Deep-fried tuna sticks with wasabi mayonnaise sauce

Ingredients:

Sauce

• 0.5 cup mayonnaise
• 1 tbsp. honey
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• Zest of 1 lemon + 1 tbsp. l. lemon juice
• 0.5 tsp wasabi

Tuna

• 1 package (280 g) of extra-crispy tempura mix
• 1.5 cups chilled seltzer water, or as needed
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 2 tuna steaks, 2.5 cm thick.
• Premium flour, for dusting
• Peanut oil, for frying
• Topping of poppy seeds, sesame seeds and dried onions
• Special equipment: wooden skewers 20 cm long.

Preparation:

1. Sauce:
   
   In a medium bowl, combine the mayonnaise, honey, soy sauce, lemon zest and juice, and wasabi. Taste. The sauce should be salty, sweet, and slightly spicy. Adjust the salt if needed. Refrigerate.
2. Tuna:
   
   In a large bowl, combine the tempura mixture, cold seltzer water, and soy sauce. The batter should be the consistency of pancake batter; you may not need all the seltzer water. Refrigerate.
3. Slice the fish across the grain into 2-2.5 cm thick sticks. Each steak should make 4-5 sticks. If using skewers (optional), thread one fish stick lengthwise onto each.
4. Sprinkle each tuna stick on all sides with salt and black pepper, then sprinkle with a little flour. Transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet and freeze for 30 minutes.
5. Meanwhile, add enough oil to a pan to completely submerge the sticks and heat to 190°C.
6. When ready to fry, remove the batter from the refrigerator and the floured tuna from the freezer. Check to make sure the flour is dry on all sides, not soaked; re-flour if necessary, then dip the tuna in the batter and fry until golden brown, about 2.5 minutes.
7. Remove the tuna from the fryer and immediately sprinkle with the poppy-sesame mixture or a pinch of salt. Serve with the dipping sauce.