A few years ago, my friends Arturo and Mariana took me to a seafood restaurant called Los Aguachiles, in Playa del Carmen. Since that time, Los Aguachiles opened other branches in different cities in Mexico, and two of those are thankfully in my hometown of Monterrey.
Since I love that restaurant, every time I go back home I eat there once (or twice, depending on the length of my stay), and I ALWAYS order the tuna tostada. It is simple, but absolutely delicious, so I started making it at home whenever I get the craving.
This is my interpretation of that delicious tostada. This is not a recipe, but I will tell you what to do so you can make it at home too! Dad would love it with a cold beer on the deck on a hot summer evening.
Tostada de Atún Fresco estilo Aguachiles
Raw Tuna Tostada Aguachiles style
For the tuna:
350g sushi quality raw tuna loin
Soy sauce to taste
Sesame oil to taste
Lime juice to taste
For the Chipotle Mayo:
1 cup mayonnaise
2-4 Tbsp chipotle chiles in adobo, minced, or more to taste
For the toppings:
Finely shredded red cabbage
Finely sliced red onion
Avocado slices
Chopped cilantro
Black or white toasted sesame seeds
Fried thinly sliced leeks (optional)
Corn tostadas
Lime wedges to serve
For the tuna, if your tuna is frozen, it's ready to use. If it's fresh, put it in the freezer for at least 20 minutes - this will make it easier to cut. Cut it into 1/4" dice. Place in a bowl and add enough soy sauce, sesame oil and lime juice to taste. It should only have enough of these three items to season without making it too runny. Refrigerate until ready to use, but no longer than 15 minutes.
For the chipotle mayo, simply combine the mayo with enough minced chipotle chiles (with adobo sauce) to taste. It should be a nice brick colour (the darker, the hotter!). Any leftover chipotle mayo is great in sandwiches, with steamed baby potatoes, fries or crab cakes. I'm sure you won't have a problem finding uses for it.
When you're ready to serve, spread a good amount of chipotle mayo on the corn tostadas. Top with a mound of tuna and start garnishing: start with red cabbage, then the onion, then avocado and then cilantro. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and serve right away. Pass along the lime wedges and more chipotle mayo to drizzle on top.
Now, sit back and enjoy. And don't forget the ice cold beer!
Happy Father's Day!