Ahi Tuna Sushi Bowls with Sesame Chili Sauce
This. Fish! YUM.
OMG, guys, I love Ahi tuna, and I LOVE these bowls!
This was my first try at making a sushi bowl, and while it feels totally different than eating actual sushi, I thought it was a great substitute — all of the delicious & healthy ingredients without the work of making the rolls.
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The Sesame Chili sauce is my own creation, and I hope you like it! I really enjoyed having all the different flavors in the sauce, especially the ginger. But if you prefer a more simple soy sauce mix (like what traditionally accompanies sushi from a restaurant), you can come close to it by mixing soy sauce with a little water or broth. (Apparently the process is fairly complex, involving bonito (fish) stock, rice wine, several types of soy sauce, and a boiling/cooling process that sort of feels like overkill for our purposes.) But hey, whatever floats your sushi.
The toppings are all negotiable— tweak as you will— just make sure to include some crunchy elements since the tuna and rice are on the soft side.
Ahi Tuna Sushi Bowls with Sesame Chili Sauce
Serves: 4
Cook time: 30-40 minutes
For Dietary Restrictions
Gluten free: use gluten-free soy sauce (tamari)
Dairy free: this recipe is dairy-free
Kids Can Help
wash produce, measure ingredients, and mix sauce
Ingredients
For the bowls:
1 lb raw Ahi tuna, thawed
1 tsp sesame oil
2 cups white or jasmine rice
2 ½ cups water
Salt
Garlic powder
¼ cup toasted sesame seeds
2 large carrots
1 English cucumber
1 small bunch of radishes
2 avocados
Mukimame (shelled edamame)
Dried seaweed (optional)
For the sesame chili sauce:
2 Tbsp sesame oil
2 Tbsp soy sauce
¼ cup water
¼ cup sweet chili sauce (such as Mae Ploy)
2 tsp ginger paste
1 tsp sugar
1 Tbsp rice vinegar
Tools
Cutting board
Chef knife
Medium or large skillet
Tongs or spatula
Small mixing bowls or glass measuring cup (2-cup size)
Fork or whisk
Measuring cups and spoons
Medium-sized pot with lid or rice cooker
Directions
Step 1
Cook the rice: If you have a rice cooker, combine 2 cups of rice, 2.5 cups of water, and 1 tsp of salt in the cooking bowl and set on the white rice setting. If on the stovetop, bring the water to a boil first, then add salt and rice; cover and simmer ~20 minutes until tender. Cover and turn off heat.
*Note: “true” sushi rice is also cooked with vinegar and sugar, but I didn’t include them since these ingredients are in the sauce. If you do want to add them, cut the water down to 2 cups, then add ¼ cup of rice vinegar, 2 Tbsp white vinegar, and 2 Tbsp sugar before cooking the rice.
Step 2
Measure and mix the sauce ingredients until thoroughly combined; set aside.
Step 3
Prep the tuna: If the fish is still frozen, you can quickly thaw it by submerging in a large bowl of cold water for 5-10 minutes. Once the fish is thawed, rinse and pat it dry with paper towels. If you want to add a sesame crust, pour about ¼ cup of sesame seeds and ¼ tsp each of salt and garlic powder onto a small plate, stirring with your finger to combine. Press the sides of each tuna steak into the mixture until thoroughly covered. If you want to skip the sesame seeds, just sprinkle the steaks well on all sides with salt and garlic powder.
Step 4
Cook the tuna: Heat 1 tsp of sesame oil in a medium or large skillet over medium-high heat until it just starts to smoke. (You want the pan REALLY hot for this step!) Add the tuna steaks and sear for about 2 minutes until the bottoms are lightly browned, then flip and repeat; remove when the tuna is browned underneath but retains its dark pink center. (Avoid overcooking– overcooked tuna is tough and has a fishy taste!) Set aside and allow to rest for a few minutes while you prepare the toppings.
Step 5
Prepare the vegetables: peel and grate the carrots and slice the radishes and cucumber. Halve the avocados and remove the pits, then cut slices into each half for scooping out at serving time. If the mukimame is still frozen, you can thaw it in a bowl of cold water, then drain.
Step 6
Slice the tuna steaks into thin strips.
Step 7
Assemble the bowls with rice, tuna, and toppings, then drizzle with the sauce right before eating.
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