Tuna Tataki / Tataki De Atún Recipe

Prepare and marinate tuna

Pat the tuna dry with paper towels. In a small bowl whisk together soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, lime juice and black pepper. Place the tuna in a shallow dish or zip-top bag and pour half of the marinade over it (reserve the other half). Refrigerate and let sit 10–15 minutes while you prepare other elements — do not marinate longer than 20 minutes to preserve texture and color.

Coat with sesame seeds

On a small plate combine white and black sesame seeds. Remove tuna from marinade and pat lightly to remove excess liquid. Press each face and edges of the tuna into the sesame seeds to form an even thin crust on all sides.

Sear tuna

Heat a heavy skillet (preferably cast-iron) over high heat until very hot. Add neutral oil and swirl to coat. Sear the tuna 20–30 seconds per side for a very rare center (adjust 45–60 seconds per side for medium-rare depending on steak thickness). Use tongs to sear edges briefly so seeds are toasted. Do not overcrowd. Remove tuna to a cutting board and let rest 3 minutes — carryover heat will warm the interior slightly.

Make pico de gallo

In a small bowl combine diced tomato, red onion, chopped cilantro, lime juice, salt and black pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning. Let sit 5 minutes to marry flavors.

Prepare avocado

Halve and pit the avocado, dice the flesh into 1/2-inch pieces while still in the skin, then scoop into a bowl. Lightly toss with a pinch of salt and a small squeeze of lime to prevent browning. Keep chilled until plating.

Combine kimchi sauce

Finely chop the drained kimchi. In a bowl mix chopped kimchi, kimchi juice, mayonnaise, gochujang, honey (or sugar) and lime juice until smooth but with small kimchi pieces remaining. Taste and adjust: add a bit more mayo to mellow, more gochujang for heat, or a touch more kimchi juice for acidity. The sauce should be creamy, slightly spicy and tangy.

Slice the seared tuna thinly: using a very sharp knife cut the tuna across the grain into 1/8–1/4-inch slices. Arrange slices fanned out on chilled plates or a serving board.

Place a spoonful of diced avocado and a spoonful of pico de gallo beside or slightly under the tuna slices to create layers and color contrast.

Drizzle about 1–2 teaspoons of kimchi sauce across the tuna slices and a small extra dot on the plate for dipping. If desired, thin the sauce with 1 tsp of water or kimchi juice to make a lighter drizzle.

Finish with a small drizzle of toasted sesame oil over the tuna, scatter sliced scallions and microgreens or baby cilantro, and sprinkle a few sea salt flakes over the fish. Serve immediately with lime wedges on the side.