Seared tuna with sesame, soy and ginger greens

Serves - 4

You’ll need

• 4 tuna steaks
• 1 tbsp sesame seeds
• 1 tbsp black sesame seeds, optional
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil or groundnut oil
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 2 garlic cloves, finely grated or crushed
• 1 thumb-sized piece of ginger, finely grated
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp lime juice
• 200g tenderstem broccoli or greens of your choice
• 200g pak choi, halved or quartered if large
• 2 spring onions, finely sliced
• Small handful coriander, roughly chopped, optional
• Sea salt
• Black pepper

Method

1. Get everything ready

Mix the sesame seeds together on a plate if using both kinds. Pat the tuna dry with kitchen paper, then season lightly with black pepper. You do not need much salt here, as the soy will be doing a fair bit of the heavy lifting later.

2. Make the soy and ginger base

In a small bowl, mix together the garlic, ginger, soy sauce, lime juice and sesame oil. This will go into the greens later, so keep it nearby and ready to go.

3. Cook the greens

Bring a pan of salted water to the boil and cook the tenderstem broccoli for 2–3 minutes until just tender. Add the pak choi for the final minute, then drain well. You want everything still bright and with a bit of bite, not limp and defeated.

4. Sear the tuna

Press the tuna steaks lightly into the sesame seeds so they are coated on the outside. Heat the vegetable or groundnut oil in a frying pan over a high heat. Once properly hot, add the tuna and sear for around 1 minute on each side for rare, or a little longer if you prefer it more cooked. The idea is a good crust on the outside and a soft centre within. Take it too far and it will let you know.

5. Finish the greens properly

Lower the heat slightly and add the drained greens to the pan once the tuna is out and resting on a plate. Pour in the soy and ginger mixture and toss for 30 seconds to 1 minute until everything is glossy and lightly coated. Stir through most of the spring onions.

6. Serve

Divide the greens between plates and sit the tuna on top or alongside. Scatter over the remaining spring onions and the coriander if using, then spoon over any juices from the resting tuna. Serve straight away while everything still feels fresh, warm and exactly as it should.

A couple of helpful notes

- Tuna is best cooked quickly and confidently. A hot pan and a short cooking time makes all the difference.
- If your tuna steaks are quite thin, reduce the cooking time slightly so they do not dry out.
- This is very good with steamed rice or noodles if you want to make it a little more substantial.