Dried Pepper Ponzu Tuna Ceviche
Ease of Preparation: Medium
Yield: Serves 8
Spice up your next ceviche with some unexpected heat! The floral, fruity, bold spice of ancho peppers plays nice in a citrus-y ponzu sauce. Splashed over chilled rich tuna, buttery avocadoes, and fresh red onions, this makes for an appetizer that’s both hot AND cool!
Ingredients:
Ancho Pepper Ponzu:
- 3 tablespoons (45 ml) sake
- 3 tablespoons (45 ml) mirin
- 4 large dry ancho chilies, lightly toasted over an open flame and cut into pieces
- 4 large dry pasilla chillies, lightly toasted over an open flame and cut into pieces
- 4 small arbol chillies, cut into pieces
- 1 cup (240 ml) soy sauce
- 1 cup (240 ml) lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons (30 ml) water
- 1 6-inch (15 cm) piece kombu
- ½ cup (120 ml) shaved bonito flakes
Ponzu Ceviche:
- 2 pounds (907 g) sushi-grade yellowfin tuna, cut into ½ inch (1.25 cm) cubes
- Ancho Pepper Ponzu
- 1 red onion, sliced
- 2 avocadoes, peeled, pitted, and cut into ½ inch (1.25 cm) cubes
- Cilantro, rough chopped, to garnish
- Toasted black sesame seeds, to garnish
- Avocado oil, to garnish
Method:
For the Ancho Pepper Ponzu:
In a small saucepan over high heat, combine sake, mirin, ancho chilies, pasilla chilies, arbol chilies, soy, lemon juice, and water to a boil for 1 minute.
Remove the mixture from the heat and allow to cool for 10 minutes.
Add kombu and bonito to the mixture and refrigerate for 12-24 hours.
Strain the mixture through a fine sieve, pressing on the solids with the bottom of a ladle to extract all the liquid. Discard the solids.
Reserve until needed.
For the Ponzu Ceviche:
Place tuna in a mixing bowl, cover with Ancho Pepper Ponzu and mix gently.
Allow the tuna to marinate for 10 minutes.
Add red onion to the mixture and stir gently.
Allow the mixture to marinate for another 10 minutes.
Strain ceviche.
Transfer individual portions to chilled serving dishes. Top with cubes of avocado.
Garnish with cilantro and black sesame seeds, and drizzle avocado oil over each serving.
Serve immediately.
