Sesame crusted tuna salad with tamarind dressing

This tuna salad is another one of my mid week staples.

It’s light, tasty and can be made in around 15 minutes so is perfect as a healthy after-work meal when you have little time or energy to cook.

Fresh tuna is rich in omega 3 essential fatty acids which promotes heart health and is particularly beneficial for those with high blood pressure. It’s an excellent source of high quality protein and contains selenium – an essential mineral that plays an important role in supporting the body’s immune system. Sesame seeds are loaded with minerals and also contain a good amount of selenium, making this a great dish to help the body maintain optimal health.

I’ve paired it here with a light salad and tamarind dressing but it also works well with a garden salad dressed with lemon juice and olive oil.

Ingredients

• 2 medium sized fresh tuna steak
• 4 tablespoons white sesame seeds
• 2 tablespoons black sesame seeds
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• salt and pepper to taste

Salad

• 3 cups mixed lettuce
• 1/2 avocado
• generous handful of coriander/cilantro leaves
• 1 lebanese cucumber
• generous handful of cashews

Tamarind dressing

• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice (should be about the juice of one lime)
• 2 tablespoons fish sauce
• 1.5 tablespoon rice malt syrup
• 1 teaspoon tamarind puree

Method

1. Make the salad dressing by adding the ingredients to a small glass jar with a lid and shaking well
2. Place the salad ingredients in a large salad bowl and keep the cashews set aside
3. Mix the sesame seeds on a plate and season with a little salt and pepper then coat the tuna steaks with the mixture
4. Bring a heavy based stainless steel frying pan to a high heat and add the olive oil
5. Fry the tuna steaks for a couple of minutes each side so that they are seared. If you prefer your tuna cooked through, cook for around double the time but keep an eye on the fish as cooking time will depend on the thickness of the tuna steak and you don’t want to over-cook
6. While the tuna is cooking, pour the dressing over the salad (you may not need the whole lot so be careful not to overdo it) then split between two bowls and sprinkle the cashews over the top
7. Once the tuna steaks are cooked to your liking serve immediately

Serves 2

Note: as tuna is a large fish, it’s generally recommended to not consumer more than two serves a week due to the potential risk of mercury contamination.