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Ingredients
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Tuna
Marinade / Dressing
Seasoning & Garnish
Accompaniments (optional)
Method
Tuna Preparation
Inspect and trim
Pat the bigeye tuna loin dry with paper towels. Inspect for any sinew or dark bloodline; remove with a very sharp knife. Trim into a rectangular loin about 2–3 cm thick for even searing and slicing.
Season
Lightly season all sides of the tuna with half of the kosher salt and a pinch of the black pepper. Let rest at room temperature for 10 minutes while you prepare the marinade and heat the pan.
Marinade & Sear
Make the dressing
In a small bowl combine the light soy sauce, mirin, rice vinegar, sesame oil, and grated ginger. Whisk until integrated and set aside. Reserve about 1 tablespoon of dressing per serving for drizzling.
Sear the tuna (optional for tataki-style)
Heat a heavy skillet or cast-iron pan over high heat until just smoking. Add the neutral oil and swirl. Sear the tuna loin 15–20 seconds per side, turning continuously to create an even darkened crust while keeping the interior rare. For thicker loins, sear each broad face and the edges briefly (total sear time should not exceed 1 minute for rare). Remove and rest on a rack or cutting board for 2 minutes.
Alternate (no-sear) option
If serving purely sashimi-style, skip searing. Instead, chill the trimmed loin in the coldest part of the refrigerator for 10 minutes before slicing to firm the flesh for cleaner cuts.
Finish & Assemble
Slice the tuna
With a very sharp, long-bladed knife (wet the blade with water or a little rice vinegar to reduce sticking), slice the tuna against the grain into 1/4-inch (6–7 mm) thick pieces for sashimi or 1/2-inch (12 mm) slices for tataki. Wipe the blade between passes for clean edges.
Plate
Arrange slices on chilled plates or a serving board. Drizzle reserved dressing lightly over the fish (about 1 tbs per 150 g serving). Sprinkle toasted sesame seeds and the remaining salt and pepper to taste. Scatter thinly sliced scallions and microgreens or shiso leaves around the fish. Serve with lemon or yuzu wedges for squeezing.
Serve with accompaniments
If serving with rice, place a portion of cooked sushi rice alongside or underneath the slices to make nigiri-style bites. Offer pickled ginger and wasabi on the side. Encourage diners to dip lightly into additional soy or the dressing.
