Seared Tuna Bowls

Prep Time: 5 Min

Cook Time: 20 Min  

Serves: 2-4  

The Northern Territory is a vast and fascinating part of Australia, and we all loved exploring this incredible land filled with crocodiles, waterfalls, and breathtaking sunsets. Our journey took us to Arnhem Land, deep in the northeast corner. We left Katherine with excitement for a bumpy 13-hour drive and arrived late in the quaint town of Nhulunbuy on the Gove Peninsula. Feeling exhausted and hungry, we decided to camp out behind the Walkabout Tavern.

We were amazed by the rich red dirt, blue seas, and the warmth of the Yolngu people, and we felt a deep connection to the region. With two weeks of exploration and camping ahead, we hired a boat to visit the outer islands and hopefully catch some local tuna. It was a beautiful day on the water, and as we packed our lunch and set off, the kids were thrilled to see schools of jumping tuna near the boat. Soon, we were engaged in a fun battle, and we successfully caught our first tuna, which was the perfect size for our family. We aimed to take only what we needed, and this fish would feed us for a few days. We began our culinary adventure with sashimi, of course! That evening, I prepared seared wasabi tuna bowls, a simple and fresh dish made with easy-to-find ingredients. I also made tuna kebabs for the kids. As we left Arnhem Land, we felt a heavy sadness; to be honest, we could have stayed there for months. It was a truly special place.  

Ingredients:  

• 350g fresh tuna  
• 1 cucumber  
• ½ red onion  
• 1 teaspoon rice wine vinegar  
• 1 teaspoon sugar  
• 2 tablespoons wasabi  
• ½ cup light, salt-reduced soy sauce  
• 1 cup sesame seeds  
• 2 cups brown rice  
• 1 cup edamame beans  
• ½ red chilli  
• 1 tablespoon pickled ginger (to taste)  
• 2 tablespoons ponzu sauce  
• ½ cup seaweed salad (optional)  
• 2 Nori sheets  

Method:  

1. Prepare the coals.  
2. Set the tuna aside and allow it to come to room temperature.  
3. Using a potato peeler, make ribbons of cucumber and slice the red onion. Place them into a jar with the rice wine vinegar and sugar, and let them sit.  
4. Mix the wasabi and soy sauce to form a paste in a mixing bowl.  
5. Roll the tuna steak in the wasabi paste, then coat it with sesame seeds. Set aside.  
6. Wash the rice until the water is clear. I do this with a sieve and a bowl, rubbing the rice with my fingers in the bowl of water and draining it in the sieve around four times or until the water runs clear.  
7. Cook the rice for 15 to 20 minutes or until it is soft and moist on the outside but still firm and chewy in the middle. I use a billy suspended over medium heat, but a saucepan works perfectly as well.  
8. Heat a skillet on the grill grate or use the hot plate of the grate to medium-high heat for searing. Check the heat with a droplet of water; if it dances, the skillet is ready.  
9. Place the tuna steaks on the skillet or hot plate and sear each side for 60 to 90 seconds. This will result in medium-rare tuna. If you prefer it cooked more, increase the cooking time, but I highly recommend consuming it as rare as you can handle to ensure it's tender and succulent, not tough and dry.  
10. Once a crust has formed, remove the steaks and let them rest for a minimum of 5 minutes before slicing.  
11. In the meantime, add rice wine vinegar to the rice and fluff it with a fork.  
12. Serve the rice in a bowl and top it with the pickled cucumber, onion, ginger, tuna, and edamame. Add nori and seaweed salad, then drizzle ponzu sauce on top and add fresh chilli or freshly grated wasabi to your liking.