Ahi Tuna Tostada Recipe

Prepare the marinade

In a shallow bowl, whisk together soy sauce, sesame oil, rice vinegar, fresh lime juice, honey, grated ginger and minced garlic until combined.

Marinate the tuna

Trim any sinew from the ahi tuna and pat dry. Place tuna in the shallow bowl with marinade and turn to coat all sides. Cover and refrigerate for 10–15 minutes (do not marinate longer than 20 minutes to avoid curing the fish).

Sear the tuna (optional) or serve raw

For a seared crust: heat a heavy skillet or cast iron over high heat until smoking. Remove tuna from marinade, reserve marinade. Sear tuna 30–45 seconds per side for rare (longer for medium), pressing gently so sides get color. Let rest 5 minutes, then slice into 1/4-inch thick slices or 1/2-inch cubes. For fully raw/tartare-style: drain tuna well, pat dry, toss with reserved marinade, sesame seeds, salt and pepper, then cut into small cubes.

If you reserved marinade to dress the tuna after searing, bring the reserved marinade to a boil in a small saucepan for 1 minute to kill bacteria, then cool slightly before tossing with sliced or cubed tuna.

Make the dressing

In a small bowl whisk together orange juice, lime juice, olive oil and honey until emulsified. Season with salt and pepper.

Combine slaw

In a medium bowl combine shredded green cabbage, red cabbage, sliced scallions and chopped cilantro. Pour dressing over cabbage mixture and toss until evenly coated. Let sit 5–10 minutes to soften slightly and meld flavors.

Prepare tostada shells

If using store-bought shells, warm in a 350°F (175°C) oven for 3–5 minutes to crisp. If making homemade, brush corn tortillas lightly with oil and bake or fry until crisp.

Spread base

On each tostada shell spread about 1 tablespoon of sriracha mayonnaise to provide a flavor base and barrier to sogginess.

Layer slaw and avocado

Divide the citrus-scallion slaw evenly among the 6 shells (about 1/2 cup per tostada). Fan 2–3 slices of avocado on top of the slaw on each tostada.

Top with tuna

Arrange seared slices or dressed raw/cubed tuna over the avocado and slaw (about 2 oz tuna per tostada). If using reserved marinade that was boiled, toss tuna briefly in a tablespoon of it for extra flavor before placing on tostadas.

Finish and garnish

Drizzle additional sriracha mayo in a thin zigzag over each tostada. Scatter pickled red onions, jalapeño slices, microgreens and a light sprinkle of toasted sesame seeds and furikake if using. Add a pinch of smoked sea salt to taste and crushed wasabi peas for crunch if desired. Serve immediately with lime wedges on the side.