Tuna Crudo with Avocado, Sesame, and Scarlet Citrus Fire

Method

1. 1

   Place a small dry pan over medium heat. Add the sesame seeds in a single layer. Toast for 2 to 3 minutes, shaking the pan every 30 seconds, until the seeds are lightly golden and fragrant. Transfer immediately to a small plate or bowl to cool.

   👁 The seeds turn lightly golden and begin to pop occasionally. A warm, nutty aroma rises from the pan.
   2.5 min · Toast sesame seeds
   WhyToasting deepens the sesame flavor and adds crunch. Seeds left in the hot pan continue to darken, so transfer them immediately. Burnt sesame seeds taste bitter and acrid.

   What to noticeThe seeds shift from white and flat-smelling to golden and fragrant. Pull them when the aroma is warm and nutty, before they darken further.
   If something's offDark brown or black seeds, or a sharp, burnt smell.

   Fix: Start over with fresh seeds at a lower temperature. Burnt sesame is bitter and will fight the finishing salt's citrus.

2. 2

   Chill two serving plates in the freezer for at least 10 minutes while you prepare the tuna and avocado. Cold plates keep the fish and avocado at the right temperature and slow oxidation.

   👁 The plates should feel very cold to the touch when you remove them.
   10 min · Chill plates
   WhyCold plates keep the tuna at a safe temperature and prevent the avocado from browning. A warm plate will take the chill off the fish and make the texture feel slack rather than clean and firm.
3. 3

   Using a very sharp knife, slice the tuna against the grain into pieces about one-quarter inch thick. Work with clean, single strokes rather than sawing. Keep the sliced tuna refrigerated until you are ready to plate.

   👁 Each slice should be clean-edged and uniformly thick. The surface should look smooth and glossy, not ragged or torn.
   WhyA sharp knife and single strokes preserve the tuna's texture. A dull knife or sawing motion tears the muscle fibers, making the surface rough and affecting how the sesame oil and salt interact with the fish. Clean slices feel silky in the mouth.

   What to noticeIf the knife is dragging or the edges look rough, the knife needs sharpening. Clean cuts make a visible difference in this dish because the fish is completely uncooked and the texture is exposed.
   If something's offRagged, torn edges on the slices. The tuna looks shredded rather than sliced.

   Fix: Sharpen or switch to a sharper knife. Wetting the blade with cold water between cuts can also help it glide through the fish cleanly.

4. 4

   Halve and pit the avocado. Slice each half into thin fans or cut into half-inch cubes. Work quickly once the avocado is cut. It begins to brown within minutes of exposure to air.

   👁 Clean, pale green slices or cubes with no browning.
   WhyThe avocado needs to be freshly cut for both appearance and flavor. Browned avocado develops an off-taste that interferes with the clean flavors on this plate.
   If something's offBrown edges on the avocado slices before plating.

   Fix: If the avocado has started to brown, a light squeeze of fresh lemon or lime juice on the surface slows oxidation. But for best results, cut the avocado last, immediately before plating.

5. 5

   Remove the chilled plates from the freezer. Drizzle 1 teaspoon of soy sauce or tamari across the center of each plate in a thin, even layer. This is the foundation. Everything else sits on top of it.

   👁 A thin, dark slick of soy across the plate surface. Not a puddle. Just enough to cover the area where the fish will be arranged.
   WhyThe soy sauce is the umami floor of this dish. Applied directly to the plate rather than drizzled over the top, it sits underneath the fish and avocado, creating a savory base that the finishing salt's bright citrus plays against. You will not taste soy directly, but you will feel the difference it makes. Without it, the plate is bright but hollow.

   What to noticeTaste a small piece of tuna dragged through the soy on its own before full assembly. Notice how the umami fills in the bottom of the flavor. The tuna tastes richer and more complete. That is the foundation the rest of the plate builds on.
6. 6

   Arrange the tuna slices over the soy in a single layer, slightly overlapping. Tuck avocado slices or cubes between and around the tuna.

   👁 Ruby-red tuna against pale green avocado, sitting on the dark soy base. The arrangement should look intentional but not fussy.
   WhyAlternating tuna and avocado ensures every bite can include both. The fat in the avocado carries the finishing salt's compounds, so bites with avocado will experience the salt differently than bites with tuna alone.
7. 7

   Drizzle the toasted sesame oil evenly over the fish and avocado. Use about half a tablespoon per plate.

   👁 A thin, glossy sheen over the surface. The sesame aroma should be immediately noticeable.
   WhyThe sesame oil is the base aroma of the plate. It provides the warm, toasted backdrop that the finishing salt's bright citrus sits on top of. It also helps the salt's compounds spread across the cold surface of the fish.

   What to noticeThe sesame aroma should lift the moment the oil hits the fish. If you cannot smell it clearly, the oil may be old or low quality. Good toasted sesame oil is intensely fragrant.
   If something's offNo aroma when the oil is drizzled. The oil smells flat or rancid.

   Fix: Toasted sesame oil goes stale quickly once opened. Store it in the refrigerator after opening. If the oil has no aroma or smells off, replace it.

8. 8

   Scatter the sliced radishes, toasted sesame seeds, and optional scallion slices evenly over the plate.

   👁 Thin translucent radish circles, golden sesame seeds, and green scallion rings distributed across the red and green surface.
   WhyThe radishes and sesame seeds are doing textural work. Without them, every bite is smooth and soft. The radish crunch and sesame snap break that uniformity and keep the plate interesting across multiple bites.
9. 9

   Finish with one-quarter teaspoon of Scarlet Citrus Fire Finishing Salt per plate, sprinkled from a few inches above so the flakes distribute unevenly across the surface. Serve immediately.

   👁 Red-orange flakes of salt sitting visibly on the cold surface of the fish and avocado. Unlike on warm food, the salt does not release its citrus aroma instantly. It sits intact and expresses as you chew.
   Finish Phase

   WhyThis is the moment that defines the dish. Nothing on this plate is cooked. Nothing else provides meaningful seasoning beyond the soy underneath and the sesame oil. The finishing salt is doing everything: salt, acid, heat, and citrus aroma, all at once, all at full strength, completely unmediated by heat. On cold food, the citrus and spice aromas release more slowly than on warm food. The citrus builds as you chew rather than flashing and disappearing. The Aleppo heat lingers a moment longer. The sumac's dry tartness stays in the finish. This is what the blend sounds like when nothing is softening it.

   What to noticeCompare the experience of this salt on cold tuna to how it behaves on warm food (like the Charred Cabbage). On warm surfaces, the citrus flashes immediately and the heat fades fast. On cold food, the same salt expresses more slowly and the finish lingers longer. The avocado fat moderates the intensity, but the overall experience is more sustained than on hot food. Same salt, different behavior, determined entirely by temperature.
   If something's offThe salt dissolved into the sesame oil on the surface and lost its flaky texture.

   Fix: Apply the salt as the very last step, immediately before serving. On cold food, the salt should sit on the surface for the diner to experience as they eat. If it dissolves, the textural element is lost.