grilled tuna and cucumber salad

By á-1568

Ingredients

• For the tuna:
• 1 tablespoon fish sauce
• 1 tablespoon grated, peeled fresh ginger
• 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice
• 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
• 1 medium garlic clove, minced
• 1 Thai bird chile, stemmed and minced
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 medium carrot, peeled and grated (about 1 cup)
• 1/2 English cucumber (about 8 ounces), sliced into 1/8-inch-thick rounds
• 4 (1-inch-thick) sushi-grade tuna steaks (about 1 1/2 pounds)
• Vegetable oil, for oiling the tuna and the grill
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• To serve:
• 2 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh cilantro
• 2 tablespoons coarsely chopped roasted, salted peanuts

Preparation

Step 1

For the salad:

Place the fish sauce, ginger, lime juice, sugar, garlic, and chile in a medium, nonreactive bowl and whisk until the sugar has dissolved. Add the oil, whisking in a slow, steady stream until combined. Add the carrot and cucumber and stir until evenly coated; set aside.


For the tuna:

Heat a grill pan or outdoor grill to high (about 450°F to 550°F).
Meanwhile, pat the tuna dry with paper towels. Rub the fish on both sides with a thin layer of vegetable oil and season generously with salt and pepper.
When the grill is ready, rub the grates with a towel dipped in vegetable oil. Place the tuna on the grill and cook undisturbed until dark grill marks appear, about 2 minutes. Using a flat spatula, flip and cook until grill marks appear on the second side but the middle is still rare, about 2 to 3 minutes more. Transfer the tuna to a cutting board.


To serve:

Add the cilantro to the salad, stir to combine, and divide evenly among 4 plates. Slice the tuna against the grain into 1/4-inch-thick pieces and place over the salad. Sprinkle with the peanuts and serve immediately.