Cook the Book: Grilled Tuna with Mango Dipping Sauce
I don't know about you, but the first time I tried to cut up a fresh mango I ended up with a pulpy mess. I tried to peel it like a potato with a vegetable peeler and then dice the flesh. I didn't take the mango’s core into account, or the fruit’s inherent slipperiness.
According to Toni Lydecker, author of Serves One, to properly chop a mango you must hold it with the narrower end facing up and make two big slices along either side of the pit. Then score the flesh in a criss-cross pattern and scoop out the cubes with a knife or a large spoon. The result: flawless, uniform squares of fruit.
In today's Cook the Book recipe, Toni purées fresh mango chunks with lime juice, cilantro, and Asian chili paste to make a vibrant, tropical sauce for a meaty grilled tuna steak. She suggests pairing this restaurant-worthy dish with couscous and sautéed snow peas.
Ingredients
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- 1 teaspoon grapeseed oil or other vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon soy sauce
- One 8-ounce tuna steak (about 1-inch thick) (see note)
- 1 cup loosely packed fresh mango cubes
- 2 teaspoons lime juice
- 2 teaspoons cilantro leaves
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1/8-1/4 teaspoon jarred Asian chili paste (sambal oelek) or hot pepper sauce, to taste
Procedures
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1
Preheat a grill to medium-hot. Rub the oil and then the soy sauce over both sides of the tuna steak. Let the tuna stand while you prepare the mango sauce.
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2
In a blender, combine the mango, lime juice, cilantro, salt, and chili paste (starting with 1/8 teaspoon and adjusting for taste) with 2 tablespoons water. Pulse until smooth, adding a little more water if the sauce seems too thick. Pour the sauce into a small bowl for dipping.
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3
Grill the tuna steak, turning once, to desired doneness, about 6 minutes total for medium-rare. Place the steak and dipping sauce on a dinner plate, dip each bite of tuna in the sauce.
