Panko Crusted Ahi Tuna with Coconut-Cilantro Rice

Ingredients:

Panko and Wasabi Crusted Seared Ahi Tuna with Coconut-Cilantro Rice and Soy Reduction

This is easier than the name implies, and turns out with crunchy, slightly spicy buttery tuna, on a bed of fresh tasting coconut-infused rice and a thick, salty, slightly sweet soy sauce.

You will need about 3/4 lb of sashimi grade ahi cut about 1.25 inches thick
panko bread crumbs
powdered wasabi
jasmine rice
coconut milk
fresh cilantro
black sesame seeds
light and dark soy sauce
garlic
fresh ginger
honey

Step 1:

Pound about 1 cup of panko bread crumbs in a mortar and pestle into a coarse powder. Mix with about 1.5 TB of wasabi powder, and set aside.

Rinse 1.5 cups of rice until water is clear. Add 1 can of coconut milk, a pinch of salt, and add enough water to make up 2.75 cups of liquid. Stir well. Bring to boil over high heat in a medium saucepan, then reduce heat to very low and cook for 20-25 minutes, or until rice is tender and liquid is absorbed. When done, fluff with a fork and this can stay covered until you are ready to serve for up to half an hour.

Step 2:

While the rice is cooking, roughly chop 1 and 1/2 cup of fresh cilantro leaves and set aside.

Get your soy reduction sauce started by slicing two coins of ginger, and smashing two garlic cloves. Add to a small saucepan, and add 1 and 1/2 cup of soy sauce, 1and 1/2 cup of dark soy, and 2 TB of honey. Let simmer over low heat until sauce is thickened, about 20 minutes. It will be almost as thick as honey when done.

Step 3:

You can let both the soy reduction and the coconut rice cook while you prep your tuna - they won't need much attention.

Thick as honey:

Step 4:

Now, lets get the ahi going. First, check the time because your rice should be ready in 5 minutes or less (or already done), and your soy reduction should have been simmering for a good 15 minutes or so. You don't want the tuna done before the rice!

Take your steak, and cut it so you will have 2 long strips. You can use the remainder to make sushi, poke, or give it the same treatment as the nice looking steaks but save it for yourself.

Step 5:

Cover in the panko and wasabi mixture. Heat about 1.5 TB oil in a skillet over medium to medium-high heat.

I used one of the edges as a test piece. Fry about 45 seconds per side until panko is golden brown but the ahi is still rare/raw in the middle. You can leave the smallest edges alone as we will be slicing on a bias.

Step 6:

When done, set aside. Mix the cilantro into the rice, and serve, sprinkling with black sesame seeds (I used a measuring cup as a mold). Slice the ahi on a bias, and fan out around the rice. Drizzle some of the soy reduction around the tuna, and serve.