Win an Ultimate Dining Experience weekend at the Manchester Food and Drink festival

This dish is for healthy eating because there is little fat, no salt, good fish protein, palm sugar which is pure, cucumber for your skin, onion which is a superfood for the heart and blood, and mint which is a tasty herb that adds digetsion.

Seves 4 as a starter

600g tuna barrel cut - sushi grade A - from Openshaw’s in Bolton: a fantastic fish supplier where Gary Parkinson goes that extra mile and a bit to help you out and sources wonders such as Lancaster smokehouse kippers, all with cracking northern service which sets them apart.)

100g toasted sesame seeds (mix of black and white would be best)

1 cucumber peeled and deseeded (Fruit and vegetables from Fresh choice in Denton: once again it’s the service which for me is second to none and they work hard to source local lettuces and herbs from places like chat moss.)

1 red onion peeled, quartered and thinly sliced

Picked mint leaves, how much is honestly down to your preference

Tblsp of palm sugar (Glm from collyhurst is my first choice for dry goods. They supply me with everything from the weird and wonderful to high-street staples - from ketchup to the best olive oil. It's wonderful to have a real local supplier who is competing and beating the big boys like 3663 and Brakes which, sadly, are becoming a chef's only options now.)

4 Tbl sp of sesame oil

100ml of rice wine vinegar (Note if you don’t have palm sugar or rice vinegar, white sugar and wine vinegar can be used)

1 Thai chilli cut in half

Sakora mixed cress

Place palm sugar, chilli and vinegar in a pan and slowly bring to heat till palm sugar melts (feel free to add more or less chilli if you want - cooking is all about your taste) then allow to cool when sugar has dissolved. Roll tuna loin in sesame seeds and sear in a hot pan with sesame oil (if you want you can cook the tuna in a preheated oven for a few minutes but it's best served seared) and chill when all sides are brown. Slice cucumber thinly on an angle and place in sweetened vinegar for about 20 minutes. Drain cucumber and mix with mint and onion. Slice tuna thinly (about three slices per person). Place salad in the middle of the plate and place tuna on top. Dress plate with little sesame oil and spoonful of vinegar and garnish with mixed cress.

The Manchester Food & Drink Festival runs from 5-15 October with offers in hundreds of restaurants, bars and cafes as well as outdoor events across the City and region. Highlights include a Real Food Fair at Whitworth Art Gallery, the "Taste, Dine and Learn Pavilion on Albert Square" (with more than 40 chefs performing) and a huge local producers market on St Ann’s Square. For a full list of events please visit www.foodanddrinkfestival.com

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