Recipe: Tuna Steak with Japanese Vegetables

I have recently been reading about Harumi Kurihara, the "Martha Stewart of Japan." She makes a dish of bite-sized steak with chopped vegetables that is just as do-able with tuna steak (not very unlike the trout with diced, caramelized yellow bell pepper and shredded brussels sprouts that I made the other day, if I do say so myself -- I'll post that recipe next).


Fish-and-vegetables are the basic ingredients of many of the meals I make. They make a light, nourishing meal, with endless possibilities for variation.

Tuna Bites with Japanese Vegetables for 4
About 2 lbs tuna steaks (3/4" thick if possible)
Olive or peanut oil for cooking
2 tablespoons finely chopped ginger
¼ Cup finely chopped watercress
¼ Cup scallions, chopped
¼ cup ribbed and finely chopped celery
Small handful shredded shiso leaves (or a mix of fresh basil and mint leaves, shredded)
Dashi shoyu sauce, to taste (a half-and-half mixture of fish stock and soy sauce)
Grated daikon or radish


Cut the tuna steaks into bite-sizes pieces. Heat the oil in a ridged griddle pan or frying pan and quickly cook the cubes, browning on all sides. (I added a bit of hot chilli sesame oil for the sesame flavor and the heat.)


Mix the chopped vegetables, except the daikon/radish, together. When the tuna is cooked to your liking, place it on a serving dish with the chopped vegetables on top. Make the dashi shoyu sauce and pour it on. Top each serving with grated daikon/radish.