Spicy Ahi Poke with Wontons and Mango Salsa

Ingredients

"This is a great sharing dish, so it's ideal for a party or gathering. Place bowls of fried wontons, spicy tuna poke and salsa in the middle of the table and let everybody dig in." ~ Celia Farrar and Guy Jackson.

Quick Pickled Onions:

1 large Maui or sweet white onion, sliced into thin rounds
75mL rice wine vinegar
3 Tbs sugar
Pinch of sea salt

Salsa:

2 red tomatoes, deseeded and finely chopped
1 red (bell) pepper, deseeded and finely chopped
1 avocado, diced
1/2 mango, diced
Juice of 1 lime

Poke:

360g fresh yellowfin tuna, cut into 1.5cm cubes
4 Tbs spicy marinade

Wontons:

2L vegetable oil, for frying
24 wonton wrappers, cut in half on the diagonal

Method

Begin by making the quick pickled onions. Place the sliced onion in a bowl. Combine the vinegar, sugar and salt and pour over the onion. Set to one side and allow to marinate for at least 30 minutes.

Next, gently mix together all the ingredients for the salsa in a bowl, season with salt, cover and leave in the fridge until ready to serve.

In a bowl, dress the cubes of tuna in the Spicy Marinade and refrigerate for 1 hour.

To fry the wontons, heat the oil in a saucepan to around 180 C (350 F). Drop the wonton wrappers into the oil in batches, taking
care not to overcrowd the pan. They should sizzle and puff up. Remove with a slotted spoon once golden brown and drain on paper towels. Although best freshly fried, wonton wrappers should keep crisp for up to 24 hours in an airtight container.

Serve the wontons topped with the spicy poke, pickled onions and salsa. Try pimping with a drizzle of Spicy Mayo, Nori Furikake and a sprinkling of amaranth micro herbs.

Credits: This is an edited extract from Poke by Celia Farrar and Guy Jackson published by Hardie Grant Books RRP $24.99 and is available in stores nationally.

Photo Credits: ©Matt Russell.