Here's a cheffy dish that is really elegant but super easy to make! This is the sort of dish you get at posh restaurants that they charge a fortune for. The ingredients for this cost me around $17 (in Sydney, Australia). This serves 4 to 6 as a shared or individual starter.
Prep Time15 minutesmins
Total Time15 minutesmins
Course: Appetizer, Starter
Cuisine: Modern Asian, South American
Servings: 4-6
Author: Nagi | RecipeTin Eats
Ingredients
200 g/7oz sashimi grade tuna(or any other sashimi grade fish) (Note 1)
7lychees, fresh (Note 2)
1 1/2tbsplarge red chili(not a spicy one), very finely diced (Note 3)
Freeze tuna for 20 minutes - just to firm. Slice into 3mm / 1/8" strips, then cut those strips into 3mm / 1/8" cubes. Place in a bowl.
Peel the lychees, then finely dice the flesh and add into the bowl (Note 4). Scrape the juices that pool on the cutting board into the bowl too - don't waste a drop!
Add the chili, onion and coriander, olive oil and lime juice into the bowl. Season with a generous pinch of salt and a good grind of pepper.
Use your fingers to toss together gently. Taste and adjust olive oil, lime and salt to taste.
Pile on a platter, top with avocado and garnish with coriander/cilantro leaves. Drizzle with more olive oil. Serve immediately (Note 5), with toasted bread and extra lime wedges.
Notes
1. You must use sashimi-grade fish for this recipe. Sashimi-grade fish is fish that is very fresh and suitable for eating raw - such as sashimi and sushi rolls. Fish mongers usually label the fish they have that is sashimi-grade, but if not, just ask them.This recipe is great with tuna, salmon and kingfish. I used tuna because I love the colour contrast with the lychees.For those living in the Ryde area which is where I get my sashimi-grade fish (via my mother who delivers it to me!), the fish monger at Top Ryde is incredible value. It's very high quality and it is FAR cheaper than the fish markets. The tuna I used cost $30/kg ($15/lb). Can you believe that?? Insanely cheap.Another great place to get good value sashimi-grade fish is the fish monger at Hornsby Westfield. These are pretty much the only two places I get sashimi-grade fish from in Sydney simply because they are great quality AND great value. However, for convenience, I do get sashimi-greade fish from the fish markets too. Just not very often because it is more expensive!2. Show yourself some love and use FRESH lychees for this, not canned! The difference in flavour between fresh and canned is quite amazing. But if you are dying to try this and it's not lychee season where you are, canned lychee does work for this. :)3. You can use any red chili you want. I use the large ones that are not very spicy. It adds the tiniest hint of spiciness into this dish. 4. This is how I cut lychees: Peel the lychee. Then stand it upright and cut down the sides of the pip in the middle. I cut it like I cut mangoes!5. This needs to be served immediately, not only because raw fish shouldn't be left out but also because the acidity in the lime will start to "cook" the tuna (like what happens with ceviche) and the salt draws moisture out of the tuna, making it less juicy.6. Fresh lychees last 2 to 3 days without refrigeration, or 5 to 7 days refrigerated. Wrap them in plastic - I put mine in ziplock bags.