Bò tái chanh is a classic Vietnamese dish made by briefly curing raw beef in a lemon marinade. Lemon-cured tuna makes a great pescatarian alternative to this easy dish. Whatever protein you use, it’s very quick to prepare once you have all the ingredients on hand, and it’s great as a starter, main course, or part of a shared feast. As the acid of the lemon ‘cooks’ the fish, slicing it thinly is important – so sharpen your knife before you start. It’s important to buy sashimi-grade fish for making lemon-cured tuna. Ask your fishmonger for saku-cut, which means a trimmed block that should already have all sinew removed and is a neat, even size for slicing. If raw fish isn’t your thing, pan-fry it first – just for a few seconds each side to sear it – then add it to the marinade straight away as it will absorb the flavours best while it’s still warm. Lemon-cured tuna is a simple dish that relies on a few key flavours, including spicy white pepper, so ensure it’s freshly ground and be generous – either measure the ½ teaspoon or give it a good 8-10 grinds of the pepper mill. While it’s always best to make your own deep-fried garlic and shallots, you can short-cut with good pre-made ones (it’s OK if you don’t have both too) and just use a teaspoon of vegetable oil instead of the garlic oil. The best is Tyrrell’s Vat 1 which is a great match for the complex flavours of fish sauce and Asian herbs in this salad.
Serves 2 as part of a shared meal
Lemon Marinade
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