Ani Tuna Recipe

Prepare marinade

In a medium bowl whisk together soy sauce, sesame oil, lime juice, honey, grated ginger and minced garlic until honey is dissolved and mixture is homogeneous.

Reserve 1 tablespoon of the marinade for finishing sauce. Place the diced ahi tuna in the bowl with the remaining marinade and gently toss to coat. Marinate in the refrigerator for 10–15 minutes—do not exceed 20 minutes to keep the tuna fresh and texturally bright.

After marinating, drain the tuna briefly in a fine sieve or on paper towel to remove excess liquid. Toss the tuna with the toasted sesame seeds to coat evenly.

While the tuna marinates, dice the avocado and cucumber into small, uniform pieces. Thinly slice scallions and chili if using. Gently toss avocado with a pinch of lime juice to prevent browning.

Combine the diced cucumber, scallions (reserve a few scallion slices for finishing) and microgreens or cilantro in a small bowl and lightly season with a pinch of salt.

If using freshly cooked sushi rice, fold the rice vinegar, sugar and salt into the warm rice and let cool to near room temperature. Spread rice evenly in the serving bowl or on individual plates as the base (about 1 cup cooked rice per 2 servings).

Scatter the crushed wonton strips or toasted sesame crackers over the rice where you want extra crunch. This can be mixed into the rice slightly or held as a topping so it stays crisp.

Place the marinated tuna on top of the rice base in a mound or arranged in neat cubes. Spoon the avocado and cucumber mixture around or interspersed with the tuna for color and texture contrast.

Drizzle reserved tablespoon of marinade over the tuna, then add a thin zigzag of spicy mayo and a light drizzle of unagi or teriyaki glaze. Sprinkle flaky sea salt and black sesame seeds over the top, and scatter remaining scallion slices.

Finish with a squeeze of fresh lime over the entire bowl and add microgreens on top for brightness. Serve immediately so the crunchy elements remain crisp.