Tuna tartare with nori tempura bugak
Judy Joo’s elegant starter, the prep for which can mostly be done in advance, is made from sashimi-grade tuna that is dressed in a bright Korean soy vinegar dressing made from sagwa-shikcho (Korean apple vinegar). Judy serves the tuna with pickled radish roses and deep-fried nori seaweed crackers, which are inspired by the popular Korean snack: bugak seaweed chips. Traditionally made with glutinous rice paste, Judy opts for a tempura batter for a lighter, crispier finish.
Ingredients
Metric
Imperial
- 500g of sashimi-grade tuna, chopped into 5mm dice
- micro cress, such as micro shiso, daikon, chervil, or amaranth, to serve
RADISH ROSES
- 8 breakfast radishes, thinly sliced lengthways on a mandoline
- black sesame seeds, to serve
DRESSING
- 2 tbsp of tamari
- 1 1/2 tbsp of finely chopped shallot
- 2 tsp mirin
- 2 tsp sagwa-shikcho (Korean apple vinegar), you could use apple cider vinegar as a substitute
- 2 tsp toasted sesame oil
- 1/2 tsp toasted sesame seeds
- 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 tsp Dijon mustard
TEMPURA BUGAK
- 50g of tempura flour
- 90ml of sparkling water, chilled
- 3 sheets of toasted nori, cut into 5cm x 10cm rectangles
- neutral oil, such as vegetable, grapeseed or canola, for deep-frying
Equipment
- Mandoline
- Deep fat fryer
Method
For the radish roses, soak the sliced radishes in a bowl of iced water for 10-15 minutes until lightly curled, then drain and pat dry with kitchen paper
- 8 breakfast radishes, thinly sliced lengthways on a mandoline
For the dressing, whisk together all the ingredients with a pinch of sea salt. Taste and adjust the seasoning
- 2 tbsp of tamari
- 1 1/2 tbsp of finely chopped shallot
- 2 tsp mirin
- 2 tsp sagwa-shikcho (Korean apple vinegar), you could use apple cider vinegar as a substitute
- 2 tsp toasted sesame oil
- 1/2 tsp toasted sesame seeds
- 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 tsp Dijon mustard
Place the tuna in a large bowl and pour over the dressing. Gently fold together to coat evenly, then cover and refrigerate for 15-30 minutes. Don’t leave it longer than 30 minutes or the acid will start to cure the tuna and dull its colour
- 500g of sashimi-grade tuna, chopped into 5mm dice
To shape the radish roses, arrange the drained and dried radish slices into 4 rose shapes, then set aside until ready to serve
Heat the oil in a deep pan over a medium-high heat, or preheat a deep-fat fryer to 170°C
- neutral oil, such as vegetable, grapeseed or canola, for deep-frying
Make the tempura batter. In a chilled bowl, whisk the tempura flour with just enough chilled sparkling water to form a thick, lumpy slurry – keep it slightly lumpy and do not overmix (you may not need all the water)
- 50g of tempura flour
- 90ml of sparkling water, chilled
Working in batches of 2-3 pieces, use tongs to dip the nori into the batter, coating both sides, then lower carefully into the hot oil. Fry for 30-60 seconds, until golden and crisp, separating any pieces that stick together. Transfer to a baking sheet lined with kitchen paper and sprinkle generously with fine salt whilst still hot. Let the oil return to 170°C in between batches
- 3 sheets of toasted nori, cut into 5cm x 10cm rectangles
To serve, spoon the tuna into bowls. Place a radish rose on top of each, sprinkle with black sesame seeds and finish with micro cress. Repeat with the remaining plates and serve immediately with the seaweed tempura alongside
- black sesame seeds, to serve
- micro cress, such as micro shiso, daikon, chervil, or amaranth, to serve
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