Briefly seared yellowtail marinated tataki-style, served cool to slightly warm alongside a bright salad of mung bean sprouts, scallions, and chile. The fish remains pristine, meaty, and center stage, while the sides deliver freshness, umami, and vibrant acidity without overpowering it.
Ingredients
- 360 g very fresh yellowtail fillet, sashimi-grade if possible
- 60 ml Japanese light soy sauce
- 2 cloves fresh pink garlic
- 20 ml toasted sesame oil
- 1 tbsp good-quality oyster sauce
- 2 tbsp rice vinegar
- 1 tbsp Shaoxing wine
- 1 piece fresh red chile
- 3 pieces fresh scallions
- 120 g fresh mung bean sprouts
- 1 piece baby cucumbers or Persian cucumbers
- 1 tbsp white sesame seeds
- 1 tbsp grapeseed oil
- to taste fine salt
Method
- Prepare the fish: Check for pin bones, remove the skin if it is thick, and pat the fillet thoroughly dry. Cut it into two long, even blocks for a uniform sear. Season very lightly with salt and chill at 4 °C for 10 minutes to let the surface firm up.
- Make the soy-sesame base: Finely grate the garlic into a bowl, then stir in the soy sauce, oyster sauce, rice vinegar, Shaoxing wine, and sesame oil. Whisk until the sauce is glossy and emulsified. Taste it: it should be savory, aromatic, lightly tangy, and rounded, never heavy.
- Divide the sauce: Reserve a clean portion of the sauce to drizzle over the plate during assembly, and use the rest to marinate the fish. This keeps the finishing sauce free of raw fish juices.
- Marinate the yellowtail: Coat the fish blocks in the marinade, cover, and refrigerate at 4 °C for 15 to 20 minutes, turning once halfway through. The surface should take on a light amber tint without becoming soft or overly salty.
- Prepare the garnish: Rinse the mung bean sprouts and scallions. Slice the scallions thinly on the bias, cut the cucumber into ribbons or thin batons, and slice the chile very thinly. Keep the vegetables chilled at 4 °C to maintain their crunch.
- Blanch the mung bean sprouts: Drop them into a pot of simmering salted water at 95-98 °C for exactly 20 to 30 seconds, just until pliable while remaining translucent and crisp. Transfer immediately to an ice bath at 0-4 °C for 1 minute to stop the cooking, then drain and dry thoroughly.
- Dress the salad: Toss the bean sprouts, cucumber, most of the scallions, and the chile with a small spoonful of the reserved clean sauce. Add the sesame seeds. The salad should glisten without being soggy; drain off any excess liquid pooled at the bottom of the bowl before plating.
- Sear the tataki: Remove the yellowtail from the marinade and pat it completely dry with paper towels. Heat a heavy skillet over very high heat with the grapeseed oil until it reaches 200 °C to 210 °C, just as the oil begins to lightly smoke. Add the fish blocks and sear each side for exactly 25 to 30 seconds (about 2 minutes total) to develop a 1 to 2 mm golden crust without letting the core temperature exceed 20 °C (the center should stay raw, pinkish-red, and cold).
- Rest and slice: Transfer the seared blocks immediately to a cold plate or wire rack and rest for 4 minutes so the flesh relaxes without continuing to cook. Slice diagonally with a very sharp knife into 5 mm slices in a single smooth stroke, revealing the seared edge and pearlescent raw center.
- Plate: Arrange the crisp salad in a small line or shallow mound. Lay the yellowtail slices over or alongside it, spoon the reserved clean sauce on top, and finish with the remaining scallions, a sprinkle of sesame seeds, and a light drizzle of sesame oil if desired. Serve immediately, chilled or slightly warm.
Nutrition
Per serving
- Energy
- 449.9 kcal
- Protein
- 48.15 g
- Carbohydrate
- 10.7 g
- Fat
- 23.32 g
- Fibre
- 2.69 g
- Calcium
- 62.42 mg
- Iron
- 1.22 mg
- Magnesium
- 37.54 mg