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Home » Recipes » Asian + Hawaiian Recipes

Seared Furikake Ahi

Published: Jan 4, 2024 by Samantha Ferraro · This post may contain affiliate links · Leave a Comment

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Seared furikake ahi takes seared tuna to a whole new level! Raw tuna is marinated in an umami rich marinade with soy sauce, ginger and garlic and pressed into savory furikake. Once seared, the ahi has a crisp golden crust with a tender rare center. Finish with a drizzle of creamy kewpie mayo and spicy sriracha for an explosion of flavors!

Seared furikake ahi served over rice and drizzled with kewpie mayo and sriracha.
Jump to:
  • About This Recipe
  • What is Furikake?
  • 📋 Ingredients
  • 🍋 Substitutions and Variations
  • ⏲️ Instructions
  • 📍 Recipe Tips
  • Recipe FAQs
  • Serving Suggestions
  • More Hawaii Inspired Recipes
  • Seared Furikake Ahi

About This Recipe

Seared furikake ahi is what weeknight dinners are made for! Raw tuna, also called ahi is pressed into a seaweed mixture called furikake and seared until crisp on the outside and rare in the center.

Serve the seared tuna on top of cooked white rice and to take it over the top, drizzle the seared tuna with creamy Kewpie mayo and spicy sriracha for an added kick.

What is Furikake?

Furikake is a Japanese rice seasoning mix with sesame seeds and dried seaweed. Furikake is often used to sprinkle on top of cooked white rice, but I like to add it to chicken katsu or to sprinkle on top of poke nachos.

There are all sorts of variations to furikake, such as a spicy furikake or kimchi furikake with dried chiles or shrimp furikake with dried shrimp in the mixture.

📋 Ingredients

Ingredients to make seared ahi with furikake, including raw tuna, soy sauce, ginger and garlic.
  • Tuna Steaks:  Yellowfin tuna that has been immediately frozen is safe to eat. Look for good quality tuna that does not have any added dyes.
  • Soy Sauce: I likw using a Japanese style of soy sauce, called shoyu that adds depth and saltiness to the dish. You can also use tamari for a gluten free alternative.
  • Rice Wine Vinegar: A splash of rice wine vinegar brings subtle acidity to the marinade.
  • Honey: Add a touch of honey for a bit of sweetness to the savory marinade. If honey is not available, substitute with white sugar or brown sugar.
  • Ginger and Garlic: Use a microplane or grated so the fresh ginger and garlic infuses into the marinade easily.
  • Sesame Oil: This adds a delicious nutty layer of flavor, though, a little goes a long way, so start small and add more if desired.
  • Furikake: The star of the show, furikake is a Japanese seasoning blend featuring dried fish, sesame seeds, seaweed, and more, adding a burst of umami to the tuna's exterior.
  • Vegetable Oil: Look for a high heat cooking oil that cna handle the high temperature of searing, such as vegetable oil or avocado oil.
  • Kewpie Mayonnaise (optional): Is a creamy and luxurious Japanese style of mayo. Garnish the furikake ahi with a drizzle for added creaminess and richness.
  • Sriracha (optional): For a spicy kick, drizzle the Furikake Ahi with sriracha or mix the sriracha with the mayo.

See recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.

🍋 Substitutions and Variations

  • Don't have Furikake? Make your own mixture with sesame seeds, dried garlic, chopped dried seaweed and red pepper flakes, for added heat.
  • Gluten Free Alternative: Substitute the soy sauce for Tamari or coconut aminos
  • Instead of Honey: substitute with brown sugar or white sugar.
  • Spicy Mayo: Mix some of the creamy kewpie mayo with sriracha for a spicy mayo that can be used to drizzle on top of the seared tuna.

⏲️ Instructions

Marinate the raw tuna in a soy sauce mixture with ginger, garlic, honey and rice wine vinegar.

Step 1. Whisk together the soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, honey, grated ginger and garlic and marinate the tuna steaks in the mixture.

Press the tuna steaks into the furikake on all sides.

Step 2. Press the tuna steaks into the furikake on all sides.

Sear the furikake crusted tuna in a hot cast iron for 90 seconds on the first side.

Step 3. Heat a cast iron on high and drizzle with vegetable oil. Sear the furikake ahi on the first side for 90 seconds to form a crust.

Once seared on the first side, turn the tuna over and sear on the other side for 90 seconds.

Step 4. Turn the tuna steaks over and sear them on the other side for another 90 seconds until the outside is seared and the center is rare.

Serve the seared ahi on top of cooked white rice and drizzle with sriracha and Japanese mayo.

Step 5. Slice the furikake tuna and serve over cooked white rice and drizzle with Kewpie mayo and sriracha is desired. Garnish with sliced green onions.

📍 Recipe Tips

  • Use paper towels to pat the fish dry before adding to the marinade, which will help the marinade adhere to the fish easier.
  • Make sure your skillet is nice and hot for a quick sear. The outside of the tuna should should have a crisp exterior with a rare center.
Seared ahi with furikake that is served over white rice and garnished with green onions and a drizzle of kewpie mayo and sriracha.

Recipe FAQs

Can I use frozen tuna for this recipe?

Yes, when looking for raw tuna, look for tuna that is still frozen for the best quality.

Can seared tuna be made ahead of time

It's highly recommended to serve seared tuna or any fish, as soon as it's cooked and not make ahead.

Serving Suggestions

Serve the seared furikake ahi on top of cooked white rice or peanut noodles with spicy cucumber salad.

More Hawaii Inspired Recipes

  • Poke nachos is a fun twist of cultural flavors. Seasoned Ahi poke is layered onto of baked wonton chips and garnished with a drizzle of sriracha, Japanese mayo, cubed avocado, fresh cilantro leaves and thinly sliced jalapeno.
    Poke Nachos
  • Creamy Hawaiian macaroni salad with carrot, onion and Best Foods mayo.
    Hawaiian Macaroni Salad
  • Korean Cucumber Kimchi
  • Hawaiian Style Chicken Katsu with Furikake

Love this recipe? Please leave a 5-star 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟rating in the recipe card below & a review in the comments section further down the page.

Furikake ahi recipe served with rice and green onions.

Seared Furikake Ahi

Samantha Ferraro

LittleFerraroKitchen.com

Seared furikake ahi showcases raw tuna with a savory furikake crust that is seared on the outside and rare in the center.
5 from 1 vote
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Prep Time 20 minutes mins
Cook Time 5 minutes mins
Total Time 25 minutes mins
Course Main Course
Cuisine Asian, Hawaiian
Servings 4 servings
Calories 345 kcal

Equipment

  • Cast Iron Skillet
  • Fish Spatula
  • Nesting Bowls
  • Microplane

Ingredients
 
 

  • 1 pound tuna steaks about 1 pound
  • ¼ cup soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon honey
  • 1 teaspoon grated ginger
  • 1 garlic clove grated
  • ½ teaspoon sesame oil
  • ¾ cup furikake
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil

For serving

  • Kewpie mayo
  • Sriracha
  • Green onions sliced
  • Cooked white rice

Instructions
 

  • Pat the tuna steaks dry with paper towels and set aside.
  • Whisk together the soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, honey, grated ginger and garlic and sesame oil and pour into a medium sized bowl or casserole dish.
  • Add the ahi steaks to the soy sauce mixture, turning to evenly coat all sides and lert the tuna marinade for 15-20 minutes.
  • When ready, pour the furikake onto a flat plate and remove the tuna steaks from the marinade, dripping off any excess marinate.
  • Press the tuna into the furikake mixture, turning so all sides are evenly coated with a thin even layer of the furikake mixture.
  • Bring a medium sized skillet or cast iron to medium-high heat and add vegetable oil. Once sizzling, sear the the ahi on the first side for 60-90 seconds until the outside is golden brown, then turn over and sear the other side for another 90 seconds.
  • Once done, remove the tuna from the skillet and let it rest for 2-3 minutes before slicing.
  • To serve, slice the tuna steaks into thin slices and serve on top of cooked white rice. Drizzle sriracha and kewpie mayo, if desired and garnish with green onions.

Notes

    • Use paper towels to pat the fish dry before adding to the marinade, which will help the marinade adhere to the fish easier.
    • Make sure your skillet is nice and hot for a quick sear. The outside of the tuna should should have a crisp exterior with a rare center.
    • For another Seafood recipe with an Italian Spin, try my Halibut Piccata or my Lemon Butter Lingcod. If it's a Shrimp dish you want try my Tuscan Shrimp Pasta.

Nutrition

Calories: 345kcalCarbohydrates: 9gProtein: 33gFat: 20gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 8gMonounsaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 43mgSodium: 858mgPotassium: 454mgFiber: 3gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 2478IUVitamin C: 0.3mgCalcium: 288mgIron: 6mg
Did you make this recipe?Let us know by leaving a comment and 5 star rating!

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