Seared tuna salad (aburi maguro)

Ingredients

• 2 pieces sashimi tuna (approximately 4 x 2 x 20 cm each)
• salt and white pepper 
• vegetable oil 
• 1 cup very finely grated daikon
• ⅓ cup very finely grated white onion 
• 2 tbsp finely sliced green onions
• 1 beetroot, finely julienned 
• 2 tbsp finely julienned ginger 
• 1 garlic clove, finely sliced and fried to golden 
• ½ tbsp shredded baby celery leaves 
• 1½ tbsp shredded shiso (perilla) leaves

Ponzu dressing

• ¼ white onion, very finely grated 
• 360 ml Japanese citrus vinegar 
• 200 ml grapeseed oil 
• 2 tsp sesame oil 
• pinch of white pepper

Instructions

Season the tuna with salt and white pepper. Heat a small amount of oil in a heavy-based frying pan and sear the tuna for about 10 seconds on all sides, so the tuna is coloured on the outside but still raw inside. Leave to cool then cut into 1 cm slices and lay in a wide serving bowl.

To make the dressing, mix the onion with two-thirds of the citrus vinegar. Combine the rest of the vinegar with the grapeseed oil, whisking just briefly. Whisk in the onion and vinegar mixture, sesame oil and pepper.

Pour ½ cup of the dressing over the tuna. Combine the daikon and green onion and scatter over the top. Sprinkle with the spring onion, beetroot, ginger, garlic and baby celery and shiso leaves.