Sriracha and Sesame Crusted Seared Ahi Tuna

Tonight's dinner was a sriracha and sesame crusted seared ahi tuna with steamed rice and steamed broccoli.  This is definitely one of those time you want to find really fresh tuna.  Don't use that stuff in the freezer case.  The tuna is dredged in a combination of sriracha sauce and sesame oil and then breaded with black and white sesame seeds and then seared on all sides in an extremely hot pan in sesame oil.  The tuna is then allowed to rest under a tinfoil tent and then cut into very thin strips and served over steamed rice with a side of steamed broccoli.  The sauce on the fish is a sriracha aioli.  When you bite into the tuna, you first taste the crunch of the sesame seeds followed by the slight heat of the sriracha.  The inside of the tuna is pink and the outer layer of the fish is gray in color, indicating the perfect sear.  The perfect light summer dinner.

Sriracha and Sesame Crusted Seared Ahi Tuna

Adapted from the Sriracha Cookbook (serves 2)

• 1 fillet sushi grade tuna
• 1 1/2 tablespoons sriracha
• 2 tablespoons sesame oil
• Combination white and black sesame oil
• Steamed rice
• Steamed broccoli

Combine sriracha and 1 tablespoon sesame oil.  Coat all sides of tuna with the sriracha mixture and the dredge in the combination of sesame seeds, making sure all sides are coated.  Heat remaining 1 tablespoon of sesame oil in a skillet until very hot.  Sear tuna on all sides until golden brown in color.  About 3 minutes per side, including the edges.  Remove from pan and cover with foil and let tuna rest 5-10 minutes.  Cut tuna into thin strips and serve over steamed rice (I made my rice with chicken stock instead of water for more flavor) and a side of steamed broccoli. 

To make a sriracha aioli for the tuna, combine 2 tablespoons of mayonnaise, 1/2 -1 teaspoon of sriracha, and 1 teaspoon lime juice, mix well.  Adjust sriracha based on your taste.