While Tiradito is a Nikkei invention (Japanese Peruvian), it’s not only a Nikkei dish anymore. Tiradito is served in some form – usually several – in nearly every cevicheria in Peru. A cousin to ceviche, tiradito is more thinly sliced, much like sashimi. Unlike sashimi it is doused in lime juice and, in most cases, aji pepper paste. This recipe is similar to the Tiradito Nikkei that chef Juan Seminario serves in the northern beach town of Mancora at his restaurant La Sirena d’Juan (follow this link to see the community Seminario gets his fish from). A Nikkei style tiradito loses the aji pepper paste and replaces it with soy, sesame oil, oyster sauce, and ginger.

RECIPE: Tiradito Nikkei

Ingredients
-150 gram filet of tuna
-4 tbs olive oil
-2 tps soy sauce
-1 glazed sweet potato
-1/2 cup julienned nori seaweed

To make the Salsa Nikkei
-1/2 cup of oyster sauce
-1 tsp of ginger
-4 tbs of sesame oil
-4 limes
-Mix all ingredients together in a blender and chill for 30 minutes.

Preparation
Tiradito
1.) Cut the tuna into thin sheets and season with olive oil and soy sauce, then chill for 5 minutes.
2.) Cover with Nikkei sauce and serve immediately with the glazed sweet potato and nori.

Serves 4

Nicholas Gill (470 Posts)

Writer and photographer Nicholas Gill is the editor/publisher of New World Review. He lives in Lima, Peru and Brooklyn, New York. His work has appeared in publications such as the New York Times, Los Angeles Times, CondeNast Traveler, National Geographic Traveler, Afar, and Penthouse. Visit his personal website (nicholas-gill.com) for more information.