Seared Sesame Tuna With Hoisin Glazed Baby Bok Choy and Fried Rice

Seared sesame tuna with hoisin glazed baby bok choy and fried rice doesn’t sound like a fall or pre Thanksgiving meal but I’m in training for a marathon. An eating marathon, that is. Next week my husband and I will be eating foods that we don’t normally eat. From appetizers to desserts, we will be eating traditional but rich foods with lots of calories. I’m sure it will be the same with all of you.

Every athlete has to prepare for a marathon and we are no different. In order to be ready for overstuffing ourselves like a turkey, we are eating light and healthy meals with lots of salads, chicken and fish. When the big day comes, we won’t feel guilty eating a nice slice of pecan pie at the end of a large meal.

The seared sesame tuna with hoisin glazed baby bok choy and fried rice is a fast and healthy meal that is easy to prepare. Fresh tuna is one of the lightest tasting fish varieties with an almost meat like texture. Make sure that you buy the freshest sushi grade tuna for this meal.

Seared Sesame Tuna and Hoisin Glazed Baby Bok Choy and Fried Rice Served with Pickles Ginger and Wasabi

Seared Sesame Tuna

2 Tbsp. toasted sesame seeds                                                                                                          A sushi grade piece of tuna about 1 inch thick                                                                               1 Tbsp. peanut oil

Take the tuna out of the refrigerator and warm up to almost room temperature. Cut the tuna into 1″ x 1″ sticks and rub with the oil. Put a drop of oil in a very hot  nonstick pan and add the tuna. Sear the tuna on each side anywhere from 15 seconds to 1 minute, depending on how rare you like your tuna. Roll tuna in the toasted sesame seeds and cut on the bias. Serve with pickled ginger and wasabi and soy sauce.

Fried Rice

• 1 Tbsp. peanut oil
• 1/2 small onion, finely chopped
• 1 small can of sliced water chestnuts, drained and rinsed
• 2 c. cold rice (better if prepared the day before – left over rice will be drier than freshly cooked)
• 1 stalk of celery, finely diced
• 1 clove of garlic, grated
• 1 tsp. grated ginger
• 1 Tbsp. fish sauce
• 2 to 3 Tbsp. soy sauce (or to taste)
• 1/2 tsp. white pepper
• 1 tsp. sesame oil
• 1 carrot, made into shavings with a vegetable peeler
• 1 small bunch of green onions, sliced on the diagonal
• 2 Tbsp. chopped cilantro (parsley can be substituted)

Heat the peanut oil in a hot pan and add the onion and sauté until translucent. Add the water chestnuts and rice and cook until heated through. Add the celery, garlic, and ginger and cook for one minute. Add the fish and soy sauce, pepper and sesame oil and mix well. Taste for additional seasonings. When ready  to serve, add the carrot, green onions and cilantro.

Hoisin Glazed Baby Bok Choy

Steam two baby bok choy per person until tender crisp. Glaze the bok choy with hoisin sauce thinned with a little rice wine vinegar and cook in a hot pan until caramelized.

This meal comes together fast. It has wonderful asian flavors and you leave the table happy and not overly stuffed. But Thanksgiving day is fast approaching and when it comes I’ll eat that slice of pecan pie without guilt.

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