Tuna Tartare with Lime Dressing

Name: Tuna Tartare with Lime Dressing
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 5 min
Yield: 6-8 as a starter

roubashahin.com.au

I read this in a magazine at the hairdresser years ago, couldn't remember it by the time I got home — so I made it my own. It's been with me ever since.

PREP TIME

15 minutes

COOK TIME

5 minutes (toasting the baguette)

SERVES

6-8 as a starter

About this recipe

This tuna tartare has one of my favourite backstories of any recipe I make. 20 years ago, I was sitting at the hairdresser flicking through a magazine, and I came across a tartare recipe that stopped me in my tracks. Of course, by the time I walked out, I couldn’t remember most of it — so I held onto the bits I did remember and did my own take on the rest. That version has been with me for years and years now, and honestly, I wouldn’t change a thing.

What I love most about this tuna tartare is how fresh and easy it is. You whisk together a simple dressing of soy, ginger, mirin, lime and sesame, then toss through fresh tuna, toasted sesame seeds and creamy avocado just before serving. Piled generously onto toasted baguette slices with a few coriander leaves on top, it looks like something from a restaurant — yet it comes together in about 20 minutes with no real cooking at all.

What’s more, it’s a brilliant entertaining recipe because almost everything can be prepped ahead — you just mix at the last minute and serve. We often have it as a meal on its own, but it’s also beautiful as a starter on a big platter. If you’re building a spread, it sits perfectly alongside my Pomegranate Glazed Chicken, and my Iceberg Lettuce Salad is a lovely fresh side to round things out.

Ingredients

500 grams fresh tuna sashimi, diced small
1 teaspoon wasabi paste
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 teaspoons minced ginger
2 tablespoons mirin
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice
1⁄4 cup olive oil
3 spring onions, finely chopped
1 tablespoon sesame seeds, toasted
1 avocado, diced
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 baguette, sliced and toasted
Coriander leaves, to serve

Notes from Rouba

You can make the dressing with the spring onion ahead of time and set it aside — just don’t add the tuna, toasted sesame seeds or avocado until right before you eat, so everything stays nice and fresh.
Dice the avocado just before serving so it doesn’t go black. If you need to do it earlier, coat it in a little lemon juice to keep the colour.
The baguette can be toasted ahead too — just leave it uncovered so it doesn’t go soft.
For entertaining, I put the toasted bread straight onto a board and pop the tuna mix on top just before serving. It looks amazing on a platter.

Method

Step 1. Make the Dressing

Combine the wasabi paste, soy sauce, grated ginger, mirin, lime juice, sesame oil and olive oil in a bowl and give it a good whisk.

Step 2. Prepare the Tuna

Dice the fresh tuna sashimi into small cubes.

Step 3. Combine and Serve

Add the diced tuna, toasted sesame seeds, spring onion and avocado to the dressing and toss gently until everything is coated.

Toast the baguette slices, top each one generously with the tuna mixture, then finish with coriander leaves and serve straight away.

A FEW THINGS YOU'LL WANT TO KNOW

Can I use a different fish instead of tuna?
Yes — we've made it with kingfish and it's lovely. That said, I really do feel tuna goes so well with this dressing, so it's my first pick every time.

I don't have mirin — what can I use?
Rice wine vinegar works as a substitute. Just add 2 teaspoons of sugar along with the 2 tablespoons of rice wine vinegar to balance it out.

I'm not a fan of wasabi — can I leave it out?
If you don't love wasabi, just go with half a teaspoon. I've left it out before too, but I do think the wasabi makes it.

Can I make this ahead for entertaining?
Mostly, yes — and that's why it's such a good entertaining recipe. Make the dressing with the spring onion and set it aside, have your bread toasted (left uncovered so it stays crisp), and keep everything else ready to go. Then just toss the tuna, sesame seeds and avocado through at the last minute and serve.

How do I stop the avocado going brown?
Dice it right before serving. If you need to prep it earlier, coat the pieces in a little lemon juice and it'll hold its colour.

How much tuna is 500 grams?
It's usually about two tuna fillets. And if you're a little under or over — say 550 or even 600 grams — that's completely fine. The dressing is generous, so it stretches easily.

How do I know the tuna is fresh enough to eat raw?
You need sashimi-grade tuna for this recipe, since it's served raw. Ask at the fish counter — a good fishmonger will tell you exactly which tuna is sashimi grade. You're looking for flesh that's deep red and glossy, with a clean, fresh smell — never fishy. If you're not sure, just ask. It really does make all the difference here.