Sesame Crusted Tuna Akami

Sesame-crusted tuna Akami is a classic Japanese dish that lets the ingredients shine. It's simple, but has an incomparably buttery, melt-in-the-mouth texture paired with a nutty crunch. Here's how to make perfectly seared tuna with sesame seed crust.

As a private chef, I get to work with premium ingredients, and fresh Bluefin tuna is one of the best. I keep it simple, as it doesn't make sense to complicate matters when you are working with such delicious produce. For those who aren't clued up on all things tuna, here are some notes that might help.

Bluefin vs. Yellowfin tuna

Bluefin tuna is a larger, more sought-after, and more expensive fish than yellowfin tuna. It has a richer taste and a buttery texture that melts in the mouth, making it ideal for sushi and sashimi. Simply put, Bluefin tuna is far superior to Yellowfin, if your budget allows.

Because Bluefin is such a delicacy, it is subject to more stringent fishing regulations due to its declining population, which pushes the price up further. At the time of writing, the sushi-grade Bluefin tuna I buy for my private chef clients costs £100 per kilogram from the famous London chef supermarket, Notting Hill Fish + Meat.

If your budget allows, use sushi-grade Bluefin tuna. And now that we have sorted out the best variety of tuna, we move on to cuts.

What cut of tuna for searing?

This will depend on your budget and your taste buds. Akami tuna is the red meat from the back of the tuna fish. It is lean and still very flavorful, but you get more for your money.

Other options are the toro, which is the tuna belly. Chu-toro and O-toro are a paler color and much fattier (see the photo below for a side-by-side comparison). They are the more expensive cuts. Both akami and toro cuts of tuna will work for sesame seared tuna, and in the photos in this blog post, I am using sushi-grade Bluefin tuna akami.

What is sushi grade?

Sushi-grade fish is fish that is fresh and of high enough quality to be prepared and eaten raw. This means that it is processed (bled and gutted) and iced quickly after being caught, with minimal handling to minimise exposure to parasites. Sushi-grade fish is typically also flash-frozen to kill any parasites that may remain. As we are serving this seared sesame-crusted tuna akami raw (just lightly seared around the edges), it needs to be sushi-grade.

How to prepare tuna

Normally, I never recommend cooking meat and fish direct from the fridge as it promotes uneven cooking. However, in the case of sesame-seared tuna, we don't want even cooking! We only want to sear the outside of the tuna and not the center, so it helps us if the fish is cold. Also, we want to be mindful of food safety. Keep the tuna in the fridge until you're ready to cook it.

Pat the fish dry with paper towels to remove any excess surface moisture. Then prepare your sesame seed crust for tuna.

I like to use a mixture of roasted white and black sesame seeds for variation and flavor. Put them into a shallow bowl or onto a plate and mix in some salt and pepper.

Press the tuna steak into the sesame crust mix on all sides to evenly coat the tuna.

Failsafe way to sear tuna

With a premium ingredient like bluefin, we want to be sure of success! I don't want tuna sticking to the pan, and I don't want to lose any of the sesame seed crust. Pans can vary, and even a good non-stick pan can have off days. So I use the parchment paper trick.

Cut a piece of parchment paper (non-stick baking paper) that is large enough to fit the piece of tuna on, but that fits inside your frying pan. It needs to be able to lie completely flat inside the pan without bunching up, creasing, or hanging over the edges.

Lightly grease the parchment paper with oil on either side. I like to use any old cooking oil on the bottom side and sesame oil on the top. We need to grease both sides to get good contact with the pan.

Place the parchment paper in the pan and press it down to seal it to the bottom. Turn on the heat to medium-high. When you can feel the heat coming off the pan, gently place the sesame crusted tuna onto the parchment paper. Let it sit there for 10-20 seconds, then use tongs to gently turn it over and do the same on every side (including the short sides and the ends).

How to serve seared sesame crusted tuna

Slice the sesame seared tuna into 1cm pieces (¼ inch) using a very sharp knife. Serve with sushi rice, edamame beans, and spring onions with a side of soy dipping sauce and perhaps some pickled ginger. It really doesn't need a lot of fuss!

Wine Pairing

Try a New World Pinot Noir, like Oregon.

What if I have leftovers?

Always enjoy sesame crusted tuna as fresh as possible for food safety. Keep refrigerated and enjoy within 24 hours.

Equipment

Slice the seared tuna (and any sashimi) with a very sharp knife to get a clean line. Japanese knives are famous for a reason!