It may be quick and simple to prepare, but this delicious tuna steak recipe – from Eleanor Maidment’s new recipe book Crazy Busy Weeknights – is still bursting with flavour and texture
SESAME TUNA SOBA NOODLES BY ELEANOR MAIDMENT. IMAGE: CAROLYN BARBER
This is an all-time favourite in my house, the kind of meal I make on a Friday night instead of a takeaway. Aside from chopping a bit of veg there’s very little preparation involved. Mirin is a type of sweet rice wine (with a low alcohol content) which is used in marinades and dressings. You could use rice vinegar instead, and add more maple syrup to taste.
Sesame Tuna Soba Noodles
Ingredients
- 100 g frozen edamame
- 100 g broccoli in small florets or chunks of stalk
- 200 g fresh or 125 g dried soba noodles I like Itsu’s fresh Restaurant Ramen Soba
- 1 small ripe avocado chopped
- 3 spring onions finely chopped
MIRIN DRESSING
- 3 tbsp soy sauce
- 2 tbsp mirin
- 1 tsp maple syrup
- 1 tsp toasted sesame oil plus a splash more for the noodles
- 1/2 tsp finely grated fresh root ginger
SESAME TUNA
- 1 tbsp vegetable or sunflower oil
- 2 tbsp sesame seeds ideally a mix of black and white
- 2 x 120 g fresh tuna steaks
- salt and black pepper
Instructions
- Bring a large saucepan of water to the boil. Add the edamame and cook until they start rising to the top. Add the broccoli and simmer for another 2 minutes. Scoop the vegetables out with a slotted spoon and set aside on paper towels.
- Add the noodles to the boiling water and cooking according to pack instructions. Drain in a sieve, rinse under the cold tap, then shake dry. Toss with a splash of sesame oil and divide between two shallow serving bowls. Top with the edamame, broccoli, avocado and spring onions.
- Meanwhile mix the mirin dressing ingredients together. Spoon a little over the noodles and vegetables.
- For the sesame tuna, heat the vegetable oil in a medium frying pan over a medium-high heat. Place the sesame seeds on a plate. Season the tuna steaks with salt and pepper, then press into the sesame seeds, coating all over. Fry in the hot oil for 1-2 minutes on each side, depending on the thickness of the steaks and how well you like them cooked.
- Slice the tuna steaks and arrange on top of the noodles and vegetables. Spoon over a little more mirin dressing and serve immediately.
Recipe taken from Crazy Busy Weeknights by Eleanor Maidment, published by Ryland Peters & Small (£20). Photography by Carolyn Barber © Ryland Peters & Small
