Chirashi sushi is the traditional sushi dish that means “scattered sushi” in Japanese.
Sushi often feels difficult to make at home, but, Chirashi sushi is much easier to make. (despite you’ll need to prepare a bunch of ingredients…)
Chirashi sushi is like a sushi bowl or sushi cake, it can often delight and brighten up the kid’s party (or adult party).
Moreover, it doesn’t require a chef’s skills as long as you have the patience to make a bunch of ingredients and some cooking tips to make sushi rice.
Before reading, I’ll tell you this recipe is not about Chirashi sushi made with raw seafood which is often confused with Kaisen-don.
My Chirashi sushi is a kind of “GOMOKU CHIRASHI” which is traditionally made with vegetables, eggs, and boiled shrimp.
Topping Ideas for Chirashi Sushi
Chirashi sushi is assorted with several ingredients considering combinations of colors, textures, and flavors so that everyone can enjoy it visually and taste.
There are many ideas and combinations of ingredients, also, there are no rules about what ingredients to use for your delicious Chirashi sushi.
Tradtioanl Ingredeints
- KINSHI TAMAGO
- SIMMERED DRIED SHIITAKE MUSHROOMS
- SOMETHING GREEN VEGGIES SUCH AS SNAP PEAS/ SNOW PEAS/ CUCUMBER
- PICKLED LOTUS ROOTS
- SIMMERED BAMBOO SHOOTS
- SASHIMI-GRADE SEAFOOD
- BOILED SHRIMP
- SHREDDED NORI (KIZAMINORI)
- SUSHI GINGER
SUBSTITUTE IDEAS
Especially, in my recipe, I want to give you ideas that you can get easily from local grocery stores rather than traditional Japanese ingredients.
Vegetables
Green vegetables are essential coloring items for CHERASHI SUSHI, and you can change items widely from season to season and to your liking.
Commonly in Japan, boiled snap or snow peas are used for topping, but there are also salted cucumbers, rape blossoms, and broad or edamame beans.
EX. asparagus, avocado, bamboo shoots, cucumber, carrots, daikon radishes, edamame, fried tofu, red radishes, sauteed mushrooms…etc.
Canned bamboo shoots are easy to get near you and this recipe called “Menma-like simmered bamboo shoots” will be a great item to give a crunchy texture and sweet& salty flavor.
SEAFOOD OR PROTEIN
Salmon roe marinated in soy sauce, boiled shrimp, imitation crab meat, and simmered conger eel are commonly used for CHIRASHI SUSHI. However, you can select protein available near you.
smoked salmon, imitation crabs, frozen seafood mix, canned tuna, cheese, shredded chicken, ground meat, smoked ham…etc.
Garnish
toasted black or white sesame seeds, micro greens, cilantro, scallions, chives, mints, basils…etc
PREPARE TOPPINGS IN ADVANCE
Although assembling Chirashi sushi is easy with lots of fun, procedure all processes may need more effort in a day.
Some of the ingredients can be prepared in advance, I recommend making these the day before planning for Chirashi sushi.
KINSHI TAMAGO: PAPER-THIN EGG OMELET
KINSHI TAMAGO are threads made from USUYAKI-TAMAGO (paper-thin egg omelet) and are the essential item to give brilliant yellow color and sweet flavor to CHIRASHI SUSHI.
You don’t need a Tamagoyaki pan for this dish, however, you may need a little technique and practice.
The secret to success is to make a paper-thin omelet and add potato/corn starch water.
Read this post to learn how to make USUYAKI TAMAGO&KINSHI TAMAGO.
Make KINSHI TAMAGO the day before to make CHIRASHI SUSHI quickly.
PICKLED GINGER AND RADISHES
Japanese sweet vinegar pickles are not essential items, but they enhance the flavor and color of Chirashi sushi and also give a unique crunchy texture as an accent.
Japanese sweet vinegar pickles are super easy to make, you can use red radishes, daikon radishes, carrots, cucumber…and ginger!
I use pickled red radishes for adding color and crunch texture.
If you wanna take a peek at the recipe, click the link below.
![Japanese Sweet and Sour Pickled Red Radish [AMAZU-ZUKE]](https://japanmcconnell.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Japanese-Sweet-and-Sour-Pickled-Red-Radish-AMAZU-ZUKE.jpg)
Enjoy this traditional and authentic Japanese pickles recipe about “sweet and sour” pickled radishes.
Great as a side dish, garnish, and ingredient. or in a salad.
BOILED SHRIMP
How To Prepare & Boil Shrimp PERFECTLY
Do you want to know how to get rid of the fishy taste of shrimp? The most important process for removing the fishy taste is preparation: deveining and cleaning the shrimp. Also, I’ll tell you the ultimate guide on how to prepare (frozen) shrimp full of Japanese cooking tips!
SUSHI RICE
I am an easy person, I believe, and CHIRASHI SUSHI is not required to roll the rice, so I don’t tell you that you must use Japanese sushi rice ever for this recipe.
You can use the rice you already have.
Still, if you want to make the traditional authentic CHIRASHI SUSHI, go ahead to use Japanese sushi rice.
COOK THE RICE WITH LESS WATER THAN USUAL
To make sushi rice, use less water than usual since we are going to add vinegar and topping ingredients containing water.
When using a Japanese rice cooker, you can see a water guideline for “sushi”.
When cooking the rice without the Japanese rice cooker, try to reduce 1/3 of the water than usual.
Adding 1 small piece of dashi kombu when cooking the rice brings Umami flavor.
SUSHI VINEGAR
Sushi vinegar is made with vinegar, salt, and sugar.
If you want to make CHIRASHI SUSHI authentically, you can use rice vinegar or Japanese sushi vinegar.
But, in Japanese home cooking, and again, I am not picky about ingredients, so any vinegar (except for balsamic vinegar you know) in your pantry is fine.
THE BASIC RATIO
As a guide, use 1/4 cup of sushi vinegar per 2.25 cups of rice.
- ¼ cup vinegar
- 3 tbsp sugar
- ¼ TSP salt
Once making this AMAZU vinegar, you can make pickled red radishes and sushi vinegar at once.
Amazu is the Japanese essential seasoning made with simply vinegar, sugar, and salt. Once you stock Amazu vinegar in a fridge, it helps you eat easier, healthier, and more delicious in many dishes. Vinegar is known for several health benefits, make Amazu vinegar and incorporate a healthy and delicious meal diet. This Amazu vinegar will last up to 6 months in a fridge.
COOL THE SUSHI RICE AFTER MIXING THE RICE AND THE VINEGAR
While the rice is still hot, combine the rice and sushi vinegar evenly and quickly.
It is best if you have a wooden sushi oke mixing bowl (hangiri), but if you don’t have one, use a large tray or roasting pan.
This is to prevent rice grains crushed and sticky.
The wooden sushi oke mixing bowl absorbs excess moisture, so the sushi rice keeps fluffy not sticky or mushy.
Before using, wet it and wipe off the water lightly with a cloth.
Use a rice paddle or a spatula, and mix the rice and vinegar while slicing rumps of the rice.
Cool the sushi rice with a fan to let the water evaporates since the rice becomes shiny.
Often, you may see recipes tell you to combine the rice and the vinegar while cooling with a fan, yet, I recommend cooling the rice after mixing.
Combine the rice and the vinegar while the rice is still hot to let it absorb the sushi vinegar since the rice will not be able to absorb the flavor after it cools.
Avoid mixing the rice after it cools which causes too sticky rice.
PARTY “CHIRASHI” SUSHI RECIPE: EASY & HEALTHY COLORFUL SWEET GOMOKU SHIRASHI SUSHI BOWL MAKES KIDS HAPPY
Ingredients
Topping Ideas
- ¼ cup Japanese pickled radish, chopped *See the post for the recipe
- ¼ cup cooked edamame beans
- 5 or mroe boiled shrimp
- toasted white sesame seeds
For KINSHI TAMAGO
- 3 whole large eggs
- 1 TSP sugar
- 1 TSP potato starch
- 1 TSP water
- cooking oil
For Sushi Rice
- 2 cups uncooked sushi rice (Japanese short-grain rice), rinsed and drained
- 1¾ cups water
For Sushi Vinegar (or use pickles juice from sushi ginger or pickled radish)
- ¼ cup vinegar
- 3 tbsp sugar
- ¼ TSP salt
Instructions
Prepare Toppings
- Make pickled radish to read this post. Remove excess pickled juice and roughly chop them.
![Japanese Sweet and Sour Pickled Red Radish [AMAZU-ZUKE]](https://japanmcconnell.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Japanese-Sweet-and-Sour-Pickled-Red-Radish-AMAZU-ZUKE-300x300.jpg)
- Make KINSHI TAMAGO (paper-thin egg omelet).For the recipe, read this post.
- Clean shrimp and boil them. Slice the shrimp into half. If you like to follow my guide about how to clean and boil shrimp, read this post.
Make Sushi Rice
- (Make Sushi Vinegar) In a small saucepan, add vinegar, sugar, and salt, then, bring it to a boil until the sugar dissolves. Let it cool. Or you can microwave the mixture to dissolve the sugar.
- (Cook short-grain rice) Rinse the rice a few times to remove excess starch. Soak the rice for 30 minutes when using a rice cooker or a regular pot on the stovetop. (it is not necessary when using an Instant pot or a pressure cooker. Cook rice with your preferred cooking method-with a rice cooker/ instant pot/ pressure cooker/ on the stovetop.*How to cook rice with an instant pot/pressure cooker*How to cook rice on the stovetop
- Once the rice is cooked, transfer the rice to a roasting pan or sushi rice mixing bowl.
- The rice must be hot when mixed with sushi vinegar. Pour the sushi vinegar over the rice evenly and combine well while slicing rumps of the rice rather than mixing. Avoid breaking the rice grain.
- If you want to mix toasted sesame seeds with the rice, add and mix together at this point.
- After combining the rice and vinegar, cool the rice using a handy fan or electric fan to make them shiny and stays them sticky rather than mushy.
Assemble Chirashi Sushi
- Place the sushi rice on a platter. Top with the all ingredients that you prepared and make it fancy. *I usually start with KINSHI TAJMAGO, edamame beans, chopped pickled radishes, boiled shrimp, and sprinkle toasted sesame seeds.