ground ginger
• 1 Tbsp chopped fresh cilantro (coriander)
• 1 Tbsp chopped fresh chives
• 1 dab wasabi (optional)

To serve

• 2 scallions (spring onions), thinly sliced
• a few cilantro leaves, chopped

If you change the number of serving, consider adjusting cooking times!

For this recipe, I made a trio of tataki: two with tuna, one rolled in sesame seeds before searing and the other simply marinated then seared, and a third one with salmon.

1. Mix all the marinade ingredients in a dish: the soy sauce, sesame oil and grated ginger, then add a little fresh cilantro.

2. Cut the tuna into two rectangular blocks about 4 cm (1½ inches) thick (the number of pieces will depend on how much tuna you have). I tried to photograph the direction in which it is best to cut it so the tuna stays tender. Put it in the marinade along with the salmon for at least half an hour, and preferably a few hours in the fridge, turning it from time to time.

Cooking the tuna and salmon tataki

You can of course make just one version, seared with or without the sesame seeds. Either way, here is how to do it.

3. Roll one block of tuna in a shallow bowl in which you have poured the sesame seeds, as if breading it (the trick for controlling the cooking and seeing how far the fish is seared is to leave the short ends uncoated, as you will see in the photo). Then heat a skillet until very hot (preferably nonstick), add a drizzle of neutral oil and sear the tuna quickly (1 minute per side, adjusting to how well done you like it). Transfer it to a cutting board and let it rest a few moments before slicing. Repeat with the salmon.

4. In a small bowl, mix the dipping sauce ingredients. Spoon a generous streak of this sauce onto a serving plate, lay the tuna slices on top and scatter with the sliced scallions and chopped cilantro. Drizzle with more sauce and serve right away.

Variations

• You can replace the cilantro with Thai basil.

🐟 If you would like to know more about fish in Israel, I have written a practical guide and a French-Hebrew glossary of fish names to help you find your way around and discover the choices available to you !