• Ingredients;
  • For the tuna;
  • 400g tuna loin, in a log shape approx 5cm in diametre
  • 2tblsp sesame oil
  • 1tsp Sichuan pepper, roasted and ground
  • 1tblsp sesame seeds
  • Maldon salt
  • 200g spinach
  • 2 sheets filo pastry
  • 1 egg beaten
  • For the salad;
  • ¼ cabbage, very finely sliced through the robo coupe
  • 1 small red onions, cut in half and very finely sliced on mandolin
  • 1 large carrots cut in fine julienne strips on the mandolin
  • 500ml dressing
  • For the dressing;
  • 12 dried chillies
  • 1ltr rapeseed oil
  • 6 onions, finely diced
  • 200g red curry paste
  • 2 large knobs ginger, peeled and diced
  • 8 large red chillies, seeded and diced
  • 200g palm sugar
  • 200ml rice wine vinegar
  • Juice of 3 limes
  • 100ml fish sauce
  • 250g coriander chopped

Method;

For the tuna;

Place the tuna onto a bench, brush with the sesame oil and sprinkle with Sichuan pepper and sesame seeds. Place a frying pan large enough to hold the tuna over high heat. Season the tuna with maldon salt and sear in the hot pan on all sides until the tuna is seared all over and rare inside. Remove from the heat and allow to cool.

While the tuna is cooling bring a large pot of water to the boil and blanch the spinach, briefly. Refresh under cold water and then dry completely with a clean tablecloth.  When the leaves are completely dry wrap them around the tuna loin.

Brush 1 sheet of the filo pastry with a little beaten egg; place the other sheet on top. Wrap the pastry around the tuna to form a very neat parcel, tucking in a sealing the loose edges with the remaining beaten egg.

For the dressing;

Place the shallots, paste, ginger, chillies and oil into a pan and warm through, allow to infuse for 1 hour. Place the sugar and the vinegar in a small pan and cook to a light syrup.

Remove from the heat and stir in the lime juice, fish sauce and the oil. Allow to cool completely.

Once cold add the coriander and scallions, taste to make sure the flavours are well balanced.

The taste should be hot, sweet, sour and salty with no flavour overpowering the other.

For the salad;

Place the cabbage, onion and carrots into a large bowl.  Add the dressing and mix well making sure everything has been evenly distributed.

Place the oil a wok and heat until smoking add the chillies and blacken. Strain the oil and discard the chillies.

To serve;

Heat a large pan over medium heat and add a little rapeseed oil, pan fry the wrapped tuna parcel in the hot oil for a couple of minutes, turning in the oil so it colours evenly on all sides. Remove from the pan and drain on crumpled kitchen paper.

Cut the parcel into thick slices and sprinkle with maldon salt, serve Asian slaw on the side.