Tuna Tataki

April 19, 2007

Szechuan pepper (pictured above) is an intriguing ingredient. It’s not a pepper but rather the dried berries of the prickly ash, a tree of the rue family. The berry skins split open to reveal little black seeds.

Nibble on a piece of dried berry and you are in for a surprise.  There’s a peppery, slightly lemony flavour then suddenly your tongue begins to tingle and feel a little numb. This effect lasts a few minutes and reminds me of a spritzy wine.

In Mebourne, ezard restaurant serves a mix of finely ground Szechuan pepper and salt as one of the accompaniments to its bread and parmesan infused oil. Certainly a palate awakener.

Ground Szechuan pepper and toasted sesame seeds combine to give a pleasant warmth and flavour to the coating on today’s tuna dish. This can be served as an entrée, as part of a sashimi platter, or with sushi.

Select sashimi grade tuna. Try to pick a piece that will yield two oblongs of flesh.

To toast the sesame seeds, toss them in a dry, non-stick pan until they start to colour. Watch them carefully as they burn easily. You can also toast the Szechuan pepper if you wish.

Tuna Tataki

1 piece of tuna – about 200g
1-2 tablespoons Szechuan pepper, ground in a mortar
3 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
1/2 teaspoon salt flakes
peanut or canola oil

Mix the Szechuan pepper, sesame seeds and salt together and place on a flat plate. Cut the tuna into two logs. Pat them with a little oil then roll in the spice mix.

Heat a couple of tablespoons of oil in a non-stick pan and sear the tuna for a couple of minutes on each side, just enough to turn the edges opaque. The interior should remain uncooked. Set aside to cool.

Dipping sauce:
1 tablespoons brewed soy sauce
1 tablespoon fish sauce
2 teaspoons mirin
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon sugar

Shake the sauce ingredients together and place in a small dipping bowl.

Finely slice the cooled tuna and arrange on a serving plate. Garnish with spring onion, very finely sliced diagonally.

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