Recipe: Coriander and Ginger-Crusted Tuna

I love tuna, and this was the first time that "R" and I had ever cooked with it at home. WHAT?!?! How did that happen? Well, we picked up some fresh tuna steaks from Kate's Fish at the West Side Market, and tried this recipe:

Coriander and Ginger-Crusted Tuna (Makes 4 servings, Total Time = 25 minutes)
(Adapted from Cuisine at Home magazine)

For the Tuna, Grind:
1 Tbsp. coriander seeds
1 tsp. black peppercorns
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1/2 tsp. coarse Hawaiian red salt or kosher salt (We used a salt blend that we picked up from Spice Hound)
2 tsp. sesame or olive oil

Grill:
4 ahi tuna steaks (4-6 oz. each)

For the Sauce, Puree:
1/2 avocado, pitted and peeled
1/2 cup each ginger beer and fresh cilantro leaves (We used ginger ale instead.)
1/2 cup fresh lime juice
2 Tbsp. minced fresh ginger
1 tsp. wasabi paste
1/2 tsp. coarse Hawaiian red salt or kosher salt

Preheat grill to medium-high. (We pan-seared them instead of grilling- 2 minutes per side for medium-rare.)
Brush grill grate with oil.
For the tuna, grind coriander seeds, peppercorns, ground ginger, and 1/2 tsp. salt in a coffee grinder until coarse.
Brush tuna with oil and rub spice mixture on both sides of each piece of tuna.
Grill tuna, covered, 2-3 minutes per side for medium-rare.
Remove to a plate while making the sauce.
For the sauce, puree avocado, ginger beer, cilantro, lime juice, minced ginger, wasabi paste, and 1/2 tsp salt in a food processor until smooth.
Serve sauce with tuna.

We paired it with some roasted asparagus and Minute Rice for a quick meal during the week. The tuna rub was flavorful without dominating the fish, and the sauce added a zesty zing to it. A little heat, thanks to the wasabi.