Tuna, shiitake and coconut rice

Paddle meals

The most satisfying fish meal comes from your own fresh catch. After guiding kayaking expeditions in the Sea of Cortez in Baja, Mexico, my brother Ryan and I have become fairly successful at catching fish from our kayaks. On most expeditions we enjoy one or two fish meals while paddling in the spectacular Gulf of California.

Ryan has perfected a very simple and effective trolling method well suited for expedition paddling. He uses a handline cut out of marine plywood. It has a handle cut into one side to make it easy to grip and pull in the fish. At eight inches wide and one foot long, every complete wrap lets out two feet, making it easy to calculate the depth of your lure. In this way it is easy to paddle while trolling. Ryan places the handline under his knees inside the cockpit, and even while wearing a sprayskirt it is effective. All you have to do is wait for the tug. The most effective lures are hurricanes – a plastic or wood lure that dives and wiggles while trolling, but floats to the surface when the kayaker stops for a water break or to wait for other paddlers. Or try crocodiles or buzz-bombs – lures that are usually metal and in the shape of a small fish that spins or flashes while trolling. But be careful, because these will sink when not moving.

Ryan had a very exciting ride while fishing near Punta Polpito on our coastal route north of Loreto. The group had just passed a large and spectacular volcanic plug and were having a little rest on the lee side of the point to admire the obsidian bands through the large lava flows. Looking back at the point we heard Ryan start to hoot and holler, and watched as he and his fully loaded kayak were towed to windward. It lasted about 10 minutes until the fish tired enough to allow Ryan to play it up to the kayak. A large rooster fish was pulled out of the water, knocked on the head and put into a plastic bag that Ryan keeps under his seat just for this purpose.

Once ashore the task of filleting the fish and cooking it is the fun part. The head and guts go back to the sea and the dark pink, delicious flesh is for our kayak group. A great way to eat the rooster fish is to thinly cut some pieces sashimi-style and squeeze lime on it. The raw fish has an amazing flavor, better than any tuna you’ll get at a sushi restaurant.

Then another classic way to prepare tuna-like fish is seared titake style, where the outside is crispy and the inside still opaque and slightly raw. This Japanese recipe is commonly thought of as the best way to enjoy tuna, but suggest this enticing sauce to complement the seared fish: shiitake coconut cream. The garlic, ginger and soy sauce combination with the strong nutty flavour of shiitake mushrooms and creamy coconut creates a full-bodied flavour to impress even the most seasoned foody of the group.

Dried mushrooms are another great ingredient to carry in your camping food provisions. There are so many varieties of dried mushrooms that can enhance any meal, be it spaghetti, risotto, omelette or quiche. Shiitake mushrooms add a lot to this Asian-inspired sauce and compliment the seared fish.

The rice:

(Serves 5 people)

Best way to cook rice on the beach:

• 2 cups rice

• 2 cups coconut milk

• 2 cups water

Add rice, coconut milk and water in a medium pot with a lid. Bring to a rolling boil until the rice creates little craters, then remove from the heat and place the closed pot into the sand. Surround the pot ¾ of the way up the side but not near the lid using the sand as insulation. Leave for 20 minutes. This saves gas on your camp stove, frees up your burners to move onto the next part of this recipe and works remarkably well to cook rice too.

The seared fish:

• 5 6-ounce tuna steaks about 3cm thick

• 3 tbsp sesame oil

• 1 tbsp coarsely ground peppercorns (try red and black peppercorns)

• 3 tbsp sesame seeds

• 3 cloves garlic, sliced into rounds

• Salt to taste

Slice garlic, then coarsely crack pepper corns and place in a bowl together with the sesame seeds. Pat the fish dry, then sprinkle salt on fish steaks and press each steak into the pepper/garlic mixture coating all sides. Heat sesame oil in a large skillet or fry pan over high heat on your camp stove. Place steaks in oil searing until brown on the outside and opaque on the inside, about 2 minutes per side. Place cooked steaks on a plate and cover with foil to keep warm.

The coconut sauce:

• 2 tbsp butter

• 1/3 cup green onions, sliced

• ¼ cup cilantro, chopped

• 3 cloves garlic, chopped

• 2 tbsp fresh ginger, peeled and chopped

• 6 tbsp Tamari (soy sauce) or lime flavoured soy sauce called Ponzu

• 1 ½ cups coconut milk

• 1 cup shiitake mushrooms, sliced

• 1 fresh lime, juiced

• Lime wedges and cilantro for garnish

In same skillet, add butter, green onion, cilantro, garlic and ginger. Sauté quickly until fragrant, add soy sauce, coconut milk and mushrooms then simmer until sauce thickens, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the lime juice. Serve rice on each plate, then a fish steak on top of the bed of rice, scoop sauce over entire dish and garnish with lime wedges and cilantro.

Hilary Masson is with Baja Kayak Adventures.