This is skipjack tuna also known as katsuo in Japan and it is the main ingredient of katsuobushi, bonito flakes. Lightly salt each side of the sashimi-grade fresh fillet. And sprinkle on the black pepper.
Next, slice the garlic cloves with a mandoline slicer.
With a bamboo stick, remove any sprouts since they easily burn.
Now, heat a pan on low heat. Put the sliced garlic cloves into the pot and add the vegetable oil. The garlic easily burns so take extra time to saute it until golden brown.
When the moisture is removed, it becomes crunchy. The garlic chips also go great with beef steaks or salads.
Now, it is ready. Place the garlic chips onto a paper towel.
And now, bring the heat to medium high. Place the fillet into the heated pan.
Using tongs, flip the fillet over and saute on each side.
Brown the skipjack tuna for a total of 2 to 3 minutes. Cook until desired but we recommend making it medium-rare.
Remove and place it onto a cooling rack.
Let's cut the fillet. The thickness should be about 1 cm (0.4") or slightly more. If the cuts look too rare, you can cook the fillet again.
Place the slices onto a plate along with the side vegetables. Top with generous amount of chopped spring onion leaves. Crush the garlic chips and then distribute.
Next, let's make the sauce. Heat a pan and add the soy sauce, black vinegar, mirin and grated ginger root.
Stir to combine and bring it to a boil. When making the sauce, be sure to clean the pan beforehand otherwise the remaining tuna oil may give it an unwanted flavor.
Ladle the sauce over the tuna steak.
Recipe Notes
The black vinegar is milder than rice vinegar and it adds a refreshing taste to the sauce, making the steak more delicious.
Skipjack tuna in season contains relatively less fat so be sure not to overcook it otherwise it can easily become dry and tough.
In our previous recipe, we've made Katsuo Tataki, which is a seared skipjack tuna dish but this is a steak dish so cook it through a little more.