I have to thank Nico’s Pier 38 in Oahu for this incredible recipe. Ahi Furikake is their most popular dish and one of my favorites, so much so that I set off on a quest to find the elusive seasoning I thought was called Furiyake. Oahu has a large market in the downtown district called Don Quijote. It is the Mother of All Markets, and if ever you need anything that could be contained on an island, it would be there. Why a market in Hawaii is named after a Spanish work of fiction was beyond me, so I looked it up. Here from their website is the answer; “Our company stores were named after the hero in Miguel de Cervantes novel, whose style corresponds to ourselves defying unfair restrictions and regularity, bravely and aggressively offering challenges to the conventional retail industry.” It doesn’t explain why Quixote is spelled with a J instead of an X, but let’s not deviate any further.

Diversity in all things, especially when it comes to food unless you start demanding from the Japanese speaking clerks, the exact location of the “Furiyake seasoning I had at Nico’s!” The word Haole becomes a repetitious muffled chant. Anyway after perusing isle after isle of spices and seasonings, few of which were in English, I decided I had probably made a mistake (what?).  What I was looking for was actually called FURIKAKE. Bingo Haole.

Nico’s serves their Ahi Furikake with a ginger/garlic/cilantro dipping sauce on the side. I prefer to make a standard soy/wasabi dipping sauce over their dipping sauce, but feel free to experiment. Furikake is rice seasoning that can be found, when you’re not at Don Quijote in Oahu, in most Asian markets and several larger grocers here in the states. It comes in several different flavors like Ebi (shrimp), Kimchi, Nori (seaweed) and Wasabi. The recipe is a mix of Furikake seasoning and sesame seeds. This is an extremely fast and simple dish to make provided you sear the Ahi properly. Furikake is not typically spicy although adding crushed red pepper flakes wouldn’t be a bad thing. Nico’s serves it as a steak with rice, I prefer to slice it and serve on top of a bed of slightly wilted, garlic/sesame spinach.

1-6oz Ahi Tuna Steak

1 egg beaten with1 tbls water

¼ cup flour

¼ cup Furikake Seasoning of your choice

¼ cup Toasted Sesame Seeds

3 tablespoons Sesame oil

2 tablespoons canola, grapeseed or vegetable oil

8oz fresh spinach

2 cloves garlic minced

Salt and pepper

Combine the Furikake and sesame seeds in a small bowl. Make a breading station for the flour, egg and Furikake/Sesame mix. Salt and pepper the flour. Dredge the tuna steak in the flour and shake off the excess. Dip in the egg wash and allow excess to drip off. Lay onto plate covered with half of Furikake mix, pour remaining over top and press in firmly.

Place a sauté pan on medium high heat and add all of the oil except 1 tablespoon of the Sesame oil. When hot, add the tuna and sear quickly on all sides, less than a minute per side. Gently remove to cutting board to cool. Turn down heat to medium and add last tablespoon of oil to pan if dry. Add garlic and sauté quickly, 30 seconds, then add spinach to pan and wilt by continually turning spinach with tongs. Season with salt and pepper and divide between 2 serving plates.

Slice the tuna as thinly as possible and place half in a shingle pattern on top of each plate of the spinach. Serve with soy/wasabi dipping sauce and rice or my Miso Sweet Potato Mash (Korean Short Ribs recipe).