I came across a very interesting recipe using raw tuna and strawberries. I just could not imagine how this combination would taste and wanted to try it. Unfortunately, the strawberries I can get around here are not of the caliber available in Japan and the tuna I can get is frozen yellowfin tuna. In addition, nanohana 菜の花 or rape blossom cannot be had in US and I had to substitute broccolini. So, at best, this was a variation on the original recipes but this is the best I could do with ingredients available to me. I can only imagine whether the original tasted better.
At least, visually it appears similar to the original recipe.
Ingredients:
Tuna, half block, (I used my usual frozen yellowfin tuna), cut into 5mm cubes (#1)
Strawberries, 5-6 (or about the same amount as the tuna), cut into 5mm cubes (#2)
Broccolini, one bundle, only top portion, blanched in salted water and then shocked in ice water (#3), using a knife to remove the buds (#4).
Salt 1/6 tsp
For Sauce
Sesame paste, white, 1 tbs
Wasabi (I used real wasabi) 1 tsp
Mirin 1 tbs
Soy sauce 1 tbs
For seasoning broccolini buds
Japanese noodle sauce, concentrated (x3)
Directions:
- I sprinkled salt over the tuna cubes, mixed and let it stand as I prepared the other items.
- Although this was not in the original recipe, I seasoned the broccolini buds with a small amount of mentsuyu 麺つゆ, Japanese noodle sauce, mixed well and then squeezed out the excess sauce (#4).
- I mixed the strawberries and tuna cubes.
- Using a round mold, I first packed a layer of tuna-strawberry mixture (#5).
- I then layered the broccolini, packed tight using the back of a spoon (#6).
- I mixed, the sesame paste, wasabi, mirin, and soy sauce in a Japanese mortar "suribachi" and mixed it well. I added more wasabi after I tasted it.
- I poured the sauce around the mold, garnished the top with slices of strawberry and carefully removed the mold.