Recipe | Tuna Sashimi with Lime and soya sauce
- Amelie
- Aug 24
- 3 min read
Tuna Sashimi: a favoured fish dish that holds treasured memories by Alex Crepy
Tuna has to be one of my most favourite fish and I’ve never forgotten the first time I had this as a youngster at the Great House, my father’s restaurant in Lavenham. I was awestruck. It was of such high quality, it lit my very soul. Back in the day—and this was some 30 years ago—foods such as sushi and sashimi were truly special in the menu and difficult to come by.
Raw fish has now become the western world norm but sushi and sashimi have been fashionable in Japanese cuisine for centuries. Sashimi must be one of the most iconic Japanese dishes to be celebrated outside of its homeland.
The swordplay intricacy, elegance, simplicity and natural-sliced freshness, derived directly from the sea, represents for me one of the most thrilling food art forms produced by mankind.
On the one hand, when combined with rice, hand pressed or rolled over seaweed, they become sushi. On the other hand, sashimi, which literally means “pierced body” (from the Japanese sashi (to pierce) and mi (meat or body)), probably originated from the traditional practice of sticking the fish’s tail fin to its flesh to identify the type of fish being served.
Raw fish dates back to when the fisherman would enjoy the day’s catch without cooking it. Over the centuries, this way of eating evolved into the sophisticated culinary art form that we know today from the 17–18th centuries.
In Japanese culture, sashimi represents more than just a meal, it reflects their philosophy of respecting ingredients in their most natural form—honouring their freshness, simplicity, and seasonal availability.
There are many types of sashimi, all giving a unique flavour, texture and cultural significance, including the prized cuts of tuna as well as different tuna, salmon, squid, mackerel, prawn, sea urchin and scallop.
Tuna Sashimi can easily be enjoyed at home and I hope you might try this recipe with a lime and soy sauce.
Do purchase sashimi grade fish though from reputable suppliers that is sourced sustainably as well. Bon appétit!
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Recipe | Tuna sashimi with lime and soy sauce
Ingredients
360g middle piece of red tuna loin
Small handful sesame seeds
1 baby beetroot
1 baby radish
1 baby chicory
4 little gem lettuce leaves
4 chicory salad leaves, finely sliced lengthways
30ml soy sauce sashimi marinade
30ml olive oil
10ml sesame oil
Drops of sesame oil
2 tsp lime juice
Method for the Tuna Sashimi (serves 4)
Cut the tuna loin into wide slices then cut into cubes of 1cm diameter. Cover with cling film and leave in the fridge until needed.
Toast the sesame seeds in a pan or on a baking tray in a moderate oven until golden brown.
Wash the baby radish and beetroot and slice them as thinly as possible with a mandolin—be careful not to slice your fingers as it is very sharp.
Put them in a bowl of iced water so they become very crisp and settled.
Wash the baby chicory and cut into fine long strips.
Mix soy sauce, olive oil, sesame oil and lime juice.
Marinate the tuna cubes in the mixture for 10 minutes.
When ready to serve, drain the tuna and place it on serving plates, adding the radish, chicory, lettuce, beetroot, and finally the toasted sesame seeds.
Sprinkle the tuna cubes with more sesame oil.
Arrange the whole mixture decoratively on the plate, ensuring each cube of tuna is coated with the marinade and toppings.
Enjoy!
