Side dish for seared tuna?

[Ron Johnson]

Some neighbors have invited me for dinner this weekend, and I offered to bring the wine and a side dish.  They informed me that they are making seared ahi tuna with a sesame and poppyseed crust.  I am supposed to bring a starch side dish that will accompany the tuna.  Because the tuna will be served ultra rare, I was thinking that anything like mashed potatoes or risotto would be too much softness on the plate.  The dish also has some slight asian influences so that is another factor.

Any suggestions are welcome, and if mashed potatoes or risotto is acceptable then please advise that as well.

Thanks.

[CathyL]

How about a cold noodle dish dressed with dark sesame oil,rice vinegar & other Asian stuff?

[researchgal]

How about a rice salad served at room temperature?  You could make a light dressing for it using seasoned rice vinegar, soy, etc.  Maybe toss in some cooked shiitakes, chopped green onion, chopped arugula or watercress, orange zest...

[Steve Klc]

I second CathyL's suggestion--it travels well and can be made ahead.  Pick up a bunch of flowering chives now in the farmer's market and saute them off at the last minute and you're all set.  Microgreens and a Vietnamese-style green papaya salad (matchsticks) would go nicely as well--cool and crisp.

[Adam_Balic]

Yeh noodles. How about those green tea Japanese noodles, are a talking point, they taste great and they look good on the plate.

[tommy]

if you could incorporate fruit somehow, you'd be in good shape.  that's assuming they are not providing that aspect.  

a mango salsa is always right on with fish.  throw some rice in it and you have your starch!

[tony h]

Little individual rostis with a green salad

or selection of roasted vegetables.

Personally - I loathe mash w tuna.

[Jinmyo]

Onigiri (rice balls) stuffed with pickled mango and umeboshi, rolled in crushed nori. A salad of daikon sprouts and micro greens, sesame oil and ponzu dressing, a few hard cooked quail eggs.

[tommy]

Onigiri (rice balls) stuffed with pickled mango and umeboshi, rolled in crushed nori.

YES YES YES!!  that's what i was looking for, but couldn't come up with anything close. ahh, that's sounds good.  you can come to my house *any* time you want.

[Ron Johnson]

Ok Jinmyo you win.  Now, how do I make these things?

and whats umeboshi?

[Blue Heron]

A salad of daikon sprouts and micro greens, sesame oil and ponzu dressing, a few hard cooked quail eggs.

I'm showing my ignorance (yet again   ), but could somone please tell me more about micro-greens?   I don't believe I've heard this term before, and now I see it twice in one post.   Thanks.

[tommy]

very small greens.    :wow:

[Blue Heron]

very small greens.    :wow:

oh... a new word for small mesclun, baby lettuce, or like mache, etc.   I get it.  

[Jinmyo]

Ron, just take some cooked gohan (Japanese short grain rice). If you have a hangiri (wooden rice bowl) or even a wooden salad bowl, put it in there. Spread it out to let the steam out. Fan it, if you'd like. The main thing is to get the steam out. That's why a wooden bowl as well. Mix a bit of su (rice vinegar) with some mirin (sweet rice wine). How much? I don't know, I'm not there and can't taste it. Mix some, get a pinch of rice, dip it lightly, taste it. How's that? When you like it, fold in the vinegar mixture. Let it sit and cool down.

Get your pickled mango (get it at a Vietnamese stoore) and umeboshi (pickled "plum", actually a kind of apricot) ready. Slice up the mango into nice little bits, pop the pits out of the umeboshi.

Hold a few sheets of nori over a burner and wave them until you smell a toasty fragrance. Crumble them into a mortar and pestle or spice mill. Grind briefly. Put ground nori into a wide bowl.

Get a bowl of water and a towel. Wet your hands so the rice won't stick. Some vinegar in the water helps. Get a goodish pinch of rice and put it in the palm of one hand. Put a bit of mango and/or umeboshi in the centre of the rice. Now close rice over that. Smoosh with both hands, roll until it is like a goofy golf ball or a bit bigger. They can be bit size or large enough for about 2 and a half bites. Put that down, repeat. Repeat, repeat. Repeat, repeat, repeat, repeat until all the rice is gone. Rinse your hands and dry them.

Pick up a rice ball, roll in the ground nori, put it down. Repeat. Repeat repeat repeat intil done.

Salad and rest are even easier.

tommy, I'll be right there.

[Ron Johnson]

Jinmyo,

I made your recipe for riceballs.  In a word, excellent!  My hosts were very impressed and they paired perfectly with the seared ahi.  I was amazed at the amount of flavor in the umeboshi.  I used both umeboshi and pickled mango in the center of each ball.  Just a great simple dish.  Thanks.

[Jinmyo]

Ron, you're very welcome.