Soy Tuna Noodles with Spring Onions
Seared tuna steaks sliced over noodles tossed in a glossy soy sauce emulsified with starchy cooking water. A fast, high-protein bowl with toasted sesame seeds and fresh spring onions, not spicy.
- Total
- 17 min
- Prep 5 · Cook 12
- Serves
- 1
- Difficulty
- Easy
You'll practice: Searing · Emulsifying
- Savory
- Quick
- Asian
- Stovetop
Instructions
-
Bring a medium pot of water to a rolling boil. While it heats, pat the tuna steaks dry, season both sides with 0.25 tsp salt and 0.25 tsp black pepper, and slice the spring onions thinly, keeping the white and green parts separate.
~5 min
Patting the tuna dry removes surface moisture so it can sear and brown instead of steaming.
-
Add the noodles to the boiling water and cook until just tender, about 4 minutes. Before draining, scoop out 60 ml of the starchy cooking water and set it aside. Drain the noodles in a colander.
~4 min
The starchy cooking water contains dissolved starch that helps emulsify the soy sauce into a glossy coating.
-
While step 2 cooks
While the noodles cook, toast the sesame seeds in a small dry frying pan over medium heat until golden and fragrant, about 2 minutes, then tip them onto a plate.
~2 min
Toasting sesame seeds in a dry pan develops their aromatic oils and makes them crunchier.
-
Heat 1 tbsp vegetable oil in the same frying pan over high heat until it shimmers. Sear the tuna steaks for 1 minute per side for rare, or 2 minutes per side for medium, then transfer to a board and slice into 1 cm strips.
~6 min
High heat sears the tuna quickly, creating a browned crust while keeping the center rare.
Sear the tuna in a very hot pan and pull it while the center is still pink; it keeps cooking from residual heat, so slice it only after a short rest on the board.
Searing Get the pan very hot and pat the fish dry; sear without moving until a brown crust forms, then flip once. Avoid crowding or the tuna will steam.
-
Return the drained noodles to the warm pot over low heat. Add 2 tbsp soy sauce and the reserved 60 ml starchy water, tossing with tongs until the sauce turns glossy and coats the noodles, about 1 minute. Stir in the white spring onion parts.
~1 min
Tossing the noodles with soy sauce and starchy water over low heat emulsifies the sauce so it clings rather than pools.
The starchy noodle water is what makes the soy sauce cling instead of pooling, so reserve it before draining and add it a splash at a time.
Emulsifying Add starchy water a splash at a time while tossing over low heat; the sauce should turn glossy and coat the noodles. Stop before it becomes watery.
-
Divide the noodles between bowls, lay the sliced tuna on top, and scatter over the green spring onion parts and toasted sesame seeds. Serve immediately.
~1 min