Spicy Tuna Steak with Tamarind & Kashmiri Chillies

This is a 2017 recipe that has been sitting quietly on the blog ever since, doing exactly what it was designed to do: delivering a deeply spiced, aromatic crust on a tuna steak with very little fuss. This Kashmiri chilli tuna recipe lets the marinade paste do all the work. You blitz it, coat the fish, and fry it. The result is an Indian spiced tuna steak that tastes considerably more involved than it actually is.

The key ingredients are tamarind and dried Kashmiri chillies. Tamarind brings a dark, sour depth that cuts through the richness of the tuna. Kashmiri chillies bring colour and a gentle, building heat rather than anything fierce. Together with garlic, ginger, cloves, cumin and turmeric, they produce a paste that clings to the fish and caramelises in the pan.

Ingredients for Spicy Tuna Steak with Tamarind Paste

(Serves 1)

For the tuna

• 1 fresh tuna steak (250 g, 2.5–3 cm thick)
• Juice of ½ lemon, for marinating
• A pinch of sea salt
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil, for shallow frying

For the tamarind and Kashmiri chilli paste

• 5 garlic cloves, peeled
• 5 dried Kashmiri chillies
• 3 cloves
• 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 1 tsp turmeric powder
• 12 black peppercorns
• 1-inch piece of fresh ginger
• 1 tbsp tamarind
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp brown sugar
• A squeeze of lemon juice
• A big pinch of sea salt

To serve

• Fried onions
• Fresh coriander
• Asparagus, sliced radishes and red onion rings

Method

1. Make the paste: Blitz together the garlic, Kashmiri chillies, cloves, apple cider vinegar, turmeric, peppercorns, ginger, tamarind, cumin, brown sugar, a squeeze of lemon juice and a big pinch of salt until smooth.
2. Marinate the tuna: Marinate the tuna steak in the lemon juice and a pinch of salt for 10 minutes.
3. Coat it: Cover both sides of the steak generously with the paste. Latex gloves are worth wearing if you're using your fingers.
4. Fry the tuna: Shallow fry in the vegetable oil over a medium-high heat for 2 minutes per side, until the paste has caramelised and the middle is still pink.
5. Serve: Top with fried onions and fresh coriander, and serve with asparagus, sliced radishes and red onion rings, as pictured. The freshness of the vegetables balances the intensity of the spiced crust beautifully.

Tips for the spicy tuna steak

• Don't overcook it. The paste will brown quickly, so keep the heat at medium-high and the time short. Overcooked tuna turns dry and loses its steak-like texture.
• Make extra paste. It keeps well in the fridge and works on chicken, prawns or firm white fish.
• Mind the heat. Kashmiri chillies are mild, but if you want more fire, add a pinch of cayenne to the paste.

For a lighter, Mediterranean take on tuna, my Pan-Seared Tuna Steak with Garlic Spinach and Lemon Drizzle is well worth a look.

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Footnote

This spicy tuna steak recipe is part of my Tuna Steak Recipes collection and my Inland Fish and Seafood hub, a collection of resourceful ways to prepare the sea's bounty from the heart of rural Spain. It also features in the Curry-Adjacent section of the Curry Hub — spiced dishes that don't quite fit the curry label but belong in the same conversation.
Find more recipes and food adventures here.
Wonky photos, proper food, genuine adventures – The Flexible Chef