This tuna in wasabi pea broth is a brilliantly easy recipe that will clear your sinuses and look fancy as hell, at the same time.
I absolutely love seared tuna and combining it with this spicy wasabi broth is the perfect way to take a simple dinner and make it look fancy. It’s actually not a particularly difficult recipe to prepare, but you will want to make sure you have everything ready to go before you cook the tuna. The seared tuna will only cook a minute or so per side and you want to be able to slice it immediately, plate it up, and serve as quickly as possible.
What I love about this recipe is the exciting combination of flavors. The wasabi broth is bold and spicy, the tuna is a mild flavor with just a bit of crunch thanks to sesame seeds. The egg yolk, lightly poached in warm broth, adds the perfect amount of creaminess to the dish.
Pea shoots will give you a bright, crisp flavor. If you can’t find pea shoots, use any tender young green. Baby spinach would be perfect. If you want an earthier green, try this will dandelion greens.
How to Make this Tuna in Wasabi Pea Broth:
First, prepare all your ingredients and start the wasabi pea broth. Start the broth by sautéing a yellow onion in a little oil. You do not want the onion to brown, so adjust the heat as necessary. The aim is to create a very nice clear broth. Continue cooking the onion, turning the heat down as necessary, until it sweats and softens. Add sliced garlic and cook briefly until fragrant.
Add as much wasabi oil as you like, depending on the potency of the oil. I added about 2-3 teaspoons. You may also use tubed wasabi paste, but your wasabi broth will be a darker color. From there, just add the water and bring to a boil. Throw in the thinly sliced daikon radish and season the broth with salt to taste and let its simmer for about 15-20 minutes.
During this time, make sure your tuna is prepped. Pat it dry and rub a teaspoon of sesame oil on both sides. Season with salt and pepper all over. Sprinkle sesame seeds generously on each side and use your palm to press the seeds into the tuna.
Your last bit of prep is the eggs. Separate the egg yolks from the whites. Discard the whites or reserve them for another use. Keep the yolks in a bowl together.
To finish the tuna in wasabi broth, you simply just need to assemble everything. First, gently ladle a few scoops of the hot broth over the eggs. They don’t need to be fully immersed, just enough to heat them through. You may wish to cover the top of the bowl with foil to allow the top of the yolks to cook, as well but it isn’t necessary. Leave the egg yolks in the warm broth as you prepare the tuna. Right before you cook the tuna, add the pea shoots to the broth and allow them to wilt.
The tuna is simple; just sear it in a little oil for about 1-2 minutes per side, depending on the thickness. Don’t overcook your beautiful fish! It should be very raw in the middle!
How to Plate The Tuna in Wasabi Pea Broth:
Now all you have to do is slice the tuna thinly. Ladle the broth into shallow bowls and arrange the sliced tuna on top. Try to create a little bit of a mound with the greens for the egg yolk to rest on and gently place an egg yolk on each dish.
It seems like a lot, but I promise, everything does really come together quite quickly but you just need to have everything well-prepped!
Looking for more fish recipes? Check my archives!
If you made this recipe, please rate the recipe below and leave a comment to tell me how you liked it! If you take a picture of it, please tag me on Instagram so I can feature you in my feed!
Tuna in Wasabi Pea Broth
Equipment
- Small pot
- Skillet
Ingredients
Wasabi Pea Broth:
- 1 teaspoon neutral oil
- 1 yellow onion peeled, halved, and thinly sliced
- 3 cloves garlic peeled and very thinly sliced
- 1 tablespoon butter optional
- 2-3 teaspoons wasabi oil more or less, depending on preference
- 5 cups water
- 1 small daikon radish (about ¼ pound) peeled and very thinly sliced
- 3 ounces pea shoots or baby spinach
- Salt to taste
- 2 eggs yolks only
Tuna:
- 12 ounces ahi tuna preferably saku tuna
- 2 teaspoons sesame oil
- Salt and pepper
- Sesame seeds enough to cover both sides of the tuna
- 1 tablespoon neutral oil for frying
For Garnish:
- Mustard oil or more wasabi oil optional
- Flaky sea salt optional
Instructions
Start the Wasabi Pea Broth:
- Heat the neutral oil in a small pot over medium-low heat. Add the onion and cook until the onion begins to sweat and soften. Do not brown the onion. It should stay very white, so adjust the heat as necessary to prevent the onion from browning.
- Add the garlic and cook for 45 seconds until fragrant. Melt the butter, if using, into the aromatics. Add the wasabi oil, starting with about 1-2 teaspoons to start.
Simmer the Wasabi Broth:
- Pour in the water and bring to a boil. Add another teaspoon or two of wasabi oil if desired and season the broth with salt to taste. Add the sliced daikon radish. Reduce heat and simmer for about 20 minutes.
Prepare the Eggs:
- Separate the egg yolks from the whites. Discard the whites and transfer the egg yolks to a bowl. Set aside.
Prepare the Tuna:
- Pat the tuna dry and rub with the sesame oil. Season all over with salt and pepper and sprinkle both sides with sesame oil. Using the palm of your hand, gently press the sesame seeds into the tuna. Transfer to the refrigerator until needed.
Finish the Wasabi Pea Broth and Eggs:
- Using a spoon, ladle a few spoonfuls of the broth over the egg yolks and allow them to cook in the broth for 3-4 minutes. You do not need to completely immerse the egg yolks; just enough to warm them up. You may wish to cover the bowl with foil. If you need to, you can add a little more broth over the eggs to cook them further, but the yolk should be runny.
- Add the pea shoots to the wasabi pea broth and season again to taste. Turn off the heat.
Cook the Tuna:
- Heat the neutral oil in a skillet over high heat. Add the tuna and cook without moving for about 1 minute, depending on the thickness of the fish. Flip and cook an additional 1 minute. Remove from the heat and slice thinly.
To Plate:
- Ladle the wasabi pea broth into bowls and arrange the sliced tuna on top. Carefully place a poached egg yolk next to the tuna. Garnish with flaky sea salt and a drizzle of mustard or wasabi oil, if desired. Enjoy!
