Japanese cuisine · Salads & Mezze

Maguro no Yamakake

Tuna cubes in soy marinade under frothy grated mountain yam, crowned with a quail egg.

Ingredients · for 4 servings

• 400 g tuna (sashimi grade)
• 300 g mountain yam (nagaimo)
• 4 quail eggs
• 3 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp mirin
• 1 tsp wasabi
• 1 sheet nori
• 2 spring onions
• 1 tbsp rice vinegar

Instructions

1. Cut the tuna into even 2 cm cubes with a very sharp knife and marinate cold for 10 min. in 2 tbsp soy sauce, the mirin and the wasabi.
2. Peel the mountain yam and briefly place the peeled pieces in water with the rice vinegar so they don't discolor — wear gloves, as the juice can irritate the skin.
3. Grate the yam on a fine grater into a white, viscous mass and whisk it briefly with a whisk until frothy.
4. Toast the nori sheet in a dry pan for 10 sec. per side and cut into fine strips with scissors; cut the spring onions into thin rings.
5. Divide the marinated tuna cubes among four small bowls and spread the grated yam over them so the fish is just covered.
6. Set a raw quail egg yolk in the center of each portion, drizzle with nori strips, spring onions and the remaining soy sauce, and serve well chilled.