Kaisen Don With Jewel-Like Sashimi Over Sushi Rice

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Restaurant-quality kaisen don at home with simple, precise steps.
• Bright, clean flavors that showcase pristine fish over perfectly seasoned sushi rice.
• Customizable toppings to suit what your fishmonger has fresh today.
• Ready in under an hour, with most of the time hands-off while rice cooks.

Grocery List

• Produce: Scallions or chives, fresh wasabi or prepared wasabi, optional cucumber or radish, fresh ginger (or jarred pickled ginger)
• Dairy: None
• Pantry: Short-grain sushi rice, soy sauce, rice vinegar, mirin, sugar, kosher salt, nori sheets, toasted sesame seeds

Full Ingredients

Sushi Rice

• 2/3 cup (120 g) short-grain sushi rice
• 3/4 cup (180 ml) water
• 1 1/2 tbsp (22 ml) rice vinegar
• 2 tsp (8 g) sugar
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt

Sashimi Assortment

• 3 oz (85 g) sashimi-grade tuna (maguro), well-chilled
• 3 oz (85 g) sashimi-grade salmon (sake), well-chilled
• 2–3 oz (55–85 g) sashimi-grade yellowtail (hamachi), well-chilled
• 4 large cooked shrimp (ebi), peeled and butterflied lengthwise

Garnishes and Soy Drizzle

• 1 sheet nori (yakisushi nori), cut into fine shreds
• 2 tbsp (30 ml) soy sauce
• 1 tsp (5 ml) mirin
• 1/2 tsp (2 ml) rice vinegar
• Wasabi paste, to taste (about 1 tsp per bowl)
• Pickled ginger (gari), for serving
• 1 tsp toasted sesame seeds
• Thinly sliced scallion or chives (optional)

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Rinse and soak the rice

Place the sushi rice in a bowl and add cool water. Swirl with your hand, drain, and repeat until the water runs mostly clear (about 5 rinses). Cover the rinsed rice with fresh water and soak for 15 minutes. Drain thoroughly in a fine-mesh strainer for 5 minutes.

Step 2: Cook the rice

Combine the drained rice and 3/4 cup (180 ml) water in a small pot with a tight-fitting lid. Bring to a gentle boil over medium heat, then immediately reduce to low, cover, and cook for 18 minutes without lifting the lid. Remove from heat and let steam, covered, for 10 minutes.

Step 3: Season the rice (sushi-su)

While the rice cooks, gently warm the rice vinegar, sugar, and salt in a small saucepan or microwave just until dissolved; do not boil. Transfer the hot rice to a wide bowl or hangiri. Using a rice paddle, drizzle on the seasoned vinegar and fold with a cutting motion to distribute while fanning or stirring to cool until the rice is glossy and just warm (about 5–7 minutes). Cover with a damp towel.

Step 4: Make the soy drizzle and prep garnishes

In a small bowl, mix the soy sauce, mirin, and rice vinegar. Shred the nori with scissors, slice scallions if using, and set out sesame seeds, wasabi, and pickled ginger.

Step 5: Slice the sashimi and prep shrimp

On a clean, chilled cutting board with a very sharp knife, slice tuna, salmon, and yellowtail against the grain into 1/4-inch (6–7 mm) slices with smooth single strokes. Keep fish covered and cold. If your shrimp are not butterflied, slice almost through the belly and open them flat.

Step 6: Assemble the bowls

Divide the warm sushi rice between two bowls (about 1 cup each). Sprinkle with shredded nori and sesame seeds. Arrange the sashimi in overlapping fans—alternate colors for a jewel-like look—and nestle the butterflied shrimp on top. Spoon 1–2 tsp of the soy drizzle over each bowl, serving the rest on the side.

Step 7: Finish and serve

Add a small dab of wasabi to each bowl. Garnish with scallions and serve immediately with pickled ginger. Enjoy right away for the best texture and freshness.

Pro Tips

• Use only sashimi-grade fish from a trusted fishmonger and keep it refrigerated until slicing. Work quickly on a very cold board.
• For clean cuts, wipe the knife with a damp towel between slices and use long, single strokes rather than sawing.
• Rice texture is everything: season while hot, then cool to just-warm before topping so the fish stays cool and pristine.
• If you prefer cooked shrimp from raw: poach in barely simmering salted water for 60–90 seconds until pink and just opaque; chill immediately in ice water.
• Arrange by color contrast—deep red tuna, coral salmon, pale hamachi, and pearly shrimp—so the bowl looks as good as it tastes.

Variations

• Salmon-forward: Skip yellowtail and double the salmon; add ikura (salmon roe) for a salty pop.
• Light and crunchy: Add thin cucumber ribbons or daikon matchsticks under the fish for extra freshness.
• Spicy kick: Whisk 1 tbsp mayo with 1–2 tsp sriracha and a squeeze of lemon; drizzle lightly alongside the soy.

Storage & Make-Ahead

Assemble and serve kaisen don immediately for best quality. You can cook and season the rice up to 2 hours ahead; keep covered with a damp towel at cool room temperature (do not refrigerate or it will harden). Keep sashimi refrigerated at or below 40°F (4°C) and use the day of purchase. Leftover cooked rice can be refrigerated up to 2 days and gently rewarmed, but do not store assembled bowls or leftover raw fish for later consumption.

Nutrition (per serving)

Approximate: 560 calories; 44 g protein; 56 g carbohydrates; 18 g fat; 1,150 mg sodium. Values will vary based on fish cuts and exact portions.