Enjoying ahi

Ahi--the raw tuna used for sashimi and sushi--is one of those wonderful foods I became addicted to while in Hawaii on repeated visits. On New Year's in particular it became something of a tradition in keeping with the Japanese idea of a red-fleshed fish being associated with good luck for the coming year.

Ahi is obviously going to be more expensive here, where it has to be flown in. However, at Costco it's possible to buy nice blocks of ahi (okay, maybe it was originally frozen) at a relatively low cost. It used to be that I would only sear pieces that did not look as appealing when served raw, but lately I've found a way of doing it that I think actually makes the best ahi even more tasty.

First I slice a piece of ahi so that it is less than an inch thick. In a covered pan I heat a few tablespoons of sesame oil mixed with soy sauce and black pepper. To avoid spatter I take the pan off the fire and then drop in the pieces of ahi and top them with toasted black sesame seed. I cover the pan and return it to the stove for a little less than a minute, take the pan back off, flip the ahi, and repeat for the other side. I then either serve the pieces whole or slice them. They can be served either with rice or on a bed of lettuce, as they are at a place such as P.F. Chang's. The ahi practically melts in your mouth.

While tubes of wasabi paste are standard in the market, I've found that it is a lot cheaper to buy a large bag of wasabi powder at an Asian food store and mix my own. Small amounts keep well in the refrigerator.