Japanese: Tuna Tataki with Ponzu Sauce

Recipe by Paul Young <info@cooking-with-paul.com>

(serves 2)

Ingredients:

• 1 pound cryo-frozen tuna (defrosted)
• Black pepper
• Spray coconut oil

Ponzu sauce ingredients:

• Komu (dried kelp), a few pieces
• 1 cup water [or rice wine]
• ½ cup soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice (about ½ lemon) [or rice vinegar]
• 3 tablespoons mirin (sweetened rice wine)
• 1 tablespoon agave nectar [or brown sugar]
• 2 teaspoons umami powder
• 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
• 1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds (optional)

Procedure:

1. Soak a few pieces of kombu in water overnight
2. Discard kombu, retain water
3. Make the Ponzu sauce: Add rest of sauce ingredients, stir well, set aside
4. Pre-heat iron skillet until very hot
5. Slice tuna into 1½ to 2-inch thick rectangular logs
6. Coat each log generously with black pepper
7. Spray skillet with oil, add the tuna logs and grill over high heat briefly (about 30 seconds)
8. Turn tuna logs, grill briefly; repeat until all sides have been heated but the center is still rare (raw)
9. Slice tuna into ½-inch slices
10. Serve with Ponzu sauce for dipping