Tataki

Tataki is the Japanese technique of preparing meat or fish, where the product is briefly seared and left raw in the middle. Most commonly, tuna steaks or beef tenderloin is employed in the tataki technique since perfect cuts allow equal searing on all sides.

Meat or fish prepared tataki-style is primarily seared on all sides, then placed in an ice bath and left to chill.  It is then sliced into thin pieces and neatly arranged on a plate. Although it is often regarded as a unique technique, meat and fish products prepared in tataki-style are often served alongside other sashimi dishes.

It is also commonly eaten as a single dish in traditional Japanese restaurants, where it is usually offered as an appetizer. When the meat or fish is arranged on a plate, the whole dish is usually doused in soy or ponzu sauce that is mixed with citrus juice and aromatized with grated ginger, onions, and sliced garlic.

Sakamoto Ryōma, a prominent figure in Japan in the 19th century, is believed to have invented this traditional Japanese technique in the ancient province of Tosa, which is now a part of Kōchi Prefecture. The region is known for skipjack tuna (katsuo) tataki in which pieces of tuna are seared over an open flame.