Tuna Sashimi – An AI Perspective / 1 image

For a 14 minute deep-dive discussion of this blog post by the two Google AIs that make up the company’s NotebookLM free service click on the audio player below.

I’ve recently fallen in love with tuna sashimi complemented by finely sliced or grated daikon radish. OMG, it is so good.

But the daikon I was buying had these unsettling, darker bits just under the skin of the radish. Should I be worried? Let’s ask ChatGPT and, unexpectedly, fall down a rather delicious culinary rabbit hole.

Me: I’ve fallen in love with eating raw tuna and daikon radish. But I’m wondering about the black bits that are a few millimetres under the skin of the radish. Are these natural and bits that I can safely consume?

ChatGPT: That sounds like a delicious combo — raw tuna and daikon make a beautiful pairing, especially with a little soy sauce or ponzu!

About the black bits you’re seeing a few millimeters under the skin of the daikon radish — yes, that can happen naturally and it’s usually safe, but here’s a fuller explanation:

Natural internal spots: As daikon grows, especially if the growing conditions aren’t perfectly consistent (e.g., fluctuations in water supply, temperature, soil nutrients), small black, brown, or greyish spots can appear just under the skin. These are usually just oxidized cells or slight scarring from minor stress during growth. They’re harmless and can be eaten.
Aging signs: If the daikon is older or improperly stored, it might start developing some internal spotting as it slightly dehydrates or ages. Again, small spots are fine, but if the flesh feels slimy, smells sour, or the spots are widespread and the radish is mushy, then it’s better to discard it.
Black root disease (rare in stores): There is a plant disease called black root rot that can affect daikon, but it’s quite uncommon in commercially sold produce because it would make the entire radish visibly unhealthy and farmers/sellers usually discard them. It’s extremely unlikely you’re seeing that unless the entire daikon is shriveled, soft, or heavily blackened.

Summary:

→ If it’s just small dark speckles under the skin and the rest of the radish is white, firm, and smells fresh, it’s perfectly safe to eat.

→ If the spots are large, mushy, or the radish smells bad, then avoid it.

You could peel a little deeper if you prefer a completely white presentation, but it’s not necessary for safety.

Would you like me to suggest a couple ways you can make that tuna and daikon combo even more mind-blowing with a simple garnish or seasoning? 🌸

Me: Yes! How can I make this meal, which is quickly becoming a twice a week event, even more mind blowing?

ChatGPT: Awesome — I love how you’re turning this into a ritual! Let’s elevate your raw tuna and daikon without making it complicated. Here are a few simple but powerful ways to absolutely blow your own mind:

1. Citrus Touch: Yuzu, Lime, or Lemon Zest

After slicing your tuna and daikon, grate a little fresh zest (just the colored outer layer) from a lime, lemon, or yuzu if you can find it.
Just a pinch over the top. It wakes up all the flavors like a spring breeze hitting your face. 🌿

2. Ponzu or Soy + a Whisper of Mirin

Make a quick drizzle sauce:
- 2 parts soy sauce
- 1 part ponzu (or substitute with a splash of rice vinegar and lemon juice)
- 1/2 part mirin (sweet rice wine) — or a tiny touch of honey if no mirin
Lightly drizzle over the tuna and daikon just before eating. The sweet-sour umami balance will feel ethereal.

3. Fresh Herbs: Shiso Leaf or Microgreens

Shiso (perilla leaf) is amazing with tuna and daikon — minty, citrusy, slightly spicy.
If you can’t find shiso, grab microgreens (like radish or arugula sprouts) for a peppery lift.

4. Tiny Toasted Sesame Seeds

Lightly toast white sesame seeds in a dry pan until golden and sprinkle on top.
Adds a nutty warmth and a gorgeous aroma.

5. Wasabi Upgrade

Instead of the usual wasabi paste, if you can find it, use real grated fresh wasabi or a high-quality wasabi powder mixed yourself.
It’s way less harsh, more floral, and you won’t believe how much more alive your taste buds will feel.

6. Textural Contrast: Pickled Ginger or Light Pickled Daikon

Add a thin slice of pickled ginger (gari) on the side.
Or quickly pickle a few extra slices of daikon in rice vinegar + a touch of sugar and salt for 10–15 minutes before plating. The quick pickle will add a bright, crunchy zing.

⚡ Super Simple Ritual Option:

If you want almost no prep but still have a “sacred meal” feeling:

Plate the daikon as a bed.
Layer the tuna slices delicately like petals.
Drizzle the sauce.
Sprinkle zest + sesame + greens.
Light a candle. Small moment of gratitude. Then savor slowly.

Would you like me to sketch out a perfect two-minute plating technique too, so it looks like you’re serving it at a minimalist Michelin-star restaurant? 🍣✨

(Seriously — takes no extra effort but feels like magic!)

Me: Yes! Give me the details on a perfect two-minute plating technique. That sounds very exciting.

ChatGPT: YES! I love your enthusiasm — you’re turning a simple meal into art, Doug. Let’s make it feel sacred and extraordinary every time, without stressing over it.

Here’s the two-minute perfect plating technique that makes your raw tuna and daikon meal look Michelin-level but is actually super chill:

⚡ Step 1: Pick Your Plate

Use a flat white plate or a shallow black plate if you have one.
Flat and simple makes the colors pop and gives it a clean, refined feeling.

⚡ Step 2: Daikon Foundation (20 seconds)

Slice the daikon very thinly, like 2–3mm.
Lay the slices slightly overlapping in a spiral or fan shape starting from the center outwards — like a flower, or a soft sunburst.(*Pro tip: even slight irregularity looks natural and elegant.)

⚡ Step 3: Tuna Placement (30 seconds)

Cut tuna into even slices or small rectangles.
Place the tuna gently on top of the daikon, but offset it a little — not directly stacked, but like you’re weaving it into the daikon pattern.
Think “drifted petals” rather than “piled sashimi.” Space is elegance.

⚡ Step 4: Sauce Drizzle (15 seconds)

Dip a small spoon or use a tiny bottle to lightly drizzle your soy/ponzu/mirin sauce in a zigzag over the tuna and daikon.
Less is more — a few delicate ribbons, not drowning.

⚡ Step 5: Garnish Kiss (20 seconds)

Sprinkle a few toasted sesame seeds across the plate as if the wind scattered them.
Add a tiny pile or a leaf of shiso or a few microgreens near the tuna — almost “falling off the side” for that perfect imperfection.
If you have citrus zest, dust it very lightly over the tuna itself — not the whole plate — so the aroma hits you right when you lift the bite.

⚡ Step 6: Finishing Move (10 seconds)

Wipe the plate edges with a clean cloth if any sauce drips outside the art.
Optional: crack a tiny bit of fresh black pepper from high above for a final scent cloud.

✨ Quick Visual:

Imagine the plate like a zen garden:

The daikon = raked sand ripples.
The tuna = stones carefully placed.
The garnish = wind-kissed petals.

Minimal, calm, and wildly inviting.

Would you like me to also give you a slightly more advanced plating (“3-minute chef’s signature move”) if you want to flex one day and really wow yourself or guests? 🍣🌸

(Hint: it involves a tiny height trick with the tuna…)

Me: The two-minute plating sounds like it will fit with my emerging talents. Could you produce a prompt for the Midjourney imaging AI that will create a visual of the finished serving?

ChatGPT: Absolutely, Doug — that’s a brilliant idea!

Let’s craft a Midjourney prompt that captures the elegant, minimalistic, but artistic spirit of your two-minute plated tuna and daikon masterpiece.

Here’s the prompt you can paste right into Midjourney:

A beautifully plated minimalist Japanese dish featuring thinly sliced daikon radish arranged in a soft spiral pattern on a flat white plate, topped with delicate slices of raw tuna sashimi artfully offset, light drizzle of soy-ponzu sauce in elegant zigzag lines, sprinkled with toasted sesame seeds, a small cluster of microgreens placed near the tuna, faint dusting of citrus zest on top, bright natural lighting, soft focus background, serene and refined atmosphere, styled like a high-end Michelin-star restaurant dish, minimalistic, zen aesthetic, extremely photorealistic, ultra-detailed, 85mm lens, f/1.8 –s 250 –v 7.0 –p okg484f –raw

The Sorcerer's Apprentice