# Sesame-Seared Sous Vide Tuna with Yellow Split Pea Miso Eggplant and Fried Japanese Sweet Potato > Sesame-crusted tuna gets a gentle sous vide cook followed by a quick, hot sear—a little 1990s nostalgia alongside deeply savory miso eggplant. Thick Japanese sweet potato rounds bring caramelized edges and creamy centers, with scallions and rice vinegar keeping the plate bright. - URL: https://www.chezjk.com/recipes/sesame-crusted-sous-vide-tuna-with-miso-glazed-eggplant-and-fried-japanese-sweet - Author: Jonathan Katzman - Cooked and photographed: 2022-08-21 - Recipe updated: 2026-10-23 - Serves: 4 servings - Tags: gluten-free, paleo, dairy-free, nut-free, pescatarian ![Sesame-Seared Sous Vide Tuna with Yellow Split Pea Miso Eggplant and Fried Japanese Sweet Potato](https://www.chezjk.com/api/images?path=9e5d6860-dd86-455e-b57b-e352c363fc57%2F92dca4eddf6259ad.jpg) ## Sesame-Seared Sous Vide Tuna Sous vide gently cooks the thick portions before a brief sear adds a toasted sesame crust without drying out the centers. ### Ingredients - 1½ lb tuna loin, cut into 4 portions about 1–1½ inches thick - ½ tsp fine sea salt - ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper - 3 tbsp white sesame seeds - 1 tbsp black sesame seeds - 2 tbsp avocado oil, divided ### Instructions 1. Heat a sous vide bath to 57°C / 135°F. Keep the tuna refrigerated until ready to bag. 2. Season the tuna with salt and pepper. Arrange in a single layer in a food-safe sous vide bag with 1 teaspoon of the avocado oil. Seal gently, avoiding strong vacuum pressure that could compress the fish. 3. Cook for 45 minutes for 1-inch-thick portions or 60 minutes for 1½-inch-thick portions. The result should be moist and medium, with a firmer texture than rare tuna. 4. Remove from the bag, discard the liquid, and pat the tuna thoroughly dry. Mix the sesame seeds on a plate and press them onto the two broad faces of each portion. 5. Heat the remaining avocado oil in a heavy skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Sear the seeded faces for 20–30 seconds each, just until the seeds turn golden; briefly touch the unseeded edges to the pan. Work in batches and do not let the seeds blacken. 6. Serve immediately, keeping the portions whole or cutting each into two thick pieces. ### Notes - This short, low-temperature cook is not a pasteurization process. Use properly handled tuna from a trusted supplier; freezing does not eliminate histamine from temperature-abused fish. - For pregnant, older, immunocompromised, or other higher-risk diners, use a conventional cooking method and verify a center temperature of 145°F / 63°C. ## Yellow Split Pea Miso-Glazed Eggplant Roasting softens the eggplant before the miso glaze goes on, allowing the surface to caramelize without burning while the flesh is still undercooked. ### Ingredients - 4 medium Japanese eggplants, about 1¼–1½ lb total - 2 tbsp avocado oil - 3 tbsp Shared Cultures yellow split pea miso, confirmed gluten-free - 1 tbsp rice vinegar - 2 tsp honey - 1 tsp toasted sesame oil - 1–2 tbsp water, as needed - 3 scallions, thinly sliced - 2 tsp toasted white sesame seeds ### Instructions 1. Heat the oven to 425°F / 220°C. Halve the eggplants lengthwise and lightly score the flesh in a crosshatch without cutting through the skins. 2. Brush the cut surfaces and skins with avocado oil. Arrange cut-side down on a metal sheet pan and roast for 20–25 minutes, until the flesh yields easily to a knife and the undersides are browned. 3. Whisk the miso, rice vinegar, honey, sesame oil, and 1 tablespoon water into a thick, brushable glaze. Add more water only if needed. 4. Turn the eggplants cut-side up and spread the glaze thinly over the flesh. Switch the oven to broil and position the pan about 6 inches below the element. 5. Broil for 2–4 minutes, watching continuously, until the glaze bubbles and develops dark caramelized patches without burning. 6. Scatter with scallions and toasted sesame seeds just before serving. ### Notes - Miso varies in saltiness and sweetness. Taste the glaze before brushing it on; dilute with a little water if particularly salty, or add a few extra drops of vinegar if it needs brightness. ## Fried Japanese Sweet Potato Rounds A preliminary roast cooks the dense sweet potatoes through. Shallow-frying the cooled rounds then creates a dark, crisp crust around their creamy centers. ### Ingredients - 1½ lb Japanese sweet potatoes, scrubbed, skin left on - 4 tbsp avocado oil, divided - ½ tsp fine sea salt, plus more to taste ### Instructions 1. Heat the oven to 425°F / 220°C. Cut the sweet potatoes into rounds about ¾ inch thick. 2. Toss with 1 tablespoon avocado oil and the salt. Arrange on a sheet pan in a single layer and roast for 25–35 minutes, turning once, until a thin knife passes through the centers without resistance. 3. Let the rounds stand for 5 minutes so their surfaces dry slightly and they become easier to handle. 4. Heat the remaining 3 tablespoons avocado oil in a broad skillet over medium heat. Fry the rounds in a single layer, working in batches, for 3–4 minutes per side until deeply browned and crisp at the edges. Lower the heat if the natural sugars begin to scorch. 5. Transfer to a wire rack, season lightly with additional salt if needed, and serve hot. ### Notes - Choose sweet potatoes of similar diameter for evenly sized rounds. Aim for deep mahogany patches rather than an entirely black surface. ## Overall Timing / Workflow The oven handles both vegetables while the tuna cooks in its water bath. Glazing, frying, and searing are reserved for the finish so each component reaches the plate at its best. ### Instructions 1. 0:00 — Heat the sous vide bath to 57°C / 135°F and the oven to 425°F / 220°C. Prepare and bag the tuna, then start its 45–60-minute cook once the bath is ready. 2. 0:10 — Cut and season the sweet potatoes and put them in the oven. 3. 0:20 — Prepare the eggplants and add them to the oven on a separate pan. Whisk the glaze and slice the scallions while the vegetables roast. 4. 0:40 — Check the sweet potatoes and remove when tender. Check the eggplants and continue roasting until fully soft. 5. 0:45 — Fry the sweet potato rounds. Hold on a rack in a warm spot, uncovered. 6. 0:50 — Glaze and broil the eggplants when tender. Keep warm briefly while preparing the tuna. 7. When the tuna finishes — Remove it from the bag, dry thoroughly, coat with sesame seeds, and sear in a separate hot skillet or the cleaned sweet potato skillet. Plate immediately. ### Notes - Allow about 70–80 minutes overall, including appliance heating. Use doneness cues rather than forcing the vegetables to match the timeline. ## Plating Keeping the components distinct preserves the tuna's sesame crust, the eggplant's glossy glaze, and the potatoes' fried edges. ### Instructions 1. Arrange two glazed eggplant halves on each warm plate, cut-side up. 2. Place a tuna portion beside them, leaving the sesame-coated face visible. 3. Add a short row of sweet potato rounds without stacking them tightly. 4. Scatter the eggplant's scallions and sesame seeds loosely across the vegetables and serve immediately. ## Leftover Path Gentle reheating suits the vegetables, while serving leftover tuna cold avoids drying it out with another full cook. ### Instructions 1. Refrigerate leftovers promptly in separate shallow containers, within 2 hours of cooking. Eat the tuna within 1 day and the vegetables within 3 days. 2. Serve the tuna cold, sliced and topped with fresh scallions and a small splash of rice vinegar. 3. Reheat sweet potato rounds at 400°F / 205°C for 10–15 minutes to restore some crispness. 4. Warm the eggplant in a covered baking dish at 350°F / 175°C until hot, uncovering near the end. Avoid prolonged broiling, which can burn the glaze. --- From ChezJK (https://www.chezjk.com), Jonathan Katzman's public home-cooking archive: every meal he has photographed, written up as a recipe you can cook.