Chirashi Bowls

October 24, 2022

Chirashizushi (ちらし寿司) translates to "scattered sushi" and is a style of sushi that entails exactly what the name suggests: pieces of sashimi over sushi rice. Chirashizushi—or chirashi bowls—is probably the simplest way to enjoy what you love about sushi without having to learn how to roll maki.

Though some people might think the fish is the star of the dish, for the true diehard sushi lovers, the rice is really where it’s at. Sushi rice is a short-grain rice that can be found in most supermarkets and can be prepared on the stovetop or in a rice cooker. Using a rice cooker is not some “shortcut” that will leave you with rice that isn’t as good as if you made it on the stove. We find that the rice cooker results in better textured and more consistent rice.

The cooked sushi rice is seasoned with a mixture of rice vinegar, salt, and sugar. We provided our favorite ratios, but you can adjust the amounts of each to your liking. For the fish, you can use any type of sushi-grade raw fish, from yellowtail to mackerel. We used salmon, tuna, and shrimp, but we encourage you to swap in anything you like.

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For toppings, you can kind of go nuts! You’ll oftentimes find eggs in some shape or form, either in tomago-style sushi (which is a bit hard to re-create without a speciality pan) or in the form of little ribbons made from a thin omelet. The latter is what we’re adding to this recipe.

We also threw in a quick pickled cucumber salad, nori, lemon, and avocado, but you can use anything you like. Blanched snap peas or thinly sliced lotus root are great here. Tried making your own chirashi bowl? Let us know what you added in the comments below!

Ingredients:

SUSHI RICE

- 1 1/2 c. sushi rice

- 1 1/2 c. water

- 1/4 c. unseasoned rice vinegar

- 2 1/2 tbsp. granulated sugar

- 1 tsp. kosher salt

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CUCUMBER SALAD

- 1 Persian cucumber, very thinly sliced

- 1/4 tsp. kosher salt, plus more

- 1 tbsp. unseasoned rice vinegar

- 1 tsp. granulated sugar

- 1/4 tsp. soy sauce

- 1/4 tsp. toasted sesame oil

EGG AND NORI

- 1 large egg

- Pinch of kosher salt

- 1/2 tsp. vegetable oil

- 1 sheet toasted nori

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FISH AND ASSEMBLY

- 1/4 lb. large shrimp (about 4), peeled and deveined

- 1/3 lb. sushi-grade salmon

- 1/3 lb. sushi-grade tuna

- Black and white sesame seeds, for garnish

- 1 avocado, sliced

- 4 lemon slices

- 2 oz. ikura (salmon roe)

- Wasabi and pickled ginger, for serving

Method: In a fine-mesh strainer, rinse rice under cool water until water runs almost clear. Transfer to a rice cooker or medium pot. Add 1 1/2 cups water. If using a rice cooker, cook according to manufacturer’s instructions. If cooking on the stovetop, bring to a boil, then immediately reduce heat to lowest setting. Cover and cook 15 minutes, then remove from heat. Let rice absorb residual moisture, still covered, about 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a small saucepan over medium heat, whisk vinegar, granulated sugar, and salt. Cook, whisking, until sugar and salt dissolve. Remove from heat. Fluff rice with a rice paddle or rubber spatula. Transfer to a large baking dish or rimmed baking sheet. Add vinegar mixture a few tablespoons at a time, using paddle to gently fold into rice without breaking any grains, until rice has reached your desired level of seasoning.

Let cool until slightly warmer than room temperature.

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MAKE THE CUCUMBER SALAD:

Wipe out strainer used for rice. In strainer, toss cucumbers and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Let sit 10 minutes. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, whisk vinegar, granulated sugar, soy sauce, sesame oil, and a pinch of salt until salt and sugar are mostly dissolved. Squeeze cucumbers to release any excess moisture. Transfer to bowl with dressing and toss to coat. Refrigerate until ready to use.

MAKE THE EGG AND NORI: In a small bowl, beat egg until blended; season with salt. In a small nonstick skillet over medium-low heat, heat vegetable oil and use a paper towel to rub oil around skillet. Add egg and rotate skillet to form a thin circular layer. Cook until egg is just set, about 1 minute. Using a spatula or chopsticks, carefully pull up egg and flip. Continue to cook until other side is just set, about 20 seconds more. Transfer egg to a cutting board and let cool slightly. Roll egg to form a log, then slice to create thin ribbons. Transfer to a small bowl. Slice nori into similar-size ribbons and transfer to bowl with egg, then toss to combine. Refrigerate until ready to use.

FISH AND ASSEMBLY: In a medium pot of boiling water, cook shrimp until pink and just tender, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer shrimp to an ice bath and let cool. Slice salmon and tuna against the grain into slices between 1/8" and 1/4" thick, depending on your preference. Divide sushi rice, cucumber salad, and egg-nori between bowls. Garnish with sesame seeds. Arrange tuna, salmon, shrimp, avocado, and lemon around edges of bowls. Finish with a spoonful of ikura in the center. Serve with wasabi and pickled ginger alongside.

This recipe is taken from https://www.delish.com/cooking/