Stick to Tuna

If you’re looking for a great appetizer that’s easy to fix and serve, these tuna bites fit the bill. They also make a light entree when served with steamed rice.

Keep a close watch when grilling; tuna cooks quickly and becomes tough if it’s overcooked. I remove the skewers from the grill when the center of the tuna is still slightly pink.

I usually grill the tuna sticks on a stove-top grill pan, but they can also be cooked over charcoal or a gas grill. Soak the bamboo skewers in water for about 15 minutes if cooking over a flame to help prevent burning.

TUNA BITES WITH WASABI DIPPING SAUCE

1/2 pound ahi tuna

2 teaspoons plus 1/4 cup mirin

2 teaspoons plus 1/4 cup light soy sauce

1 teaspoon plus 2 tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon plus 2 tablespoons lemon juice

1 1/4 teaspoons grated ginger root

3/4 teaspoon wasabi paste

12 (6-inch) bamboo sticks

Nonstick olive oil cooking spray

Black sesame seeds

Mirin is a sweetened white rice wine available at Japanese markets and many supermarkets.

Cut tuna into 1 1/2-inch pieces and place in shallow glass dish. Combine 2 teaspoons mirin, 2 teaspoons soy sauce, 1 teaspoon sugar, 1 teaspoon lemon juice and 1/4 teaspoon ginger. Pour mixture over tuna and stir to coat. Cover and marinate 30 minutes.

Combine remaining 1/4 cup mirin, 1/4 cup soy sauce, 2 tablespoons sugar, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, 1 teaspoon grated ginger and wasabi. Set aside until ready to serve.

Thread 1 piece tuna on each bamboo stick. Grill on hot, well-seasoned grill pan or grill pan sprayed with nonstick olive oil cooking spray, turning to cook all sides, until tuna is almost done but still pink in center, 2 to 3 minutes. Sprinkle sesame seeds over tuna just before removing from grill.

Serve sticks as appetizer with dipping sauce.

12 sticks. Each stick:

40 calories; 102 mg sodium; 7 mg cholesterol; 1 gram fat; 3 grams carbohydrates; 5 grams protein; 0.01 gram fiber.

* Sasaki “Tuscany” plates from Pottery Shack, Laguna Beach; Geary’s, Beverly Hills; and Jordanos, Santa Barbara.