Grilled Ahi with Toasted Curry Oil

This is from the Terrific Pacific cookbook. The tuna must be grilled over VERY HIGH heat so that it is slightly charred on the outside and rare on the inside. If you are making the tuna indoors, don’t broil it unless your broiler heat is very intense. Instead, sear it in a well-heated wok or cast-iron skillet to achieve the right effect.

ingredients

FISH AND MARINADE
4 top quality boneless tuna steaks (5-6oz each), preferably ahi
3 T soy sauce
3 T virgin olive oil
1 T oyster sauce
1 T minces scallions
2 cloves garlic, crushed through a press
1 T grated fresh ginger
1 t packed light brown sugar.

TOASTED CURRY OIL
3.5 T best quality curry powder
1/3c virgin olive oil
3.5 T fresh lime juice
Mango Relish.

MANGO RELISH:
3/4c diced fresh mango
1/4c minced red onion
1/4c diced red bell pepper
1/4c fresh chopped cilantro leaves
1t minced jalapeno pepper
1T minced fresh ginger
5T fresh lime juice
salt, to taste.

directions

1
1. Rinse the tuna steaks and pat dry with paper towels.
2
2. Combine all the marinade ingredients in a shallow bowl, add the fish, and toss to coat. Refrigerate for 2 to 4 hours, turning occasionally.
3
3. Make the curry oil: stir the curry powder in a small skillet over medium-low heat until very fragrant, about 1.5 minutes. Add the oil and heat for 2 minutes (it will smoke). Remove from the heat and let stand in the skillet for 2 hours, stirring once. Strain into a clean jar through a small strainer lined with cheese cloth. Stir in the lime juice.
4
4. Prepare coals for grilling or preheat the broiler.
5
5. Grill the fish until lightly charred on the outside and rare inside, about 2.5 mins on each side. (alternatively, shake off the excess marinade and sear the tuna for 1-2 mins on each side in a hot wok or cast-iron skillet).
6
6. To serve, cut each piece of fish into medium-think slices. Arrange the slices in a fan fashion on 4 plates, spoon some Mango Relish in the center of the fan, and spoon some curry oil around the fish.
7
7. Mango Relish: combine all the ingredients in a small bowl and let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes to meld the flavors.